Threat from the Future

The second rift in space-time. New Vegeta City, council hall. Kashu was holding a meeting with the core members to discuss future development plans. Son Goku proposed going to King Kai's Planet to continue training, Vegeta insisted on entering the Super Hyperbolic Time Chamber, and Krillin suggested hosting the third World Martial Arts Tournament. The group argued endlessly, the atmosphere heated. Suddenly, Kashu's expression changed. "Space-time fluctuations." Kashu stood up. "Stronger than last time. Is it Trunks again?" Krillin asked. "No. This energy... it's Cell." Kashu's pupils contracted. "And he's at least twice as strong as the one we defeated before." The group rushed out of the council hall and flew toward the location of the fluctuations. A silver-white Time Machine had landed on a plain fifty kilometers east of New Vegeta City. The hatch opened, and a humanoid creature with green skin, a hideous face, and a terrifying aura stepped out.

Cell's flight speed was extremely fast, covering dozens of kilometers in just a few breaths. From the air, he looked down at West City. This bustling technological metropolis shimmered in the sunlight; the iconic Capsule Corporation building stood in the city center, the surrounding streets were filled with traffic, and people chatted and laughed, completely unaware that the apocalypse was about to descend. The corners of Cell's mouth curled up slightly. "So these are the people of the peaceful era?" he muttered to himself. "Disgustingly comfortable." He brought his hands together in front of his chest and began to condense his energy. A golden light gathered in his palms, growing brighter and hotter. The air began to distort. Pedestrians on the ground looked up at the sky, some pointing at the glowing figure and exclaiming. "Look! Someone's in the sky! What is that? Superman? No... that light... it's so hot..." Cell's Kamehameha had condensed to its limit. He adjusted his angle slightly, aiming at Capsule Corporation—no, aiming at the entirety of West City. "Let them taste the flavor of the future as well," Cell whispered. "The flavor of world destruction. Kame--hame--ha--" "Stop!" A roar came from the ground, and a blue energy wave shot toward Cell. Cell frowned slightly; his Kamehameha hadn't been released yet, so he could only dodge to the side. The energy wave grazed his shoulder and exploded high in the sky, deafeningly loud. Cell looked down. On the ground, a figure in an orange martial arts uniform stood on the roof of Capsule Corporation, golden hair spiked up, surrounded by lightning-like energy. Son Gohan. Super Saiyan form. "Who are you?" Gohan looked up at Cell in the sky, his voice low and angry. "Why are you attacking West City?" Cell examined him with interest. Son Gohan, younger than the one in the future, but his energy was already formidable. Cell could sense the immense potential sleeping within Gohan—potential even greater than that of the future Gohan. "Interesting," Cell descended, hovering twenty meters in front of Gohan. "You are Son Gohan? Where is your father? Where is Vegeta?" Gohan's gaze became more vigilant. "You know my father? Who exactly are you?" Cell did not answer, instead looking at the building behind Gohan with interest. On the rooftop platform of Capsule Corporation, Bulma, Chi-Chi, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Android 16, 17, and 18 had all gathered. That energy wave from earlier had been fired by Krillin. "Everyone is here," Cell said. "Saves me the trouble of finding you one by one." Vegeta jumped from the roof and hovered beside Gohan. He had already transformed into a Super Saiyan, golden energy surging. "This guy's energy... it's strong." "Not just strong," Piccolo flew in from the other side, his sensory abilities sharper than Vegeta's. "His energy... it's somewhat familiar, but not entirely the same. It's like... Cell." The name "Cell" caused everyone's expression to change.

The Cell Games, half a year ago. They had witnessed firsthand how terrifying that Perfect Cell from the future had been. Although he was eventually defeated by Gohan, the brutality of that battle remained fresh in everyone's memory. "Cell is dead," Vegeta said coldly. "Killed by Gohan's own hands." "That refers to the Cell of this era," Cell said slowly. "My era, your future. Dr. Gero created me; my mission was to absorb 17 and 18 to become perfect, then kill Son Goku." He paused, his golden eyes sweeping over everyone present. "But in my era, 17 and 18 had already been killed by future Trunks. So I had to come to this era through a Time Machine to find you." Everyone was stunned. "You mean... you are the Cell from the future?" Krillin's voice trembled. "To be precise," Cell said, "I am a Cell from another timeline. In that timeline, the androids destroyed most of humanity, and you—except for Trunks—all died. I absorbed the 17 and 18 of that era and became perfect. But there was no Son Goku left in that era." He raised his hand and pointed at Bulma, who was standing next to Chi-Chi. "So I borrowed the Time Machine from Bulma's family. That fool Trunks thought he was the only one traveling through time. He didn't know that when he started the machine, I had attached myself to it." Everyone looked at each other. "Wait," Bulma suddenly spoke, her face looking terrible. "What do you mean by 'attached to the machine'?" Cell smiled. "Literally. I broke myself down to the cellular level and integrated into the Time Machine's energy circuits. When Trunks traveled through time, I came along with him. It just took me some time to reconstruct my body." Bulma gasped. This technology... it was simply inconceivable. Cell possessed the cells of Saiyans, Namekians, Frieza's race, and others; while doing such a thing was extremely difficult, it was theoretically possible. "So you were the culprit behind the Time Machine's explosion?" Bulma asked. "I thought the machine had just aged."

"The Time Machine didn't explode," Cell said. "It was the energy I released during reconstruction that caused a chain reaction. But that doesn't matter anymore." His energy began to climb sharply. The energy density in the air surged instantly, the ground began to shake, and the glass windows of the buildings shattered one after another. "What matters is that all the strong fighters of this era are here," Cell's voice turned cold. "After absorbing you, I will become the strongest existence in the universe." An energy blast erupted; Cell's energy broke through the intensity he had hidden when he arrived in an instant. That power poured down like a tsunami, pressing down so hard that everyone couldn't breathe. Krillin's legs began to shake, Yamcha nearly fell from the air, and even Vegeta's pupils contracted violently. "This energy..." Vegeta gritted his teeth. "It's more than a grade stronger than the Cell from half a year ago." "Have you noticed?" Piccolo's voice was even lower. "His energy is constantly growing. It's not an explosion; it's an expansion. Like... like a star collapsing." Piccolo's analogy was accurate. Cell's energy was still climbing, as if there were no upper limit. The air became scorching, the ground began to crack, and the solar panels on the roof of Capsule Corporation exploded one after another under the energy impact. "Can't wait any longer!" Vegeta roared and was the first to rush out. "I don't care which timeline you're from! Take this!" Vegeta's speed was extremely fast; in the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Cell, his right fist smashing toward Cell's face with golden energy. Cell didn't dodge. The fist hit its target with a dull, thunderous sound. The energy wave spread, and the street below was torn open by a long crack from the shockwave. But Cell didn't move an inch. Vegeta's fist was blocked by Cell raising his hand, his five fingers gripping Vegeta's fist tightly. Cell's strength was astonishing; Vegeta felt like he had hit a planet. "Super Saiyan power," Cell said calmly. "Not bad. But that's all." He flipped his palm, and a shockwave shot out from it, hitting Vegeta head-on. Vegeta screamed as he was blasted away, crashing through three buildings and finally embedding himself into a mountain in the distance. "Vegeta!" Bulma exclaimed. Goku jumped from the roof and instantly transformed into a Super Saiyan. His energy was thicker than Vegeta's, his speed faster, and his fists rained down on Cell like a storm.

Cell dodged the first punch, raised his hand to block the second, and swung his tail to repel Goku's third strike. The two engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand battle in the sky, the shockwaves from their colliding fists and feet overturning the entire ground above West City. Goku's combat technique far surpassed Vegeta's. Every move he made was carefully calculated, alternating between fists, feet, knees, and elbows, balancing offense and defense. But Cell's reaction speed was faster, and his blocks and dodges had almost no flaws. "Son Goku," Cell said while blocking. "You really are stronger than the you of the future. It seems the training environment in this era is better." Goku didn't answer; he feinted with his right fist and suddenly raised his left knee, slamming it toward Cell's abdomen. Cell blocked the strike with his tail while bringing his hands together to blast a short-range shockwave into Goku's chest. Goku groaned, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. He flew backward, stabilized himself in mid-air, and wiped the blood from his lip. "This guy... is indeed very strong," Goku said, but there was no fear in his eyes, only an excited glint. "It's been a long time since I've met such a strong opponent!" "Goku!" Piccolo shouted. "Don't go alone! This guy's strength is far above the Cell from half a year ago!"

Goku nodded and turned to the others. "Everyone, attack together! 16, you're responsible for restraining his tail! 17 and 18, flank from both sides! Krillin and Yamcha, provide support from a distance! Tien, find an opportunity to use the Tri-Beam! Gohan, stay by my side!" Everyone quickly took their positions. This was the first time the Z Fighters had coordinated a full-team attack. 16 initiated the assault. His arms transformed into cannons, and two high-energy beams shot toward Cell's tail. Cell flicked his tail to swat the beams away, but 16 had already rushed to close range, his mechanical hands grabbing Cell's tail.

Cell frowned. 16's strength was greater than he had imagined, and he couldn't pull his tail back immediately. 17 and 18 attacked from both sides simultaneously. 17's energy shield blocked Cell's right fist, and 18's knee slammed heavily into Cell's side. The two worked in perfect harmony, clearly the result of half a year of constant training. Cell grunted, backhanded 17 away with his left hand, and grabbed 18's ankle with his right, throwing her toward the ground. 18 smashed through a building, dust filling the air. But Goku and Gohan had already arrived. The father and son punched simultaneously, one left and one right, slamming toward Cell's face and abdomen. Cell barely blocked with his tail and one hand, but Gohan's fist came around from below, hitting his chin hard. Cell's head tilted back, and his body became momentarily unbalanced. "Now!" Tien shouted, bringing his hands together in front of his forehead. "Tri-Beam!" A massive pillar of energy descended from the sky, hitting Cell squarely. The ground was blasted into a crater dozens of meters deep, and the shockwave leveled the surrounding buildings. Krillin and Yamcha simultaneously fired a Destructo Disc and a Spirit Ball, hitting Cell's legs with precision. Goku condensed a Kamehameha in his hands, the golden beam piercing through Cell's chest. Gohan dove from above, condensing a Masenko in his hands, slamming Cell deeper into the ground. The continuous attacks lasted for nearly half a minute. After the energy storm subsided, the giant crater was filled with dust. Everyone was panting, staring nervously at the bottom of the pit. The dust slowly dissipated. Cell stood at the bottom of the pit, his carapace covered in cracks, the armor on his left arm shattered, revealing the flesh beneath. Golden blood seeped from the wounds, dripping onto the ground. But he was still standing. And he was laughing. "Not bad..." Cell's voice was hoarse and pleased. "Very good. Your coordination is more in sync than I imagined. It seems that Cell Games half a year ago taught you a lot." His wounds began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye. Granulation tissue grew rapidly from the cracks, and new carapace regenerated within minutes. "But," Cell raised his head, his golden eyes glowing frighteningly. "I have already gauged your limits." His energy erupted again. This time, it wasn't a climb, but a qualitative change. Cell's form began to shift; the carapace on his body became thicker, the arc of his horns increased, and the wing membranes on his back unfolded, emitting a dark red glow.

Second form. No, not the second form. It was some kind of transitional form between Perfect and the second form. Cell's energy had doubled again from what it was half a year ago. "This is impossible!" Vegeta crawled out of the ruins, covered in wounds. "How is his energy still growing?" "Because of the Saiyan cells in his body," Goku's expression became grave. "Every time he recovers from an injury, his combat power increases. The Saiyan near-death recovery trait..." Piccolo gritted his teeth. "Combined with the Namekian regeneration ability, Frieza's race's cosmic adaptability... this guy is simply a combat weapon." Cell rose slowly from the bottom of the pit, arms spread, looking down at the exhausted Z Fighters.

"Warm-up is over," he said. "Now, the game officially begins." His figure suddenly vanished. The next second, Krillin's body was pierced by a palm. Cell had appeared behind him, his right hand thrusting through Krillin's chest from behind. "Krillin!" Goku and Gohan exclaimed simultaneously. Cell pulled his right hand out, and Krillin's body fell limply to the ground, blood staining the earth. "First android candidate, eliminated," Cell said coldly, looking at 17 and 18. "Next are you two." Everyone was preparing for the Cell Games in three days. Son Goku and Vegeta entered the Super Hyperbolic Time Chamber to train, Piccolo took Gohan to the wilderness for training, and Krillin and Tien were also desperately improving. Kashu, meanwhile, was in seclusion alone in the Super Hyperbolic Time Chamber. He had to break through to Legendary Super Saiyan Fifth Grade within three days (three years in the Time Chamber).

"System, display current status." [Legendary Super God-Level System] Host: Kashu Age: 25 Combat Power: Base 6 million, Legendary Super Saiyan First Grade 480 million, Second Grade 960 million, Third Grade 2.4 billion, Fourth Grade 4.8 billion, Fifth Grade? Unlocked. Legendary Super Awakening: 80%. Realm of Gods: God of Destruction High-Level (Initial Peak). "Three years to raise the Legendary Super Awakening from 80% to 100%." Kashu clenched his fists. "And then break through to Legendary Super Saiyan Fifth Grade." He closed his eyes and began to circulate the Legendary Super Saiyan bloodline within him. The awakening of the bloodline required two conditions: first, a breakthrough of the body's limits, and second, an awakening of the heart. The Grand Elder had said that the true condition for the awakening of the Legendary Super Saiyan bloodline was a "heart of protection." Kashu had always been protecting—protecting the Saiyans, protecting Earth, protecting his family. But he knew his heart of protection wasn't pure enough. He had too many attachments, too many burdens, too much fear. "Let go of fear." Kashu told himself. "Fear is the greatest obstacle to awakening." He began to train frantically in the Time Chamber. Under 1,000 times gravity, he did push-ups, sit-ups, squats, boxing, kicking, energy blasts, Hakai Energy... Every muscle trembled, every bone groaned. The Saiyan body was constantly repairing and evolving at its limit. The first year, his base combat power increased from 6 million to 8 million, Legendary Super Saiyan Fourth Grade from 4.8 billion to 6 billion, and the awakening from 80% to 85%. The second year, base 10 million, Fourth Grade 8 billion, awakening 90%. He began to touch the threshold of the Fifth Grade—a brand-new power that surpassed the Crystal Form and entered a higher realm. The third year, he finally broke through. "BOOM--!!!" The air around Kashu exploded, and an unprecedented power surged from within him. It was no longer the light of the Crystal Form, but a pure, transparent energy as brilliant as crystal. The energy had no color, yet it refracted the colors of all things in the world. His hair turned from silver-white to pure white, his pupils from multicolored to gold, and his body was shrouded in a faint halo. Legendary Super Saiyan Fifth Grade—Crystal Form. Combat Power: Base 10 million × 1,600 = 16 billion.

"Sixteen billion." Kashu opened his eyes. "Future Cell, I'm coming."