Above the underground laboratory.
A shriveled old man with one hand missing stumbled into the laboratory.
It was Dr. Gero.
Dr. Gero had now turned himself into an Android, gaining eternal life and terrifying power.
Originally, Dr. Gero and Android 19 alone should have been enough to eliminate Son Goku and his companions.
He had never imagined that Son Goku and the others would be so powerful.
Now that the laboratory had been exposed, he was at the end of his rope.
He would have to use every last trump card he had to wipe out Son Goku and his companions once and for all.
Otherwise, all that awaited him was defeat and death.
"If I could help it, I really wouldn't want to wake these guys, but things have come to this. I don't have a choice anymore."
Dr. Gero clutched the controller tightly as he stood in front of two recovery pods marked "17" and "18."
"I hope they've been repaired..."
Dr. Gero peered through the glass at the person inside Pod 17, muttering to himself.
He pressed the button beside him.
"Whoosh~"
The recovery pod slowly opened. Dr. Gero watched the person inside with extreme caution, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
A handsome young man stepped out. He wore a black T-shirt and an orange scarf, and had straight black hair.
Dr. Gero forced himself to remain calm. "You're awake, Android 17?"
The young man—Android 17—slowly turned around and caught sight of the controller in Dr. Gero's hand out of the corner of his eye.
With an obedient expression, he said, "Good morning, Dr. Gero!"
Android 17's greeting left Dr. Gero feeling almost overwhelmed with delight.
"Are you greeting me?"
Android 17's expression didn't change as he replied, "Of course. You're my biological father!"
Looks like they've been repaired.
Dr. Gero was ecstatic. Let's see if you can survive this, Son Goku!
"Now I'll wake Android 18, too..."
Without hesitation, Dr. Gero opened Pod 18.
Now that he was a little more relaxed, his grip on the controller loosened without him realizing it.
As the recovery pod opened, Android 18's blue eyes fluttered open. Her beautiful, cool face showed no hint of emotion.
When Android 18 woke, she noticed Android 17 standing ramrod straight beside her like a bodyguard.
They exchanged a glance. Their twin telepathy let her understand everything at once.
She turned to face Dr. Gero and spotted the controller in his hand.
"Good morning, Dr. Gero!"
Android 18's greeting was so calm that she sounded like a robot following a programmed script.
And that was exactly what Dr. Gero wanted.
"Even you're greeting me!"
Dr. Gero's face lit up with delight.
Android 18 replied calmly, "It's only natural."
"It seems you've both recovered on your own."
Seeing Android 18 behaving this way, Dr. Gero finally let his tense nerves relax.
Six years ago, when he'd first awakened the siblings, they had nearly killed him.
If he hadn't had the controller, he wouldn't have survived.
It was his own fault, too. He'd been too eager to get results, concentrating everything on increasing the Androids' strength and weakening their control functions.
Seeing Android 17 and Android 18 acting so obediently, Dr. Gero immediately assumed a commanding air.
"This time, you two had better listen to my orders and do as you're told. Son Goku's companions are about to arrive. Take care of them as soon as they get here. Understand?"
Dr. Gero ordered them with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Yes."
"Understood."
Android 17 and Android 18 obediently nodded.
"Bang, bang, bang~"
Not long after Dr. Gero finished speaking, the laboratory door began to shake from the blows outside.
At the entrance, after learning that Dr. Gero had returned to the laboratory, Piccolo, Tien Shinhan, and Krillin began pounding on the door. (I was completely baffled by this part. They seemed to be in a hurry, but not all that urgently...)
"They're here. Those foolish idiots who don't know what's good for them are right outside. It's your turn to go out there."
"Kyah hah hah hah~ Go knock them flat!"
Dr. Gero let out a smug, cackling laugh.
Just then, Android 17 appeared behind Dr. Gero and snatched the controller from his hand.
"Android 17, what are you doing?"
Dr. Gero stared at Android 17 in shock. He had never imagined that Android 17 and Android 18 had only been pretending to obey him.
Unfortunately, it was too late to say anything now. Without the controller, Dr. Gero had no way to command them.
He could make another controller, but Android 17 and Android 18 would never give him the chance.
With the controller in hand, Android 17 and Android 18 no longer needed to keep up their act.
"Isn't this the controller that can shut down our energy in an emergency? You kept it around in case something went wrong, right? I have to destroy it."
As he spoke, Android 17 gave it a light squeeze. The device that controlled their very lives was crushed in an instant.
"Android 17, what are you planning to do? You're not joking, are you?"
"I don't feel like going back to sleep, you old geezer."
Android 17 looked at Dr. Gero with scorn.
At the laboratory entrance, Vegeta listened to their conversation, one corner of his mouth curling into an arrogant grin.
Androids are nothing but trash. They're no match for me, the proud Prince Vegeta, a Super Saiyan!
"If you still want to destroy the Androids, you'd better all drop that idea right now."
Vegeta spoke to Piccolo, who was about to destroy the laboratory and everything inside it.
"Don't do that. You have no idea how powerful the Androids really are."
As someone from the Future Timeline, Trunks knew exactly how strong the Androids were.
The deaths of his friends and family, and the devastation of Earth in his future world, all came rushing back to him.
Trunks didn't want this timeline to end up like his own.
"Shut up!"
Vegeta turned and shouted at Trunks.
"Get out of the way, you bastard!"
Vegeta raised his hand toward the laboratory door.
Trunks pleaded desperately with Vegeta. "Please, go with everyone and escape for now! We'll have a chance if we come up with a plan after Mr. Son Goku has recovered!"
What Trunks didn't know was that the proud Saiyan Prince Vegeta hated nothing more than being told he was inferior to Son Goku.
"I don't need him to show up!"
Whatever Kakarot can do, I can do too—and I'll do it better!!!
Ignoring Trunks' protests, Vegeta aimed his palm at the laboratory door and fired a ki blast.
The sturdy door that Piccolo and the others had been pounding on for so long without budging buckled under the blast and collapsed to the ground.
As the smoke cleared,
the three people inside the laboratory came into view.
A cool-looking girl with golden hair.
A handsome boy with black hair.
And a shriveled old man, panic-stricken.
Unlike the old man, the young man and woman wore faint smiles.
Before you continue