Annihilation with Bare Hands

A purple energy sphere shot out with a whoosh.

It looked pitifully small, about the size of a marble. Its surface gleamed like flowing metal, yet it concealed a darkness that sent chills down one's spine.

It was absurdly fast, too fast for the naked eye to follow. It only left behind a scorching purple afterimage in the air, ionizing even the atmosphere into fine patterns of lightning.

On the surface, it had seemed like a casual toss, as though Beerus had not taken it seriously at all.

Yet the destructive power concealed within was something vicious on the level of a God of Destruction.

Do not let its small size fool you. Its energy density was so high it defied belief—like stuffing the force needed to destroy a star into a marble.

If it hit and could not be blocked, there would not even be an explosion or flames. The target would be broken down and erased directly at the atomic level.

Not even the smallest quark would remain, as though it had never existed at all.

Champa's pupils instantly shrank to pinpoints.

He recognized it. This was Beerus's most common "greeting gift."

It looked harmless, but it could vaporize the crust of a medium-sized planet in one go.

Champa's chubby hand clenched tightly around his staff, veins bulging.

Vados's feather fan stopped in midair.

Whis's crystal ball flickered faintly.

At that moment, time seemed to stretch infinitely.

Qi Heng did not dodge.

He did not even assume a defensive stance.

Just as the purple streak was about to strike his chest, he merely raised his right hand calmly, steady as though he were about to catch a weightless feather.

His five fingers spread, palm facing forward.

Pop.

The sound was as soft as a bursting bubble.

The energy sphere, powerful enough to destroy a planet, stopped steadily in his palm.

The instant it made contact, dazzling violet-gold light exploded!

The energy sphere thrashed and spun wildly in his palm, like a raging star trapped in a cage.

The power of destruction transformed into countless purple arcs of electricity, crawling up his fingers as they desperately tried to corrode, break down, and erase the human hand that dared touch divine power.

As the arcs crawled across his hand, even space twisted, letting out a groan as though it were about to give way.

Golden light suddenly flared from Qi Heng's palm.

It was not an aura, but light shining from deep beneath his skin—warm, solid, and carrying an ancient, solemn rhythm.

The golden light and purple lightning clashed fiercely, neither yielding an inch as sparks scattered through the air.

A piercing hiss filled the temple, like hundreds of millions of metallic insects beating their wings at once.

Two utterly different forms of energy were colliding desperately on a microscopic level.

One second.

Three seconds.

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

The energy sphere trembled violently in Qi Heng's palm, yet it could never break through that layer of golden light.

Wave after wave of purple lightning struck, only to be dissolved each time by that gentle yet steadfast radiance.

Qi Heng's arm did not move in the slightest, not even trembling once.

His expression remained calm, but intricate flowing patterns of light began to emerge deep within his golden pupils—like swirling nebulae, or ancient runes awakening.

The smile vanished from Beerus's face.

He tilted his head slightly, and for the first time, a trace of seriousness appeared in his slit pupils.

At the eleventh second, Qi Heng slowly curled his five fingers inward.

Slowly enough for everyone to see the path of each finger bending.

His knuckles gave a soft crack, and the golden light beneath his skin surged into his palm with the motion of his clenched fist.

The violent purple energy sphere was gradually squeezed out of shape by his strength, changing from a sphere into an oval, then into a thin sheet.

Finally, accompanied by a crisp sound like shattering glass—

The purple light went out.

Qi Heng opened his palm.

All that remained was a wisp of rising purple smoke and several faintly reddened finger marks.

The energy capable of destroying a planet had been crushed barehanded, annihilated, and completely erased into the flowing air of the temple.

Dead silence.

The entire temple was so quiet it felt as though everything had died.

Even the eternal breeze outside seemed to have stopped at this moment.

The energy sphere in Qi Heng's palm exploded into countless specks of purple starlight, like fireflies scattered by the wind. They flickered in the air before vanishing without a trace.

The explosion brought no violent shockwave. It merely stirred a faint breeze carrying a scorched scent, sweeping over Qi Heng's forehead and blowing his short black hair back, the strands trembling slightly in the airflow.

Qi Heng slowly lowered his arm, his movements as steady as still water.

He raised his eyes and calmly looked through the lingering energy ripples at Beerus.

There was no fear or provocation in those deep eyes—only the stillness of a deep sea.

"Lord Beerus, is this your welcoming gift?"

The moment the words fell, time itself seemed to freeze.

The eternally indigo ground of the God of Destruction Realm, the towering conical stone pillars, and the frozen dusky glow at the horizon all became the weighty backdrop to this confrontation.

Champa was so excited that his body trembled slightly. His grin nearly reached his ears as he rubbed his hands together and chuckled under his breath, triumph written all over his face, as though he were about to witness a spectacle he had anticipated for a long time.

Whis let out a soft "Oh." The lazy smile on his face faded, and for the first time, he revealed a focused expression.

He tilted his head slightly, a trace of curiosity flashing through his ice-blue eyes as his staff unconsciously tapped the ground.

Vados remained as elegant and mysterious as ever, the smile at the corner of her lips unchanged, as though everything unfolding before her had long been written in the book of fate. She even had the leisure to smooth out nonexistent wrinkles on her staff.

And Beerus, at the center of the storm—

He smiled.

It was not his usual cold sneer, tinged with arrogance and the desire for destruction. This smile came from the depths of his soul, carrying a burning warmth.

It wiped away the drowsiness and impatience that had lingered on his face for so long.

Like a predator that had stood at the top of the food chain for too long and grown bored with everything, he had finally caught the scent of prey that made his blood boil.

This was not disdain for an ant. It was the pure joy of someone who had stood alone at the summit for too long, finally glimpsing another height—mixed with surprise, excitement, and boundless fighting spirit.

"Interesting."

Beerus's voice was lower than usual. He slowly rolled his neck, and his joints cracked loudly in the dead silence.

"Truly... very interesting."

The last trace of sleepiness vanished from his eyes.

Deep within those purple vertical pupils, dark flames seemed to ignite.

It was the most primal, instinctive desire for battle of a God of Destruction.

Like a beast that had slumbered for too long, its claws and fangs nearly worn away by comfort, finally awakened by the intrusion of a powerful foe into its territory.

He no longer stood there lazily.

He lightly stepped back, opening a distance of two paces, then assumed a posture that looked casual but concealed profound intent.

His arms hung naturally at his sides, his fingers slightly curled. His feet were spread one before the other, his center of gravity settled at an incredible point of balance.

His entire body appeared relaxed, but in truth, every muscle and every bone had been brought to its optimal state.

Like a fully drawn bow, and like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

Beneath that calm exterior lay terrifying power capable of tearing apart stars.

"Then let me see—just how capable you are, and whether you can make me... get serious for once."

Qi Heng fell silent for a moment.

It was neither hesitation nor fear. It was more like confirmation, an intense focus that gathered his entire mind into a single point.

Then, the corners of his lips lifted slightly.

The smile was faint, like ripples spreading across water, yet it held the steadfastness of bedrock.