17's face twisted with rage. "Shut your mouth. Nobody's absorbing me!"
"17, leave!" 16 shouted. "His power is too high!"
16's tone stayed steady, but the weight behind it was frightening. "If he becomes complete, he won't just be hunting Son Goku anymore. He'll destroy the entire universe."
"You finally decided to talk," 17 scoffed. "But you think I'm going to run?"
16 didn't answer.
"Don't try to humiliate me!" 17 roared, charging at Cell.
Cell shifted aside and drove an elbow into 17's head.
17 crashed to the ground.
"Damn it!" Piccolo lunged to help.
He swung a punch at the back of Cell's head.
Cell didn't even look. He raised one hand and caught Piccolo's fist effortlessly.
Then he drove a heavy punch into Piccolo's face.
Piccolo's features warped from the impact as he hit the ground hard.
Cell walked toward him, unhurried.
Piccolo clutched his face, bones feeling misaligned under his fingers. He turned—and saw Cell already standing over him.
His blood ran cold.
Cell kicked him skyward.
Piccolo flew back and slammed into a massive boulder.
Cell kept walking after him, calm as ever.
18 stared, shaken. "Is Cell really that strong?"
"He's computer-made," 21 said, face pale. "Built from the cells of countless fighters."
"He is strong," 16 said, voice low. "18, 21—leave now. 17 won't listen. If he absorbs 17, or either of you… no one will be able to stop him. The entire universe will fall into crisis."
21 stayed silent.
"What about you, 16?" 18 asked.
16 didn't reply.
Piccolo hauled himself up and gathered energy in both hands.
He fired.
A torrent of power roared toward Cell and detonated with a world-shaking blast, a towering mushroom cloud rising as the island itself was swallowed by the explosion.
When the smoke cleared, the island was gone—replaced by open sea.
"He's dead," 18 said, letting out a breath.
"No," 16 replied immediately. "You barely hit him."
18's face stiffened.
21's brow furrowed tightly.
Piccolo could sense it too—Cell's ki was still there, untouched.
Fear flooded him.
Cell rose from the sea with a calm smile and stepped onto the shore.
Then he walked straight toward Piccolo again.
"Piccolo-san!" Gohan gasped from afar, panic surging.
On a distant rock outcropping, Krillin and Tien had arrived. Seeing the gap in power, their faces turned grim.
"The difference is too big," Krillin whispered, shaking.
"This time… we really can't do anything," Tien said quietly.
Cell stopped right in front of Piccolo.
"17! Run!" Piccolo shouted.
Cell answered by punching Piccolo in the face.
Piccolo dropped to the ground.
"Piccolo-san!" Gohan snapped, rage and terror twisting together, and he rushed in.
His fist smashed into the back of Cell's head.
Cell didn't even budge.
He turned slightly, smiling with contempt. "Son Goku's kid… that's all you've got? Go bring your father. You're pathetic."
"Gohan, get out of here!" Piccolo shouted.
Cell kicked Gohan in the face.
Gohan slammed to the ground and rolled across the dirt.
"Disappear," Cell said, flicking his hand.
An energy blast screamed toward Gohan.
"Gohan!" Piccolo screamed, voice tearing.
The blast hit.
Gohan's body exploded into pieces.
"Gohan!" Krillin shouted.
"It's over… he killed him," Tien said, trembling violently.
Piccolo's pupils shrank. He swung at Cell in a blind fury.
Cell caught the punch with ease and pressed his other hand against Piccolo's chest.
"Worry about yourself first," Cell said coldly. "Yes—I'm this strong because I absorbed the life essence of at least a hundred thousand humans. They gave me this power."
"Go… gohan…" Piccolo shook harder.
Cell's energy flared. "Go join him in the Other World."
A beam pierced through Piccolo's body.
Krillin and Tien went rigid in horror.
"He killed him…" 17 said, voice low.
"Not dead yet," Cell said, almost cheerful. "Just about. I'll toss you next to Son Goku's kid—so when you go to the Other World, you'll have company."
He flung Piccolo's body beside Gohan's shattered remains.
Then Cell turned, smiling, eyes settling on 17 again.
"I'm not that easy to take down!" 17 growled, forcing bravado into his voice.
"We should run…" 18 said, shaken.
"She's right," 21 agreed.
"You two go," 16 said firmly.
"What about you, 16?" 18 demanded.
"I'll stop Cell from becoming complete," 16 said, resolve set like steel.
"Don't," 21 said quickly, stepping in front of him. She shook her head. "You'll die."
"16, she's right!" 18 pleaded. "He'll kill you!"
"I've decided," 16 said stubbornly. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled. "You're good people. You've never harmed a single human or animal. Traveling with you… has been pleasant."
21 fell silent.
Five seconds passed.
"If you won't leave, neither will I," 21 said at last. "I built him with Dr. Gero. If I planted the seed, I'll bear the fruit."
16 said nothing more and started walking toward Cell.
Tien watched, confused. "What's he doing?"
"Looks like he's going to fight Cell," Krillin said grimly.
Then something impossible happened.
Gohan's scattered pieces began sliding back together, snapping into place.
In seconds, his body fully reformed.
"That's Gohan!" Krillin gasped, shock turning to joy.
"How did he recover?" Tien stared.
"Back on Namek, we made a wish," Krillin said, excitement rushing out of him. "We asked Shenron to give Gohan a body that can regenerate. I can't believe it's actually working now, when it matters most."
"We did that?" Tien blinked.
Then they saw Piccolo twitch as well.
"Piccolo's still alive!" Krillin's eyes lit up. "We have to get them out of here—right now!"
"You're right," Tien said quickly. "Krillin, go!"
"What about you?" Krillin hesitated.
"I'll stay and watch," Tien said with a tight smile. "We need the latest intel on the enemy."
"Then be careful!" Krillin urged.
"I will," Tien said, nodding.
Krillin shot down and landed beside Gohan.
Gohan was kneeling by Piccolo, sobbing uncontrollably. "Piccolo-san…"
He looked up and saw Krillin. "Krillin-san…?"
"Don't cry yet," Krillin said urgently. "Piccolo's still alive. Get him to Korin and give him a Senzu Bean, or he's not going to make it."
"R-right!" Gohan's eyes widened with relief. He hoisted Piccolo onto his back.
Krillin, Gohan, and the barely-living Piccolo fled at top speed.
Cell watched them go, baffled.
That was Son Goku's kid.
I watched him blow apart.
How did he come back?
…Weird kid.
Whatever. Let them run. I don't have time.
Right now, I absorb 17.
Then I absorb… the other one.
Cell drove a punch into 17's chest.
17 had no chance to defend. He slammed into the ground, blood spraying from his mouth as helplessness flooded him.
How am I nothing in front of this monster?
"Still struggling?" Cell sneered. "I'm going to absorb you now. Are you ready?"
He grabbed the back of 17's clothes and lifted him high.
"Let go, you ugly freak!" 17 thrashed, but it was useless.
Cell smiled smugly. "Heh heh… you're about to merge with this ugly freak."
His tail snapped forward. Near 17's head, the tip unfolded like a trumpet, widening into a large suction cup.
17's face changed instantly.
"Then I won't hold back," Cell said, delighted, as the suction cup clamped onto 17's head.
17 grabbed the rim with both hands, straining with everything he had.
Just as Cell started to pull him in, someone tapped Cell on the shoulder.
Cell froze, confused, and turned.
Android 16 stood there, smiling faintly.
16's fist slammed into Cell.
Cell tumbled through the air, flipping several times before he managed to stabilize.
He stared at 16, genuinely surprised.
Cell's expression hardened into a cruel smile. "Hmph. Another idiot who wants to die."
"16… what are you doing?" 17 blurted, stunned. "You're going to fight him?"
"There's no other way," 16 said.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" 17 demanded.
"I've calculated it," 16 replied, face grave. "Cell and I are evenly matched."
"...What?" 17's eyes went wide, disbelief locking him in place.
…
Universe 7, on a distant planet.
Pui Pui finally found a spaceship. He brought it to the wizard Babidi with exaggerated respect, as if presenting a treasure.
Babidi circled the ship, eyeing it critically.
It looked ordinary, and the design didn't suggest much speed.
Babidi's mood soured. He narrowed his eyes and glared at Pui Pui.
Pui Pui's face drained of color. He dropped to his knees in front of Babidi.
"Whatever," Babidi said, his tone icy but controlled. "It's slow, but it should still get us back to my planet."
For once, he didn't insult Pui Pui. He simply boarded first.
Pui Pui hurried after him.
The ship rose into the sky, slipped into the vast starfield, and set course for Babidi's home planet.
"Damn it!" Babidi snarled in the control room, shaking with anger. "It's all because of that stupid-looking robot!"
If it weren't for that thing, I wouldn't have died.
A memory flashed in Babidi's mind—someone standing there, with a round, ball-like robot floating at their side.
About two months earlier, Babidi had appeared on the planet where Broly was training—the same planet Pui Pui lived on.
The moment they met, Babidi started pointing and barking orders at Broly.
Ai fired a bolt of lightning and electrocuted Babidi on the spot.
Pui Pui happened to see it and laughed like it was the best thing he'd ever witnessed.
"You're not a good person either," Ai said with a snort.
Then Broly slapped Pui Pui to death.
Remembering it made Babidi even more furious.
I got killed by a ball.
Just wait, you little thing.
When I find you, I'll tear you apart.
…
Planet Beerus.
A streak of light flashed across the sky like a falling star and landed on the ground with a soft, radiant shimmer.
"Whis, come quick!" the Oracle Fish called out, riding over in his little fishbowl, panic all over his face.
"What is it?" Whis asked, blinking in surprise. "Oracle Fish?"
"Just look at Beerus-sama!" the Oracle Fish urged.
Whis followed him to the massive tree where Beerus slept.
Beerus-sama's entire body was twitching. Beneath him, the ground was visibly soaked.
The Oracle Fish stared. "Did Beerus-sama… wet the bed?"
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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