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Raditz readily agreed to Bardock's final request.
Truth be told, the boy had never been beaten down, never hit a real wall, and had yet to face any kind of cruel reality. Straightforward by nature and brimming with self-confidence, Raditz had no idea what the future had in store for him.
Right now, he truly believed he could do anything—that he'd be the pillar of the family. So, when responsibility came calling, he stepped forward without hesitation.
Bardock was pleased by his son's response, though he didn't push any further.As long as Raditz looked like this now—bright, bold, and full of fire—that was enough. The rest, the future itself, would have to handle the rest.
After all he'd been through in life, Bardock understood better than anyone that people change.
Honestly, if he could've seen how things would play out down the line, he'd probably have mixed feelings about it. Because everything would unfold exactly as he feared—no, even crueler than he could've imagined.
By the time afternoon rolled around, the day had quietly slipped away.
They'd spent longer than planned in the capital, stocking up on supplies, which delayed them a fair bit. During that time, Bardock even ran into his old squadmates.
None of them knew when their next mission would come or which planet they'd be sent to, but they'd long since gotten used to following Bardock's lead. Having just returned from their last operation yesterday, they were already preparing for the next.
When Bardock and Raditz got home, Harry and Celari had already returned as well.
After hearing them report their training progress, Bardock couldn't hide his surprise at how talented both of them were. Even Raditz, who hadn't officially started training yet, felt a bit discouraged and immediately ran off to train on his own.
"Not bad," Bardock nodded approvingly. "But don't forget—what I've been teaching you is just the foundation. You need time and practice to really make it stick. Never start thinking you've mastered something just because it feels easy. Pride will get you killed out there."
He had to remind them. They'd both end up on the battlefield someday, and overconfidence would only lead them astray—make them believe they were invincible, when in reality, they were far from it.
"Got it, Uncle Bardock!"
"I understand. I'll work even harder, Uncle Bardock!"
The two answered in unison, eyes full of determination.
Satisfied with their response, Bardock began explaining what came next.
For the next seven days, from morning till night, he'd be training them himself—teaching them not just how to get stronger, but how to actually fight. Real combat, not drills.
Both Celari and Harry's eyes lit up at that. After all, Bardock wasn't the strongest Saiyan alive, but he was close enough to that ceiling. Training with someone whose power level had long surpassed ten thousand? The outcome was obvious—but so was the potential growth.
Once they'd sorted out the training plan, Harry turned to Bardock and asked about his visit to the royal palace, not even bothering to avoid the topic in front of Celari.
By now, she was practically part of their little circle. For the next week, they'd all be together anyway, so there wasn't much point in hiding things. And besides, nothing they discussed was top secret—Bardock wouldn't reveal anything truly classified, like what had really happened on Planet Cereal or the dark plot Frieza had begun weaving against the Saiyans.
"So, Prince Vegeta and Raditz are heading out to Planet Ramp in seven days, and you're departing for Planet Kanassa in ten?" Harry asked, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.
Everything was moving so fast. If he hadn't already braced himself for the worst, he'd be panicking.
Bardock smirked. "What's wrong, little Harry? Having second thoughts already?"
Harry quickly shook his head, laughing awkwardly. "No way. I made my choice, and I'm sticking to it. It's just… there's a lot to think about. Conquering a mid-level planet alone might not sound too bad, but it's not exactly simple either."
"Oh? Got some wild idea brewing in that head of yours?" Bardock chuckled. "Go on, let's hear it."
People liked to say Saiyans were all brawn and no brains—but that was far from true. Many of them were actually quite sharp; they just didn't bother to overthink problems when strength could solve them faster.
Harry laughed outright. "You really are amazing, Uncle Bardock. I didn't even say anything, and you already know what's on my mind."
Bardock shook his head with a sigh. Even after months apart, he knew this kid's personality like the back of his hand.
Beside them, Celari froze. Her heart started pounding when she heard the word expedition.
Everyone was leaving—Bardock, Raditz, even Harry. And her? She was just a lower-class warrior. Technically, she was old enough now—five years—to be deployed with the army, but she had no say in when or where she'd go.
Her pride and stubborn streak clenched tight inside her chest, and before she knew it, she'd lowered her head, fists balled at her sides.
Harry noticed immediately. He sighed softly, then looked back to Bardock.
"Uncle Bardock," he said, "I know you've already got plans for me, but… when it's time for my mission, I'd like to bring two people with me. Is that possible?"
A careful, probing question—but also his way of confirming Bardock's intentions.
Celari's head snapped up. Her eyes met Harry's, silently asking—you mean me?
"You want to bring Celari along, right?" Bardock said. "As an upper-class warrior, you do have the right to recruit up to three lower-class fighters, as long as they agree to join your squad.
"But keep this in mind—the merit points you earn from conquering a mid-level planet usually range between ten and a hundred thousand. If you take subordinates with you, you'll have to give each of them at least ten percent of your total points.
"And if any of them die under your command, you'll lose double that amount."
Harry nodded, looking more certain than ever.
"That's fine. I don't really care about the points. If I leave Celari behind, she won't take a support post, and if she ends up joining another team, she might not come back alive." He said it with a calm smile, but Bardock could tell—he truly meant it.
Merit points were everything to Saiyans: honor, status, even currency. But to Harry, people mattered more.
Bardock couldn't help but laugh. "You've got guts, kid. Alright, I won't stop you. In a few days, I'll take you to file the paperwork—and I'll lend you some points so you can buy a mid-class ship. When you finish your mission and come back, you can pay me back double."
Harry groaned, half-laughing. "Double? Uncle Bardock, that's daylight robbery!"
"..."
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