"Trunks, are these the same guys you described?" Vegeta asked.
"Y-yes."
At the sight of Android 17 and Android 18's familiar faces, Trunks' muscles instantly tensed.
He was ready to attack at any moment.
"Those two are Android 17 and Android 18?"
Judging by their appearance alone, Krillin found it hard to imagine they were the monsters Trunks had said had nearly wiped out all of humanity.
"Don't let their appearance fool you. They're both ruthless and cruel."
As Trunks spoke, he kept his eyes fixed on Android 17 and Android 18, not daring to let his guard down for a second.
"They're the ones I told you about before—the people working with Son Goku. Don't underestimate them. They didn't just defeat Android 19; they nearly killed me, too."
Though he had great faith in the Androids 17 and 18 he'd created, Dr. Gero remained cautious, as if facing a formidable enemy.
"Android 19? You made another Android?" Android 17 asked.
"That's right!"
"So that's it. You used him to turn yourself into an Android?"
Android 17 took one look at Dr. Gero's mechanical body and understood why he had created Android 19.
Then he asked, "Was Android 19 an energy-absorption model?"
"Correct!"
"Why did you switch the new Androids back to the old energy-absorption model?" Android 18, who had been silent until then, asked with some interest.
Before Dr. Gero could answer, Android 18 tilted her head and teased, "Was it because the Androids with unlimited energy were too powerful for you to control?"
"Yes," Dr. Gero replied stiffly.
Obviously. If I could control you, I'd destroy the two of you right now!
"That's why you were defeated!" Android 18's playful voice rang in Dr. Gero's ears again.
Dr. Gero's face darkened instantly.
That may be true, but I have some pride. Couldn't she have waited until we were alone to say it?
Dr. Gero seethed inwardly.
"You couldn't control them?"
Piccolo and the others were astonished by Android 18 and Dr. Gero's exchange.
Trunks finally understood why the Androids in the Future Timeline had taken pleasure in killing people.
It was because they couldn't be controlled.
Dr. Gero had created the Androids solely to eliminate Son Goku and the others. He had never intended to destroy the world.
Now it all made sense.
"There's no point discussing this any further. Why don't you hurry up and take care of those guys?"
Dr. Gero, stung by the truth, flew into a rage. For a moment, he forgot his predicament and ordered Android 17 and Android 18.
"Old man, are you done talking? We only kill when we feel like killing."
"Y-you said what?"
Seeing Android 17's casual expression, Dr. Gero felt as if someone had doused him with cold water. He came to his senses at once.
Without a controller, he was nothing but a fish on the chopping board, helpless at their mercy.
Dr. Gero was furious, but he didn't dare say a word. He was practically grinding his back teeth to dust.
"Damn it!"
Dr. Gero glanced at the broken controller on the ground.
If only the controller hadn't broken...
With her arms folded, Android 18 strolled forward nonchalantly and "accidentally" stepped on the remote lying on the ground.
Crack!
The remote was crushed into pieces.
"Android 16?"
Android 18 walked over to a regeneration chamber lying flat on the ground, marked with the number "16."
She turned to Dr. Gero and asked, "Is he an unlimited-energy model, too?"
"But he looks like a different kind from us. He's pretty big. I wonder what's different about him."
Android 18 scrutinized the person inside the chamber.
Seeing that Android 18 had taken an interest in Android 16, Dr. Gero hurriedly shouted, "Don't touch him, Android 18! You mustn't touch him!"
"He looks interesting. Let him out, Android 18," Android 17 said.
Android 17 hadn't been interested before, but Dr. Gero's alarmed reaction immediately piqued his curiosity.
"No, stop!" Dr. Gero cried when he saw Android 18 about to release Android 16. He rushed to stop her.
"Do you want to destroy the whole world?"
Dr. Gero knew very well that the bomb inside Android 16 was powerful enough to blast the entire Earth into cosmic dust.
Besides, Android 16 was a failed experiment with an unstable personality. Who knew if he might suddenly decide to detonate the bomb inside him?
By then, it would be too late to do anything. The whole Earth would be destroyed.
So Dr. Gero absolutely could not let them release Android 16.
Dr. Gero turned to Android 17, his expression grave. "Android 16 is a failed experiment. You absolutely must not activate him."
But Android 17 and Android 18 didn't take his words seriously at all. If anything, his attempt to stop them only made them more eager to release Android 16.
"Stop! Don't touch him!"
When he saw Android 18 about to act, Dr. Gero hurried over and grabbed her arm, trying to stop her.
"Don't go putting your hands on a lady!"
Dr. Gero, "old and frail" as he was, stood no chance against Android 18. She shook her arm, sending him tumbling to the ground.
Android 18 said, "If he's a failed creation, why have you kept him so well preserved? I heard you already disposed of Android 15."
"I planned to rebuild him later."
"Whatever the case, don't activate him. If he wakes up, he might kill all of us, including me."
Dr. Gero was extremely agitated—frightened, even.
"You're saying he might kill us?"
Android 17 activated the scanner inside his body and scanned Android 16.
"According to the data, we're clearly stronger than he is!"
"Forget it. Let's activate him, Android 18," Android 17 said.
He didn't want to waste any more time with Dr. Gero.
"You've defied my orders again and again. You're both failures, just like Android 16. Do whatever you want! I'll just make sure you can't move without energy."
In his anger, Dr. Gero started saying whatever came to mind.
Android 17 didn't seem bothered. "But the controller's gone."
"I can just make another one."
Beep.
Hearing the sound of the regeneration chamber opening behind him, Dr. Gero panicked.
He turned and yelled at Android 18, "After everything I've said, you still don't understand? You can't activate Android 16!"
But he didn't notice the change in Android 17's eyes when he said he would make another controller.
No one wanted to be controlled by someone else.
So while Dr. Gero was turned around, speaking to Android 18, Android 17 made his move.
He used High-Speed Movement to appear behind Dr. Gero. His hand curled like a claw and plunged toward Dr. Gero's back.
Dr. Gero stared in disbelief at the hand that had pierced through his back and emerged from his chest.
"Android 17, you bastard! Why? I'm the one who created you. How could you do this to me?"
The only answer was a powerful kick from Android 17.
Android 17 kicked Dr. Gero hard in the neck, snapping it. His head flew through the air and landed in front of Krillin.
"You ungrateful wretches!"
After turning himself into an Android, Dr. Gero could keep living as long as his head remained intact.
"Ungrateful?"
At Dr. Gero's words, Android 17's anger flared.
Android 17 leaped up and brought his foot down toward Dr. Gero's head.
"Rumble!"
Just then, a tremendous explosion sounded from underground, and a faint energy signature rose from below.
"Hahaha! It's him! He succeeded. He'll definitely avenge me! Hahaha..."
Hearing the commotion underground, Dr. Gero burst into laughter.
But he didn't laugh for long. Android 17 stomped his head to pieces.
Before you continue