"Cosmic essence is extremely scarce," Merus said after a moment. "Back then, over in Universe 3, they spent a long time collecting before they finally managed to find a tiny bit from across the whole universe, and then they forged Mosco with it."
"So there's no cosmic essence right now?" Ken looked disappointed.
"Even if there is, it would be very, very little. Gathering enough to match what went into Mosco isn't something you can do easily." Merus shook his head.
"Think again. I know you'll find a way." Ken patted Merus's shoulder.
"There is no way…" Merus answered without hesitation.
"This little angel is obviously not being honest." Amarella couldn't hold it in anymore, speaking from inside Ken.
Ken paused. "How so?"
"The core of a God of Destruction realm is made from cosmic essence. If you really want to build a battle armor, you can collect it from the God of Destruction realms of the twelve universes. Each universe contributes a little, and with twelve of them, putting together a robot about Ai's size shouldn't be a problem." Amarella sounded thoughtful.
"Oh? The core is made from cosmic essence?" Ken was surprised, but it also made perfect sense.
"Yeah. A God of Destruction realm is that tough for a reason. The core material is condensed cosmic essence." Amarella nodded.
"Then I'll have Broly go collect cosmic essence." Ken thought it over.
"You want Ai to return to a God of Destruction form?" Amarella asked, nodding along. "That's not a bad choice."
"No. Let Ai stay with Broly." Ken shook his head.
"You mean… you have a better candidate?" Amarella's brow lifted.
"I will." Ken grinned.
"I'll keep an eye out for anything about cosmic essence when I have time." Merus smiled at Ken.
"Merus, you're an angel—how are you this dishonest?" Ken narrowed his eyes at him.
Merus: "…"
How am I dishonest?
"I heard the cores of God of Destruction realms are all refined from cosmic essence, right?" Ken said with a smile.
Merus stayed silent.
You already know, so why ask?
"Don't blame yourself. I get that you've got your reasons." Ken chuckled.
"When are we leaving for Planet Namek?" Merus hurriedly changed the subject.
"Right now," Ken said.
...
Planet Vampa.
"Twenty-seven years! Twenty-seven years! I've been stuck here for twenty-seven years!" Paragus threw his head back and howled.
That little brat!
You dumped your own father on this planet—do you think that's reasonable?
"Twenty-seven years! Twenty-seven years!"
Paragus screamed again, his voice full of misery.
He hated his own son.
You clearly had the ability to take me with you, so why did you leave me here to suffer?
I haven't had real water in twenty-seven years.
All I've eaten are insect eggs.
This planet has liquid water, sure, but the smell is so sharp it's undrinkable.
And aside from insect eggs, there's nothing else to eat.
After yelling for a long while and venting his anger, Paragus turned around and ran off to eat insect eggs again.
Starving… and it still hits the spot.
While Paragus silently forced down the hard-to-swallow eggs, Quitela drifted down from the sky and appeared beside him.
Paragus froze for a moment, then snapped into a guard stance, but there was a flash of hope in his eyes.
Quitela also looked him up and down.
"Who are you?" Paragus asked, posture tense.
"What is Broly to you?" Quitela asked.
"Y-you…" Paragus's expression changed rapidly. "Are you Broly's enemy?"
"No. Broly is my superior!" Quitela said frankly.
"Huh?" Paragus felt like happiness had come out of nowhere.
That kid Broly is an official now?
"So Broly sent you to pick me up?" Paragus asked excitedly.
"Something like that… Broly-sama has already become the Great God of Destruction. As his underling, I naturally have to do what I can." Quitela put on a fawning smile. "You really are Broly-sama's father?"
"Yes. Absolutely." Paragus nodded repeatedly.
"Really? If you're lying to me, I'll destroy you without hesitation." Quitela snorted.
"I'm not lying. This scouter has recordings. Listen." Paragus pulled out the device and hit play.
The scouter played a few simple exchanges between Paragus and Broly.
Quitela could basically confirm it—Paragus should be Broly's biological father.
"Good. In that case, I'll take you off this planet. I'll also take you somewhere you can eat and drink well, do whatever you want." Quitela kept smiling.
"Really? I can actually leave this planet?" Paragus felt like he was dreaming.
I've wanted to leave this planet more than anything.
"What kind of planet do you like? I can find it for you." Quitela smiled. "Do you like beautiful w—"
He swallowed the rest of the sentence.
Finding women for Broly's dad… that feels wrong.
It's basically insulting Broly's mother.
No, no, no.
And if Broly found out, he'd definitely be furious.
Paragus's face lit up anyway when he heard Quitela start that line.
Saiyans were a warrior race, sure, but Paragus was still a normal man.
Being trapped on a planet without a single person for so long had driven him half insane.
Saying Paragus didn't like beautiful women was obviously impossible.
"Forget the women." Quitela changed his tune.
Paragus: "…"
If you're going to tell me not to think about it, don't bring it up.
That rat is shameless.
"Come with me. I'll get you off this planet." Quitela rose into the air.
Paragus nodded and flew after him, then asked, "But how do we leave?"
"By flying out," Quitela answered.
"Flying out?" Paragus blinked.
Quitela was just about to ask if Paragus could survive in space when—
"ROAR!"
A massive green monster burst out of a nearby green swamp, jaws gaping as it lunged to bite Quitela in half.
Quitela had already sensed it. Without even turning his head, he flicked a streak of destruction energy from his hand.
Pop!
The green monster was erased completely, leaving nothing behind.
Paragus's eyes widened in shock.
This guy is terrifying.
That was it?
Just a flash, and the monster was shattered into nothing—no scraps, no dust.
Broly, you little brat… you've got underlings this strong now?
Then again, Paragus thought, it figures. My brat of a son is the Legendary Super Saiyan.
The Legendary Super Saiyan—called the strongest warrior in the universe.
Having a terrifying follower like this isn't strange at all.
"Hmph. Didn't know your place." Quitela sneered, then looked back at Paragus. "Right—what were we talking about?"
"Uh… there's something I don't know if I should say…" Paragus took a deep breath, puffed out his chest, and coughed once.
"Say it," Quitela replied.
"That monster you just erased… was Broly's best friend on this planet," Paragus said with a smile.
"Y-you said what?" Quitela's face twisted like he'd just swallowed crap.
Broly's best friend on this planet?
You've gotta be kidding me…
And I just erased it like it was nothing?
"Don't worry. This stays between us. I won't tell Broly." Paragus smiled faintly. "When the time comes, we'll just say his best friend died a long time ago. How it died? No idea."
Quitela: "…"
This old man is blackmailing me with that.
Whatever. As long as I treat you well and keep you comfortable, time will change everything.
You'll come around.
Still… accidentally erasing Broly's best friend is a real headache.
If Broly finds out, I don't even want to imagine what he'll do to me.
Quitela's head was spinning so badly he completely forgot to ask whether Paragus could survive in space.
"Forget it. I'm getting you off this planet first." Quitela reached out his hand.
"Alright. Thank you." Paragus nodded, feeling like he'd forgotten to say something.
He was too excited to care.
Twenty-seven years trapped here, and now he was finally leaving.
At least that brat Broly had a conscience, sending someone to pick me up.
"Let's go!" Quitela said, and purple-red light flared around him.
Whoosh!
In an instant, Quitela carried Paragus into outer space.
"Tell me—what kind of planet do you like? I can basically satisfy whatever you want." Quitela smiled without looking back.
But after he said it, there was no response behind him.
"I forgot to tell you—this is outer space. Sound doesn't travel. You can convert your voice into energy and send it out. That shouldn't be hard for you." Quitela kept smiling.
Still no response.
And Quitela sharply noticed something else—his grip on Paragus's wrist felt cold.
What's going on?
Quitela hurriedly turned around.
The moment he saw it, he went stiff.
"Hey—hey!" Quitela panicked, slapping Paragus's body.
Paragus was already dead.
Quitela: "…"
Quitela thought it through carefully.
Did I ignore something important… like whether this guy can survive in space?
This… this is a disaster.
What did I just do?
I killed Broly's dad?
Quitela wanted to cry, but nothing came out.
What the hell do I do now?
"Right—his soul! That's it, his soul!" Quitela's eyes lit up. "I have to get to the other world immediately and find him first."
He didn't dare waste a second, turning to fly toward the other world.
Then he froze again.
Because he was still holding Paragus's corpse.
What do I do with Broly's dad's body?
Quitela was so flustered he could barely think.
I wanted to bring Broly's father back and keep him comfortable.
And I got him killed by accident.
Who do I even complain to?
Even if I told Broly the truth, he might not believe me.
I'd just get beaten to death.
Quitela shuddered, feeling like the more panicked he got, the more mistakes he made.
Even if I find Paragus's soul, I can't revive him.
Only an angel can do that.
Wait…
Something's off.
Broly can survive in space, can't he?
Bardock is the same Saiyan race, and he can survive in space too.
And Ken—he trained his way into becoming an angel.
He can survive in space as well.
So why can't Broly's dad?
Damn it…
If I'd known he couldn't survive, I would've told you first.
I got careless.
I get it.
Bardock only gained the ability to survive in space after becoming a God of Destruction.
But what about Ken and Broly?
How are they surviving in space?
Before that, they hadn't become gods at all!
Quitela grew even more confused, feeling like he'd stepped into a trap and sunk straight down.
Bootlicking so hard you end up eating shit…
It's worth noting that while a God of Destruction can survive in outer space, they can't take someone who can't survive in space on a trip through the stars.
A God of Destruction's energy can't be converted into breathable air.
Angels, however, can use angel power to create the proper air.
So normally, when Quitela wanted to take someone through space, he would first ask a simple question: can you survive in space?
If not, he'd give them an oxygen mask, and then there wouldn't be any issue.
Quitela had originally planned to ask Paragus, but just as he was about to, that monster Ba ambushed him and interrupted the question.
Then Paragus told him the monster was Broly's best friend, which rattled him so badly he completely forgot what he was about to ask.
So Quitela ended up carrying Paragus straight into outer space.
Paragus didn't even have time to react before he was gone.
Honestly, Paragus was tragic too. He never would've imagined he'd die like this.
Quitela hurriedly tried to contact Universe 4's angel, Cognac.
I have to go to the other world and haul him back up!
If Broly finds out first, I'm finished.
But Quitela called again and again, and Cognac still didn't pick up.
Quitela spun in place, frantic.
Cognac, damn you!
Where are you?!
Pick up!
...
Universe 4, on some planet.
Cognac's staff was planted into the ground.
And over the crystal ball at the top, someone had draped a strip of red silk.
Around the staff, rows and rows of primitive aliens knelt, bowing toward it.
"Oh my, oh my…" Cognac floated high above, accepting their worship.
Earlier, while Cognac was flying through the sky, a group of primitive aliens spotted him, mistook him for a god, and started kneeling.
Cognac was an actual god, and this kind of thing happened all the time.
Seeing how devout they were, he left them his staff and let them worship it instead.
Since they already regarded Cognac as a deity, they didn't doubt his words at all. They bowed to the staff, and even draped it in red silk to show respect.
And right then, Quitela's call came through.
The staff's light blinked—but the red silk covered it.
Cognac wasn't paying attention to the staff, so he never noticed Quitela calling.
...
Quitela was still in outer space, panicking, with no idea what to do.
If I can't reach Cognac, I'm screwed.
How am I supposed to bring Broly's dad back?
I have to get to the other world right now.
Find his father's soul first.
If I'm too late and his soul reincarnates, then it's really over.
With that thought, Quitela looked at Paragus's corpse on his back.
What about his body?
If I could contact Cognac, Cognac could make him a new body.
And I could make a new body too—this isn't hard for a god.
The real problem is the soul… a God of Destruction can't revive him.
Then I'll erase this old body.
Keeping it around is just asking for trouble.
"Hakai!"
Quitela didn't hesitate anymore. A mass of destruction energy quickly covered Paragus's body.
Pop!
In an instant, Paragus's body turned to nothing and vanished completely.
Quitela let out a small breath.
Now I go to the other world immediately and find his soul first.
But just as Quitela was about to move, he saw a familiar figure flying toward him from the distance.
Quitela's heart clenched as he recognized who it was.
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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