When Old Vegeta finally realized something was wrong, a flicker of panic flashed through his eyes. Without hesitation, he tried to abandon his two sons and flee.
But how could his actions escape the eyes of the surrounding Saiyans?
In an instant, several Saiyans rushed forward and pinned him firmly to the ground.
Bardock waved his hand calmly, signaling for Old Vegeta to be dragged away. Then he turned and walked toward Prince Vegeta, crouching down so they were at eye level.
"Child," Bardock asked gently, "what's your name?"
The boy glanced at him timidly and answered in a low voice, "My name… is Vegeta."
Bardock lightly patted his shoulder. "Are you and your brother on bad terms with your father?"
Prince Vegeta bit his lip, nodded, and slowly began recounting their past.
After Old Vegeta left Saiyan Star with Riya, they landed on a primitive, uncivilized planet and lived there in hiding.
Not long after, Riya became pregnant and gave birth to Reg. Reg's birth combat power of 50,000 reignited Old Vegeta's ambition to reclaim the throne of Saiyan Star.
Another year later, Riya gave birth to him.
But because his birth combat power was far inferior to Reg's, Old Vegeta casually named him Vegeta—and then ignored him entirely.
Tears welled up in Prince Vegeta's eyes.
"Mom always said… no matter what, we were her treasures," he said, choking back sobs.
"But Dad… he never liked me."
Then, just last month, their youngest brother Tarble was born.
His combat power… was only 2.
In a fit of rage, Old Vegeta directly fired an energy blast at the infant.
At this point, Prince Vegeta could no longer hold back his tears.
"Mom… Mom blocked it with her own body," he cried.
"Reg and I were outside the door. We saw everything."
"Reg wanted to rush in and kill Dad, but Mom used her last breath to stop him."
"She only had time to say… 'He's your father. Don't commit patricide. Protect your brother…' before she died."
After hearing everything, Bardock silently clenched his fist.
He had still underestimated Old Vegeta's cruelty.
Riya had been the only one among more than six hundred thousand Saiyans willing to go into exile with him—yet he could still kill her without hesitation.
No wonder, in the original history, Old Vegeta could lead the Saiyan race straight toward destruction.
Suppressing his emotions, Bardock softened his voice even further.
"Little Vegeta… are you and your brother willing to live on Saiyan Star?"
Prince Vegeta froze, clearly unsure how to answer.
At that moment, Reg, who had awakened nearby at some point, spoke calmly.
"We're willing to stay," he said.
"But please… take my brother with us."
Bardock nodded without hesitation. "Of course."
"You two will follow Paragus to the administrative building first. Get your identity records registered, then inform the staff of where you wish to live."
"Thank you," Reg said sincerely.
As Paragus led the brothers away, Bardock reached out and took Raditz's hand.
"Come on," he said. "Your mother should have dinner ready by now."
Raditz snorted, muttering under his breath, "Hmph. This time I'll forgive you—but next time you can't miss my match."
Still, he obediently followed Bardock back toward the royal palace.
Along the way, Raditz suddenly looked up.
"Father… will Vegeta live on Saiyan Star from now on?"
Bardock looked straight ahead. "Yes. If nothing unexpected happens."
Raditz's eyes lit up instantly.
"That's great!"
From now on, he would finally have someone his own age to fight.
With Raditz's current combat power of 12,000, none of his peers could challenge him. He could only spar with royal guards—and they always held back because of his status.
What he truly wanted was a peer who could fight him seriously.
Reg was a year older and far too monstrous to count.
Bardock smiled faintly. "Then you'll have to work hard. Don't let Prince Vegeta surpass you."
Raditz clenched his small fists. "I won't lose, Father!"
"Good," Bardock said, stroking his head. "But never underestimate others."
Because Gine disliked the emptiness of the palace, the family of three lived in a cozy wooden house inside the royal garden.
At that moment, Gine—wearing comfortable home clothes—was humming a cheerful Saiyan tune while skillfully flipping dishes with a spatula. The kitchen was filled with a rich, appetizing aroma.
Raditz kicked the door open and shouted, "Mom! Is dinner ready? I'm starving!"
Bardock followed behind and lightly tapped Raditz on the head.
"Don't be rude."
Raditz covered his head, pouting. "Hmph. You're always hitting me."
Gine walked out with a steaming plate and scolded gently, "Bardock, stop hitting the child. Raditz isn't smart because you keep hitting him."
Bardock whistled innocently, hands behind his head, pretending not to hear.
Raditz stared at Gine in disbelief. "Mom… you said I'm not smart."
Realizing her slip, Gine smiled awkwardly. "You misheard."
"You definitely said it!"
Bardock quickly intervened. "Enough. Eat."
The three sat down at the small wooden table.
Father and son ate like they were fighting a war, while Gine ate gracefully, occasionally shooting them helpless looks.
After a few bites, Bardock grinned at Gine.
"You eat so elegantly sometimes I wonder if you're even a Saiyan."
Gine rolled her eyes. "Do I have to devour everything like you two?"
Bardock chuckled. "No, no—I've personally checked at night. The tail's real."
Gine's face flushed red. "You rascal! What are you saying!"
Having been force-fed too much affection, Raditz burped loudly, put down his chopsticks, and ran off.
"I'm full. I'm going to train in the gravity chamber."
Gine twisted Bardock's arm lightly. "Look at you. You scared the child away."
Bardock didn't mind at all, continuing to eat, while Gine sat beside him, her eyes filled with quiet affection.
After dinner, Bardock wandered to the gravity chamber.
Through the transparent observation window, he watched Raditz sweating profusely inside.
He nodded with satisfaction. "This kid… he's diligent."
Then he slowly walked toward the throne hall.
Suddenly, a female Saiyan ran over excitedly.
"Your Majesty! Great news!"
Bardock frowned. "Slow down. What is it?"
The Saiyan pulled out two shriveled brown fruits and a thumb-sized seed.
"Your Majesty—we found these on Vegeta!"
Bardock stared at them, momentarily confused.
"What are these?"
The Saiyan stomped her foot anxiously.
"Your Majesty! These are Spirit Tree fruits—legendary fruits said to be enjoyed only by gods!"
Bardock's eyes instantly sharpened.
"Seal this information immediately."
Old Vegeta… had actually been carrying something this dangerous with him all along.