For gods unburdened by aging, sickness, or death—and who didn't often mingle in the mortal world—delicious food was one of the finest pleasures in life.
Yamiru reflected that, over the years, whenever he gathered with Annin and Mr. Popo, their time was mostly spent either discussing martial arts or indulging in gourmet feasts—hot pot being the most frequent choice.
Especially Furnace of Eight Divisions Hot Pot, Annin's favorite. She claimed that eating hot pot from the massive Furnace after enlarging herself was a uniquely satisfying experience.
Though privately, Yamiru suspected she might be using this ritual as a subtle "revenge" against her past life…
"Ah, Yamiru, you're back."
Annin flipped her hand, conjuring an extra set of tableware. Just then, the tiny girl nestled in Yamiru's hair poked her head out, eyes sparkling at the bubbling hot pot.
"This is…?"
Earth had humans, animal-people, and monster-people—but nothing quite this small.
"She's…" Yamiru sat down, struggling for a description before settling on: "A space alien who knows magic."
As if to prove his point, Joey pointed a finger and summoned her own set of utensils—normal-sized.
Clutching her chopsticks, she mimicked Annin and Mr. Popo's motions but failed to grab anything from the fragrant pot. Frustrated, she set the chopsticks aside and pointed at the pot instead.
With a flick of psychokinesis, a slice of tender meat, dripping with rich red broth, floated out and plopped into her bowl. She eagerly buried her face in it, taking a big bite—
"Sooo good!"
Her eyes squeezed shut in bliss.
"An alien, huh…" Annin found it surprising, but not earth-shattering.
Yamiru pointed upward and asked about the Power Pole.
Annin explained it was something she'd tinkered with out of boredom. Since she already knew size-shifting magic—originally derived from her bond with the Furnace of Eight Divisions—she'd been experimenting further to unlock more of its secrets. The Power Pole was just a byproduct.
Yamiru nodded.
After the meal, it was back to training.
There was a reason he'd returned to Earth.
How big was King Kai's Planet, really?
If he wanted to refine the Spirit Bomb, a full-sized planet like Earth was far more effective.
Moreover, through his Spirit Bomb training and fleeting brushes with Ultra Instinct, Yamiru had gained new insights into the creation of the Flying Nimbus—and even the Senzu Beans he'd been conceptualizing.
But no matter how scattered his thoughts were, one goal remained clear:
To truly master the realm of gods.
---
Above the Clouds
Amid swirling mists, Yamiru sat cross-legged on a patch of golden clouds.
O sky…
O earth…
And you, sun…
Lend me a fragment of your Vitality…
His tranquil heart reached out to all of nature.
Unbeknownst to humanity, wisps of Vitality—from towering trees, boundless seas, molten depths, even rays of sunlight—converged mystically toward the golden clouds high above, pouring into the body of Earth's first God.
The power of divinity was the primal life force of all creation.
By refining the Spirit Bomb's energy, Yamiru used it as a bridge to "remember" the traces of Ultra Instinct he'd once touched—the sensation of godhood.
Time flowed on…
No one knew how many times Yamiru, secluded from the world, had glimpsed the signs of Ultra Instinct or glimpsed the contours of divinity.
Joey, the Dragon God's blessed miniature girl, often tagged along with Annin or wandered Earth freely, living without a care.
Annin continued her duties as Earth's acting god, occasionally adding bricks to the floating Temple.
Then, one day—
Through telepathy, King Kai conversed with Yamiru, who was deep in training on Earth.
They discussed the perfected Spirit Bomb—or rather, Yamiru explained it to King Kai.
The latter's eyes gleamed like a gourmet beholding a feast. The improved Spirit Bomb was a revelation, sending him pacing circles around his tiny planet in exhilaration.
"So that's how it works…" King Kai muttered, smacking his palm. "Not only does it minimize harm to nature, but it also enhances the efficiency of borrowed energy…"
On his golden cloud, Yamiru's eyes snapped open.
Millennia had left no mark on his celestial body.
"Enhances the efficiency…"
A long-sealed corner of his mind cracked open.
Why had the explosion of Namek failed to kill a crippled Freeza, while a Spirit Bomb—drawing only a fraction of energy from Namek and its sun—had nearly obliterated him?
Why did the Saiyan God ritual work, even when the combined power of the participants paled in comparison to Goku or Yamoshi alone?
A realization struck him.
"It's not about the quantity… but the quality."
The Spirit Bomb didn't just gather energy—it refined it.
And the God ritual didn't just combine power—it transformed it.
What if…
Earthlings could do the same?
Not through a borrowed ritual, but by evolving their very cells—
Into Divine Cells.
Yet, after receiving this infusion of power, the strength of Goku and Yamoshi—now gods—had multiplied beyond measure!
If the explosive leap of the Super Saiyan transformation came from unlocking the potential of S-Cells…
Then what was the source of the Super Saiyan God's overwhelming power boost?
Fragments of Ultra Instinct…
Hazy memories of wielding Super Saiyan God power within Yamoshi's body…
"It's a difference in how energy is utilized."
Yamiru rose atop the golden cloud, his mind serene as he summoned and condensed the Spirit Bomb with practiced ease.
"When consciousness breaks through its limits and ascends to godhood, the body's ki is freed from mortal constraints, returning to its purest form—the essence of nature itself… No, it's more than that. 'Ki' has never been just 'physical energy.' It also embodies the qualities of the heart, like a 'righteous spirit.' When a martial artist's mind reaches the divine realm, standing at the threshold of Ultra Instinct, and merges back into this primordial force…"
"Hey, Yamiru, what's wrong?" King Kai's voice echoed in his mind.
But the first God of Earth didn't respond. Staring blankly into space for a long moment, he finally murmured:
"...A 'nuclear explosion' is born."
No wonder both Goku and Yamoshi became noticeably leaner after transforming into Super Saiyan Gods.
The efficiency of wielding power had fundamentally changed.
King Kai was even more confused.
Yamiru looked down at the Spirit Bomb in his hands.
An ordinary mortal using ki was like endlessly forging a bigger, sturdier weapon.
But a god could directly unlock the energy hidden within matter itself—the power between atoms.
---
Korin Tower
The tiny girl Joey stood on the railing, shouting into the sky:
"Flying Niiiiimbus—!"
She'd done this often over the years.
But this time, a vast golden cloud actually drifted over from the distance.
Seated atop it was Yamiru, clad in his white godly robes and animal mask.
Joey flew over, landing on his shoulder, propping her chin as she studied his meditative expression.
After all this time together, she'd learned about things like the Spirit Bomb—and once she knew, she could see the so-called Vitality.
Right now, she clearly witnessed streams of Vitality converging from across the planet, pouring into Yamiru's body.
Dense Spirit Bomb energy—or rather, primordial nature energy—filled every corner of his being.
Her slender finger reached out, lightly tapping the center of his masked forehead…
---
The Riddle of Super Saiyan Blue
Why does Super Saiyan Blue drain energy so much faster than Super Saiyan God?
Yamiru couldn't help but ponder this.
Perhaps, as the Elder Kaioshin had long criticized, the Super Saiyan transformation itself was a flawed path.
After ascending to Super Saiyan God, one should progress toward Ultra Instinct—refining the efficiency of power—rather than recklessly stacking Super Saiyan on top.
Yes, the total energy output increased.
But without deeper understanding, such vast divine power would only wastefully dissipate, even burdening the body…
"I am neither Yamiru nor Yamoshi—I am the one who will defeat you!"
As Yamiru brushed against Ultra Instinct again, fragments of distant memories resurfaced.
The sensations from Yamoshi's body grew clearer.
"The cells of a Super Saiyan God… are the original Super Saiyan cells. The very first Saiyan cell."
The thought flashed through his mind.
Spirit Bomb energy surged within him.
Vast natural energy, guided by the flickering "Ultra Instinct" mindset—or "godhood"—scoured every one of his 60 trillion Earthling cells.
Following the reawakened power of the Super Saiyan God, Yamiru seemed to glimpse an ancient era:
A normal human extending a finger, lightly touching the glowing hand of a mystical ape—
In that human's eyes, the light of the gods was reflected.
And within him, the first Saiyan cell was born.
A divine cell.
Yamiru recalled the words of Shenron and the Dragon God:
The Saiyans, the Frost Demons… races blessed by the All God…
Lost in thought, Yamiru felt as though he had slept for an eternity—or perhaps just a single breath.
When he opened his eyes…
He could feel it.
A single, vibrant new cell had taken root within him.
Pulsing with life.
It was as if the essence of godhood—the breath of Ultra Instinct—had been etched into that single cell.
Yamiru's heart stirred. Almost instinctively, the cell began devouring the surrounding Vitality like a starving beast.
And the ki refined by this new cell…
Became something unfathomable.
A power close to the primordial essence of nature itself.
---
Noticing his return to awareness, Joey fluttered over, grinning proudly.
"So? Don't you feel much happier now?"
Yamiru paused, then realized—he did.
The accumulated weariness of his long life had vanished.
Seeing Joey's "praise me!" expression, he knew this miracle blessed by the Dragon God must have intervened.
"How long was I asleep this time?" he asked.
Leaving the golden clouds, he flew back into Korin Tower—only to find its walls, railings, and floors weathered by time.
This wasn't just a few years.
Exiting the tower, he ascended the Power Pole to its peak.
The Temple was nearly complete, its domed foundation already formed.
Joey, still perched on his shoulder, was counting on her fingers, muttering…
Yamiru stood at the Temple's edge, gazing at the distant horizon.
If the demonic energy of Hell gave birth to the monstrous Demon Race…
Then he, who had reached this point through Heaven's energy…
Might be the first of a new race—
The God Race.
He decided to name this cell the God Cell—G-Cell.
Or perhaps…
The Divine Cell.
A sudden chuckle escaped him.
Joey blinked up at him, then wailed, "Ack! I lost count!"
Yamiru murmured, "Sixty trillion body cells… I used to feel I had too much time. Now, I wonder if what's left will be enough. Heh…"
Behind him, Annin and Mr. Popo emerged from the Temple like a foreman and supervisor, both staring at his back.
A breeze swept across the sacred grounds, lifting the hem of Yamiru's white godly robes.
It coiled around the Power Pole,
Danced through Korin Tower,
Brushed past the Flying Nimbus,
And soared down to the mortal world below…