The Final Preparations

Autumn, AGE 759, New Vegeta City. The morning mist had yet to dissipate when Kashu stood in the center of the training grounds. Bare-chested, he held multicolored Hakai Energy between his hands, practicing a new technique—the "Hakai Sphere," which compressed the energy to its absolute limit. Each sphere, no larger than a marble, possessed enough power to reduce an entire mountain range to dust. "Daddy! Daddy!" Kariel's voice rang out from afar. Kashu retracted his energy and turned to see his three children running toward him. Kariel was eight, her golden eyes sparkling, her long black hair tied in a high ponytail—the spitting image of Launch. Kabrun, seven and a half, had short blue hair and wore goggles identical to Bulma's, clutching a tablet in his hand. Kassis, seven, followed behind his sisters with quiet, profound silver eyes. "What is it?" Kashu crouched down. "Mommy says it's time for breakfast!" Kariel said. "Also, a green monster appeared in the south! Uncle Piccolo has already flown over there!" Kashu's pupils constricted. Cell, he had finally arrived.

He stood up and sensed the south. An evil, formidable aura was approaching rapidly—a combat power of at least 5.5 billion. Piccolo's aura was in that direction as well, but it was only 5 million; the gap was immense. "Kariel, take your brothers home. Tell your mothers not to come out." Kashu's voice turned grave. "Daddy, are you going to fight?" Kabrun asked. "Yes." "I want to go too!" Kariel shouted.

"No. We'll talk about it when you're older." Kashu patted his daughter's head before launching himself into the sky, flying toward the south. The others at the training grounds had also sensed Cell's aura. Son Goku flew out from his home, instantly activating his Super Saiyan form; Vegeta surged out of the gravity room, his golden aura blazing; Krillin, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and Piccolo (who had just returned from the south—no, Piccolo had already gone)—in truth, Piccolo had arrived first, but he was no match for Cell. By the time Kashu reached the scene, Piccolo had already been beaten to the ground by Cell. Cell's tail was pierced into Piccolo's shoulder, draining his energy. "Piccolo!" Kashu fired a Hakai Sphere at Cell.

Cell was forced to release Piccolo and dodge the Hakai Sphere. The sphere struck the ground, blasting a crater a hundred meters in diameter. "Kashu, you've finally arrived." Cell hovered in the air, a cold, sinister smile hanging on his lips. He had evolved into his semi-perfect form—his physique was perfectly proportioned, his face handsome yet cruel, his tail swaying behind him, and his eyes flickering with golden light. "Cell, your opponent is me." Kashu released the aura of his Legendary Super Saiyan Fourth Grade, his seven-colored diamond form reaching a combat power of 6 billion.

A flicker of wariness crossed Cell's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by madness: "6 billion, truly impressive. But I have 5.5 billion, plus my regeneration and energy absorption—you won't win." "Then let's put that to the test." Just then, streaks of light flew in from the direction of New Vegeta City. Son Goku arrived first, in his Super Saiyan Full Power state, blue lightning crackling within his golden aura—he had already touched the threshold of Super Saiyan 2, with a combat power of 150 million. Vegeta followed close behind in his Super Saiyan form, with a combat power of 90 million. Krillin, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Luo Ling, and Gore arrived one after another. Even Nappa and Raditz had come; though their combat power was only in the tens of thousands, they carried the resolve of those ready to die. "Kashu, let's attack together," Son Goku said. "No, stay back," Kashu replied. "Cell's combat power is 5.5 billion; you won't last a single move against him. Kakarot, gather the Spirit Bomb. The rest of you, provide support with long-range attacks." "Understood!" Son Goku flew high into the sky and began gathering the Spirit Bomb. The energy of the Earth, the oceans, the atmosphere, and all living things began to converge, bit by bit, between his hands.

Krillin pressed his palms together, forming a Destructo Disc—a high-speed rotating energy disk capable of slicing through anything. Tien Shinhan's third eye lit up, preparing to fire the Demon Eye Beam. Luo Ling and Gore transformed into Super Saiyans, their golden auras burning. Piccolo crawled up from the ground, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth, and gathered a Special Beam Cannon in his right hand. "Piccolo, you're injured, stand down!" Kashu ordered. "No." Fury burned in Piccolo's eyes. "Cell killed my people; I will have my revenge with my own hands." "You will die." "I'll die fighting." Kashu said no more. He understood how Piccolo felt. Kashu moved first. His speed was so great that even Cell's super-vision couldn't keep up; in an instant, he appeared behind Cell and struck his neck with a palm. Hakai Energy surged into Cell's body, attempting to decompose his cells. Cell's body shuddered violently, but his regenerative cells quickly repaired the damaged parts. He kicked backward, aiming for Kashu's abdomen. Kashu crossed his arms to block, but was sent sliding back over ten meters. "I told you, energy attacks are useless against me," Cell turned around. "My cells can absorb any form of energy, including your Hakai Energy—it just takes time to adapt." "Then I'll use physical attacks." Kashu rushed forward again, his fists and kicks raining down like a storm. The two were so fast that the other warriors' eyes couldn't track them. They could only see two streaks of light colliding in the air, each impact erupting with thunderous roars, the shockwaves tearing up the ground layer by layer. "Destructo Disc!" Krillin hurled the disc at Cell. Cell was locked in combat with Kashu and couldn't spare the focus, taking the hit to his back. The energy disk carved a deep wound into his back, sending green blood splattering. "Nice one!" Krillin cheered excitedly. But the wound healed instantly. Cell glanced back at Krillin, a flicker of rage in his eyes: "Annoying ant." He momentarily shook off Kashu and fired an energy blast at Krillin. The blast was incredibly fast; Krillin had no time to dodge. "Krillin!" Tien Shinhan rushed over, shielding Krillin and taking the blast with his own body. "Tien Shinhan—!" Krillin's eyes went wide. Tien Shinhan was struck by the blast, a bloody hole blown through his chest as he plummeted from the sky. Chiaotzu screamed as he flew down, catching Tien Shinhan. "Tien Shinhan! Tien Shinhan!" Chiaotzu's tears flowed uncontrollably. "I... I'm fine..." Tien Shinhan coughed up blood. "Still... not dead yet..." A flash of rage crossed Kashu's eyes. He charged at Cell, smashing a fist into his face and dislocating his jaw. Another punch struck his chest, the sound of breaking ribs clearly audible.

"You hurt Tien Shinhan." Kashu's voice was icy. "I will make you pay the price." "Price?" Cell's jaw snapped back into place, and his ribs healed as well. "I have the power of infinite regeneration; you cannot kill me!" "Then I'll beat you until you can no longer regenerate!" Kashu's attacks became even more ferocious, every punch imbued with Hakai Energy. Cell's body was constantly destroyed, regenerated, destroyed, and regenerated; his energy was depleting rapidly. "Son Goku, Spirit Bomb!" Kashu shouted. High in the sky, Son Goku had gathered a massive Spirit Bomb over fifty meters in diameter, its blue light illuminating the entire sky. "Take this!" Son Goku pushed the Spirit Bomb toward Cell. Cell's pupils constricted. The Spirit Bomb was not ordinary energy; it was a collection of natural life force that his cells could not absorb. He tried to dodge, but Kashu held him fast. The Spirit Bomb struck Cell. The blue light swallowed everything. The earth trembled, the sky changed color, and the shockwaves spread in all directions, flattening trees for dozens of kilometers.

When the light faded, only Cell's upper body remained; his lower half had been completely obliterated. His face was filled with terror. "This... this is impossible..." "Possible or impossible, that's not for you to decide." Kashu gathered one final Hakai Sphere. "Cell, it's over." "No—!" A flicker of madness flashed in Cell's eyes. "I have one last move!" His upper body suddenly bloated, and countless tentacles erupted from within, shooting out in all directions. The tentacles weren't aimed at Kashu, but at the surrounding warriors—Krillin, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Luo Ling, Gore, Nappa, Raditz, and even Piccolo. "He's trying to absorb them!" Piccolo shouted. Kashu couldn't intercept all the tentacles at once. One tentacle wrapped around Piccolo, beginning to drain his energy; another wrapped around Krillin; a third around Luo Ling; a fourth around Gore. "Ah—!" Piccolo let out a cry of agony. His energy was draining rapidly, and his body was aging at an alarming rate.