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As Bardock's figure disappeared beyond the great hall, King Vegeta's expression grew darker, his eyes narrowing to a cold, dangerous glint.
People's hearts—unpredictable and treacherous things.
Bardock had always shown the king respect, even loyalty beyond reproach.And yet, King Vegeta still saw him as a threat.
In the king's eyes, Bardock's name had grown too large. When even the lowest-class warriors whispered of him as a legend, it felt like a challenge to the throne itself.
Bardock didn't even realize it—his only goal was to do better, to grow stronger—but in the eyes of others, his achievements had long since overshadowed his ruler's.
Of course, what truly burned King Vegeta most was simpler than that: Bardock was just a low-class warrior.
To the elites, the upper ranks, even to the king himself, a low-class Saiyan wasn't supposed to matter. They weren't equals. They weren't even supposed to speak face-to-face.To the elites, the lower class existed to be commanded—or crushed—whenever it pleased them.
"Humph… Once Frieza's dealt with… once I sit upon the throne of the universe…"King Vegeta's eyes flickered with murderous intent."…then we'll see who's left standing."
He hid the killing intent as quickly as it appeared. For now, Bardock was too strong, too useful to discard. But the moment that usefulness ended—so would his life.
Outside the palace, Bardock didn't head straight home. Instead, he started searching the royal training grounds for Raditz.
Time was short. Ten days until Bardock's next mission—and only seven until Raditz was set to leave with Prince Vegeta's expeditionary force.
He'd need every spare moment to teach his son what he could.And there were things Bardock needed to say—things even Gine couldn't hear.
After some searching, he found Raditz in the outer courtyard, training alongside Prince Vegeta himself.
Though Bardock's power had already surpassed ten thousand, he still bowed respectfully. "Prince Vegeta."
He ignored everyone else.Partly because he could afford to—none of the so-called "elite warriors" here were his equals.And partly because he simply didn't care to acknowledge them.
Even if Raditz would be under their command soon, King Vegeta had personally promised Bardock that his son's safety would be guaranteed.
If anyone dared break that promise… Bardock would make sure they paid.
That was the kind of authority that only raw strength could command.
Bardock pulled Raditz from the palace for several days, with the prince's permission.
Normally, as Prince Vegeta's personal guard, Raditz barely had time to breathe—let alone spend days away. But when Bardock asked, Vegeta didn't refuse.
He hadn't cared much, anyway. To him, Raditz's presence or absence made little difference.
At first, the young prince had been puzzled when his father assigned a mere boy with barely a few hundred power level to his side.But over time, he began to understand.
For a five-year-old, Vegeta's insight was far beyond his years. He saw things others missed—status, yes, but more importantly, power.
Arrogant, of course. But not blind.
As Bardock and Raditz walked away, Vegeta's sharp eyes followed them. There was a strange glimmer there—mature, focused, nothing like a child's.
The two elites flanking him, however, weren't as composed.
"Prince Vegeta," one sneered, "you shouldn't show that man such respect. He's getting too full of himself."
"Yeah! He didn't even bother bowing properly to you just now."
Both were upper-class warriors with power levels around 3,000.
Vegeta turned to them, eyes narrowing."If you've got time to gossip behind a man's back, maybe you should train harder instead. You're making yourselves look useless."
Without another word, he walked off toward the palace.
The two elites turned pale, their faces twisted with anger—but neither dared to answer back.
For all his arrogance, Vegeta wasn't his father.He could tell strength from weakness, and he respected what Bardock had achieved—because Bardock had climbed from the very bottom by his own power.
Among all the low-class Saiyans, Bardock was the only one Vegeta would ever remember.Even decades later, in another age, he would still recall the man's name.
Later, walking side by side through the bustling streets of the capital, Bardock and Raditz watched the alien merchants and towering structures pass by.
"So according to King Vegeta," Raditz asked, excitement sparking in his voice, "in seven days I'll head to Planet Lampa with the prince?"
He could hardly contain his grin. This was what he'd trained for. His first real mission.He didn't know yet that it would mark the beginning of a long, bitter fate.
"Yes," Bardock said. "You'll go with the prince's elite squad. A few days after that, I'll be leaving for my own assignment."
He stopped walking and looked down at his son.
"Raditz… you're my son. That means you carry a heavier burden than most Saiyans ever will. You've seen by now how brutal our people can be. Strength is everything to us—and mercy, weakness, emotion… none of that matters in the end."
He paused, then smiled faintly. "But that doesn't mean you forget who you are."
Bardock wasn't a man who lectured often. But today, he needed to.
Maybe it was instinct—a father's intuition that time was running short.Maybe he'd always wanted to say these things, but never had the chance.Or maybe Raditz had simply been too young before to understand.
"Dad, you're acting kind of weird today," Raditz said softly, frowning in confusion.
Bardock chuckled, rubbing his son's hair. "Weird, huh? Maybe so. Some things you won't understand now—but one day you will. You'll grow, find your own path… and when that time comes, you'll remember what I said."
Raditz nodded, still not really getting it, but sensing the weight behind his father's words.
They kept walking and talking for a long while—more than they ever had before.
When at last Bardock finished, he gave his son a final look, eyes gentle but heavy with something unspoken.
"If I'm ever not around… then your mother, your little brother, and Harry—take care of them for me. Alright?"
"..."
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