King Vegeta Scared to Save His Son, Beerus Wants to Destroy the Little Prince Himself

Beerus's massive body rose leisurely to its feet, and the tail covered in black and blue stripes swept lazily behind him, stirring up a heart-pounding breeze.

He extended one claw and casually shook Prince Vegeta, whom he was holding in his hand.

The six-year-old's small body was like a cheap toy in his palm, utterly powerless to resist.

Then his half-lidded catlike eyes swept over everyone in the great hall, all of them silent as if gripped by frost, his languor carrying unquestionable divine authority.

"You are rather fortunate. Originally, you were destined to be annihilated along with this filthy planet, reduced to cosmic dust, leaving no trace behind..." Beerus's voice was not loud, yet it drilled clearly into every Saiyan's eardrums and struck deep in their souls. "But thanks to this little thing in my hand, you get to cling to life for now."

As Beerus spoke, he took elegant yet heavy steps, slowly walking toward the throne at the center of the great hall—the symbol of the pinnacle of Saiyan power.

Along the way, his gaze drifted casually and happened to meet Gou Kong's eyes at the edge of the crowd for an instant.

Only an instant!

Every hair on Gou Kong's body stood on end in an instant, goose bumps spreading from his spine all the way to the back of his neck, as if he had been targeted by a primordial beast, the shadow of death icy enough to pierce bone.

Almost by instinct, he staggered half a step back, his heart hammering wildly inside his chest, slamming against his ribs with a thunderous drumbeat.

It was the ultimate fear born from the instinct of life itself toward an existence of a higher dimension.

"My lord..."

Gou Kong roared inwardly, forcibly suppressing the cry of alarm that had nearly burst from his mouth.

He was glad he had not made any unnecessary reaction just now. He immediately drew in a deep breath, forced down his churning blood, and locked his gaze tightly on Beerus, not daring to shift it in the slightest for fear of missing any detail that might decide life or death.

"I greatly detest crude and discourteous fools. However, for an ant like this to dare charge fearlessly against divine authority, his courage is commendable. Therefore, I shall spare this boy the death penalty for now and not destroy him."

As his words fell, the air in the great hall, stretched taut to the limit, seemed to loosen by a fraction in an instant.

Suppressed gasps rose one after another—the relief of those who had survived a calamity.

Gou Kong also let out a long breath in secret, his clenched fists quietly loosening, his palms already soaked with cold sweat.

Looks like it won't be the worst-case scenario... As long as this great god's mood improves, this matter should be considered over, right? A trace of luck had just risen in his heart, and he even began calculating how to slip away amid the chaos and get far from the eye of the storm.

However, Beerus's next words were like a basin of ice water, pouring down over their heads and extinguishing every fantasy, dragging everyone back into the abyss.

"However, what I said was merely that I do not dislike him, not that I like him. Do you not think this idiot, who could not even discern the main issue yet dared swing his fist at the God of Destruction, ought to receive some punishment?" A teasing curve tugged at Beerus's mouth, and his claws lightly pinched Vegeta's little face, making the young prince struggle. "No matter. This child will merely suffer in your place. The prince is punished on everyone's behalf, and your lives are extended. For you, is that not a fortunate thing?"

This is fucking supposed to be fortunate?! Gou Kong cursed inwardly. Beerus's words cruelly shattered every bit of luck he had been clinging to.

How was this a pardon? It was clearly just harvesting lives in another way!

Using Vegeta's life in exchange for the entire race's?

This deal might be "worth it" in the eyes of the Saiyans, but to Gou Kong, it was simply absurd to the extreme!

Sure enough, the moment Beerus finished speaking, King Vegeta, who had originally been slumped on the ground, seemed as if someone had stepped on his tail. He suddenly raised his head, eyes wide, and subconsciously stretched both arms toward Beerus, as though he wanted to protest.

But when Beerus's indifferent gaze swept over him, the old king seemed to freeze. His outstretched arms stiffened in midair, then abruptly recoiled as if he had been shocked. His face was filled with struggle and cowardice, which finally turned into a wretched, deathly gray.

"Yet I am merciful, after all." Beerus seemed not to have seen King Vegeta's ugly display and continued leisurely, sweeping his gaze over the entire hall once more. That gaze was almost tangible as it passed over every trembling Saiyan elite. "I cannot bear to destroy this young fledgling. Therefore, I will give you one final chance. Among all of you present, who is willing to step forward and take this prince's punishment in his place? Just one person. If anyone agrees, I shall treat your king's disrespect this time as nothing and let bygones be bygones."

When he finished, the great hall fell into dead silence.

There was only the faint sound of Beerus's fingertip unconsciously tapping the air, like a pendulum counting down to death.

Gou Kong clenched his teeth, his knuckles whitening from the force, his nails digging deeply into his palms and sending up a clear pain. Thoughts spun madly through his mind like flashes of lightning.

What do I do? What choice do I make?

The answer was obvious, yet as heavy as a mountain.

Everyone present was a gem among the Saiyans, but at this moment, faced with Beerus's option of "dying in another's place," not a single person dared answer.

They exchanged glances, and those eyes were filled with fear, evasion, and selfishness.

Who would be stupid enough to step forward voluntarily and become the target for the God of Destruction to vent his anger on?

What burned there was not glory, but the flames leading to complete annihilation!

This was not fucking funny at all!

"Is... is there anyone? Is no one willing to take the prince's punishment in his place? Not a single one?" King Vegeta finally recovered a shred of strength at this moment and cried out in a hoarse voice, his tone carrying a sob and despair.

However, his cries were like stones thrown into a deep pool. Apart from drawing even more averted gazes, they received no response.

Those elite warriors who usually swore loyalty would not even move a toe at this moment, much less meet his eyes.

Gou Kong watched this scene, his heart turning ice-cold.

So this was the upper echelon of the Saiyans?

So this was their so-called glory?

Before true divine authority, they were nothing but a pack of rats clinging greedily to life and fearing death!

King Vegeta was counting on others to save his son?

That was nothing but a fool's dream!

"If no one is willing to step forward, King Vegeta, you may do it yourself. After all, is he not your own son?" Beerus seemed satisfied with this expected silence, a cruel curve forming at the corner of his mouth as his fingertip lightly pointed toward King Vegeta, who was frozen in place.

However, faced with this final "chance," King Vegeta's face only turned even paler, and his body trembled violently from fear. He did not show even the slightest intention of stepping forward.

He opened his mouth, but in the end, he could not make even a single sound. He only stared fixedly at Beerus with eyes full of despair and pleading, as if hoping the god would show great mercy.

"Heh."

Beerus gave an extremely soft sneer, full of mockery.

In that instant, Gou Kong understood completely.

Rely on this old king?

He might as well rely on that crushed floor tile!

Now there was only one path laid before everyone. Or rather, one choice had fallen on him, and on every person present.

Should they silently watch Vegeta be destroyed, save themselves, then look for a chance to flee this damned planet and head for Earth?

Or should they make that insane decision, step forward, and take the place of that little prince who did not know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth, becoming the sacrifice for Beerus to vent his anger on?

One thought led to heaven; one thought left not even hell behind!

If he chose the latter, what awaited him would be complete erasure from the level of causality itself!

The destructive energy of a God of Destruction would not even spare the soul!

He had somehow transmigrated into this world full of danger, had finally struggled until his combat power broke ten thousand, and just as he was about to reach the "best time to run" when Frieza destroyed the planet, he was supposed to have both body and soul reduced to ash because of one stupid little prince?

This is fucking unfair! Gou Kong roared inwardly as a burst of evil fire shot straight to his skull. Why? Who the hell did I offend? Beerus, you bastard, you only pick on the weak, don't you?

He absolutely would not accept this ending!

No matter what, he had to survive!

His own life was what mattered most!

As for Vegeta?

Sorry, but you were the one who blindly charged into a god's path. You could not blame anyone else!

Gou Kong swiftly drew a clear line in his heart. Guilt?

There was no such thing! He had even begun cursing Vegeta's recklessness in his heart.

Inside the great hall, the thoughts of the other Saiyans were clearly much the same as Gou Kong's.

No one moved. No one spoke. The silence was terrifying.

When everyone chose to protect themselves, Beerus seemed to lose the last of his patience as well, giving a soft, ambiguous snort.

"A wise choice."

Along with that sarcastic judgment, that despair-inducing purple energy once again spread around Beerus.

The energy was not scorching, yet it carried a decaying aura that seemed capable of corroding all things. Wherever it passed, even the light began to twist and dim.

This was the manifestation of the God of Destruction's authority.

Once released, it meant absolute end.

Gou Kong abruptly shut his eyes and turned his head aside with extreme difficulty.

He truly could not bear to watch the inevitably tragic scene that was about to happen next.

Vegeta, that arrogant little prince, was about to turn into the tiniest speck of dust in the universe right before his eyes.

It was over.

Everything was over.