The Demon God Awakens

Only the sound of the wind remained, along with heavy breathing so thick it seemed about to congeal.

Just then, a terrifying aura surged forth like a tidal wave, making the air oppressive and bitterly cold.

The wind stopped at once. The dust on the ground seemed pinned down by an invisible hand, not daring to move even a fraction.

Everyone suddenly turned, their gazes locking in unison on the distant horizon.

There, the ground abruptly split open with dark fissures. Rubble and dust cascaded down as a massive figure slowly rose.

He pushed aside the shattered earth like a demon god awakening from hell. With every step he took, the ground trembled.

Cell!

The wounds from the previous battle still marked his body, but they were healing at a visible rate. His muscles swelled anew, and a metallic sheen glinted beneath his skin.

His eyes gleamed with cold, bloodthirsty light, like two poisoned daggers fixed firmly on the group.

The corners of his mouth curled slightly, carrying a hint of cruel amusement, as though he were mocking them all.

But what truly made their scalps prickle was the tail stinger twitching behind him—its tip had split open into a huge, blood-filled maw lined with fangs. Every tooth glimmered with a dark light, like venom-coated barbs.

The massive mouth opened soundlessly, carrying a deathly stench as it slipped past everyone's attention and reached toward Vegeta's back.

It crept closer bit by bit, like a poisonous snake lying in wait in the darkness, its very breath seeping with chill.

Vegeta, however, had yet to recover from his anger and shock. His chest heaved violently, sweat dripping from his brow, while his rough breathing drowned out every faint sound.

He had not noticed the shadow closing in behind him at all. He did not even feel the faint breeze stirred up by the tail stinger.

He gritted his teeth and stared fixedly at Cell, as if he were about to throw himself forward and fight for his life the next second.

"Dad, look out!" Trunks's shout suddenly tore through the air, slicing through the silence like a blade and exploding in everyone's ears.

But it was already too late.

Cell's tail stinger suddenly became a streak of silver light, cleaving through the air like lightning as it shot straight for Vegeta's back.

It moved so fast that the air shrieked, and the impact sent fine cracks spidering across the ground.

That bloody maw opened to its limit, its fangs carrying an aura of destruction as they prepared to bite down.

"Damn it—" Vegeta's pupils contracted sharply. His body instinctively tried to turn and defend, fists clenched and muscles tensed, but his injuries slowed him by half a beat.

A violent wave of pain surged through him, making that turn seem more like a futile struggle.

Just as the massive mouth was about to bite into Vegeta's back, a figure suddenly flashed into view, blocking it in front of Vegeta like a ghost.

Boom!

The deafening explosion shook the air. A shockwave surged like a tsunami, dust billowed into the sky, rubble flew everywhere, and the ground split even deeper.

Thick dust and sand obscured everyone's vision.

When the dust slowly settled, everyone froze, even their breathing stopping.

Chen Hao had somehow appeared behind Vegeta.

He raised one hand, fingers spread wide, and clamped down hard on the enormous bloody maw formed by Cell's tail stinger.

His steel-like fingers wedged between the fangs. The enormous mouth could not move in his grasp, emitting grinding creaks.

Veins bulged along Chen Hao's arm, yet it did not tremble in the slightest. That thunderous strike seemed no more troublesome to him than swatting away an insect.

Chen Hao slowly turned his head, his calm gaze settling on Cell. There was no fear in those eyes, only an icy indifference that made one shudder.

His voice rang out in the wind, sharp with blade-like coldness. "Cell, did you forget I'm still here?" The corner of his mouth lifted in a cold smile. "Trying to ambush someone right in front of me? You're being far too naive."

Across the ground, dust continued to drift down slowly, and the air was thick with the smell of burning and the cloying sweetness of blood.

Cell's spotted body stood amid the ruins, his tail stinger poised like a venomous snake, its tip glinting with an eerie cold light.

At that very instant, Cell's tail stinger was caught in Chen Hao's iron grip. The bloody maw was less than half an inch from Vegeta's back, its sharp teeth nearly tearing through his armor.

"What?" Cell's pupils shrank sharply, a flash of astonishment passing through his amber eyes.

He had not expected Chen Hao's reaction to be this fast—as if he had anticipated everything beforehand, even timing his outburst with unbelievable precision.

But then, a sudden change occurred.

Cell's tail stinger began to crackle. Its scales peeled back, and it instantly split into dozens of tiny tendrils!

The tendrils writhed and stretched like living creatures. Small sucker mouths opened at their tips as they rapidly wove into an impenetrable net, dropping straight over Vegeta.

"This is bad!" Chen Hao frowned deeply, the loose strands over his forehead tossed up by the shockwave.

He had not expected Cell to have something like this in reserve.

Vegeta had just been severely injured by Chen Hao's blow. His chest armor was shattered, exposing a bloody, mangled wound.

His pupils widened slightly. He tried to dodge, but his injuries were too severe. The instant his muscles tensed, tearing pain shot through him, leaving him unable to muster any strength at all.

The tendrils coiled around him like a swarm of snakes, instantly binding his arms, legs, and neck, suspending him in midair and leaving him unable to move.

"Bastard!" Vegeta roared, golden energy erupting around his body as he tried to break free.

But every time he exerted himself, the tendrils tightened further, digging deep into his flesh until tiny beads of blood seeped out.

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, his teeth clenched hard enough to rattle. Even the strength to draw breath was nearly gone.

"Heh heh heh..." Cell let out a chilling laugh, his sharp teeth pulling into a cruel grin, his eyes brimming with smug delight.

"You think I only have one kind of attack? Super Saiyan, I'll be taking your energy!"

The instant he finished speaking, his tentacle suddenly tightened!

The suction cup at the tip of Cell's tail began to writhe frantically, making a "gurgle gurgle" sucking sound.

A powerful pull surged from his tail tip. Vegeta's energy poured out like floodwaters bursting through a dam—his golden aura spiraled into a vortex and was continuously sucked into Cell's body.

"Ahhh—!" Vegeta threw back his head and screamed, his body convulsing violently. Veins bulged across his body, and blood seeped from his seven orifices.

His muscles visibly shriveled, his golden hair faded to black, and the light around him rapidly dimmed. Like a deflated balloon, he withered away.

The earth trembled along with him, shattered stones flying under the impact of the energy.

"Stop!" An enraged roar exploded from afar, echoing across the heavens.

Trunks's eyes turned red as a dazzling golden aura erupted around him, like a blazing sun.

His muscles swelled and his hair stood on end. In an instant, he transformed into a Super Saiyan.

With a kick off the ground, he blasted out a massive crater and became a golden meteor hurtling toward Cell. A scorching trail lingered in the air behind him, and even the rocks melted beneath his aura.

A brilliant energy blast shot from Trunks's hand, its blinding radiance carrying devastating force as it flew straight at Cell.

As the energy blast passed, it carved a deep trench through the ground, reducing shattered rocks to dust.