CHAPTER 1: THE PRINCE OF NOTHING

On Beerus's Planet, tranquility blankets the vibrant landscape, the air serene and still. But in an instant, the calm is shattered by a series of thunderous explosions, one after the other.

Whis gracefully sidesteps an oncoming attack, his movements fluid and effortless. The air ripples as his staff strikes the water, sending droplets spraying upward in an elegant arc, creating a shimmering barrier between him and his unseen opponent. He smiles faintly, his expression calm.

"I'm impressed by how far you've come, Goku," Whis says.

Hovering above the water a short distance away, Goku floats in his Ultra Instinct form. His silver hair glows faintly, and his aura ripples around him like liquid fire, emitting glimmering particles into the air. His eyes are sharp, his face calm and unwavering, his body poised for the next attack.

Whis, however, stands unbothered, his stance light and ready for anything. "Harnessing Ultra Instinct is no simple feat. It demands that both body and mind exist as one—constantly in unison. For us Angels, this state is natural, an inherent skill we are always in," he says. His voice carries both pride and a subtle challenge. "It is not a transformation to be 'called upon' like your Super Saiyan forms."

Goku tilts his head, his expression thoughtful. "To become one naturally?"

"Precisely," Whis replies with a knowing smile.

He moves his staff aside, gently planting it into the ground before taking a sparring stance. His hands move delicately, inviting Goku to strike. Goku narrows his eyes, analyzing his options before surging forward. He unleashes a barrage of punches, but Whis dances through them with almost insulting ease, his movements light and untouched by the force Goku exerts.

"You're overthinking," Whis comments mid-dodge. "Your body and mind are still not in perfect sync. At this rate, you're only scratching the lower stages of Ultra Instinct."

"Lower stages?!" Goku shouts, lunging again, his attacks faster this time. "How many stages are there until I reach your level?"

Before Whis answers, he sidesteps, halting Goku's momentum with a single palm to his chest. With no visible effort, Whis deflects him backward, sending Goku skidding across the water's surface.

Goku catches himself, his expression a mix of frustration and awe. Whis remains composed, his serene smile unwavering. 

"I am much farther ahead than where you stand now, Goku. Even with all the progress you've made, you're still far from perceiving my full strength."

Goku steadies his breathing, preparing to attack again, when a deafening explosion rocks the area. He turns his head, distracted, and sees Vegeta hurtling through the air, colliding into the ground with an impact that shakes the forest.

Behind him, Beerus charges at breakneck speed, his eyes sharp with predatory focus. Goku pauses, watching the chaos unfold.

"I suppose we’ll call it for now," Whis says casually, lowering his stance and turning his gaze toward the God of Destruction and the Saiyan prince.

Vegeta scrambles to his feet, blood trickling from his lip. Beerus closes the distance before Vegeta can react, landing a relentless flurry of punches. Each strike forces Vegeta backward, his attempts to defend barely holding up against Beerus's overwhelming power.

"What's wrong, Vegeta?" Beerus taunts, his tone mocking but sharp. "Is it all catching up to you? I warned you—controlling this kind of power requires more than brute force! Let go of all mortal attachments… including your emotions!"

With a devastating uppercut, Beerus sends Vegeta flying through the dense forest. Trees crack and splinter under the force as Vegeta crashes through them, finally landing in a heap. He groans, trying to catch his breath, but the respite is brief—Beerus closes in faster than he can think.

Desperate, Vegeta unleashes a relentless barrage of ki blasts. The energy rains down on Beerus, detonating in a symphony of brilliant flashes. But as the smoke clears, the God of Destruction strides forward, untouched, swatting the attacks away as if they were nothing more than bothersome gnats.

“Inadequate,” Beerus growls, his voice laced with both boredom and disappointment. Purple energy crackles ominously around his clawed hand, a destructive force ready to be unleashed. “Try again.”

Vegeta wipes blood from his lip, his body battered but his pride unyielding. He plants his feet firmly on the ground, his gaze never leaving Beerus.

"I’ve broken my limits before, and I’ll do it again!" he roars, charging forward, his aura flaring.

Before he can land a blow, Beerus moves faster than the eye can track. His fist sinks into Vegeta’s stomach with devastating precision, sending shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. Vegeta’s breath is ripped from his lungs, but he refuses to fall. Gritting his teeth, he grabs Beerus’s arm and retaliates with a fierce punch to the god’s face.

Beerus barely flinches. With a casual flick of his wrist, he sends Vegeta crashing into the dirt. The Saiyan prince groans, coughing as he struggles to rise, the weight of his frustration and failure pressing down on him.

"You’re persistent, I’ll give you that," Beerus says, his tone softening, though his eyes remain stern. "But unlike Goku, who achieves power through a calm, focused mind, the strength you seek lies in destruction. And destruction demands sacrifice—everything that holds you back."

Vegeta grits his teeth, his voice low and conflicted. "But...how can I let go?"

Beerus halts his advance, towering over Vegeta with the presence of a master addressing a wayward student. His voice is steady but carries a cutting edge.
"By first understanding this: you are not Goku."

The words hit Vegeta harder than any punch. His transformation falters, and his golden glow fades. Black hair falls back into place as he looks down, grappling with the truth of Beerus’s statement.

"Goku’s path and yours are fundamentally different," Beerus continues, stepping closer. "It’s in your nature to oppose each other, and yet, your rivalry strengthens you both."

Vegeta looks up, his pride tempered by introspection. "Then what does that make me?"

"A warrior who walks the path of destruction," Beerus says, smirking faintly. "But unless you embrace this truth, you will always trail behind him. It’s time you stopped looking back."

Vegeta closes his eyes, the weight of Beerus’s words sinking in. Memories of his failures—his defeats, his struggles, his obsession with surpassing Goku—flood his mind. He breathes deeply, and slowly, he lets it all go.

"You’ve fallen time and time again," Beerus says. "And yet, you rise. That is your strength. But clinging to that cycle—falling and rising endlessly—will only keep you shackled. Destroy that weakness. Let it go. Only then will you see your true potential."

Vegeta’s breathing steadies, his focus sharpening. His aura flares to life—a fiery, violent purple that burns with raw destructive energy. The ground quakes as his resolve solidifies. Slowly, Vegeta begins to laugh, not with arrogance, but with newfound clarity.

The transformation begins. His hair shifts to a vivid purple, his eyebrows disappearing as his primal energy surges. The aura surrounding him crackles and roars like a storm, untamed and formidable.

From a distance, Goku and Whis observe in awe. Whis smiles knowingly.
"Ultra Ego," he says softly.

Beerus steps back, his expression shifting to rare approval. "You’ve finally merged destructive energy with your own. Few mortals could withstand such power. Impressive."

Vegeta clenches his fists, marveling at the overwhelming strength coursing through his body. He glances at Beerus, waiting for the god’s next move.

But Beerus turns and begins to walk away. "This lesson is over," he calls over his shoulder. Then he pauses, looking back with a sharp gaze.

"Remember: control it. Don’t make me regret bringing you this far. If you truly embrace destruction, you might surpass Goku. But if you stumble again, it will be your last."

Vegeta nods, his determination blazing as fiercely as his aura. He turns his gaze to Goku, who has been watching with an intrigued smirk. The two exchange a glance, their unspoken rivalry as alive as ever.

***

Later, by the lake, the two Saiyans rest. Vegeta meditates, his body still surrounded by the faint embers of his transformation, while Goku devours a feast.

"Say, Vegeta," Goku mumbles through a mouthful of food. "You sure meditating’s gonna make you stronger? You’re missing out on all this food!"

Vegeta cracks one eye open, glaring. "I’ll eat later. Strength isn’t just about the body, Kakarot. The mind must be trained as well. You’d do well to remember that."

Goku chuckles, slurping noodles loudly. "Guess so. Makes me think of how tough it was fighting Cooler. Took all of us to take him down."

Vegeta nods. "Exactly. Cooler’s strength wasn’t just raw power. His body and mind were completely in sync. If Frieza ever achieved the same..."

"That’d be bad," Goku admits with a frown. "Especially with that new form of his too."

Whis strolls over, overhearing the conversation. "Precisely, Goku. This is the lesson for today: No matter how strong you become, strength without focus is meaningless. Cooler was proof of that."

"Yeah, yeah," Goku mutters, scratching his head.

Whis chuckles and hands Vegeta a bowl of ramen. "Still, warriors need to nourish themselves. Strength comes from balance—body and soul."

Vegeta reluctantly accepts, eating as Goku grins smugly. The three sit in silence, watching the serene lake.

"Oh, how’s Tarble doing?" Goku asks suddenly.

Vegeta glances up. "He’s fine. He’s a father now."

Goku’s eyes widen. "No way! That’s awesome! Look at you, Uncle Vegeta."

Vegeta scowls. "It’s still Prince Vegeta to you."

"The Prince of Nothing," Beerus quips.

Goku and Vegeta turn to see Beerus lounging in his hammock, surrounded by an empty pile of ramen bowls. Though he appears to be napping, his ears twitch, betraying that he’s been listening to their conversation. He sits up slightly, glaring at Vegeta with narrowed eyes.

"Vegeta," Beerus begins, his tone calm but cutting, "the so-called prince of a race teetering on extinction. I admit, I bear some responsibility for the destruction of your homeworld—after all, it was I who permitted Frieza to destroy it. And yet, here you are, still clinging to the title of 'Prince of All Saiyans.' But tell me..."

Beerus leans forward, his piercing gaze unwavering. "Besides the Saiyans of Universe 6, your brother Tarble, and Broly, have you ever encountered another Saiyan who isn’t tied to your bloodline? One who survived Planet Vegeta's destruction?"

Goku and Vegeta exchange uneasy glances, both struggling to find an answer. For all the battles they’ve fought and the countless worlds they’ve visited, the only surviving Saiyans they’ve met were part of their fragmented family line.

"Tell me, Vegeta," Beerus continues, his voice growing sharper, "have you ever heard of a thriving Saiyan race on another planet? One that acknowledges you as their ruler? Or have you already accepted that your title is as dead as your homeworld?"

Vegeta’s fists tighten, but he says nothing. Without a word, he launches into the air and flies away, his silence heavy with unspoken turmoil.

"Don’t you think that was a bit harsh, Lord Beerus?" Goku asks, his voice unusually serious.

Beerus reclines back into his hammock, his expression unreadable. "Perhaps. But if Vegeta wants to fully harness the power of destruction, he must sever the chains of his past. And that includes letting go of the ghosts he clings to."

_________

Writer's Note: 

Okay well that was an interesting start. I wanted this story to start out as if time passed slightly since Cooler's Wrath. There are a lot of parallels with DBS: Superhero where they train on Beerus planet and much like in the manga, after the Moro arc, when I had this part of the story in my head since trying to piece the story together. Luckily with time flying by and introduction of Ultra Ego and such, it kinda helped me have a sense of ground to try and interweave this story to the main timeline. 

I've already acknowledged Cooler's Wrath and this story to be what I call "canon adjacent" where elements of the known canon are used to help give you all a sense of where this story could take place and the power levels they're all at. At first, the events of Granolah arc basically never truly happened here because at the time I was developing this whole story, that didn't even start yet, but surprisingly given some time, and not been focused on writing The Might of King Turles yet, some elements of that story kinda was similar in ways that I included just small acknowledging details. I wanted to honor some elements and interweave them in such as Vegeta harnessing Ultra Ego and “lightly recalling events” of that arc alongside Superhero so this story is set after everything but Cooler’s Wrath happened after Moro but before Granolah. I will say off the bat too that this will be a Vegeta centered story. Dragon Ball has always been Goku's journey overall with amazing characters that get time to shine when they do, but for this and much like Cooler's Wrath I'm giving the prince a little more spotlight time. From learning to hone Ultra Ego to acknowledging the status of his saiyan pride, that's going to be the starting point of his journey.

I found his pride in being the Prince of All Saiyans and yet there's supposedly none left a very compelling arc to ground him and flesh out cause if we don't count any of the non canon movies, exclude Universe 6 or even Broly and Paragus, not once in the main canon had the characters encountered another saiyan after the Saiyan arc in the early Z days (correct me if I'm wrong there, but in this adjacent canon that will be the case lol)...now that's about to change. Universe 7 is about to see a resurgence and it's going to get interesting.