The Terrifying Second Stage Cell

"Come out, you ugly monster! What's wrong? Didn't you say you wanted to absorb me? I won't run or hide until you're dead!" Android 17 continued to taunt him, gaining the upper hand with his words, completely unaware that a pair of cold, red-glowing eyes was staring fixedly at him from the crater behind him.

Cell slowly rose from the crater, the needle-like opening at the end of his tail already aimed at Android 17's head.

From his position high above, Tien Shinhan saw Cell's movements clearly and shouted urgently, "Android 17! Behind you! Cell is behind you!"

Android 17 turned around in terror—Cell's enormous tail-mouth was already descending over his head. "As you wished, I've come out."

Android 16 tried to interrupt once more, but this time Cell gave him no chance.

Android 17 braced both arms against the edges of the enormous mouth and struggled desperately. Amid his screams, his entire body was gradually swallowed by that writhing tail. At last, his hands disappeared into the giant mouth. The tail closed and returned to its long, thin needle-like shape...

The instant Android 17 was completely absorbed into his body, Cell felt an endless surge of power wildly rising within him.

His body began flashing with light, and a terrifying aura burst forth like floodwaters through a breached dam. Within the dazzling radiance, Cell's body became more muscular, while his form steadily drew closer to that of a human.

Seeing that Cell's transformation could no longer be stopped, Android 16 decisively turned and rushed toward the completely stunned Android 18, shouting as he ran, "Run, Android 18! What are you standing there for? Run!"

At the same time, he did not forget to warn Tien Shinhan, who had been watching the battle from the mountaintop. "You felt it too, didn't you?"

On Kami's Lookout, Gohan and Popo could no longer smile. Feeling Cell's ever-swelling aura, Gohan understood that Cell was now unbeatable.

Goku, who had been searching through the Senzu Beans with Korin, suddenly sensed Cell's outrageous aura as well. He stopped what he was doing and looked in the direction it came from, cold sweat running down his face.

"Still haven't found them?" Goku anxiously looked at Korin, who was still rummaging through boxes beside him.

"There weren't many to begin with. The ones you used while fighting the androids took a long time to save up, meow. I clearly remember hiding some away too, but where did I put them, meow?" Korin replied while searching frantically.

When the light faded, Cell stood where he was in an entirely new form. His second form displayed a distinct trend toward a humanoid appearance.

His body had grown significantly taller, his muscles had swollen, and his proportions looked somewhat bulky. Though his face was closer to human, he retained his signature sausage lips and insect-like antennae, giving him both human traits and an alien insectoid air. The spotted carapace on his back remained—a relic of his former forms—and the absorption device at the end of his tail was still there, seemingly prepared for his final evolution.

Electric currents crackled around Cell's body after his evolution was complete. As he truly felt the unbelievably powerful strength within him, he glanced toward Android 18 and thought, After absorbing Android 18, just how far will I be able to go? Then no one will be able to stand against me, and I can repay that man in full for the humiliation he gave me.

"Run, Android 18!" Android 16 stopped worrying about the still-dazed Android 18, grabbed her arm, and ran in one direction.

Cell let them run ahead. Only when the two approached the edge of the island did he begin to give chase. Just as Android 16 and Android 18 were about to leave the island, Cell appeared before them like a ghost, blocking their path.

Android 16 flung the weaker Android 18 behind him and stared at Cell warily. "S-So fast!"

Seeing that Android 16 had failed to escape, Tien Shinhan felt a little despair. "This is bad! This is completely terrible!"

Cell looked at the wary pair before him, a dangerous smile curling across his lips. "Did you think you could escape from the palm of my hand?"

After saying that, he ignored them and walked to the edge of the island. Lowering his head, he looked at his current reflection in the sea. "My speed has become this fast—even I'm surprised. Of course, that's because I absorbed Android 17. I wonder how much my power has increased?"

Cell slowly straightened up and gradually turned around.

At that moment, Android 16 charged at Cell like a cannonball, throwing a fierce punch straight at Cell's face!

Yet shockingly, Cell showed no reaction whatsoever in the face of such a ferocious attack. He did not even blink, merely standing there quietly as if he did not regard his opponent at all.

In the blink of an eye, Android 16's fist slammed hard into Cell's cheek—but Cell stood firm as a mountain, utterly unmoved.

With Android 16's terrifying power and speed, even an asteroid would likely have been smashed to pieces by that blow!

Faced with the unbelievable sight before him, Android 16 was so stunned that his mouth hung open. He withdrew his hand from Cell's face in disbelief.

But before he could recover, the corners of Cell's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a strange smile.

Then Cell suddenly raised his right hand. A dazzling energy wave erupted in an instant, as swift as lightning and carrying incomparable force as it blasted directly toward Android 16!

Android 16 had no time to make any defensive move. With a thunderous BANG, his entire body was sent flying backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily into the distant ground.

Lying on the ground, Android 16 turned his head. The right half of his forehead was already gone, exposing the mechanical circuitry inside.

Cell clenched the right hand that had just fired the energy wave. Once again feeling his current strength firsthand, he was very satisfied with this power. "My power seems to have increased quite a bit! Next..."

His gaze shifted to Android 18 beside him, and he was already growing impatient. With Android 16, the strongest one, dealt with, no one else would come to interfere.

Cell licked his sausage lips. "How about this? Running is pointless anyway, so you might as well stop running—very smart. This time, it's your turn."

From the mountaintop, Tien Shinhan took in the entire scene, seeming to have made some kind of decision. His clenched fists relaxed as he muttered to himself, "I'm sorry, Chiaotzu... This time, I might die."

Cell steadily advanced toward Android 18, while she continuously backed away. Suddenly, Android 18 placed her hand over her heart and shouted sharply, "If you dare come any closer, I'll make myself explode! You don't want me to die, do you?"

Seeing Android 18's resolute expression, Cell realized he could not force her. So he began imitating Android 17's voice and tried to coax her.

Android 18's fingers stiffened. That voice—the one that had accompanied her through countless days and nights, taken her cruising down highways, and complained that she took too long picking clothes—was now coming from the mouth of the monster before her.

Just as Android 18's resolve began to waver, Android 16 forcibly snapped her out of it.

Cell furiously shouted at Android 16 to shut up, then continued coaxing her. "Come, Android 18. Don't hesitate any longer. Let's become one quickly. That way, we can gain the ultimate power, carry on Doctor Gero's legacy... defeat Goku, and take the entire world into our hands."

"You're not Android 17 at all!" Android 18 no longer fell for his deception and shouted at Cell, "We've always hated Doctor Gero for altering our bodies without permission. Even if we die, we'll never call him Doctor Gero!"

"If that's the case, then I'll absorb you by force." Seeing that persuasion would not work, Cell decided to stop wasting time. "There's no need for any more pointless resistance. Before you detonate the bomb, you'll hesitate for at least an instant—my speed will be faster than your hand. I'll stop you from killing yourself first, then absorb you."

Cell hesitated no longer and pressed closer to Android 18 step by step. Just as Android 18 was about to detonate the bomb within her body, Cell suddenly stopped and looked up into the sky—at some point, a figure had appeared directly above him, hands held in a triangle and aimed straight at him.