Seven years had passed in the blink of an eye. West City had risen from the ruins, more prosperous than ever. Capsule Corporation's skyscraper stood tall again in the city center, surrounded by leafy parks and broad streets. Bulma had expanded the company's business across the galaxy, establishing trade relations with several alien civilizations. Earth had officially entered the interstellar age. Kashu's Earth Guardians base had moved from the northern mountains to deep beneath West City. The base had expanded dozens of times over, now housing training rooms, a medical center, a technology research department, and living quarters. At its heart was a miniature planetary core, which supplied the entire base with endless energy. Over the seven years, the members of the Earth Guardians had changed tremendously. Under Kashu's guidance, Son Goku and Vegeta had fully mastered Super Saiyan 3. Compression techniques allowed them to maintain the power of the third grade in their base forms, minimizing the strain on their bodies. The two often sparred in the gravity chamber, shaking the heavens and earth as neither would yield to the other. Son Gohan graduated from high school and enrolled at West City University, where he specialized in ancient history. He still maintained his Mystic Form, and his fighting power remained at the upper end of Super Saiyan 3. Videl—Mr. Satan's daughter—became his girlfriend, and their relationship steadily grew. Krillin and Yamcha had fully adapted to their Android bodies. Krillin's fighting power had reached the level of Super Saiyan Second Grade. Though he couldn't match Goku and the others, he was still one of the strongest beings on Earth. He returned to the police force and had a daughter with his wife, Marron, whom they named Marleen. With Kashu's help, Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu had gained a deeper understanding of their identities as members of the Three-Eyed Clan. Tien's third eye awakened a new ability: he could see the paths of energy flow and predict his opponent's next move. The modifications to Chiaotzu's brain made him the base's technology advisor, responsible for maintaining various alien devices. Android 16 became Earth's guardian. His programming was deeply connected to Earth's core, allowing him to sense any disturbance on the planet. He established dozens of monitoring stations around the globe to keep watch over Earth's safety around the clock.
Android 17—Lapis—became the caretaker of a wildlife reserve. He used his Super Android abilities to protect Earth's endangered species. He married an ordinary human woman, had a pair of twins, and lived the ordinary life most people could only dream of. Android 18—Lazuli—stayed at the base. Over the seven years, her relationship with Kashu grew from understanding to love, and they finally married in the third year. It was a simple wedding, attended only by the team. Bulma designed a white wedding dress for Lazuli, and Goku served as the officiant. It was the happiest day of Lazuli's life. Cell changed more than anyone over those seven years. He went from a cold, merciless perfect being to the team's most reliable support. He took charge of training most of the new recruits, passing on his combat experience to the next generation without holding anything back. He and Android 16 became the best of friends, often discussing philosophical questions about life and existence. Kashu, meanwhile, grew more and more introspective. For seven years, he had studied ancient technology from alien ruins, trying to find a way for the Earth Guardians to break through their current limits. He had uncovered some clues: deep in the universe, there existed a power beyond Super Saiyan, known as "divine power." But he still hadn't found a way to obtain it. The 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament was about to begin. One morning, Bulma's video call appeared on the base's central screen. "Kashu! Goku! Everyone!" Bulma called excitedly. "The 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament starts next week! You're all coming!" "The tournament?" Goku was eating breakfast, his mouth stuffed with food.
"It's a martial arts competition!" Bulma said. "Gohan's signed up, and Goten and Trunks are entering the Junior Division. You haven't all gotten together in ages, so this is the perfect chance to see each other."
Goku set down his bowl, excitement flashing in his eyes. "All right! I'll sign up too!" Vegeta snorted. "Ridiculous. What's the point of entering a tournament at that level?" "You're just afraid to show up, Vegeta!" Bulma taunted him. "Who's afraid?!" Vegeta took the bait. "Sign me up! I'm entering too!" Kashu smiled. "All right, we'll all enter. It'll be a good chance to test the results of our training over the past seven years." Android 18—Lazuli—walked over to Kashu and linked her arm through his. "I'll enter too. It's been a while since I stretched my muscles." Cell shook his head. "I'll sit this one out. My power's too great; it wouldn't be fair to the ordinary competitors." "You can suppress your power," Kashu said. "Enter with one percent of your fighting strength." Cell considered it, then nodded. "All right. I'll just join in for fun." Krillin came out of the training room, wiping away his sweat. "The tournament... I've missed it. It's been seven years since I last entered." "Back then, we almost got wiped out by Cell," Yamcha said. "It feels like a lifetime ago now." Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu agreed to enter as well. Android 16 chose to stay behind at the base and monitor Earth's safety. A week later, everyone gathered at West City Stadium. The venue for the World Martial Arts Tournament had been expanded several times and could hold a hundred thousand spectators. It used Capsule Corporation's holographic projection technology, allowing the audience to view the competitors' stats in real time on the giant screens—fighting power, speed, strength, reaction time, and more. A long line had formed at the registration desk. Martial artists from all over the world had gathered, all dreaming of becoming the world's greatest. Goku wore his orange gi and was as excited as a child. When he filled out the registration form, the staff member paused.
"Son Goku? The champion from seven years ago?" "That's me," Goku said with a smile. "Though I might not win this time, since there are a lot of strong fighters here." Vegeta registered behind Goku. He wore a tight-fitting Battle Suit, the Capsule Corporation logo gleaming on his chest. The staff member glanced at him, entered his name, then froze. "Vegeta? Fighting power... unable to measure? The device maxed out?" "Naturally," Vegeta said coldly. "Get one with a higher range." The staff member hurriedly replaced the machine. This time, it managed to get a reading—but the number nearly made him fall out of his chair. "N-ninety-eight million?" Vegeta snorted. "That's with my power suppressed. My true fighting power is far beyond that." A commotion broke out at the back of the line. A blonde girl pushed through the crowd and ran to the registration desk. "I'm Videl! Mr. Satan's daughter! I want to enter!" She turned and spotted Gohan, waving excitedly. "Gohan! You're here too!" Gohan walked over with a smile. "Videl, you're entering too?" "Of course!" Videl pumped her fist. "I'll prove that girls can become the world's greatest too!" Kashu and Lazuli were further back in line. Kashu wore a simple black training outfit, while Lazuli wore a white Battle Suit, her long silver hair gleaming in the sunlight. Standing together, they looked as if they'd stepped out of a painting.
When the staff member saw Kashu's name, his brow furrowed. "Kashu? No surname?" "No," Kashu said calmly. The fighting power detector maxed out again. The staff member tried three machines before he finally managed to get a rough reading. "T-two hundred million?" Kashu smiled faintly. "About that." Lazuli's reading was just as astonishing—one hundred and eighty million. The staff member was already numb to it and mechanically filled out the forms. Cell was the last to arrive. He wore a loose cloak that concealed his entire body, revealing only his dark golden eyes. The staff member couldn't tell what species he was and assumed he was a martial artist from some remote region. "Name?" "Cell." The fighting power detector flashed wildly, then went completely black. "The machine... is it broken?" The staff member tapped at the device. "It isn't broken," Cell said. "My fighting power is just beyond its measuring range." The staff member's mouth fell open, and for a long moment he couldn't say a word.
Before you continue