"Bardock, before you go, I have something for you. Take out that energy crystal you found earlier," Whis said, tapping the air with his staff.
Bardock stopped. "Alright." Without hesitation, he pulled out the light-blue crystal from his storage box.
A white beam shot out from Whis' staff and sank into the crystal.
Buzz~~~! The crystal flickered with a strange blue glow, like it was sending a signal.
Bardock studied it. Something inside the crystal had definitely changed. It felt like a beacon, calling something across the universe.
"I gave it a little adjustment," Whis explained calmly. "Now this crystal will send out signals on its own. Even if you don't go hunting for those star beasts, they'll come to you."
Bardock's eyes lit up. "I get it. Thanks, Whis." This would save him a lot of time. Even with the star map and Instant Transmission, finding those beasts in the endless universe was almost impossible. But now, they'd come to him.
Whis smiled lightly. "I can't interfere too much. But as long as you don't break the rules, I can at least save you some effort."
Bardock nodded. "Good enough. When I've collected all the crystals, we'll meet again, Whis." With that, he placed two fingers to his forehead and vanished into Instant Transmission.
Whis sighed softly, watching the spot where Bardock had disappeared. "So impatient… Can a mortal really grasp the power of ancient law?"
Moments later, he felt another presence. He turned, and there was Beerus, standing lazily on the sacred tree, arms crossed.
Beerus gave a small smirk. Bardock's presence always annoyed him, but now that Bardock was gone… things felt strangely empty.
The Hunt Continues
With the star map in hand, Bardock jumped freely through galaxies. He scanned worlds, sensed entire star systems, but still found no trace of the cosmic beasts.
A full day passed. Bardock clenched the spar. "Tch. Even with this thing sending signals, nothing's shown up yet. These monsters are harder to find than I thought."
But then—Buzz! The crystal in his hand pulsed violently, light flashing faster and faster.
Bardock's eyes sharpened. "There you are." He felt it—something huge was rushing toward him from 2.5 light-years away.
Without hesitation, Bardock vanished.
In the endless dark, a monstrous black sphere appeared before him. Its surface rippled like liquid, leaking a wailing, ghostly howl.
The spar in Bardock's hand shone brighter, resonating with something inside the creature. Through the liquid body, he glimpsed a core—glowing with deep purple light.
"It's you," Bardock said with a grin.
The beast stirred, stretching its massive body like a dark ocean. Then came the attack—an ear-splitting sonic wave that warped space itself. Stars shattered, black holes tore open around them.
Bardock didn't even flinch. "Impressive. But too bad… you ran into me." White aura erupted from his body, crushing the monster's presence instantly.
With a smirk, Bardock dove straight into the creature's gaping abyss of a mouth.
A heartbeat later—BOOM! The beast convulsed, its body twisting in agony as flames burst from within. Its howl shook galaxies. And then—an explosion brighter than a planet's destruction lit the void.
When the flames cleared, Bardock floated calmly, holding a fist-sized purple crystal.
"So that's it. These beasts devour each other to grow stronger. No wonder they're almost extinct," Bardock muttered.
He sealed the purple crystal into his box, then pulled out the blue one again. Buzz! It lit up instantly, guiding him once more.
Bardock smirked. "Another one already? Perfect."
He vanished.
In another galaxy, a second giant beast appeared—this one holding a white crystal deep inside. The creature lunged at Bardock, but with ruthless speed, Bardock tore the crystal out of its core.
The monster collapsed, shrank, and finally dissolved into mist.
Bardock hovered in silence, holding the white spar. "That makes three." A satisfied grin spread across his face. "The harvest is good."
Bardock held three energy crystals in his hand, feeling satisfied.
But he knew the journey wasn't over yet — gathering the full power of law would take much more.
Each crystal carried a different kind of power. That meant the laws of the universe weren't just one, but many.
Just as Bardock was about to use the blue crystal to locate the next cosmic beast, his senses flared.
Two massive auras suddenly appeared…
Not just ki — this was godly power. The same kind he had felt before.
Quickly, Bardock stored the crystal away. A bright white light flashed in front of him.
Two figures stepped out — Vados, the Angel of Universe 6, and the God of Destruction, Champa.
They weren't here by chance. They came for him.
"Peace, Saiyan of Universe 7," Vados said with her usual calm smile.
She was curious about Bardock. A mortal stronger than even a God of Destruction — such a thing didn't exist in her own universe.
"Hmph." Champa scowled, clearly annoyed. His glare made it obvious he disliked Bardock as much as Beerus did. Maybe even more. Especially after seeing Vados pay Bardock so much attention.
Bardock frowned. "You two… the God of Destruction and Angel from Universe 6." His guard was up.
Vados smiled. "I'm glad you remember us, Bardock the Saiyan."
Her tone was soft, but Bardock sensed danger in her words. This Angel wasn't simple.
"You came looking for me on purpose, didn't you?" Bardock asked directly.
"That's right," Vados answered honestly.
Bardock crossed his arms. "Sorry, but I don't see what we need to talk about." He turned to leave.
But Vados lifted her staff. "Don't be so quick to judge. I think I have something you want."
The gem on her staff glowed, and three crystals appeared in her hand — red, green, and gold.
Bardock's eyes widened. He could feel it. These were crystals from cosmic beasts, just like the ones he carried.
"I know you've been collecting them," Vados said with a sly smile. "I have more. Why don't we talk?"
Bardock stayed silent for a moment, then nodded. "Fine. What do you want?"
"First, somewhere private." Vados tapped her staff. Space warped around them, sealing the three of them in a hidden dimension.
"It's safer here," Vados explained. "Not even Whis will notice."
She continued, "The crystals you're gathering are fragments of ancient power from the birth of the universe. Some represent destruction, others devouring, and many more. The ones I showed you come from my own universe."
Bardock's eyes narrowed. "So you want me to go with you to Universe 6?"
Vados smiled. "Exactly. Someone like you shouldn't be stuck in Universe 7. The outside worlds are far greater. Come with me, and all three crystals are yours."
She floated closer, holding the gems in her palm. The soft scent of her presence brushed against Bardock, stirring something in him.
[She's dangerous,] Bardock thought.
Still, the offer tempted him.
Champa, who had been silent, suddenly exploded. "Tch! What are you waiting for, Saiyan?! If you don't want to come, then forget it! Universe 6 doesn't need you!"
The mood froze instantly. Vados' smile disappeared. Her eyes sharpened.
Bardock smirked inwardly. [Good timing, Fat Cat. You saved me the trouble.]
Vados turned her cold gaze toward Champa. The God of Destruction broke into a sweat instantly. He had overstepped, and he knew it.
Bardock took his chance. "Looks like I'm not welcome in Universe 6. Shame. I was curious to see it."
Vados shot Champa a deadly glare but quickly put her smile back on. "Please don't mind him, Bardock. You're always welcome in my universe."
Bardock shook his head. "I can't. If Beerus or Whis find out, it'll cause trouble. For now, I'll have to decline."
Though she kept her calm face, Bardock could sense Vados' frustration. Champa had ruined her plan.
Vados sighed softly, then held out the three crystals. "At least take these, as an apology for Lord Champa's behavior."
Bardock didn't hesitate. "I'll take them. These will help me a lot."
Vados then handed him a strange device. "If you ever change your mind, use this to call me. I'll come right away."
With that, she released the barrier. The three of them returned to space.
"Until next time, Bardock," Vados said with a smile, vanishing with Champa before he could say a word.
Bardock let out a long breath. "Finally gone. If she really wanted to move against me just now… I wouldn't have stood a chance."