After endless training, Hilda's power had grown at an incredible pace.
Her battle strength now reached nearly 8,000 units, pushing the limits of her current realm.
Scarlet energy spread around her body as she awoke from deep meditation under the Blood Moon of the Demon World.
The power within the Blood Moon was overwhelming—so dense that even she couldn't absorb it all at once.
Hilda (thinking):"Not much longer… soon I'll break through this barrier and step into an entirely new realm."
Her foundation was steady now. With the Blood Moon's energy, she knew it was only a matter of time.
But just as she was stabilizing her power, a strange voice echoed through the crimson light.
Voice: "Careful… rushing your breakthrough without certainty can destroy you."
Hilda's eyes snapped open. Instantly, a blade of dark ki formed in her hand as her aura flared violently, shaking the entire Blood Moon.
Hilda: "Who's there?!"
She had placed barriers here—no one should have been able to sneak in unnoticed. Yet someone had.
Then, through the blood-colored haze, a familiar figure appeared.
Bardock (smirking): "What? You're not happy to see me?"
Hilda (lowering her guard): "Bardock…?"
She let the ki blade vanish. Only Bardock could bypass her barriers and enter the Demon World's Blood Moon unharmed. Anyone else would've been torn apart by the wild energy instantly.
Bardock: "Long time no see, Hilda. Looks like I came at the right time."
He glanced at her, his ability showing him her current strength—already late stage in the seventh dimension, just one step away from the peak.
Hilda: "You disappear for ages, and now you show up here? Tell me—are you here to finally take our daughter, Aina, out of the Demon World like you promised?"
She still remembered his words from last time.
Aina was her only child, her treasure. She wanted her daughter to live peacefully in the Demon Realm, not out in the universe filled with endless battles.
Bardock sighed.
Bardock: "I did plan to take her… but things have changed. If she's going to see the outside universe, you'll have to be the one to take her."
Hilda (frowning): "What happened? You don't change your plans for no reason, Bardock."
Bardock raised his hand, revealing a shining Time Ring.
Hilda (shocked): "That's… a Time Ring?! Only Supreme Kais are allowed to use those…"
Bardock: "Exactly. This proves I can travel through time. Hilda… the truth is, I come from the future—five million years ahead."
He explained everything, his origin, and why his path had changed.
Hilda's face went pale, then turned complicated.
Hilda: "So it's true… I always felt something strange about you. But five million years… from the future? I never imagined…"
For a moment she looked shaken, but then her expression hardened with sadness. She could feel this was a farewell.
Bardock: "Don't worry. I'll never abandon you or Aina. But this time… I have to leave. I came here before going to tell you the truth, and to give you something before I go."
He extended his hand. Divine law power spread out, filling the Blood Moon.
Hilda (startled): "What are you doing?!"
Bardock: "Think of it as a gift. I'll help you break through to the next dimension. That way, even if I'm gone, you won't be left vulnerable."
Hilda smirked faintly, though her eyes softened.
Hilda: "Worried about me, huh? You really underestimate me. But fine… I'll accept your help this time."
She sat down, focusing her energy as Bardock stood guard, channeling purified power from the Blood Moon into her body.
Hours passed. Her ki climbed rapidly:
8,100… 8,200… 9,000… 9,999…
Then, with one final surge, Bardock pushed pure Blood Moon energy into her. The entire realm shook as Hilda roared—her aura exploding into a new form.
She had broken into the Eighth Dimension.
When she opened her eyes, her power was far greater than before.
Hilda (in disbelief): "I… I did it?! I really broke through!"
Bardock (smiling faintly): "Congratulations. You've stepped into a higher realm."
But the joy didn't last. The silence between them grew heavy. Hilda clenched her fists.
Hilda: "So you're really leaving… fine. Do what you have to. But before you go, don't you at least want to see Aina?"
Bardock looked away, his eyes shadowed.
Bardock: "No. If I see her, it will only cause pain. Better she doesn't know. One day… when the time is right, I'll come back."
Hilda's heart ached, but she nodded slowly.
Hilda: "Then go… and don't you dare break your promise."
Bardock gave her one last smile, then vanished into the void.
Hilda stood alone under the Blood Moon, feeling powerless.
Meanwhile, in the Demon King's Hall… Aina sat silently, hugging the little dinosaur Bardock had given her, her eyes filled with sadness.
In the shadows, Bardock watched from afar.
Bardock (thinking):"My daughter… forgive me. I'll return to you, no matter how long it takes."
With that silent vow, he disappeared into the darkness.
Just in case, Bardock left a safeguard behind.
With only a thought, a faint blue light formed at the tip of his finger. It condensed into a small flash and silently flew toward Aina, who was sulking.
It wasn't an attack—it was a protective charm. Bardock had created it for her.
The light slipped into her body without pain, without notice. If Aina ever faced danger while he was gone, the charm would activate on its own.
His preparations were done. It was time to go.
Without hesitation, Bardock placed two fingers to his forehead—Instant Transmission! In an instant, he vanished.
Still, Aina's gaze shifted to the spot where he had just stood. She saw nothing, but her instincts told her someone had been there… someone familiar.
Sacred World of the Kais
Other than the Grand Supreme Kai and Old Kai, the rest of the Kaioshin had left to watch over their galaxies.
Whis had been waiting patiently.
The air shimmered—Bardock arrived, stepping out from the Demon Realm.
"You're finally back," Whis said with a small smile. "Then it's time."
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Whis. I'm ready now," Bardock replied firmly.
"Good. Faster than I expected. Then, let's begin."
Bardock held out the Time Ring. Its silver light pulsed as the power of space and time awakened.
Whis gently lifted his staff, channeling angelic energy into the ring. "Now, Bardock! Open the tunnel!"
With a sharp focus, Bardock poured his will into the ring. A crack split open in the air, growing wider until it became a swirling black vortex—the Time-Space Tunnel.
"This is it," Bardock whispered. "The path back to my future."
Without hesitation, Whis entered first. Bardock followed immediately, and as soon as they stepped through, the portal sealed shut behind them.
The Kais watched from afar.
"With Lord Whis guiding him, Bardock won't lose his way," the Grand Supreme Kai said softly.
"Hmph. The choice of the gods above isn't for us to question," Old Kai muttered, turning his back.
Inside the Time-Space Tunnel
Bardock's eyes widened. All around him were endless rivers of energy, violent storms of raw time itself. Strange passages opened and closed in the distance—different timelines.
"So this is the tunnel of time and space…" Bardock muttered.
"Correct," Whis replied calmly. "But here, your normal form won't be enough. Transform, Bardock. You'll need godly power just to survive."
Bardock nodded. In a flash of blue fire, his body erupted with divine aura. "Haaaaaa!!!"
He became Super Saiyan Blue, Third Stage – Peak.
The sheer power pushed him into the twelfth dimension—enough to withstand the storming chaos around them.
"Good. Now, follow the ring's light. But remember—if you're reckless, a time-space storm will rip you apart," Whis warned.
"I got it," Bardock answered, though his eyes remained sharp. He knew Whis wasn't exaggerating.
They moved forward, crossing countless eras, skirting by other timelines. Bardock glimpsed fragments—worlds that could have been, universes just slightly different.
Finally, the Time Ring glowed bright. "We're here," Whis announced.
A tunnel opened—the way back to Bardock's original future.
Bardock tensed. "Finally!" He shot forward at full speed, weaving through lightning and turbulence. But just before he could reach the exit—
BOOOOM!!!
A monstrous vortex erupted, shaking the tunnel.
"A Time-Space Storm!!" Whis shouted.
The violent current surged straight at Bardock. A storm strong enough to erase even twelfth-dimension warriors.
Bardock narrowed his eyes. "Hmph! You think you can stop me?!" He roared, unleashing his Law energy, clashing head-on with the storm.
The collision shook the entire tunnel apart.
Whis frowned. "Reckless fool…" With a flick of his staff, angelic light cut through both forces, restoring balance. The storm vanished, and silence returned.
Bardock panted. "Tch… you're right, Whis. Without you, I'd have been torn apart."
Whis only smirked. "Good. As long as you've learned."
Timeline #1330 – Year 737
Planet Vegeta.
Almost every Saiyan had returned under Frieza's orders. They had no idea what awaited them.
Frieza's massive ship hovered above the red planet. Inside, the tyrant sat casually on his floating throne, sipping wine, smiling coldly.
"My, my… from this angle, Vegeta is quite beautiful," he mused. "What a shame. Such a world will soon vanish."
In truth, Frieza had no desire to kill the Saiyans. They had been his greatest warriors, his strongest army. But Beerus, the God of Destruction, had ordered it. And Frieza knew well—disobeying Beerus meant certain death.
Kneeling at his side, Zarbon bowed his head. "Lord Frieza, the last Saiyans outside have been eliminated. The rest have already returned home."
Frieza's cruel smile widened as his tail swayed lazily. "Excellent. Then… the curtain on this little play can finally fall."