Word had spread that Konoha was hosting a grand celebration, with mountains of food to match. Even with the enormous shockwaves that had rippled across the Sixth Universe in the wake of Zamasu and Majin Buu's arrival, Destroyer Champa and his Angel attendant Vados came bounding over without a care in the world, nominally to join in the festivities — and rather more honestly, to satisfy their own appetites.
A large area at the center of the village had been cleared for the occasion. Dozens of ninja were hard at work constructing what the Seventh Hokage had grandly dubbed the Super Cream Cake.
"Lightning Release Chakra Mode!" The Fourth Raikage — who had learned to fly on chakra during his time in the Underworld — hovered in midair, lightning crackling across his entire body, wielding an enormous wooden paddle to rapidly beat butter and cream together inside a basin the size of a basketball court.
"Fire Release: Great Blaze Technique!" The Sarutobi clan may not have commanded three thousand ninja, but on this joyous day they had still mustered more than three hundred to apply heat to the cream.
Zabuza came charging in from the side, swinging the Executioner's Blade in wide sweeping arcs to cut the cake into layers. Choji and several of the rounder Akimichi clan members enlarged their bodies and then, with surprising delicacy, spread chocolate across each tier.
Milk, sugar beet, banana, black sesame, soybean flour, yogurt — ingredient after ingredient was folded into the Super Cream Cake. By the time Champa and Vados arrived, a cream cake a full three stories tall had already taken shape, cooling as it waited, while a group of kunoichi stood nearby debating the decorations.
"Oh! It looks super super amazing! Hehehehehe!" Champa's laugh was as dopey and shameless as ever. He had put on yet another ring of fat since the last time anyone had seen him — people who knew him would say he was originally a cat; people who didn't would assume this creature was a pig.
Even Vados, who normally kept up an air of cool composure, was all smiles, eagerly anticipating the moment the feast would begin.
...
Champa and Vados had received word early and set out ahead of time, arriving at Konoha Village before everyone else.
Beerus and Whis got the news later, and on top of that, Whis insisted that a God of Destruction owed it to his title to maintain basic divine dignity — washing his face, brushing his teeth, changing his clothes — so by the time the two of them made it to Konoha, it was nearly noon.
"Hmm? Strange place... Whis, are we still in the Seventh Universe?" The moment Beerus stepped into Konoha Village, he sensed something off. A peculiar energy field enveloped him — what exactly it was, he couldn't quite articulate. He turned to the Angel attendant at his side.
Whis smiled pleasantly. "I do recall covering this exact phenomenon in my lectures. You told me at the time that you had understood everything perfectly."
Beerus scratched his face with an awkward expression. He had a vague impression that this rang a bell — had he understood it? When he was a Destroyer-in-training, his knowledge had been at its peak; he'd probably grasped it back then. But after so many years, he'd completely forgotten.
"Mhm, mhm, of course I understood, I definitely understood, I've always remembered..." The one thing Beerus knew for certain was that anyone in the world might deceive him — but Whis never would. He had that much confidence, at least. And since the two of them had walked right in without incident, that meant the surrounding energy was harmless.
Beerus had been made to dress formally. Formal, in this context, still meant a bare upper body; a black-and-white decorative piece hung around his neck, paired with long, loose blue trousers and shoes with gold rings.
The two strolled through Konoha's streets. The peculiar energy permeating the area interfered with their sensory abilities, leaving only their eyes to scout around.
The streets were busy with people. The Super Cream Cake was not to most villagers' taste, but nobody objected to a stroll and some festive fun. Rumor had it the Seventh Hokage was personally footing the entire bill — people weren't entirely sure they believed that, but then again, it wasn't coming out of their own pockets. Why hesitate? Might as well enjoy themselves to the fullest.
"Mr. Whis!" A bright and vivacious young kunoichi came bounding across the street like a fawn, eyes fixed on Whis with an expression of pure delight.
Whis broke into an equally sunny smile. "Miss Mirai Sarutobi, it's been a long time."
"Mr. Whis, this is for you!" Mirai Sarutobi pressed a cup of bubble tea into his hands, then dashed off just as quickly as she had appeared.
Beerus's nose gave an involuntary twitch. That bubble tea smelled like it might be genuinely good. But she had only brought one cup, and it was for Whis — he couldn't very well demand it for himself.
Whis, standing right in front of him, began to sip it with deliberate, audible relish.
"My, this is delicious. The last time I had bubble tea like this was... the last time. Oh-hohoho!"
Beerus watched him with a look of profound contempt.
They had only walked two more streets through the village before a steady stream of men and women came over to say hello to Whis.
When a girl named Ayame passed by lugging a large bucket of sauce, Whis tapped his staff and cast a levitation charm on the bucket, earning him a shower of thanks from the girl. The two of them then stood happily chatting at the roadside for a full two minutes.
Beerus was deeply envious. All those years he had been asleep, it seemed the fellow at his side had been out having quite a good time.
"Lord Whis!" Beerus followed the voice and found a pink-haired woman. She offered Whis not food or drink, but a book, holding it out to him. "Lord Whis, could you help me with this problem?"
Another mortal fawning over Whis's looks! Beerus composed his face into an expression of supreme indifference, clasped his hands behind his back, and began studying the decorations on the roadside — while both his long ears stood ramrod straight, straining to hear every word.
This time, Whis displayed an unusually pained expression. Nevertheless, he took the book. "Mrs. Uchiha, which problem did you have in mind?"
"This one — the question of whether ether energy cycling back and forth within a sealed space can break through the Turov Limit and achieve second-stage super-energy redirection."
The question was fiendishly difficult. Even with Whis's capabilities, working through it completely took him three full minutes.
"Goodbye, Lord Whis!"
"Heheh, goodbye, Mrs. Uchiha."
Beerus: ???
He looked blankly around him. Was he currently inside a planet inhabited by sentient life in the Seventh Universe, or had he somehow ended up back in the classroom from his days as a Destroyer-in-training?
A sealed space? An ordinary-looking villager needed to study knowledge this advanced? Beerus had the uncomfortable feeling that he himself probably couldn't answer that question — at least not express the answer in writing. His expression shifted involuntarily into something strange. He began to wonder if he hadn't fully woken up yet, or if perhaps he was still dreaming.
Afraid that Whis might turn around and quiz him next, he didn't dare dwell on the subject.
Instead he cleared his throat and asked, very broadly, "You know this area well?"
"Not all that well — I've only been here a few times." As Whis said this, he crouched down and exchanged a few words with Tonton, who happened to be trotting past.
"Goodbye, Tonton!"
"Bwee-bwee!" Tonton gave a cheerful grunt, raised her right front hoof, and waved goodbye to the handsome man.
Beerus: ...
You even know the village's pet pig, and you call this 'not all that familiar'?
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