Champa, oblivious to the sceptical glances from the group, plucked an egg from the storage container. He stood with one hand on his hip, let out a boisterous laugh, and proclaimed, "This is the pinnacle of Universe 6 cuisine! The Don-Don Bird Egg! Its flavour is a masterpiece that you hillbillies couldn't even dream of tasting!" He puffed out his chubby chest, looking utterly certain that he was about to make them green with envy now that he had brought out his "secret weapon."
Beside him, Vados was suffering from second-hand embarrassment so severe she felt like she could tunnel through the ground and build a three-bedroom apartment. Lord Champa, don't blame me when you lose face, she thought, turning her head away, unable to bear the coming spectacle.
The Universe 7 group, having already experienced the glory of Gran's Szechuan hotpot, was privately convinced that no food on earth could top it. However, since the speaker was a literal God of Destruction, they kept their mouths shut. The silence grew heavy and awkward.
"Well, if it's the top-tier delicacy of Universe 6, I suppose we should give it a try," Beerus said, breaking the tension with a dry cough. "If it's actually that good, maybe I'll give you a compliment." He stepped forward, picked up an egg, and turned it over curiously. "Is there a specific way to eat this?"
Seeing Beerus move, Gran scurried over and grabbed an egg for himself. The Elder Kai and the others seemed too intimidated to touch the "divine" food, so Gran grabbed a few more and handed them out. Soon, everyone held a Don-Don Bird Egg.
"How do you eat it?" Champa scoffed, mimicking a sophisticated gourmet. "High-end ingredients only require the most primitive cooking methods. Don't you know that? We're going to experience the flavour in its purest, most primal form!" He meticulously peeled the shell and took a bite.
"Ahhh~~" A moan of pure ecstasy echoed across the Land of the Kais. Even though he had eaten these countless times, Champa acted as if he were discovering fire. To the observers, he looked like a madman, writhing and groaning in a way that was more disturbing than appetising.
"Pfft!" Gran couldn't hold it back and let out a snort of laughter. The Elder Kai and the others wanted to join in, but they were so afraid of Champa that their entire bodies shook from the effort of holding it in.
"What are you laughing at, brat?" Champa glared at Gran. "Once you taste this, you'll be making the same faces I am!" If it weren't for the kid's talent and the fact that he was Beerus's student, Champa would have already sent him flying.
"Then I'd better dig in," Gran said. With Beerus standing right there, he wasn't afraid. He peeled the shell and popped the whole thing into his mouth. He chewed. It was exactly what he expected: a perfectly normal, plain, hard-boiled egg.
"Well? Delicious, right?" Champa asked, looking triumphant.
"It's... truly something. Truly a delicacy of the sixth universe!" Gran said, struggling to swallow the dry yolk. He glanced at Vados, who had now turned her entire body away, seemingly trying to vanish from reality.
"Hahaha! I knew it! You hillbillies have never had anything this good!" Champa cheered.
Beerus and Whis shared a look. Is the kid faking? They wondered if there was some hidden flavour they were missing. They both took a bite. Their eyes met instantly. This is just garbage, their expressions screamed. The Kais took a bite as well, and the entire Universe 7 contingent went dead silent.
"Look at you all! Stunned into silence!" Champa was riding high as he'd just downed a gallon of vintage soda. "This is what it's like to live in Universe 6! Are you jealous? Ask me nicely, and I might spare you a few more!"
"Ahem," Beerus cleared his throat, suppressing a grin. "It's... decent. But Universe 7 has some fairly impressive food of its own." He patted Gran on the shoulder and added mischievously, "That hotpot you made last time was alright. Why don't you whip something up so Lord Champa can see what real flavour looks like?"
"Lord Beerus, eating the same thing twice is boring. I'll take you all to try something much more interesting," Gran said with a smirk. If they were going to have a food war, there was only one choice: Instant Ramen.
"What are you lot whispering about?" Champa asked, finally noticing their lack of enthusiasm. "You're acting like the Don-Don Bird Egg isn't the greatest thing in the multiverse! That's impossible!"
Gran ignored the "fat pig" and looked at Beerus. "Lord Beerus, back when I was travelling, I wanted to bring this food back as a gift, but things got complicated. Do you want to go try it now?"
Beerus glanced at the ranting Champa. "Can this food of yours slap the smug look off that pig's face?"
"Oh, absolutely," Gran promised.
"Fine. Let's go!" Beerus didn't care about the trip as long as he could shut Champa up and get a good meal out of it.
"Great," Gran nodded, pulling Shin forward. "Use your Instant Transmission to take us to Earth."
"Wait, why me?" Shin complained. "You know how to do it! I'm not your personal chauffeur!"
"Stop whining, or I'll hit you."
Shin looked at Gran's fist and sighed. "Fine."
"Hey, fat pig! Get over here!" Beerus barked.
"You're lying! Nothing compares to the egg!" Champa screamed.
"Get over here before I give you another Ultra Flying Kick!"
"You want to go again?!"
Beerus had no patience left. He flickered in front of Champa and delivered a single, precise punch to his gut. The strongest Destroyer's power was absolute; Champa folded instantly, losing his will to fight. While Gran and the Kais were shocked by the display of power, the Angels didn't even blink.
"Let's move!" Beerus grabbed Champa by the scruff of his neck and put a hand on Shin's shoulder. With a pop, the entire group vanished, leaving behind nothing but the imaginary apartment Vados had spent the last ten minutes "building" in her mind.
They arrived on Earth in the year Age 740, roughly nine years before Bulma would set out to find the Dragon Balls. High above in the Lookout, the Namekian Guardian—the one who had split from King Piccolo—stood at the edge of the sanctuary, peering down at the mortal world alongside Mr Popo.
"Two hundred years have passed," Kami sighed. "The scars King Piccolo left on the world have finally healed. It's just a shame about Mutaito."
Popo's expression remained as stoic as a statue. "Kami, you should not have split from your dark side."
"I know," Kami murmured. "But if I hadn't, my heart would have been consumed. I would have become the very demon I feared." He turned and walked back into the temple, leaving Popo alone. Popo stared toward the horizon, his eyes unblinking.
"What are they doing here?" Popo whispered, his gaze shifting toward the base of Korin Tower.
The gods and their entourage had landed in the northern forests. Beerus was still holding a slumped Champa when Whis and Vados looked up at Korin Tower. Their expressions became uncharacteristically solemn.
"Is something wrong?" Beerus asked.
"This tower... " It's quite interesting," Whis said, eyeing the structure that pierced the clouds.
"Indeed," Vados added, narrowing her eyes. "Those ancient carvings... I feel as though I've seen them somewhere before."
The Elder Kai and Beerus were stunned. To see two Angels intrigued by something on a backwater planet like Earth was unheard of. Gran was equally surprised. He knew Korin Tower was mysterious—home to the Sage, Senzu beans, and the Ultra Divine Water—but its origins were never fully explained in the lore.
After twenty minutes of the Angels standing in silent contemplation, Beerus snapped. "Can we please eat before we solve the mysteries of the universe?"
"All you think about is your stomach," Whis teased. "You eat so much, yet you stay as thin as a rail."
The Kai trio turned red trying to suppress their laughter, while Gran just lost it. Beerus's face turned dark, and he promptly gave Gran a hard knock on the head.
"Ow! Why me?!"
"I can't hit Whis, but I can certainly hit you!" Beerus huffed. "Now, where is this 'delicacy'?"
Gran led them to West City, specifically to a supermarket. He had Kibito carry eight cups of instant ramen to the counter. "Lord Beerus, it's time to pay," Gran said with a grin.
"Pay? What is 'pay'?"
"It means giving them money in exchange for the goods."
"I am a God of Destruction!" Beerus growled, still holding Champa by the neck. "I have to pay for things in my own universe?"
"Lord Beerus," Gran rolled his eyes, "paying is the highest form of respect for a chef's work."
Beerus wanted to argue, but the logic was sound. He looked at Whis, who glanced at a nearby customer's currency and tapped his staff. A stack of several thousand Soni appeared on the counter.
"I'm warning you," Beerus muttered to Gran as they left, "if this isn't good, I'm blowing this planet up."
"Heh. If you can still say that after one bite, I'll call you a hero," Gran replied.
They went to a nearby park. Gran didn't want to take them to a fancy restaurant yet; he didn't want to spoil their palates too early. He had Whis conjure some boiling water and prepare all eight cups. As the rich, savoury aroma began to waft through the air, Champa, who had been tossed onto the grass, finally began to stir.
He stretched and yawned, but as the scent hit his nose, he froze. Tears actually began to well up in his eyes. "What... what is that smell?"
Would you like me to continue with the "Instant Ramen" tasting and Champa's reaction?
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