"Uh..." Son Goten scratched his head with some embarrassment, a look of apology appearing on his face.
"He is our grandfather, after all!" Son Gohan reminded him again, his tone carrying a hint of sternness.
"I know, big brother," Son Goten nodded sheepishly.
"Not bad." Bardock steadied himself, shaking his aching chest and stretching his numb arms, yet a gratified smile appeared on his face. "Let's end today's spar here."
As he spoke, the red aura and lightning around Bardock instantly vanished, and he returned to his base form.
"Grandpa is truly amazing!" Son Gohan hurried forward, offering a sincere compliment. "Even with Goten and me teaming up, you were still able to defend yourself."
After saying this, Son Gohan's silver-white hair turned black as he also returned to his base form.
"Your performance was indeed excellent; it was my loss." Bardock nodded, not holding back in his praise for the brothers' strength while calmly admitting his own shortcomings.
"Grandpa, big brother and I are very strong," Son Goten chuckled, also dispersing his aura and returning to his base form.
"So, your father Kakarot is even stronger than you, right?" Bardock asked with a smile, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
Son Gohan and Son Goten both nodded vigorously, their faces beaming with pride.
"Goku, Gohan, Goten, it's time to eat!"
Just then, Chi-Chi's voice drifted from the distance, breaking the silence of the mountain forest.
"It's Mom! Mom's calling us for dinner." Son Goten's face lit up with joy, and he immediately looked toward the source of the voice.
"Grandpa, come home and eat with us," Son Gohan stepped forward and gave a warm invitation.
Bardock nodded silently.
The three of them took to the sky together and soon arrived at the front door.
Bardock instinctively glanced toward the direction where Son Goku was training.
Currently, Son Goku was still sitting cross-legged, his eyes tightly shut and his brow slightly furrowed as if he were contemplating some important question. A faint aura lingered around him, making him seem as though he had merged with his surroundings.
"Grandpa, let's let Dad keep training for now," Son Gohan explained to Bardock, noticing his thoughts. "Dad is currently mastering Ultra Instinct."
"Ultra Instinct?" Bardock was taken aback. He had never heard the name before.
"They say it's a Technique of the Gods exclusive to the Angels," Son Gohan explained. "If Dad can master Ultra Instinct, it's possible he could reach the height of Super Saiyan 7."
Bardock: "..."
Bardock couldn't help but cover his face with his hand, feeling utterly speechless.
Super Saiyan... there's already a seven?
"Technique of the Gods?" Bardock murmured the four words, his eyes full of confusion and curiosity.
"Who did you learn your Super Saiyan God transformation from, Grandpa?" Son Gohan asked curiously.
"Who did I learn it from?" Bardock was startled, then shook his head and replied, "I researched and developed this myself."
"Huh? You developed the Super Saiyan God transformation yourself?" Son Gohan was instantly stunned. He looked at Bardock with eyes full of admiration, feeling that his grandfather was truly incredible.
"Did you learn the Super Saiyan God transformation from the Lord Supreme Kai?" Bardock asked in return.
"Uncle Vegeta learned the Super Saiyan God transformation from the Angel and the Lord God of Destruction," Son Gohan answered.
"God of Destruction?" Bardock raised an eyebrow and mused, "Indeed, I've heard of the existence of Gods of Destruction... are they very strong?"
"Even if Dad transforms into Super Saiyan 6, he's still no match for that God of Destruction," Son Gohan nodded, his expression becoming more serious.
"Not even a match for Super Saiyan 6?" Bardock was slightly shocked. "It seems the God of Destruction is indeed even more powerful than the legends say."
"Yeah," Son Gohan nodded in deep agreement.
"Prince Vegeta... he's stronger than Kakarot, right?" Bardock asked again. In his memory, Vegeta, as the Saiyan Prince, had talent that far surpassed other Saiyans.
"Well... no..." Son Gohan couldn't help but smile as he replied, "Uncle Vegeta has always wanted to surpass Dad, but no matter how hard he tries, he's always left far behind by Dad."
Bardock: "..."
Bardock was stunned for a moment, and then an indescribable sense of pride surged in his heart.
Vegeta, once the most genius warrior among the Saiyans, is actually inferior to my son Kakarot, who was rated as a low-class warrior.
As expected of my son, Bardock's son.
This truly brings me both surprise and joy.
As they spoke, the three of them stepped into the house.
Chi-Chi was busy in the kitchen. She looked up when she heard footsteps, and when she saw a man who looked remarkably similar to Goku suddenly appear, she was stunned on the spot.
Videl, who was helping wash vegetables nearby, also looked at Bardock with a look of bewilderment, wondering to herself.
Why has Uncle Goku changed his look?
He looks more mature and serious than before.
"You're not Goku!" Chi-Chi scrutinized Bardock, her brow furrowing slightly and her tone carrying a hint of caution.
"Let me introduce you. This is my mother, Chi-Chi," Son Gohan said to Bardock, pointing to his mother.
"Hello," Bardock nodded to Chi-Chi as a greeting.
"Mom, this is Grandpa," Son Gohan turned back to his mother and introduced Bardock.
Chi-Chi: "????"
Chi-Chi was instantly confused, clearly not having processed the information.
"He's Dad's dad," Son Goten added from the side, fearing his mother wouldn't understand.
Chi-Chi: "..."
Chi-Chi opened her mouth but couldn't find the words for a long time. It took a while before she looked at Bardock in surprise. "Huh? You're Goku's father?"
Bardock nodded slightly.
"Grandpa, this is my girlfriend, Videl," Son Gohan pointed to Videl and introduced her.
Bardock nodded again in greeting.
"Hello, Grandpa," Videl said sweetly with a polite smile.
Bardock's heart was filled with emotion.
My grandson already has a girlfriend.
That means... before long, I'll be able to hold a great-grandson.
"Goku's father..." Chi-Chi suddenly thought of something, and her expression instantly became wary. She hurriedly asked, "You didn't come here to find Goku... to have him help you attack some planet, did you?"
"Attack some planet?" Bardock was taken aback, unable to react for a moment, not understanding why Chi-Chi would ask such a thing.
"Just like Goku's older brother did," Chi-Chi snorted, a look of displeasure on her face. She clearly still held a grudge over Raditz's actions back then.
"Are you talking about... Raditz?" Bardock quickly realized and followed up, "What happened to him?"
"Back then, he and Goku perished together," Chi-Chi sighed, her tone carrying a hint of complexity. "Goku's brother specifically kidnapped Gohan to force Goku into doing bad things. Gohan was crying so hard back then. Later, to get Gohan back, Goku teamed up with Piccolo and ended up perishing along with his brother."
Bardock fell silent.
Bardock remembered that back on Planet Cereal, he had made a wish to the dragon there, hoping his sons would grow up healthy.
And the result... as soon as they grew up, both sons "died" together?
Dragon, are you serious?
"Kakarot was resurrected again?" Bardock took a deep breath and asked.
"Grandpa, we have Dragon Balls on Earth," Son Gohan explained from the side. "By gathering all seven Dragon Balls, you can summon Shenron. Shenron can grant any wish. We used the Dragon Balls to resurrect Dad."
"There really is a dragon that can grant wishes!" Bardock raised an eyebrow, his expression becoming heavier as he muttered to himself, "It seems... the one I encountered on Planet Cereal back then was a similar dragon?"
"You've encountered a dragon too, Grandpa?" Son Gohan asked curiously.
Bardock didn't hide it and nodded gently.
"Planet Cereal?" A flash of surprise crossed Son Gohan's eyes. "Are there Namekians on that planet too?"
"Yes..." Bardock answered, then turned back to Son Gohan with a slight frown. "Namekians?"
"Namekians can create Dragon Balls," Son Gohan explained. "It's precisely because there are Namekians on Earth that we can have Dragon Balls that grant wishes."
"That explains it." A forced curve appeared at the corner of Bardock's mouth as he gave a self-deprecating smile.
That dragon really was quite a trap.
Both sons died together just as they grew up...
"It's best not to grant those kinds of wishes casually... there will be side effects," Bardock sighed, his tone carrying the weight of someone who had been through it.
"Side effects?" Son Gohan was slightly taken aback, his face full of confusion.
"I don't know if it's true, but in short, if you can avoid making a wish, try not to," Bardock urged repeatedly, a hint of worry in his eyes.
"Dad used to say that too..." Son Gohan scratched his head and replied. "But now he doesn't seem to care about that anymore. And after all these years, we haven't found any side effects from Shenron's wishes."
"Could it be that Earth's Shenron has no side effects?" Bardock muttered to himself, then shook his head. "Or perhaps it was just a coincidence for Raditz and Kakarot?"
"So, you're not here to take Goku away, right?" Chi-Chi was still not quite at ease and asked warily again, her hands unconsciously tightening on her apron.
"Planet Vegeta no longer exists," Bardock gave Chi-Chi a reassuring look, his tone calm but carrying an unquestionable certainty. "And this is Kakarot's home. Of course I wouldn't take him away."
"That's good..." Chi-Chi breathed a sigh of relief, her tense shoulders relaxing. She turned to her two sons and instructed, "Gohan, Goten, take your grandfather over to eat."
"Okay, Mom," Son Gohan and Son Goten quickly replied.
The group moved to the dining table.
"Gohan, where's your father?" Chi-Chi asked while setting out the bowls and chopsticks.
"Dad is still training. Let's not disturb him for now," Son Gohan scratched his head and explained.
"Let's eat first then. We'll save some food for Goku," Chi-Chi nodded without objection and went back to the kitchen to bring out another dish.
After taking a bite of the food, Bardock's eyes instantly sparkled with surprise.
The food made by this daughter-in-law is far too delicious!
"Goku's father... is it to your liking?" Chi-Chi asked with some embarrassment, seeing his expression.
"It's delicious," Bardock gave a dry smile and nodded. He then stopped talking and buried his head in his food, eating in large gulps.
Although Chi-Chi had prepared many dishes, there were three big eaters present, and the food on the table was quickly cleared away.
After finishing his meal, Bardock walked outside and looked toward the direction where Son Goku was training.
Son Goku was still sitting cross-legged outside, his eyes tightly shut as if he were isolated from everything around him.
Bardock scratched his head with some helplessness.
I'm still waiting to reunite with Kakarot, but this kid has been training for so long without even opening his eyes.
"It looks like Dad will have to train for quite a while longer," Son Gohan also walked out, musing as he looked at his father's back.
Bardock nodded silently, a hint of loss in his eyes.
A brief silence hung between the two of them.
"Gohan, is finding the Dragon Balls a very troublesome task?" Bardock suddenly asked, breaking the stillness.
"It's not too troublesome," Son Gohan replied. "Aunt Bulma created the Dragon Radar. With it, finding all seven Dragon Balls is quite easy."
"Is that so?" Bardock fell into deep thought, his fingers unconsciously tapping against his thigh.
"Are you going to look for the Dragon Balls, Grandpa? What wish do you plan to make?" Son Gohan asked curiously, his eyes sparkling with an inquisitive light.
"Gohan, let me ask you," Bardock turned to look at Son Gohan, his expression becoming serious. "Do you still hate your uncle, Raditz?"
"Ah... no..." Son Gohan shook his head and mused, "It's been so long. Actually, back then he only locked me in his space pod; he didn't really bully me... I was just very small and cried because I was scared."
Pausing for a moment, Son Gohan's eyes suddenly lit up as if he had just thought of something. "Grandpa, do you want to use the Dragon Balls to resurrect Uncle Raditz?"
"Is it possible?" Bardock's voice carried a hint of tension, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists.
"Well..." Son Gohan scratched his head and said with some hesitation, "I've heard that people who have been dead for more than a year cannot be resurrected."
"Is it still not possible?" Bardock let out a helpless sigh, the light in his eyes fading. "In that case, Gine..."
Bardock had originally wanted to resurrect Gine as well, but hearing Gohan say that those dead for over a year couldn't return, he felt there was even less hope for her.
"Why don't we go ask Uncle Piccolo and Dende?" Son Gohan suggested, his eyes brightening. "They might know more of the details."
"Who are they?" Bardock was taken aback, his face full of confusion.
"They are both Namekians," Son Gohan explained. "Uncle Piccolo and the former Guardian of Earth used to be the same person. Later, they assimilated back together. Now Dende is the Guardian of Earth, and he's the one who created the Dragon Balls."
"Let's go see them then." Bardock glanced toward Son Goku's direction once more, then nodded in agreement.
Since Son Goku was still training, Bardock didn't want to disturb him.
Earlier, when Bardock had sparred with Son Gohan and Son Goten, the massive divine power and energy they unleashed hadn't woken Kakarot from his meditative state. This made it clear that Kakarot's training had reached a critical juncture.
As long as he knew his son was safe, Bardock was at peace.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Son Gohan took Bardock and soared into the sky, their two figures cutting through the horizon like arrows from a bow.
"Grandpa, big brother, where are you going?" Son Goten called out from the house, his voice full of curiosity.
"I'm taking Grandpa to the Lookout!" Son Gohan shouted back to Son Goten below, his voice carrying through the wind.
"I think I'll pass." Son Goten hesitated for a moment and shook his head, not following them. "I'm going to find Trunks to play."
With that, Son Goten flew off in another direction and quickly vanished from sight.
...
At the Lookout.
Seeing Bardock appear alongside Son Gohan, both Piccolo and Dende were slightly stunned, their faces showing expressions of surprise.
"Uncle Piccolo, this is my grandfather, Bardock," Son Gohan introduced.
"Your grandfather? Old Son's father?" Piccolo looked at Bardock in shock, his eyes full of disbelief.
"Grandpa, this is Uncle Piccolo," Son Gohan turned to Bardock and introduced Piccolo.
"You're the one who killed Raditz?" Bardock's eyes narrowed. He looked coldly at Piccolo with a gaze as sharp as a sword, a powerful pressure radiating from his body.
Piccolo's mouth twitched slightly.
Is he here for revenge?
"Grandpa, Uncle Piccolo is very good to me..." Son Gohan immediately stepped in front of Piccolo, his gaze firm. His meaning was clear—if his grandfather sought revenge against Uncle Piccolo, he would stand by Piccolo's side without hesitation.
Seeing Son Gohan, whom he had raised for many years, shielding him, Piccolo's eyes reddened and became slightly moist. A warm current surged through his heart.
Raising this boy was truly worth it.
"It's all in the past. Forget it," Bardock finally withdrew his gaze, his tone softening.
Bardock knew well enough that Raditz had likely been the arrogant one back then.
"Uncle Piccolo, Dende," Son Gohan turned to the two of them. "My grandfather wants to resurrect Uncle Raditz. After all these years, is it still possible? I remember Shenron can only resurrect those who died within a year."
"As long as the soul still exists, they can be resurrected regardless of how many years have passed," Piccolo replied with a certain tone.
"Then how can we prove if Uncle Raditz's soul still exists?" Son Gohan asked, his eyes full of anticipation.
"We'll have to go to the Other World." Piccolo mused for a moment before adding, "Tell you what, I'll take you there to ask King Yemma himself."
"That's great! You're a huge help, Uncle Piccolo," Son Gohan said excitedly, a brilliant smile appearing on his face.
Bardock also nodded gently, a glimmer of hope shining in his eyes.
"Place your hands on me. I'll take you to see King Yemma in the Other World right now," Piccolo instructed.
Son Gohan and Bardock immediately complied, placing their hands on Piccolo's shoulders.
"By the way, Uncle Piccolo, in five days we have a match against Universe 6," Son Gohan suddenly remembered and suggested, "Would you like to come and watch?"
"A match against Universe 6?" Piccolo raised an eyebrow, a look of interest appearing on his face. "That sounds interesting. I might as well go take a look."
Shua!
In the next instant, Piccolo, Son Gohan, and Bardock vanished from the spot.
In a mere moment, the three of them appeared within King Yemma's Great Hall.
The hall was gloomy and solemn, with many ogres standing around, creating a somewhat eerie atmosphere.
Seeing the three people suddenly appear, King Yemma narrowed his eyes and immediately focused on Piccolo. "Former Guardian of Earth, what brings you here?" he asked in a flat tone.
However, when King Yemma saw Bardock and Son Gohan, his expression changed slightly.
King Yemma instinctively assumed that Bardock was Son Goku.
This guy is incredibly strong!
Apparently, he can even fight Lord Beerus for a long time without being defeated.
His son is also quite remarkable.
I'd better be a bit more polite.
"If it isn't Son Goku and his son, Gohan! Hello there," King Yemma immediately switched to a warm smile and greeted them politely.
Piccolo: "..."
Lord King Yemma, your differential treatment is a bit too obvious.
"Ah... I'm not..." Son Gohan wanted to correct him and say the man beside him wasn't his father.
Bardock, however, waved his hand, feeling that such details weren't important and there was no need to dwell on them.
Son Gohan had no choice but to swallow his words.
"Former Guardian of Earth, feel free to ask whatever you need," King Yemma's attitude had done a complete 180-degree turn, his tone becoming much more respectful.
The ogres beside King Yemma all widened their eyes and looked at each other, feeling as though King Yemma owed someone a lot of money, given how quickly his attitude had changed.
"Hello, King Yemma," Piccolo said, ignoring the shift in attitude and getting straight to the point. "I've come to ask if the soul of Raditz, who died a long time ago, still exists."
"Raditz?" King Yemma thought for a moment and then said, "Oh, the Raditz you killed back then!"
With that, King Yemma picked up the thick Ledger of the Dead beside him and flipped through it carefully. After a while, he replied, "He did quite a lot of evil during his life, so he hasn't been reincarnated. He's been held in Hell all this time."
Bardock breathed a small sigh of relief, his tense nerves finally relaxing.
As long as the soul still exists, Raditz can be resurrected.
This is wonderful!
"King Yemma, what about Gine?" Bardock's voice carried a hint of caution, his eyes full of anticipation. "Is her soul still here?"
"Gine?" King Yemma was taken aback. "Tell me more. Who is she?"
"She is my wife, and Kakarot's biological mother," Bardock replied, his tone carrying a hint of tenderness.
"Kakarot? Isn't Kakarot Son Goku?" King Yemma looked Bardock up and down, feeling more and more that he was different from Son Goku. "You're not Son Goku?"
"Lord King Yemma, this is my grandfather, Bardock," Son Gohan quickly introduced, resolving the awkward situation.
"So that's how it is." King Yemma realized and picked up the Ledger of the Dead again. After flipping through it for a good while, he shook his head. "Gine was reincarnated a long time ago."
"Is that so?" Bardock's heart sank. The smile on his face vanished instantly, and his eyes grew dim.
He hadn't expected Gine to have already been reincarnated.
It seemed she couldn't be resurrected.
Bardock felt a bitter taste in his heart, as if something were blocking his chest, leaving him feeling heavy.
"Lord King Yemma, do you know where my grandmother was reincarnated?" Son Gohan asked from the side, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
"Earth, Satan City," King Yemma replied with absolute certainty.
To be continued…
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