Encounter

Malvis speared a piece of food and put it into his mouth, but his gaze passed through the glass window to the street not far away—Android 20 was covering Yamcha's mouth with one hand, the red energy device in his palm greedily siphoning away his strength. Malvis raised an eyebrow slightly. "They all gathered in this direction, and I happened to pick a place to eat... Could it really be such a coincidence?"

He glanced again at Yamcha, who was being "trained," and mused to himself, Looks like this is the Android era. I wonder whether Android 17 and Android 18 in my timeline are good or bad. If they're bad... that would be a pity.

Android 20 sensed that Yamcha was still resisting, so he freed his other hand and, without hesitation, drove it through Yamcha's chest. Blood spurted out. Yamcha's struggles rapidly weakened, his pupils gradually lost focus, and his energy was continuously drained away like water bursting through a broken dam.

"Looks like I still have to step in." Malvis set down his utensils, his expression calm. "Although they're all rushing this way, at this rate, they'll probably only arrive in time to collect the body."

He casually grabbed the utensils from the table and flicked them out. They turned into a streak of light and struck Android 20's arm with perfect accuracy. The tremendous impact made Android 20 release Yamcha at once, sending him flying backward like a cannonball. He smashed through several walls of the building behind him before becoming firmly embedded in the rubble.

"Android 20!" The portly android immediately became alert and rapidly scanned the surroundings. "What's going on? Those people are clearly still some distance away, and no high-energy objects have been detected nearby..."

Android 20 struggled to pry himself out of the wall. In a furious rage, he waved his hand and blasted the entire building into rubble, flames shooting into the sky. He strode out through the thick smoke, his face full of viciousness.

The corners of Malvis's lips curled upward slightly as he said softly, "Goku and the others' enemies should still be dealt with by Goku and the others."

As soon as he spoke, several figures descended from the sky—Goku and the others had arrived just in time. The two sides faced off. Naturally, Android 20 blamed Goku for the sneak attack from earlier.

"Damn it!"

Seeing Yamcha lying on the ground, blood still pouring from his body, Goku and the others were both enraged and wary of their opponents. "Krillin, Yamcha is still alive. Take him back to where we gathered earlier. I left the Senzu Beans there. Give him one, understand?"

Krillin nodded and carefully, very carefully helped Yamcha up before using the Flying Technique to fly toward their previous meeting place.

The atmosphere on the scene grew increasingly grim. Piccolo was the first to break the silence. "You're the so-called androids? You've finally shown yourselves."

Confusion flashed through Android 20's eyes. "Strange. Where did you get this information? And judging by the looks of it, you seemed to know beforehand that we would appear on this island?"

"Answer me, now. Why?"

"Want to know the answer?" Piccolo sneered. "Ask with your strength."

"Fine."

With that, both sides assumed fighting stances. As if on cue, the overturned tanker truck behind Goku and the others exploded, its flames seeming to herald the brutality of the battle to come.

Just as both sides were about to make their move, Goku looked around and suddenly spoke. "Wait. There are too many people here. Let's move somewhere without anyone around. Do you agree?"

Hearing Goku's words from the restaurant nearby, Malvis could not help shaking his head—Goku was still too kind, too naive. This was a battle to the death. The people across from them were no saints.

Sure enough, after Goku finished speaking, Android 20 gave his answer. "You want to fight somewhere without people? Fine, but there's no need to leave."

As Goku wondered what he meant, Android 20's eyes suddenly lit up. Two laser beams shot from his eyes and swept wildly through the surroundings. Explosions erupted wherever the lasers passed, buildings collapsed, and the bustling city became a landscape of shattered ruins in an instant.

Malvis had already teleported into the sky. Looking down at the hell on earth below, he frowned slightly.

"What a pity. I hadn't even finished my meal."

After a pause, he looked once more at the spreading flames and ruins below, then added in an even tone, "If it were Beerus, this planet probably wouldn't exist anymore."

"Stop!" Goku roared as he instantly moved in front of Android 20 and slammed a fist into his face. Android 20 staggered back several steps, his head snapping to one side. His hat fell to the ground, revealing the brain hidden beneath its brim, protected by a transparent casing.

Meanwhile, Krillin had already brought Yamcha back to the meeting point. After swallowing a Senzu Bean, Yamcha was fully restored and abruptly sat up. He stood with Gohan and the others atop a high cliff, looking down at the devastated city below, where black smoke billowed everywhere. Their faces were full of fury.

Yamcha suddenly remembered something. "When I was attacked, someone saved me. When he made his move, I couldn't sense any ki at all." Yamcha's expression turned grave. "He was probably someone who can hide his ki too—maybe another android. I just don't know why he saved me or what he wants."

"What did you say?" Krillin's eyes widened in shock. "There's another, stronger guy who might be an android? Damn it... Weren't there only supposed to be two?"

At that moment, several streaks of light shot up from the city below and flew into the distance.

"It's Dad and the others!" Gohan spotted his father among those streaks of light.

"Those guys are there too." Yamcha recognized the two androids as well.

A flash of realization struck Krillin. "I get it. They moved the battlefield."

Yamcha suddenly remembered something else, and his whole body became a little anxious. "Oh no, I have to warn Goku and the others to be careful. Th-those androids can absorb people's energy."

"What?" Krillin's expression changed drastically.

"Yeah! I don't know how it happened, but when they caught me, all my strength was sucked away."

"If that's true... Doctor Gero really invented something incredible!"

"This is bad. I have to warn them immediately!" After saying that, Gohan suddenly unleashed a powerful aura and sped toward Goku and the others.

Krillin looked at the Senzu Beans in his hand and decided to bring them to Goku and the others. Although Yamcha was afraid and knew he would not be much help even if he went, after an internal struggle, he finally gritted his teeth and followed.

Yajirobe had long since been rescued and recovered his strength. Watching the others leave, he snorted disdainfully. "What a bunch of idiots."

Bulma held the child in her arms, turned to look at him, and asked a soul-searching question, "Don't tell me... you're not going?"

"I'm absolutely not going."

"Absolutely not going? Aren't you supposed to be strong? At a time like this, one more person means one more bit of strength. Your companions and everyone on Earth are facing a crisis right now."

"Maybe."

"Just 'maybe'? You don't care about your companions at all. That's awful."

"Can't be helped. I can't fly."

Yajirobe successfully ended the conversation. Bulma opened her mouth, yet found herself speechless.

A few minutes earlier, amid the city ruins.

"You bastard..." Goku gritted his teeth as he glared at Android 20.

Facing the furious Goku, Android 20 merely bent down calmly to pick up his fallen hat and put it back on. "You were the one who said we should fight somewhere deserted. It seems you don't like this place?"

"If you've got the guts, follow me. I'll take all of you down." Goku clenched his fist and raised it before his chest.

The fat android beside him curled his lips into a smile. "You can't defeat me."

"Fine, we'll follow you." Android 20 made his decision. "You may choose the place where you wish to die, Goku."

Hearing the other side call Goku by name so precisely, the Z Fighters were all startled. Android 20 seemed to know their backgrounds inside and out—not just Goku's, but everyone else's as well.

Police sirens sounded in the distance—the humans' patrol cars were heading this way.

Goku glanced at the police cars and said gravely, "We can ask questions later! Let's go." He was the first to erupt into the sky, with Android 20 and the fat android close behind. Piccolo and the others followed as well, several streaks of light cutting across the heavens as they flew toward an uninhabited area.