Awakening

Five in the morning.

A dark figure plummeted rapidly through the sky above Capsule Corporation.

"Piccolo?" Gohan jolted awake from his sleep, rolled out of bed, and asked, "What happened?"

Piccolo landed on the balcony, his face as pale as if he had just crawled out of a grave.

"Something happened."

"What is it?"

"The Northern Mountains." Piccolo's voice trembled. "Dr. Gero's laboratory—its energy fluctuations surged three hundredfold in a single minute!"

Gohan's pupils contracted sharply.

Three hundredfold?

That meant... "They've awakened." Gohan pulled on his jacket. "The androids have awakened."

Capsule Corporation's main hall.

By the time Gohan arrived, Goku, Vegeta, Krillin, and Tien Shinhan were already standing before the projection screen.

Bulma's computer flashed frantically, streams of data pouring down like a waterfall.

"Thirty minutes ago," Bulma said, her voice tight, "a powerful electromagnetic pulse appeared in the Northern Mountains. Satellite imagery shows that Dr. Gero's underground facility has been fully activated."

"What does fully activated mean?" Krillin asked.

"It means..." Bulma took a deep breath. "Those three androids may have already awakened."

The air froze for a moment.

"So they're awake." Vegeta snorted, crossing his arms. "They're nothing but scraps of metal. This is a perfect chance to test my newly achieved Super Saiyan form."

"Uncle Vegeta," Gohan said, looking at him, "your current battle power is 180 million."

"So what?"

"Android 17 and Android 18 have battle powers of 300 million."

Vegeta's expression stiffened.

"Android 16's is no lower than 200 million," Gohan continued, driving the point home. "And most importantly, they don't get tired."

"...They don't get tired?"

"They have no ki, but they also have no limits." Gohan spread his hands. "How long can you fight continuously? Ten minutes? Twenty? The androids can keep fighting forever."

Vegeta's face turned extremely unpleasant.

"Gohan," Goku spoke up, "then what do we do? What about the Reverse Frequency Device?"

"It's not finished yet." Bulma grimaced. "I stayed up all night rushing it, and I've only made one prototype so far. It can only work on a single android, and..."

"And what?"

"It needs to be triggered at close range," Bulma said. "No more than ten meters away."

Gohan fell silent.

Of course.

No amount of preparation could ever guarantee perfection.

He pulled the metal box—the prototype Reverse Frequency Device—from his pocket.

"No matter what, we have to bring this." He clipped the box to his waist. "At least it can serve as a trump card."

"Then we—"

"Let's go." Gohan cut Krillin off. "We leave now."

He looked out the window. The northern sky was faintly stained with an ominous red glow.

"They won't wait for us."

Northern Mountains.

Seven figures tore through the sky, racing toward their destination.

Gohan flew at the very front, his brow tightly furrowed. Images kept flashing through his mind—

Android 17's cold indifference, Android 18's cruelty, Android 16's silence.

And Cell, that monster who fed on them.

Would this time be different?

With intelligence, preparation, and the Reverse Frequency Device...

Could they really change anything?

"Gohan!" Goku's voice came from behind him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing." Gohan shook off his thoughts. "I was just thinking about how we should fight later."

"Why think so much?" Goku grinned. "Just charge in and fight!"

...So this was how you fought?

Direct, simple, without hesitation.

Wonderful.

Gohan said nothing, only quickened his pace.

Twenty minutes later.

The Northern Mountains had been utterly transformed.

A massive metal structure had risen from the once-barren range. Energy pipelines crisscrossed everywhere, and defensive turrets stood thick as trees.

Dr. Gero's underground laboratory...

Had actually expanded aboveground?

"Here..." Krillin's eyes widened. "When did it become like this?"

"It was remodeled." Gohan's voice was grave. "Dr. Gero spent twenty years turning the entire mountain range into his fortress."

"Twenty years?" Tien Shinhan frowned. "How did we never notice before?"

"Because it was underground." Gohan pointed at the metal building. "The entrance is inside the mountain. The surface facilities are only the tip of the iceberg."

"So what now? Do we charge straight in?"

"No need." Gohan pointed toward the top of the building. "They've already come out to welcome us."

Everyone followed his finger and saw three figures standing atop the structure, looking down at them.

On the far left stood a silent giant, larger than anyone else, his face wearing an artificial calm.

In the middle was a blonde girl with features as delicate as a doll's, yet eyes as cold as ancient ice.

On the far right stood a black-haired boy who looked about their age, his indifferent expression sending chills down their spines.

Android 16, Android 18, Android 17.

At last, he had met them.

Gohan stared fixedly at the three of them, his heartbeat accelerating involuntarily.

But why were there only three?

Where was Cell?

Before he could figure it out, a sinister voice came from within the building.

"Welcome."

They looked toward the voice and saw an old man in a white lab coat standing on the top-floor platform. His body was hunched, but his gaze was sharp as a blade.

Dr. Gero.

"Son Goku." A cruel smile curled across Dr. Gero's lips. "I've been waiting for you for a long time."

Goku froze for a moment. "You know me?"

"More than know you." Dr. Gero slowly descended the stairs. "Twenty-three years ago, you destroyed the work of my life. The Red Ribbon Army... it was a gift I had prepared for this world, yet you shattered it so easily."

"The Red Ribbon Army?" Goku scratched his head. "Oh, I remember. That was a long time ago..."

"You're taking it pretty lightly," Gohan commented coldly from the side. "He's remembered you for twenty-three years, and all you have to say is, 'That was a long time ago.'"

Goku: "...That does seem a little harsh?"

Krillin could not help laughing, then quickly covered his mouth.

Dr. Gero's expression darkened. "Son Gohan... Slug's son."

"I'm Son Gohan," Gohan said calmly. "I'm not anyone's son."

"Hmph, you've got a stubborn mouth." Dr. Gero sneered. "But it doesn't matter. Soon, you'll find out what kind of beings you are facing."

He turned to the three androids.

"Go. Show these Saiyans what true power is."

Android 17 and Android 18 exchanged a glance.

"What a pain," Android 17 said blandly. "I could've kept sleeping."

"Fine." Android 18 adjusted her hair. "Let's get this over with."

What a pain?

Get this over with?

Did they think they were out buying groceries?

Gohan clenched his fists, an indescribable feeling rising within him.

Was this the androids' arrogance?

They simply did not care who their opponents were.

Because in their eyes, everyone was equally weak.

"Krillin, Tien Shinhan, stay here." Gohan suddenly spoke.

"What?" Krillin froze. "Why?"

"Because in the battle ahead," Gohan looked at him, "you won't be able to help."

Krillin's face flushed red. "Gohan, you—"

"I'm not saying you're weak." Gohan cut him off. "I'm saying your strength is meaningless here. They won't get tired, they won't feel pain, and they won't weaken. If you stay, you'll only hold us back."

..." Krillin clenched his teeth but offered no rebuttal.

Because he knew Gohan was telling the truth.

"Uncle Piccolo," Gohan turned to Piccolo, "you should stay too."

"Why?"

"Because you're a Namekian," Gohan said. "Your combat power isn't enough, but you can monitor the battlefield through your sensing ability. If other enemies show up—like Cell—we'll need you to warn us in advance."

Piccolo fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "Understood."

"What about us?" Goku pointed at himself and Vegeta.

"We go in." Gohan took a deep breath. "Uncle Vegeta, let me see the Super Saiyan form you've just broken through to."

Vegeta sneered. "Hmph. That was what I intended to do anyway."

Golden aura began to blaze around his body.

At the same time, Goku entered his Super Saiyan state as well.

The golden light shone especially brilliantly in the morning dawn.

"Come on." Gohan spoke softly, releasing his own aura as well.

Three golden lights bloomed atop the mountain peak.

"Oh? Three Super Saiyans?" Dr. Gero raised a brow. "Interesting."

"Three?" Android 17 swept his gaze over them, his expression unchanged. "And?"

"And?" Gohan answered. "What about you three?"

"We don't need three people." Android 18 said. "One is enough."

"Android 17, you go." She looked toward the black-haired youth. "I'll keep an eye on this old man in case he tries anything."

"Fine." Android 17 jumped down from the rooftop, landing lightly on the ground.

Facing the three Super Saiyans, his expression remained utterly blank.

"Who's first?"

Vegeta charged in first.

"Let me test the strength of your Super Saiyan!"

Golden aura wrapped around his fist as he drove it viciously toward Android 17's face.

Gohan's eyes narrowed slightly.

He saw it clearly—Android 17 had no intention of dodging. He merely raised a hand and blocked it lightly.

"That's it?"

"Wha—?"

Vegeta's fist was caught in Android 17's single hand. His eyes went wide, his face filled with disbelief.

It was stopped?

My attack was stopped by an android with one hand?

"Your strength is decent," Android 17 commented flatly. "But you're too slow."

The next second, his hand moved.

A light push.

Vegeta flew away like a cannonball, smashing through three mountain peaks before finally stopping.

"Uncle Vegeta!" Gohan's expression changed drastically.

He turned to look and saw Vegeta crawling out of the rubble, covered in blood but still alive.

Just one blow.

Just a light push.

And Super Saiyan 1 Vegeta had been beaten into this state?

Gohan's pupils constricted sharply.

No.

This wasn't right.

Android 17's combat power... was stronger than in the original story!

Was it because of Dr. Gero's modifications? Or because activating them early had allowed them to absorb more energy?

Whatever the reason.

The situation was even worse than expected!

"Next." Android 17 looked at Goku and Gohan. "Or are you coming at me together?"

Goku's expression turned grave.

"Gohan," he said in a low voice, "this guy... he's even stronger than I imagined."

"I know." Gohan took a deep breath and reached for the metal box at his waist.

The Reverse Frequency Device.

This is my only trump card.

But I can't be more than ten meters away...

How can I get close to him?