Vegeta remained silent.
"So, if I return to the future now, it will still be another three years before he arrives here," Trunks said, his voice heavy.
Vegeta stayed quiet.
Of course, Vegeta knew these events all too well.
"Father, let's put this Time Machine away for now." Trunks took a deep breath, stepped forward, and reverted the Time Machine back into a capsule, tucking it into his pocket.
Without a word, Vegeta immediately scanned the area in another direction.
Then, his brow twitched, and he took off flying toward that spot.
"Father, wait for me!" Trunks called out, hurrying to catch up.
The two hovered in mid-air, looking down at a massive cicada shell that had appeared below.
"That... that's..." Trunks' pupils shrank.
"Hmph, it must be the shell Cell left behind after molting!" Vegeta snorted.
"Is this what came out of the Time Machine?" Trunks asked grimly. He descended, landing beside the shell, and reached inside.
When Trunks touched the slime inside the shell and felt its temperature, his expression shifted slightly.
"This... this guy... he just molted not long ago!" Trunks immediately looked around, on high alert.
"Tch!" Vegeta snorted, his face full of disdain.
Immediately after, Vegeta expanded his senses, searching for any nearby Ki signatures.
He remembered that in his past life, Cell's Ki had first appeared in a small town near here.
Back then, the one who fought Cell was that guy, Piccolo.
By that time, Piccolo had already fused with Kami, possessing power that surpassed a Super Saiyan, and had managed to defeat Cell.
Furthermore, in his previous life, Kakarot had lost his life because of Cell.
In this life, I'll be the one to deal with this 'Cell' fellow.
Also, Cell, don't you want to achieve your Perfect Form?
I can help you with that!
It's fine if you reach your Perfect Form.
Aren't you planning to hold that 'Cell Games' martial arts tournament anyway?
When you host those games...
I'll make a grand entrance and crush you in your Perfect Form.
Wait, no...
That brat Gohan already has his Ultimate Form!
Kakarot won't even need to step in; Gohan alone could easily wipe Cell out.
Let's go see for ourselves first.
"Over there!" Vegeta pointed in a specific direction.
"Eh? Father, are you saying... Cell has already appeared over there? I do sense an evil Ki coming from that way." Trunks' expression grew even more solemn.
Whoosh!
Vegeta didn't hesitate, immediately flying toward that direction at high speed.
"Wait for me, Father!" Trunks tensed up and hurriedly followed.
A certain town.
Cell was slowly dragging a portly, middle-aged man, his face devoid of emotion.
Everyone in the town had already been absorbed by Cell, leaving behind nothing but piles of clothes that looked as if they had been shed in a struggle.
"Ah... ah... please, let me go," the man pleaded, looking up in despair. "I have plenty of money. I'll give you everything I have, just please don't kill me."
Cell ignored him.
What use do I have for money?
The only reason I haven't killed you yet is that I'm almost full.
I'll absorb you in a bit as a little snack.
Hmm?
Someone is flying this way?
Who is it?
Cell paused for a moment, then looked up at the sky.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two brilliant streaks of light roared toward him from the distance.
"Vegeta? Trunks?" Cell recognized them at a glance.
However, something struck Cell as odd.
Didn't I kill Trunks?
How is he appearing in this timeline again?
I see. He must be from a different parallel world.
"Father, is that him? Is that Cell?" Trunks asked Vegeta urgently, looking down at the figure below.
Vegeta gave a slight nod.
Then, without a moment's hesitation, Vegeta descended from the sky and landed right in front of Cell.
Trunks followed close behind.
The middle-aged man, seeing them as his only hope, cried out for help: "Please... please save me! I'm the wealthiest man in this town!"
"Let him go!" Trunks immediately dropped into a fighting stance.
Cell gave a cold laugh and simply let go of the man.
Still trembling with fear, the man scrambled toward Trunks.
Squelch!
With a slight flick of his tail, Cell plunged it directly into the man's backside and began absorbing his essence.
As he drank, Cell felt something was off.
Whatever, it's all essence. Might as well finish it.
Soon, after a few violent tremors, the man's body deflated like a punctured balloon.
In the blink of an eye, even his skin was gone, leaving only his clothes on the ground.
Trunks was horrified.
Vegeta, however, was unfazed, merely letting out a cold snort.
"You two are next! Vegeta, Trunks!" Cell grinned triumphantly.
BOOM!
A powerful Ki suddenly erupted from Cell's body.
Sensing the sheer magnitude of Cell's power, Vegeta's pupils shrank, and his expression changed.
How can Cell's Ki be this strong?
He's only in his First Form.
Why does it feel like his power is already infinitely close to Trunks' Super Saiyan 2?
What the hell is going on?
"This... this..." Trunks felt his scalp go numb, an inexplicable fear rising within him.
The massive surge of Ki from Cell immediately caught Goku's attention.
Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo had just returned home and were in the middle of a meal.
Well, Piccolo was only drinking some water.
Suddenly, the three of them sensed the vast energy being released by Cell.
Startled, Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo dropped their food and drinks and rushed out of the house.
"Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, what's wrong?" Chi-Chi asked, puzzled.
"Ah... Chi-Chi, it's nothing... just go back inside," Goku said dismissively, looking toward Cell's location.
"Whose Ki is that?" Piccolo asked grimly.
"Is it... Cell? Or... Majin Buu?" Gohan frowned.
Goku's expression, however, grew even heavier.
Why do I sense Broly's Ki coming from that guy?
Could it be... he also absorbed Broly's cells?
Was this guy born in our world?
"Gohan, what are you talking about? Who's Cell? Who's Majin Buu?" Piccolo asked. "What else are you hiding from me?"
"That person should be the Android, Cell!" Gohan gave a brief explanation.
"Android Cell? Was he made by Dr. Gero too?" Piccolo was stunned.
"Now's not the time for this. This Cell is no ordinary opponent!" Goku took a deep breath, his expression becoming increasingly solemn.
"Vegeta and Trunks' Ki are nearby. Have they already run into him?" Piccolo frowned.
"Most likely," Goku nodded.
A nameless town.
The corners of Cell's mouth curled into a faint smirk.
"Didn't expect this, did you? Vegeta, Trunks, you've picked a bad time to show up!" Cell chuckled. "I'll just finish you off right here!"
"Who did you say you were going to finish off?" Vegeta snorted. "Cell!"
Cell: "..."
Hearing Vegeta call out his name so casually, Cell froze in place.
He remained silent for several seconds.
Cell looked at Vegeta with a look of utter bewilderment.
"How... how do you know who I am?" Cell scanned Vegeta from head to toe.
"You're the Android, Cell, aren't you?" Vegeta snorted, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips. "You're here to absorb Androids 17 and 18 to achieve your Perfect Form! Am I right?"
"You... you even know about that." Cell was profoundly shocked, staring intently at Vegeta.
"I know everything about you, Cell," Vegeta hummed.
"How... how do you know?" Cell's expression was one of pure shock, as if he'd seen a ghost.
I was planning to show off in front of you.
But it turns out you're showing off even more than I am.
"How do I know? Hmph, you can figure that out for yourself!" Vegeta smiled disdainfully. "You shouldn't have run into me at a time like this."
"What do you mean?" Cell blinked.
"You'll find out soon enough." Vegeta grinned triumphantly. Energy surged wildly from his body as he transformed directly into a Super Saiyan 2.
A powerful wave of energy radiated from Vegeta.
Sensing Vegeta's immense power, Cell was completely stunned.
What's going on?
Is the Vegeta of this era really this strong?
"Trunks, stay back! This guy is much stronger than I anticipated!" Vegeta ordered Trunks behind him.
"Yes... Father..." Trunks stared at his father in awe.
Father has become this strong?
We're both Super Saiyan 2.
But Father's energy intensity far exceeds mine!
As expected of Father!
BAM!
Vegeta delivered a sharp uppercut, slamming his fist into Cell's stomach.
"Gah..."
Cell immediately spat out a mouthful of digestive fluid, his body doubling over like a shrimp.
THWACK!
Vegeta followed up with a kick, sending Cell sprawling to the ground.
Cell stumbled as he fell, his mind reeling with shock.
However, he quickly performed a kip-up, springing back to his feet and wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Cell, is this the extent of your true power? How disappointing!" Vegeta snorted.
"Curse you! I didn't expect you to be this strong!" Cell grumbled. "Do you think I'll lose to you? I'll show you just how powerful I really am!"
With that, Cell didn't hesitate any longer, throwing a punch straight at Vegeta's face.
Vegeta sidestepped the incoming fist, grabbed Cell's arm, and executed a powerful shoulder throw.
Cell was slammed heavily onto the ground, groaning in pain.
Vegeta gave a mocking smile and kicked Cell again just as he was getting up.
BOOM!
Cell was sent flying, crashing into a building behind him.
The building collapsed, burying Cell under the rubble.
"Father is amazing!" Trunks was ecstatic.
The intense battle between the two and the massive Ki they were releasing had already drawn the attention of many.
"Is that Vegeta's Ki?" Cold sweat trickled down Piccolo's face.
"Vegeta is something else," Goku said with a smile.
"Father, it looks like with Vegeta's strength, he should be able to defeat Cell easily!" Gohan breathed a small sigh of relief.
"Not necessarily," Goku said, his expression growing more serious.
"Eh? Why?" Gohan was taken aback.
Piccolo also turned to look at Goku, his face full of surprise.
Piccolo could also sense that Vegeta's energy intensity far surpassed that of the Android named Cell.
Why would Goku say Vegeta might not be able to defeat him?
In Goku's mind, however, the image of Broly's overwhelming power surfaced.
Cell has Broly's Ki.
If that's the case, Vegeta might be in trouble.
Master Roshi's Island.
Krillin had just returned when he sensed the terrifying Ki coming from that direction.
He immediately stopped in mid-air, looking toward where Vegeta and Cell were.
"Krillin, what's happening?" Master Roshi had been on the beach reading some... questionable manga. Seeing Krillin return and stare blankly behind him, he asked curiously.
"Master Roshi, there are two incredibly powerful energy signatures over there!" Krillin looked back at Roshi and explained quickly.
"Who are they?" Roshi asked.
"One of them feels like Vegeta's, but I don't recognize the other," Krillin mused.
"Isn't it the Androids?" Roshi asked again.
"Androids don't have Ki signatures," Krillin replied.
Where Tien and Chiaotzu were.
The two stepped out of their house, their faces etched with worry.
"Tien... the Ki from those two is just too strong!" Chiaotzu trembled, his face turning even paler.
"It is indeed powerful... it feels like Frieza all those years ago!" Tien clenched his fists tightly, his three eyes wide with shock.
"But this energy intensity doesn't seem as high as Goku's back then, does it?" Chiaotzu asked.
"Right, it's definitely not as high as Goku's," Tien breathed a small sigh of relief and patted Chiaotzu's shoulder. "Let's go back inside."
"Okay, Tien," Chiaotzu nodded obediently.
Yamcha's room.
"Master Yamcha, why do you want me to turn into Bulma?" Puar asked, puzzled.
Despite the question, Puar did as Yamcha asked, transforming into a sixteen-year-old Bulma.
"Bulma was really at her best at this age," Yamcha sighed with nostalgia, reaching out to pat 'Bulma's' cheek.
Puar: "..."
"Master Yamcha... don't do anything weird," Puar shivered.
"Wait... what... what is that?" Yamcha's expression shifted slightly as he let out a startled cry.
"Ah... Master Yamcha, this is mine... don't stare at my chest!" Puar covered his chest, overcome with embarrassment.
Yamcha: "..."
"No, I mean... who are those two powerful Ki signatures?" Yamcha walked to the window, looking out and muttering to himself. "Is one of them Vegeta? Who's the other one? Who is Vegeta fighting?"
A nameless town.
BOOM!
Cell released a massive burst of energy, instantly leveling the surrounding buildings and the entire town.
With an earth-shattering roar, the town was replaced by a massive mushroom cloud.
The shockwave from the explosion radiated outward.
Trunks crossed his arms in front of his head, bracing himself against the onslaught of energy.
"This... this..." Trunks was stunned.
Is this Cell?
This guy's energy intensity is terrifying!
And his power is already almost on par with my Super Saiyan 2!
Was the future me... really killed by him?
Otherwise, how else could he have taken the Time Machine to get here?
"Not bad, Cell!" Vegeta chuckled. "Your strength has indeed exceeded my expectations!"
"Hmph." Cell let out a series of cold snorts, his expression becoming more confident. "That was nothing. This is only the beginning."
"Oh? Are you saying you can still power up further?" Vegeta's interest was piqued.
In truth, Vegeta had been quite bored over the last few years.
Mainly because he lacked a suitable opponent.
Aside from training, Vegeta spent his free time accompanying Bulma on shopping trips.
Moreover, Vegeta knew that during this period, Beerus was still asleep.
Additionally, Vegeta had no way of contacting Whis.
If he could get in touch with Whis, continuing his training under him would have been a great option.
Now that such an interesting and powerful opponent had suddenly appeared, Vegeta felt genuinely thrilled.
"Of course." A smile appeared on Cell's face. "Next, I'll show you just how terrifying I can be!"
"Oh? Is that so? Then hurry up and show me your true strength, or you'll regret it when it's too late!" Vegeta snorted.
"In that case..." Cell clenched his fists tightly.
BOOM!
Cell's Ki surged wildly once more, and a dark green aura erupted around him.
Seeing the light radiating from Cell, Vegeta's eyes widened, a hint of confusion crossing his face.
Isn't Cell's aura supposed to be golden?
Why has it turned dark green?
What's going on?
"Hmph." The corners of Cell's mouth curled up as he charged toward Vegeta at high speed.
Vegeta showed no fear, throwing a punch at Cell.
BAM!
Vegeta's fist landed squarely on Cell's face.
Cell gave a mocking smile, letting the blood trickle down from the corner of his mouth.
Vegeta's pupils shrank slightly.
CLAP!
Cell's large hand suddenly shot forward, grabbing Vegeta by the head.
"Not good!" Vegeta's expression shifted rapidly.
SLAM!
Cell slammed Vegeta's head into the ground with immense force, making a 'close contact' with the earth.
A large crater immediately formed, with Vegeta's head deeply embedded inside.
SCREECH!
Cell kept his hand on Vegeta's head and began dragging him across the ground in a frantic grind.
Vegeta felt as if his head was about to be ground flat.
THUD!
Cell delivered an elbow strike, slamming it heavily into Vegeta's stomach.
Vegeta's limbs jerked upward.
Cell reached out and grabbed Vegeta by the ankle, swinging his body around and slamming him repeatedly against the ground in every direction.
Vegeta let out cries of agony.
"Father!" Trunks turned pale with fright and rushed toward them.
As Trunks moved, a golden aura erupted around him, with arcs of electricity crackling across his body.
Trunks entered his Super Saiyan 2 form and threw a punch at Cell's head.
The punch landed directly on Cell's temple.
Cell didn't budge an inch; he even spared a contemptuous glance at Trunks.
Trunks was completely stunned, his face filled with horror.
Even though I didn't put everything into that punch, it was at least 80% of my power.
And yet, this guy Cell didn't even react?
CLAP!
With a thunderous crash, Trunks was sent flying, slamming heavily into the ground and tumbling several times.
By the time Trunks came to a stop, his golden aura had vanished, and he was on the verge of reverting to his base form.
"This... this... is the gap between us really this large?" Trunks was aghast, his face pale.
"Curse you!" Vegeta roared, throwing a punch at Cell's eye.
Stung by the pain, Cell reflexively let go of Vegeta.
Vegeta stumbled to his feet, rubbing his arm, his body trembling violently.
"Vegeta, weren't you acting all high and mighty just now? Why don't you try that again!" Cell gave a cold laugh, squinting his eyes as he looked at Vegeta with amusement.
"You... you... you bastard! Your strength is beyond anything I imagined!" Vegeta's voice was low.
"Oh? Is that so?" Cell became even more arrogant.
"I admit it... even though I've used all my power, I'm still no match for you. I lose!" As Vegeta spoke, his body gave a violent shudder, and he reverted directly to his base form. He said grimly, "Just kill me!"
Trunks: "????"
"Father!" Trunks was startled.
Father, what are you doing?
I feel like you haven't even used your full power yet.
Vegeta shot Trunks a sharp glare.
Trunks seemed to suddenly realize something and quickly shut his mouth.
I see, Father is feigning weakness on purpose.
But what is his goal in doing this?
Does he want me to push my strength even further?
"Vegeta, you're asking me to kill you?" Cell was a little surprised, looking at Vegeta with a smile.
"But before you kill me, I want to know—which world did you come from?" Vegeta asked solemnly.
Cell: "..."
"If you want to know where I came from, first tell me how you know who I am. And how do you know that my body is currently incomplete, and that I can only reach my Perfect Form by absorbing 17 and 18?" Cell snorted, asking with a smirk.
...
To be continued…
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