The scarlet beam tore across the void—
so sharp that even space itself split open behind it like shredded fabric.
Rudra barely saw it before it was already upon him.
FWOOOOOOOSH—!!
Instinct overtook thought.
Rudra crossed his arms, gathering every fragment of Ki left inside him—
a shield of blue-white energy bursting outward like a blooming star.
BAAAAAAAAAAM!!!!
The beam struck.
The impact hurled Rudra backward at impossible speeds, smashing him through the drifting remains of shattered asteroids. Chunks of rock disintegrated on contact, dissolving into dust as the force of Cell's beam consumed everything.
Rudra's shield strained—
Cracked—
And buckled—
But he held it.
Teeth clenched.
Eyes burning.
Muscles screaming.
He pushed back with everything he had.
Yet the red beam only grew brighter, hotter, more violent.
As if Cell wasn't even close to serious yet.
Through the blinding light, Cell's voice echoed across the void with cruel amusement:
"Come on, Rudra! What happened to all that confidence?!
Don't disappoint me so quickly!"
Rudra's aura flared, exploding outward—
SHRAAASH!!
He absorbed the recoil, spun through the vacuum, and immediately vanished using instantaneous movement.
Cell blinked—
Then smirked.
"Behind me?"
Rudra materialized directly above Cell with both fists raised high.
"HAAAA!!!"
He brought both fists down like twin meteors.
Cell raised only a single hand.
CLANG!!
The shockwave pulsed through the solar system's empty space, shredding through the leftover dust like a hurricane.
Rudra didn't stop.
He unleashed a rapid barrage—
punches like thunder, kicks like lightning, strikes that cracked space with each impact.
But Cell dodged with ease.
No wasted motion.
No effort.
Just a predator playing with its prey.
"You're faster," Cell admitted casually, slipping past a devastating spin-kick.
"Much faster. Your growth is honestly… fascinating."
Rudra vanished again.
Cell didn't even turn.
"There."
He fired a beam blindly over his shoulder.
Rudra barely teleported away before it passed, scraping his shoulder and ripping a burning line across his skin.
The pain was sharp.
The warning… sharper.
I can't take a direct hit from that again. One mistake and I'm dead.
Rudra reappeared above a massive floating boulder, using it as a foothold in space.
Cell floated a short distance below him, arms casually crossed, tail swaying behind him with malicious confidence.
"I'll admit it," Cell smirked.
"You're stronger than before. Much stronger. But that only makes this more exciting."
His aura erupted—violet, green, crimson flashing fiercely.
"Come on, Rudra! PUSH ME!!"
Cell's sudden burst of speed was so violent the surrounding asteroids exploded from sheer pressure.
Rudra only had a second to react.
Cell appeared right in front of him—faster than teleportation.
"BOO!!"
He slammed his knee into Rudra's gut.
THWAAAAACK!!!!
The force bent Rudra's body around the attack, sending shockwaves through his ribs.
Then—
Cell clasped both hands and hammered Rudra downward like a comet.
DOOOOOOOOM!!
Rudra smashed into a drifting rock the size of a small island—
and the entire thing shattered instantly.
Chunks spun around him as he recovered mid-air, coughing blood.
Cell floated above, laughing.
"What's wrong, Rudra? You look disappointed."
He tilted his head.
"Did you really think a little training would let you surpass me?"
Rudra wiped the blood from his mouth.
"I didn't come here to surpass you."
A spark of silver-blue electricity raced across his fists.
"I came here to STOP YOU."
Cell smiled, pleased.
"Ah, yes… that's the spirit. And you know what?"
His tail pointed forward like a spear.
"That's exactly why I enjoy you so much."
Cell blurred again—
this time, Rudra was ready.
He raised both hands—
"AZURE SHIELD!!"
A spherical barrier formed instantly.
Cell's punch struck it—
And cracks webbed across the shield.
Rudra gritted his teeth.
He reinforced his Ki—
the cracks slowed—
But Cell pressed harder.
And harder.
And harder.
Until—
KRAAAAAAASH!!!
The shield shattered.
Cell's fist drove into Rudra's chest.
WHOOOOOOOM!!!
Rudra flew backward violently, skipping across the void like a stone over water.
Cell didn't chase.
He simply raised one finger again, gathering Ki.
"Oh, Rudra…
don't fall apart yet.
We've only just begun."
The red beam condensed.
Denser than before.
Brighter than before.
Far, FAR hotter than before.
Rudra steadied himself on a spinning slab of stone.
He raised both arms, gathering everything he had.
If this hits me directly, I'm finished.
Cell fired.
"RUDRA—DODGE OR DIE!"
The beam streaked forward like divine judgment.
But Rudra didn't dodge.
He ROARED.
"CELESTIAL BREAKER!!"
His entire aura condensed into his fist.
He punched the beam.
KAAAAAAAAAAA—BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
A nova-like explosion swallowed them both.
Space rippled violently.
Energy vaporized everything within millions of kilometers.
For a moment, there was only blinding light.
Then—
Silence.
When the light faded, Cell hovered motionless, smoke drifting from his arm.
He looked almost impressed.
"…You punched my beam."
He chuckled.
"You actually punched my beam."
Rudra floated nearby, panting, arm trembling violently.
His fist was scorched.
Half his sleeve was gone.
Blood leaked from his knuckles.
But he held on.
Cell's expression shifted—
from amusement…
…to hunger.
"Good…"
His aura erupted—
a demonic green flame swirling around him.
"GOOD!!"
He extended both arms outward.
And the space behind him started to warp.
Planets materialized.
Not real planets—
but holographic images formed entirely out of Ki.
They hovered in a perfect orbit behind Cell like a miniature solar system.
Then—
He CRUSHED them all at once.
The energy of a dozen artificial supernovas merged into his palms.
Rudra felt the pressure.
His skin crawled.
His heart pounded.
This attack—
This wasn't just lethal.
It was cosmic.
Cell aimed both hands at Rudra.
"Here it comes, Rudra…"
His voice deepened.
"The attack that erased the last galaxy I visited."
Rudra widened his stance.
His aura surged again—
Stronger.
Sharper.
Brighter.
He refused to back down.
Cell unleashed the massive twin blasts—
GALAXY ERASER!!
Rudra countered with everything inside him—
"CELESTIAL ANNIHILATION!!!"
The collision lit the abyss brighter than any star.
The beams clashed—
twisted—
bent—
collapsed—
and detonated with unfathomable force.
A shockwave ripped through empty space for light-years.
Darkness swallowed everything.
The two warriors were hurled apart—
silent silhouettes drifting in the void.
Cell was the first to rise.
Bruised.
Scratched.
Burning with overwhelming fury.
"…Rudra."
He wiped a trail of blood from his lip.
"You actually hurt me."
He trembled with excitement.
With rage.
With delight.
"This is WONDERFUL."
Rudra steadied himself, panting heavily.
Half his body was burned.
One eye partially shut.
His aura flickered, but still burned bright.
Cell extended one trembling hand toward him.
"Amazing… truly. But—"
His smile sharpened into something monstrous.
"You know, Rudra…"
His voice twisted.
"My real fun starts NOW."
Cell's Ki exploded upward, far beyond his earlier level.
Space cracked like glass.
Asteroids melted.
Stars dimmed.
The void itself seemed unable to withstand the pressure.
Cell spread his arms wide—
"Are you ready?"
Rudra looked up, breathing hard, fists trembling.
He knew the truth.
Cell had been holding back.
Everything until now…
was merely Cell warming up.
Rudra tightened his fists.
"I'm… not done yet."
Cell's grin widened.
"Good."
He vanished.
Reappeared in front of Rudra—
And the REAL fight began.
————————————
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