Three days after repairing Android 18's energy reactor, Kashu gathered everyone for a meeting. "I have something to take care of," he said. "It might take a few days. While I'm gone, keep training and don't leave the base." "Where are you going?" Android 18 asked. Her tone had grown much gentler than before, making Android 17 snicker beside her. Android 18 shot him a glare, and he immediately wiped the smile off his face. "I'm going to recruit Cell," Kashu said calmly. Everyone froze. "Recruit Cell?" Goku's eyes widened. "But isn't Cell already dead?" "That Cell is dead," Kashu said, "but there's another one." The others exchanged glances. Kashu explained, "Cell's rules for the game were that if he lost, he'd self-destruct. But self-destructing wouldn't actually kill him, because he had Saiyan cells in his body. After recovering from near death, he'd become even stronger. He'd regenerate after blowing himself up and transform into his ultimate, perfect form." "You mean..." Piccolo's expression changed. "Cell isn't dead yet?" "The Cell from this era is dead," Kashu said. "But Future Cell—the one we defeated—didn't truly die. His body dissipated, but his core cells escaped."
"Core cells?" Gohan furrowed his brow. "Cell had cells from the Frieza Clan, which could survive in extreme environments. When I destroyed him, he separated a small portion of his core cells while I wasn't looking. Those cells are slowly recovering deep underground."
Everyone drew a sharp breath. "Then what are you waiting for?" Vegeta roared. "Go finish him off!" "I said recruit him," Kashu corrected him. "Not destroy him." "Are you crazy?" Vegeta stared at him in disbelief. "That monster nearly destroyed all of West City! And you want to recruit him?" Kashu remained calm. "Cell is a powerful warrior. His potential is no less than Goku's or Vegeta's. If he's willing to turn over a new leaf, he'll become an indispensable member of our team." "Turn over a new leaf?" Vegeta sneered. "You think he's a machine you can reprogram?" "He's not a machine," Kashu said. "He's alive. Like me and the androids, he's a life-form that was created. He has the right to choose, too." Android 18 stood and walked over to Kashu. "I'm coming with you," she said. "If you're going to recruit Cell, I want to see it for myself." Kashu looked at her in silence for a few seconds, then nodded. "The rest of you stay here," he said. "Android 17, you're in charge of base security. Android 16, monitor the energy fluctuations on Earth. Goku, keep training in compression techniques. Vegeta, maintain discipline within the team." Vegeta started to object, but when he saw Kashu's expression, he swallowed his words. Kashu looked calm, but there was an unquestionable authority beneath that calm.
Kashu and Android 18 flew in the direction of West City. The city had already begun rebuilding. Capsule Corporation's construction robots worked among the ruins, clearing debris and putting up temporary shelters. Bulma had brought in the finest engineers in the world to design an entirely new city. But Kashu didn't go to West City. Instead, he turned south. "Cell's core cells are on the ocean floor," Kashu said. "In the deepest ocean trench on Earth—the Mariana Trench." The two of them descended into the sea. Kashu created a bubble of air around himself, enclosing Android 18 in it as well. They plunged down at tremendous speed and soon reached the depths of the trench. The dark ocean floor was utterly lightless, save for the bioluminescence of deep-sea fish that swam past now and then. The water pressure was terrifyingly immense; an ordinary person would have been crushed instantly, but Kashu and Android 18 were unaffected. Kashu stopped. "We're here," he said. Before them, a strange lump of flesh clung to the rocks on the ocean floor. It was dark green and covered in folds, like a giant walnut. The lump pulsed gently, each beat sending out a faint fluctuation of energy. "These are Cell's core cells?" Android 18 stared at the ugly thing in disbelief. "Yes," Kashu said. "He's recovering slowly. At this rate, it'll take about three months for him to fully regenerate." He walked toward the lump. It seemed to sense danger. Its pulse quickened, and a defensive energy shield began to form around it. Kashu reached out and lightly touched the shield. It burst like a bubble. His fingers touched the lump's surface, and it shuddered violently, as if afraid. "Cell," Kashu's voice echoed across the ocean floor. "I know you can hear me. You're conscious, even if only faintly. You failed. Your body was destroyed, and all that's left are these cells. But you haven't truly died, because your will remains. I'm giving you a choice. Let me help you regenerate, then join my team. Or keep recovering here, only to come after me for revenge again and be defeated again."
The lump's pulse became erratic, as if it were thinking. "I know you, Cell," Kashu continued. "You're not evil. You were just created to carry out a mission—to become the perfect life-form and kill Son Goku. But that mission is over. The Cell from this era was already killed by Son Gohan. You don't have to serve Dr. Gero's ambitions anymore. You can choose your own path, just like Android 17 and Android 18." The lump suddenly let out a shrill sound. It was Cell's voice, coming from the cellular level, hoarse and faint. "Why... are you... helping me..." "Because we need you," Kashu said frankly. "There are many beings in the universe stronger than us. I'm powerful, but I'm not enough on my own. We need a strong team to protect Earth. You, Cell, have the potential to become one of its core members." The lump fell silent for a long time. Then its surface began to change. Its folds slowly unfurled, and green light shone from the cracks. It began to grow, like a seed sprouting, sending tendrils in every direction. The tendrils intertwined, gradually forming the outlines of bones, muscles, and carapace. An hour later, a complete humanoid figure stood on the ocean floor. It was Cell. He looked a little younger than before and somewhat smaller, around 170 centimeters tall. His carapace had turned from dark green to deep green, and his golden eyes were now a muted gold. The wing membranes on his back were folded away, hanging behind him like a cape. He looked at his hands and flexed his fingers. "I... am weaker," Cell said. "At least half as strong as I was at my peak." "But your potential is still there," Kashu said. "And your core programming has been erased. Dr. Gero's command to 'kill Son Goku' is gone." Cell closed his eyes and sensed the changes within himself. Kashu was right. The voice that had tormented him—the one constantly repeating "complete the mission," "kill Goku," and "become perfect"—had vanished. In its place was... emptiness. A pure, unrestricted emptiness.
"Am I free?" Cell murmured, unable to believe it. "You're free," Kashu said. "Now you can choose what kind of person you want to be." Cell opened his eyes and looked at Kashu. "What if I choose to become your enemy?" Kashu smiled faintly. "Then you'll become that lump of flesh again." Cell fell silent. He looked into Kashu's deep purple eyes. There was no hostility or threat in them, only calm. It was as if Cell's choice were simply a mathematical problem to Kashu, and he could accept any result. "I'll join," Cell said, "but I have one condition." "Go ahead." "Don't modify me the way you modified the androids," Cell said. "I want to get stronger through my own efforts. You can give me training methods, but I'll do it myself." Kashu nodded. "Agreed. You have Saiyan, Namekian, and Frieza Clan cells, among others. Your training should be similar to Gohan's—drawing out your potential from within instead of obtaining power from outside." Cell nodded. Android 18 had been standing to the side the whole time, watching Cell warily. She stayed poised to fight at any moment. Cell looked at her and smiled faintly. "Android 18, don't be nervous," he said. "I'm not here to kill you. The future version of you is already dead. You, in this era... mean nothing to me." Android 18 stared coldly at him. "If you betray Kashu, I'll kill you with my own hands." "You won't get the chance," Cell said, then turned to Kashu. "But I'm curious, Kashu. Why do you trust me so much? I'm not like Android 17 and Android 18. I have Frieza's cells, Saiyan fighting instincts, and Namekian cunning. I'm not easy to control."
"I don't control anyone," Kashu said. "I give everyone the freedom to choose. You chose to stay because you wanted to. If you choose to leave, I'll wish you well. If you choose to betray me, I'll face you. It's that simple." "It's that simple." Cell stared at Kashu for a long time, then burst out laughing. His laughter echoed through the trench, making the surrounding rocks tremble. "All right!" Cell said. "Kashu, you're an interesting guy. I'm with you!" The three of them rose from the ocean floor and flew back to the base.
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