Universe 11, Pride Planet.
Jiren's place sat deep in winding paths and quiet greenery, cut off from everything.
Jiren hovered cross-legged in the courtyard, eyes shut, breathing slow. For him, that was training.
A light tap landed on his shoulder.
Jiren's whole body snapped tight. He shot sideways on instinct, punched through a wall, and burst into the sky.
Someone had walked up behind him without a hint of presence. Worse—they'd touched him.
Jiren spun, scanning.
Nothing.
He searched again. Still nothing.
He pushed his senses wide. Every little movement within a few kilometres showed up clear as day—down to a mosquito in the grass.
No one.
He held there, jaw clenched.
…Did I imagine it?
He checked again, front to back.
Nothing.
Jiren let out a slow breath.
Another tap.
His skin prickled. He shot away again and whipped his head around.
Still empty air.
This time, he didn't doubt it.
"Show yourself!" Jiren barked.
No answer.
His stomach sank.
Who gets this close to me… and I can't even catch them?
Another tap landed—casual, almost teasing.
Jiren didn't think. He drove an elbow back as hard as he could.
A single finger caught it.
Jiren's eyes widened as the figure finally stood there.
Ken.
The tension in Jiren's chest loosened—just a little.
"It's… Ken-sama." Jiren bowed fast, voice tight. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."
Ken's smile didn't change. "Relax. Merus isn't here."
Jiren's head snapped up. "Merus-sama… isn't—"
Ken's gaze flicked to him.
Jiren stiffened. "S-sorry. I meant… Merus-sama didn't come with you?"
"That's right." Ken tipped his head. "I was passing by."
Jiren swallowed, then forced himself steady. "Thank you for coming, Ken-sama."
Ken stepped closer and looked him over. "Power up. I want to see where you're at."
Jiren nodded once and let his ki rise.
Ken listened to it for a moment, then patted his shoulder again—gently this time. "Not bad. Still Level 30, but you're close to the next step."
Jiren hesitated. "And Son Goku? What level is he now?"
Ken held up one finger.
Jiren's expression changed. "Level 10…?"
Ken shook his head. "Level 1."
Jiren froze.
Ken added, "And even that doesn't last long. A few minutes, then it drops."
Jiren went quiet.
Ken gave him a look like he could read the thought anyway. "Don't get cocky. Never assume your opponent stays the same."
"Yes." Jiren bowed again.
Ken tapped his staff lightly.
In a flash of starlike light, he was gone.
Out in the World of Void, Ken drifted through the emptiness, thinking.
He'd considered visiting Vados—or Kusu.
Then he pictured it: even with Super Angel, he'd still be the one getting toyed with.
Kusu was Level 67. Vados was Level 68.
Super Angel only held for a couple of minutes. And the Grand Priest's warning still sat in his head—Space-Time God of Destruction. If that thing decided to show up and smash this timeline on a bad day…
Ken didn't plan on disappearing without even knowing how.
He turned toward Universe 6.
…
Universe 9, the God of Destruction's realm.
"Hakai!"
Destruction energy swelled in Bardock's hand and washed over a nearby planet.
The world shattered on contact—gone, like it had never existed.
Mojito watched, pleased. "Excellent, Bardock-sama. Your control is getting cleaner."
Bardock exhaled, then looked back. "What level am I now?"
"Show me your strongest state," Mojito said.
Bardock's eyes narrowed. "Alright. Give me a second."
His ki surged.
Red light spilled across him. Thin red lightning snapped around his body.
Super Saiyan God Two.
Mojito's staff crystal glimmered as he checked. Then he smiled. "Level 45."
Bardock's face fell. "Only 45…"
"A year ago you were Level 32," Mojito said. "This is fast."
"It's not enough." Bardock's voice dropped. "Champa took my son. I'm not leaving Raditz there."
Mojito's tone stayed calm. "God of Destruction matters aren't something angels can interfere with."
"I know." Bardock clenched his fist. "I could ask Broly—the Great God of Destruction—and it'd be over in a sentence. But I'm not doing it that way. I'm beating that fat cat myself."
Mojito nodded, genuinely approving. "Then keep going."
He checked his staff again. "Universe 9 is stable now. You've done your job. Take time for yourself—just come back now and then."
"How long?" Bardock asked.
"Years. Three to five is fine," Mojito said.
Bardock bowed. "Thank you."
Mojito's eyes softened. "Go see your wife."
Bardock's throat tightened. "If she'll even remember me…"
"Go," Mojito repeated.
Bardock rose in red light and shot off toward Universe 6.
…
In the World of Void, Ken felt Bardock's approach and angled toward him.
Bardock's face lit up when he saw him. "Ken!"
"You're headed to Universe 6?" Ken asked.
Bardock nodded. "Mojito says I've got time. I'm going to Earth—to find Gine."
"I'm going back too," Ken said. "Let's go together."
On the way, Bardock asked about Goku.
Ken didn't hide it. He told him the short version—future timeline, Trunks, and the delay.
Bardock didn't speak for a while after that.
"So Kakarot won't be back for three years," he said at last.
Ken nodded.
Bardock's jaw worked once. Then he let it go.
After a long flight, Earth filled the horizon.
Bardock stopped above a familiar area—then his brows drew together.
A crowd surrounded Gine's home.
Too many.
At least a hundred.
One old man stood at the front, sharp-faced and smug, with Tao Pai Pai beside him.
Bardock didn't drop in yet. He watched.
A thug yelled, "Gine! Come out! You're surrounded!"
"Quit hiding," another shouted. "Our boss is here to take you back!"
Gine stepped out, took one look at the crowd, and went pale.
"Tao Pai Pai…" she forced out. "You could've just called. I would've come in. Why bring all this?"
The old man spoke, voice dry. "Gine. Where's the man who was with you?"
Gine's breath caught. "Master Shen…"
Master Shen's eyes narrowed. "Answer me."
"I don't know," Gine said quickly. "He said he was leaving Earth for a while. That's all I got. Space is… huge, alright?"
"Leaving Earth?" Master Shen muttered.
Gine nodded hard. "That's what he told me."
Tao Pai Pai's grin turned ugly. "You know what happens when you lie."
"I'm not lying!" Gine snapped back, panicked.
From above, Bardock noticed someone else beside Master Shen.
A pale, silent figure with a clear dome on his head.
No ki at all.
Bardock's eyes narrowed. "A corpse…?"
He didn't wait to find out.
He dropped.
Bardock landed beside Gine, boots crunching the ground. "You looking for me?"
Tao Pai Pai flinched. The pale figure turned his head.
"Android 19, it's him!" Tao Pai Pai blurted.
Android 19's eyes scanned Bardock. "He is not Son Goku."
Tao Pai Pai's shoulders sagged. "So it's not him…"
"Probability exceeds ninety percent," Android 19 continued, "that he is related to Son Goku."
Tao Pai Pai blinked. "He said he was Goku's father… so that part was true?"
Master Shen spoke carefully, eyes locked on Android 19. "Can you handle him? Tao Pai Pai couldn't."
Android 19 stepped forward, sneer forming. "Before an android, he is nothing."
Bardock didn't take his eyes off them. "Gine. You alright?"
Gine's fear cracked into relief. "I'm fine. You really show up at the last second, huh?"
Bardock stared at her.
Now?
She gave him a quick, crooked smile like she knew exactly what she was doing.
Android 19 reached Bardock and lifted a hand. "Name."
Bardock didn't answer.
Android 19's hand snapped forward.
Bardock caught it.
Bardock's expression didn't move. Then his palm whipped across.
Android 19's head launched clean off his neck and vanished into the distance.
For a second, nobody breathed.
Even the hitmen just stared.
Bardock looked down at the twitching body—metal and wiring exposed. "So that's what you are."
Gine's eyes went wide. "A robot…?"
The crowd's panic shifted—fear still there, but different.
Bardock turned his gaze to Tao Pai Pai and Master Shen.
Both men shook.
Tao Pai Pai dropped to his knees and yanked Master Shen down with him. "Mercy! Please!"
Bardock raised his hand.
Destruction energy flickered.
"Hakai."
Tao Pai Pai and Master Shen broke apart like bubbles, erased into nothing.
Bardock's hand lifted again toward the remaining assassins—
Gine caught his sleeve. "Wait."
Bardock paused.
Gine swallowed. "They came to me. I think they wanted to grab you… and use you for research."
Bardock lowered his hand. "They're done. From now on, you're safe."
Gine studied his face, like she was trying to match it to a memory that wouldn't come. "You told me… when you became a god, you'd come back for me. So you really did it?"
Bardock nodded once. "Yeah."
"What kind of god?" Gine asked.
"God of Destruction," Bardock said.
Gine blinked. "Never heard of it."
"It means I'm one of the gods in charge of a universe," Bardock said.
Gine went still. "There are… other universes?"
"I'll explain it properly," Bardock said. "Just not here."
He took her hand, lifted off, and carried her away from the wrecked home.
Later, in another city, Bardock built a new place for them to live.
He didn't bring up Goku. Not yet.
Gine's memories were already in pieces. Dumping more on her wouldn't help.
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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