Gran had already pondered deeply about the nature of Ki back in that mysterious realm.
At first, he hadn't known how to sense Ki—let alone control it.
But in truth, sensing and manipulating Ki weren't as difficult as they seemed.
During that month-long escape from death, he had pushed every ounce of power in his body to the extreme.
In that desperate struggle for survival, he finally learned to master every thread of strength within himself.
As Whis once said—Ki is the root of all power.
And Gran had achieved complete control over his own Ki.
However, when it came to calming that Ki, he was at a loss once again.
Whis nodded thoughtfully. "Your memory serves you well. What I mentioned before—'the state of mind'—is exactly what you must now comprehend."
"In simple terms, 'state of mind' refers to one's inner self."
"Only by not letting emotions sway you, not letting the outside world disturb you—by uniting the inner and the outer, and allowing your heart to settle—can your Ki truly become calm. Only then will your immense power no longer consume you."
Gran blinked and said instinctively,
"So… I have to be as calm as the sky, and as swift as lightning?"
Those were the words of the attendant of Earth's Guardian.
But the moment they left his mouth
BOOM!
Whis froze as if struck by thunder, his entire body trembling.
"Th-this sentence—where did you hear that?" Whis stared at him in disbelief.
"Huh?"
Gran flinched, startled by Whis's reaction.
What's wrong with that line? he wondered. Or is there something wrong with Popo?
"I… I read it in the Saiyan Chronicles," Gran stammered.
"The Saiyan Chronicles again…"
Whis fell silent, lost in thought for a long moment.
After more than ten minutes, he finally spoke again.
"Actually, the true meaning of that phrase is this: your heart must be as still as the sky, and your movements as fast as lightning."
He turned toward the boy beside him, his tone soft but firm.
"These two states—mind and body—together form what we call the state of Ultra Instinct."
"It's something I was planning to teach you much later. I never expected you'd come across it on your own."
"I didn't know what it meant," Gran said innocently. "I just read it from the records."
The small boy blinked his wide eyes, feigning ignorance.
So that's it… Gran thought.
What Popo taught Son Goku back then was the foundation of Ultra Instinct's mental state. No wonder Goku was able to reach it later during the Tournament of Power.
Everything made sense now.
Popo… that mysterious being… who exactly was he?
Whis's lips twitched. "Alright, alright. Let's just say you didn't know."
"The mental state of Ultra Instinct consists of two stages," Whis continued.
"The first is Selflessness—to forget who you are, where you are, what you desire… to forget everything."
"The second is Egolessness—to act without conscious intent, to flow naturally, to strip away the weaknesses of human nature, and entrust the battle to instinct itself."
"Now, go sit by the lake and meditate. Focus on the phrase Selflessness. Once you truly comprehend it, you'll have reached the first stage."
"At your current level, reaching the first stage alone would already be an incredible feat."
With that, Whis turned and reclined once more on his beach chair.
Gran scratched his head.
Meditation? That's all it takes to train the first stage? That sounds too easy…
Fortunately, Whis couldn't hear his thoughts—otherwise he would've rolled his eyes.
Even many Gods of Destruction had never reached the second stage, and he dared to call it simple?
Gran approached the lake, crossed his legs, and slowly closed his eyes.
Remember the words "Selflessness," huh?
It didn't sound too hard.
Within moments, Gran had entered a meditative trance.
Whis, too, closed his eyes on the beach chair, no longer watching him.
Normally, when guiding mortals, Whis would start with controlling their energy, then cultivating their power, and only then teaching battle techniques.
But Gran was different—his martial talent was extraordinary. His training had to be tailored accordingly.
For him, physical power could wait.
At his age, refining his state of mind was more crucial.
After all, if a child of six or seven could comprehend and master the first stage of this mental realm…
then in time, he could surely reach Ultra Instinct itself.
Whis remembered that Beerus had taken two years to achieve the first stage of calm, ten more years for the second,
and centuries beyond that to imperfectly master Ultra Instinct.
Given Gran's terrifying potential, Whis estimated it might take him less than two years to reach the first stage.
Days turned into weeks.
Other than his three meals a day, Gran spent all his time meditating by the lake.
Whis, content with his food and drink, left the boy undisturbed.
The Realm of Destruction fell into complete stillness.
A month passed—when suddenly, Whis's calm expression grew grave.
Because through his senses, he felt Gran's once-violent Ki slowly beginning to settle.
By the second month, Whis's composure vanished altogether.
Gran's raging energy had completely stilled.
That meant—Gran had fully achieved the first stage!
"This brat's insane! Two months—and he's mastered the Selfless State? What kind of monstrous talent is this?!"
Whis was both thrilled and terrified.
He didn't dare approach, afraid that even the slightest disturbance might break Gran's focus.
"No… wait…" Whis muttered, eyes widening.
"He hasn't awakened yet. He's still meditating. Could it be…?"
His breathing grew rapid.
From that day onward, Gran remained deep in meditation—without food, without water.
A third month passed. Still, he didn't wake.
Whis realized—Gran was now attempting the second stage.
This boy's talent is utterly monstrous… Whis thought, excitement building in his chest.
He could hardly wait for the day Gran finally opened his eyes.
Half a year passed.
Then a full year.
BOOM!!!
An ethereal surge of energy exploded from Gran's body.
"This is impossible! Only one year—and he's reached the second stage?!"
Whis's usual elegance was gone, replaced by pure shock.
It was the second time in his life he had lost composure because of Gran.
SPLASH!!!
Silver light erupted from the now seven-year-old Gran.
Centered on him, that serene, divine aura expanded rapidly
Reaching the Palace of Destruction,
and beyond
To the sleeping chamber of Beerus himself.
Beerus's eyes snapped open.
The God of Destruction had awakened.
The Seventh Universe trembled.
Across the realms, gods felt the shift.
North Kai's Planet
"Oh, my goodness! Didn't that great one just fall asleep not long ago? Why is he awake again?!"
A short, blue-skinned man with antennae paced nervously across the grass, his face twisted in anxiety.
Supreme Kai's Realm
"What is this sensation? Could it be… Majin Buu has awakened?"
The short Supreme Kai with spiky hair turned pale. Grabbing Kibito, he hurriedly left the realm at once.