Babidi's Spaceship

East Supreme Kai led everyone to a wasteland on the outskirts of West City. A huge spherical spaceship sat in the middle of it, its surface covered in strange runes. An energy barrier surrounded the ship, and the rumble of machinery could be heard faintly from within. "This is Babidi's spaceship," East Supreme Kai said. "He's gathering energy inside to undo Majin Buu's seal. Breaking the seal requires an enormous amount of energy—roughly the combined energy released by the destruction of dozens of planets."

"So he's collecting the energy of Earth's warriors?" Goku asked.

"No." East Supreme Kai shook his head. "He needs pure battle energy. When powerful warriors fight, the energy they release is absorbed by his spaceship. That's why he's been causing chaos around the world, luring strong fighters into battle. Some of the ki you released at the World Martial Arts Tournament has already been absorbed by the ship."

Goku clenched his fists. "Damn it..."

"We have to stop him," East Supreme Kai said. "We need to enter the spaceship, destroy the energy-collection device, and kill Babidi. But if you aren't strong enough..."

"You'll be killed," Cell finished for him.

East Supreme Kai glanced at Cell, surprise flashing in his eyes. "You're... a biological Android? And your ki... it's quite unusual."

"I'm Cell," Cell said. "I used to be evil, but I've turned over a new leaf."

East Supreme Kai nodded. "Good. Follow me." He flew toward the spaceship, and the others followed. The energy barrier detected East Supreme Kai's ki and automatically opened an entrance. Inside, the ship was a vast maze of winding corridors and strange rooms. The air was filled with a sickening, rotten sweetness. "Be careful," East Supreme Kai whispered. "Babidi's minions are all over the ship. They're strong." Just then, a figure emerged from the far end of the corridor.

It was a green-skinned monster with a hulking build, horns on his head, and red light gleaming in his eyes. His ki was powerful, roughly on the level of an ordinary Super Saiyan. "Intruders," the monster sneered. "I'm Pui Pui, Lord Babidi's top warrior. You're lucky to have made it this far. But your luck ends here." He took a fighting stance, his muscles swelling. East Supreme Kai said nervously, "Watch out! Pui Pui is very strong. He once trained in an environment with ten times Earth's gravity..."

"I'll handle him," Vegeta interrupted, stepping forward.

"Vegeta, don't underestimate him!" East Supreme Kai shouted.

Vegeta ignored him. He walked up to Pui Pui with his hands in his pockets. Pui Pui roared and charged. He moved like lightning, his fist cutting through the air as it flew toward Vegeta's face. Vegeta didn't dodge. The punch hit him square in the face.

The whole group fell silent. Pui Pui's fist stopped just short of Vegeta's nose, unable to move forward another inch. It wasn't that Vegeta had blocked it—Pui Pui had stopped on his own, because he'd seen Vegeta's eyes. There was no anger or fear in them, only a cold... boredom.

"Is that all you've got?" Vegeta asked.

Cold sweat beaded on Pui Pui's forehead. Instinct told him the man before him was dangerous. "I... I..."

Vegeta sighed. "You're too weak." He raised one finger and lightly flicked Pui Pui's forehead. Pui Pui shot away like a cannonball, crashed through the spaceship's wall, and vanished into the darkness.

East Supreme Kai's mouth fell open. "With... one finger?"

"Give me a break," Vegeta said. "You were nervous over a weakling like that?"

East Supreme Kai wiped the sweat from his brow. "I... underestimated your strength."

The group continued on. They encountered several more of Babidi's minions along the way. A wizard named Yakon and a monster named Yamu were both easily defeated by Goku and Gohan. Babidi watched everything from the control room, his expression growing darker by the second. "How can these Earthlings be so strong?" he shrieked. "Pui Pui, Yakon, and Yamu were all carefully chosen warriors, and they were taken out in a single hit?"

A lean figure stood beside Babidi. He wore a black cloak, his face hidden in shadow, with only a pair of blood-red eyes visible. "Lord Babidi," he said, "let me go."

Babidi hesitated. "Dabura, King of the Demon Realm... you're my strongest warrior. I was planning to save you for the Supreme Kais."

"These Earthlings are far stronger than the Supreme Kais," Dabura said. "If I lose, Majin Buu can't be revived. I have to act."

Babidi nodded. "Go. Kill every one of those Earthlings! Collect their energy!"

Dabura vanished from the control room and appeared before the group. East Supreme Kai turned deathly pale. "Dabura! The King of the Demon Realm! His strength... is about equal to Perfect Cell's!"

Dabura looked at Vegeta and Goku, a cruel smile curling his lips. "Saiyans? How interesting. I've always wanted to fight one." His gaze swept over the group and finally settled on Kashu.

"You... are unusual," Dabura said. "Your ki unsettles me."

Kashu regarded him calmly. "Your ki is unusual too. The energy of the Demon Realm is different from Earth's."

Dabura licked his lips. "I've changed my mind. You're not a Saiyan, but I'd rather fight you."

As Kashu stepped forward, Android 18 caught his hand. "Let me," she said. "It's been a long time since I had a serious fight."

Kashu looked into her eyes and nodded. "Be careful. Dabura's magic can turn people to stone."

"I know." Android 18 stepped forward. "I'll be fine."

Dabura looked at Android 18, greed flashing in his eyes. "Beautiful, are you sure you want to fight me? I'd hate to hurt you."

Android 18 stared coldly at him. "You'll regret it."

Dabura laughed, then suddenly attacked. He moved like lightning, a dark sword forming in his hand as he thrust it toward Android 18's chest. She dodged to the side and struck at his face with her palm. Dabura blocked with his sword. The blade and her palm collided with a metallic clang.

The two fought fiercely in the corridor. Dabura's swordsmanship was strange and unpredictable, every strike aimed at Android 18's vitals. She moved lightly and nimbly through the flashes of the blade, evading each attack by the narrowest margin. "You're pretty good," Dabura said as they fought, "but you can't beat me. My power comes from the Demon Realm and isn't bound by the rules of your world."

The sword in his hand suddenly lengthened and thrust toward Android 18's abdomen. She couldn't dodge in time and had to block with her arm. The tip pierced through it, spraying blood.

"Android 18!" Kashu shouted.

Android 18 gritted her teeth and, ignoring the wound in her arm, kicked Dabura in the head. He blocked with his other hand, but her strength was far greater than he'd expected, and the blow sent him stumbling back several steps. "Interesting," Dabura said, touching the arm she'd kicked. "Your strength... doesn't come from a power reactor. It comes from the planet?"

Android 18 didn't answer. The wound in her arm healed within seconds—an ability unique to Super Androids. Dabura frowned. "You're an enhanced human too? Like that Android 16?"

"No," Android 18 said. "I'm an evolved Android."

She charged forward, no longer defending, but attacking with everything she had. Her fists rained down on Dabura, each blow carrying the energy of Earth's core. He staggered back under the barrage, cracks spreading across his sword.

"Impossible!" Dabura cried. "My sword is made of Demon Realm divine iron. How could—"

Before he could finish, Android 18 punched through the blade. Her fist kept going and slammed into Dabura's chest. He spat out black blood and flew backward, crashing through several walls.

Dabura climbed from the rubble, his expression terrifyingly dark. "I underestimated you," he said. "But I won't make that mistake again."

His body began to swell. His muscles bulged, and his skin grew even darker. His ki surged several times over, reaching the peak of Super Saiyan Second Grade.

"Demonized form," Dabura said. "This is my true power."

He charged at Android 18, twice as fast as before. She couldn't react in time. Dabura struck her shoulder with his palm, sending her flying.

Kashu used Instant Transmission and caught her. "I'll take it from here," he said. "You did well."

Holding her shoulder, Android 18 nodded.

Kashu handed Android 18 to Gohan, who stood behind him, then turned to face Dabura. Dabura regarded him warily. "Your ki... I can tell you're far stronger than that woman."

"I am," Kashu said. "I'm far stronger than her."

The moment he finished speaking, he appeared in front of Dabura. Dabura's pupils contracted. He tried to block, but Kashu's fist had already struck him in the stomach. Dabura doubled over and spat out a mouthful of black blood.

Kashu didn't let up. His knee smashed into Dabura's face, then his elbow crashed into Dabura's back. The flurry left Dabura unable to fight back. For the final blow, Kashu clasped his hands together and brought them down hard on Dabura's head.

Dabura was driven into the ground, leaving a crater several meters deep. He lay at the bottom, battered and bleeding black blood. His ki flickered like a candle in the wind, ready to go out at any moment.

"Who... who are you?" Dabura asked with difficulty.

"Kashu," Kashu said. "Leader of the Earth Guardians."

Dabura closed his eyes, a bitter smile on his lips. "Lord Babidi... I'm sorry... I did my best..."

His consciousness sank into darkness.

Babidi stared, dumbfounded, at the monitor in the control room. Dabura—his strongest warrior—had been defeated in just a few moves by that man named Kashu?

"Impossible... impossible..." Babidi muttered. "How can humans have this kind of power? It's impossible!"

He frantically pressed the buttons. The spaceship's energy-collection device began operating at full capacity. The energy gauge climbed rapidly—fifty percent, sixty percent, seventy percent...

"Almost there! Almost! Majin Buu is about to be revived!"

East Supreme Kai sensed the abnormal energy and paled. "This is bad! He's speeding up the energy collection! We have to stop him!"

The group rushed toward the control room, but a massive energy barrier stood in their way. It was so powerful that even Goku's full-strength attack couldn't break it.

"That's the energy of Majin Buu's seal," East Supreme Kai said in despair. "We can't break through..."

Kashu walked up to the barrier and reached out. His palm touched its surface, and the barrier began to tremble. Cracks spread outward from the point of contact like a spiderweb.

"Break!"

The barrier shattered.

Kashu entered the control room and looked at the terrified Babidi. "The game's over," he said.

Babidi shrieked and pressed the final button.

The energy gauge hit one hundred percent. A gigantic cocoon rose from the depths of the spaceship. Cracks spread across its surface, pink light shining through them.

The cocoon shattered.

A plump figure fell from within.

Majin Buu had been revived.