A week later, Bardock stood high above the land, watching as more than ten thousand Saiyans, divided into squads of one hundred, spread out like a surging tide.
He turned to Paragus, standing to his left, and asked calmly, "Has he left?"
Paragus—now officially appointed Prime Minister—bowed respectfully.
"Yes, my King. They just departed."
He hesitated for a moment before asking, "My King… I don't understand. Why did you let Vegeta leave?"
Bardock didn't answer immediately. He simply smiled, his gaze deep and unreadable.
"My King, won't this leave behind hidden danger?" Paragus pressed again.
"You'll understand later," Bardock finally said.
Three days earlier, when Riya had begun making secret moves, Bardock had already ordered a small spaceship prepared and quietly placed at the space platform—waiting for Vegeta to steal it.
The reason was simple.
Vegeta could not stay on this planet.
The moment he revealed himself, he would be torn apart by furious Saiyans. Escaping to another planet was his only path.
Beside Bardock, Gine sighed softly.
"I still don't understand why Riya would choose to leave with someone like Vegeta."
Bardock looked at her and smiled.
"If I were forced to leave one day, would you come with me?"
"Yes," Gine answered without hesitation. "Wherever you go, I'll go."
Bardock laughed heartily, pulling her into his arms.
"There you have it. Riya is no different."
Letting that couple leave was partly mercy—and partly Bardock's wicked sense of humor.
After all, the Dragon Ball world could not lose Vegeta, just as the West could not lose Jerusalem.
Moreover, Vegeta—eternally second only to the strongest—was a true genius. Without Goku's protagonist luck, even defeating him would not have been guaranteed.
Gine leaned against Bardock's shoulder, humming softly with her eyes closed.
Bardock looked up at the sky and murmured, "Vegeta… I look forward to our next meeting."
Paragus asked doubtfully, "My King, are you truly certain he'll return?"
Bardock's lips curved upward.
"Because I'm betting on his obsession—with power, and with the throne."
—
Outside the atmosphere of Planet Tuffle, a small spaceship drifted silently.
Inside, Vegeta III stared at the massive yellow-brown planet below, hatred blazing in his eyes.
"Just wait," he growled. "When I return, I'll reclaim my throne. And those damned traitors—I'll hang every single one of them myself!"
Riya tried to comfort him.
"My dear… give it up. Let's find a planet and live in seclusion."
Vegeta slammed his fist into the ship's wall.
"I must restore the glory of the Vegeta family!"
—
"My King… where do we go next?" Paragus asked softly, still recovering from the display of affection he had just witnessed.
Bardock looked toward the horizon, his expression resolute.
"We go directly to the Royal City—and wait for them."
As he spoke, he embraced Gine and shot into the sky, flying ahead.
"My King—wait for me!" Paragus shouted, hurrying after them.
While flying, Paragus asked again, "My King, will the Royal City be dangerous?"
"With me here," Bardock replied calmly, "there's nothing to worry about."
He had no intention of attacking the Royal City with only three people.
He would go first to gather intelligence—and more importantly, to wait.
Wait for the King of Planet Tuffle to recall all Saiyan suppression forces back to defend the Royal City.
Then, he would wipe them out completely.
Frieza's greatest mistake had been leaving the roots untouched.
Paragus felt reassured.
"My King, under your leadership, we will surely achieve final victory."
"Of course," Bardock said with a smile. "Saiyans bow to no one."
Gine looked at him worriedly.
"Bardock… be careful."
He lowered his head and smiled gently.
"Don't worry, my dear."
The three streaked across the sky toward the Royal City.
—
At a certain mining site, more than twenty thousand Saiyans toiled endlessly.
Dressed in rags and shackled with heavy, specially made restraints, they worked like beasts of burden.
These restraints were devilish devices, severely suppressing their combat power.
Saiyans with average battle power above two thousand were guarded by over a thousand Planet Tuffle soldiers, each with only a few dozen battle power.
An unbearable humiliation.
Richard was one of them.
In a hundred years, he had grown from a spirited boy into a weathered middle-aged man.
Pure-blooded Saiyans lived only about three hundred years on average—and nearly half of his life had been spent as a slave.
Yet his pride as a warrior had never been extinguished.
Deep in his heart, he waited.
Waited for the day of freedom.
Suddenly, he overheard two overseers talking.
"Did you hear? The city guarded by General Wright was destroyed by those Saiyan monkeys."
"Bullshit," the other scoffed. "Those barbaric monkeys couldn't possibly do that."
He kicked Richard viciously.
"You damned monkey! Slacking off again?!"
The whip cracked twice, tearing open Richard's back.
Blood soaked his clothes.
He didn't scream.
But hope ignited in his heart.
It must be true… my people.
Suddenly—
The ground shook violently.
From outside the mine, Great Apes charged forward, white energy beams blasting from their mouths.
Panic instantly spread among the overseers.
Their defenses collapsed in seconds.
Richard stared in disbelief, then shouted with all his strength, "It's true! Our clansmen have come to save us!"
The other Saiyans looked up, their numb eyes bursting with life.
"We're saved!"
"We've waited for this day!"
A Great Ape tore the last guard in half, then shrank back into human form.
"Clansmen," the Saiyan shouted, "we're here to save you!"
He ripped off the restraint device from the nearest Saiyan.
Power surged.
"We're free! We're free!" the Saiyan roared, immediately joining the rescue.
When the last restraint was removed, some Saiyans wept openly, while others clenched their fists, eyes blazing.
"The suffering we endured—make them repay it tenfold!"
"Yes! Blood debts must be paid in blood!"
After eating, washing, and changing into battle suits, the liberated Saiyans didn't hesitate.
They joined the punitive army and marched onward.
—
Three months later, more than six hundred thousand Saiyans, clad in battle armor, gathered from every direction—
And arrived one after another before the Planet Tuffle Royal City.