Gohan nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. But... I know I need more training," he said, glancing at Ramton, who gave a small nod in agreement.

"In fact," Ramton began, "you mentioned Beerus earlier. How about I show you what it really means to wield Destruction?" His words hung in the air, and Gohan's eyes widened in surprise. But before he could respond, Ramton raised a hand, his tone shifting.

"Listen carefully. I've already warned you about the dangers of Destruction energy. It's a force that can even surpass Ultra Instinct when mastered, but... that kind of power requires a certain mindset. One that, for most, is dangerous to maintain. I barely broke free from it myself. Even now, it still whispers to me—calls for me to give it an inch," Ramton said, as dark Destruction energy began to swirl in his palm.

"But once you give it that inch... it'll take everything," he finished, the ominous energy dancing between his fingers like a living entity.

Gohan's brows furrowed. "Why would you take such a risk?"

Ramton's eyes softened, his voice quieter. "Because I was once one of the weakest Destroyers. I had little potential compared to others. I'm older than many angels, but the thing that let me claw my way up was letting Destruction rule me, instead of me ruling it." He paused for a moment, then with a sharp flick of his wrist, the swirling Destruction energy in his palm violently dispersed, disappearing into nothingness.

There was a heavy silence as Gohan took it all in. Then, with resolve in his voice, he said, "If that's the case, then I respectfully decline, Lord Ramton."

Ramton blinked, slightly taken aback. Gohan continued, "When I chose this path, I promised myself that I wouldn't lose who I am to the power—or to the role of being a Destroyer. Before anything, I'm still Gohan Son, son of Goku and Chi-Chi. I've come this far through my own strength, and I'll find a way to surpass Merno... my way."

Ramton stared at Gohan for a moment, his face unreadable, before he suddenly let out a strange wheezing sound. Gohan hesitated, unsure of what was happening, but Chronoa quickly stepped in, a smile on her face. "That's just the sound Ramton makes when he's laughing," she clarified, easing the tension.

"Good to know," Gohan chuckled, giving a slight bow. "Thank you for the offer, Lord Ramton."

Ramton nodded, his serious demeanor returning. "You've got more in you than I did back then. Keep that fire burning."

With the conversation shifting back to business, Gohan rejoined the group. "Is everyone alright?"

Diana gave a small nod. "Shaken but not defeated," she said, though Circe quickly chimed in.

"Defeated completely, you mean? I think that's an important detail you're leaving out, princess," Circe remarked with a smirk, earning a glare from Diana.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Still, surviving any encounter with Merno is something to be proud of," Vermont reminded them, his tone calm but firm. "Clone or not."

The Abyss—a desolate realm beyond the infinite expanses of the Omniverse. Here, time and space unraveled, twisting into chaotic storms of nothingness. A place only the most powerful gods dared enter, where a single thought could erase entire universes. It was here that Beerus, the God of Destruction, ventured with one goal in mind.

Beerus flew through the chaos, his golden eyes narrowed as he sensed a disturbance ahead. Darkseid's presence loomed, like a black hole devouring everything around it. As he approached, Beerus's eyes locked onto a swirling mist that surrounded a distant universe, and he smirked. Found you...

Without hesitation, Beerus flared his divinity, letting divine ki explode around him in waves of purple energy. His power spiked dramatically as the Abyss shifted around him. The silhouette of a monstrous figure with glowing red eyes loomed ahead, consuming half of a dying universe.

"Darkseid," Beerus muttered before summoning a massive orb of destruction. Lifting it high, he hurled the sphere with the force of countless collapsing realities. The orb shot toward Darkseid's silhouette, tearing apart nearby dimensions in its wake.

At last, Darkseid took notice. The New God's red eyes gleamed with malevolent power as he raised a hand, effortlessly deflecting the orb of destruction, sending it spinning off into the void. His deep, resonant voice echoed through the Abyss. "Another fool with those garbs..."

Beerus felt something sinister creep into his mind. Darkseid's presence was more than physical—it was mental, an overwhelming psychic force that attempted to crush Beerus from within. A dark mist began to encircle the Destroyer, locking him in a psychic hold. For a brief moment, Beerus realized that he was already surrounded, his mind being torn at the seams.

But Beerus wasn't one to be broken so easily. "Don't get cocky!" Beerus roared, unleashing a massive burst of ki that shattered the mental chains around him. The purple energy dispersed Darkseid's mist, his aura flaring brighter.

Darkseid's presence dominated the Abyss, a cosmic shadow swallowing all light. His voice, low and thunderous, echoed through the void like the rumble of a dying star.

"You are greater than that insignificant Son Gohan..." His red eyes flared, his tone drenched in disdain. "He dared confront me, though he was no more than a pathetic, fleeting insect before a god."

Darkseid's lips curled into a slight, chilling smile, his voice dripping with condescension. "Yet perhaps he wasn't entirely without worth... A spark of defiance, soon extinguished."

Beerus growled, his golden eyes flashing with fury. "I didn't come here to hear you talk. I came here to destroy you!"

With a flick of his wrist, Beerus summoned another orb of Hakai energy, but this time it was larger, glowing with the destructive potential to erase entire realities. He hurled it at Darkseid with deadly precision. The energy warped the Abyss around it, threatening to rip apart the very fabric of existence as it closed in on the New God.

Darkseid didn't flinch. He raised his hand, catching the Hakai orb with ease. The power within the orb twisted and writhed under Darkseid's influence as the Anti-Life Equation bent it to his will. The New God sneered and tossed the orb back, now corrupted with his own energy. "Destruction is meaningless in the presence of the true end. Submit."

Beerus deflected the attack with a wave of his hand, his irritation growing. "You'll see what destruction really means, Darkseid!" He vanished in a blur of speed, appearing before Darkseid in an instant and delivering a crushing blow to his face. The impact sent shockwaves through the Abyss, rattling the very borders of many Omniverses spread throughout the Abyss.