Insect and Hunter

"Gohan!!"

Krillin's scream tore through the sky.

Cell's figure rapidly loomed larger in Gohan's pupils, that black tail stinger aimed straight at his chest as it dove down with the stench of death.

What the hell, hell, hell!! What kind of garbage script has the protagonist getting one-shot by a minor monster right at the start?!

Gohan desperately tried to move, but every bone in his body felt as though it had been crushed and reassembled. The slightest movement hurt so badly he nearly passed out.

The Reverse Frequency Device was right at his waist... just one meter away...

Could this crappy life get any worse?!

"Get away from him!!"

Just as the tail stinger was about to pierce Gohan—

A golden figure descended from the sky and slammed violently into Cell!

Bang!!

The shockwave exploded outward. Cell was sent flying, crashing into a distant mountain and kicking up a cloud of dust.

Gohan painfully turned his head.

It was Goku.

The blood-soaked man stood before him, his golden aura burning faintly yet steadfastly.

"Dad?"

"Don't talk." Goku did not turn around, his voice hoarse. "I'll hold him off."

"But you—"

"I know."

Goku grinned, and there was a certain resolve in that smile.

"Even if I can't hold him off, I still have to try."

...Dad, you're just feeding him a kill.

Gohan ranted wildly in his heart, yet for some reason, his eyes stung.

"Interesting."

Cell flew out of the ruins, patting the dust from his body.

"Kakarot, weren't you sent flying? You can still get back up?"

"For my son." Goku assumed a fighting stance. "I can get back up a hundred times."

"Fatherly love? What a foolish emotion."

Cell sneered.

"You know, I'm also Dr. Gero's 'son.' But I would never die for anyone."

"That's your problem."

Goku's aura suddenly surged!

"Kaio-ken!!"

His golden aura erupted again, blood-red energy wrapping around his body as even more blood gushed from his wounds.

"Times Two!!"

He vanished from where he stood.

Bang!!

His fist smashed into Cell's face, knocking his head flying off!

But the next second, that head flew back into place on its own, completely unharmed.

"Regeneration?" Goku frowned.

"Not just regeneration." Cell licked the blood from the corner of his mouth. "The cells of countless powerful warriors flow through my genes. Regeneration is merely one of them."

"Just like that rabbit earlier—"

He spread his hands.

"It made me a little stronger."

Goku's expression changed slightly.

"Getting stronger by absorbing living creatures... that's way too broken."

"So you'd better—"

Cell narrowed his eyes.

"Not let me touch anyone."

Before his words had even faded, he transformed into a black shadow and charged at Gohan again!

"Android 16!!"

Goku shouted.

A golden figure shot in from the side, blocking Cell's path!

It was Android 16!

"Android 16 is back!" Krillin shouted excitedly.

"I never left." Android 16's voice was as calm as if he were not in battle. "That insect needs to be completely destroyed."

"Oh?" Cell took several steps back, widening the distance. "The two of you are joining forces?"

"For the mission."

Cell fell silent for a second, then smiled.

"Interesting."

"Then let's take our time."

Gohan lay in the crater, squinting as he stared fixedly at the three-way standoff in the sky.

Something was wrong.

Cell's fighting style should not have been a frontal clash.

He was the kind of hunter who would exploit every opportunity for a sneak attack.

And now, why was he...

Gohan's gaze swept across the battlefield and suddenly caught something.

Cell was not looking at Goku or Android 16.

He was looking at him.

At me.

Gohan's pupils suddenly contracted.

This bug's target from the very beginning was me!!

Android 17 and Android 18 were too strong for him to get near, and he could not gain an advantage against Android 16 and Goku working together.

Only I'm lying in this crater, unable to move.

As long as he finds a chance to get close to me and absorb me—

Gohan could not help but shudder.

No. I absolutely can't let him succeed.

But how...

His mind raced.

Regeneration consumes energy... if we can keep attacking him without giving him a chance to recover—

No, his regeneration is too fast. Ordinary attacks can't suppress him at all.

We need to blast him into dust in one go—

Wait.

Gohan's eyes suddenly lit up.

I've got it!!

"Dad!! Android 16!!" Gohan shouted with all his strength.

"His weak point is his head!! The regeneration core is in his brain!!"

Goku and Android 16 turned at the same time.

"What?"

"As long as you completely destroy his head," Gohan said, his voice hoarse but clear, "and don't give him time to reform, he's dead for sure!!"

Cell's expression changed slightly.

"How do you know that?"

"I read Dr. Gero's research materials!!"

No one was going to check anyway.

Cell sneered.

"So what if you know? Can you catch me?"

Before his words had even faded, he turned into a black shadow and charged at Gohan!

"Stop him!!"

Two golden energy blasts slammed toward Cell from different directions! Cell made a sharp turn to evade the first, but the second grazed his shoulder, instantly reducing his entire arm to ashes!

Cell's face changed drastically as he rapidly retreated.

"Damn it!!"

That arm began regenerating like mad.

"Don't give him a chance!!" Gohan shouted. "Attack from both directions at once! Blast him into dust in one go! Don't give him any chance to regenerate!!"

The battle that followed fell into a strange stalemate.

Cell no longer charged head-on. Instead, he used his speed advantage to circle along the edge of the battlefield.

Whenever Goku or Android 16 tried to close in, he immediately pulled away.

And if they chose to protect Gohan, he would harass them from another direction—thrusting his tail at Gohan, firing energy blasts, even grabbing rocks off the ground and hurling them at them!

"This bug is way too slippery!!" Krillin roared from afar.

"He won't fight us head-on at all..." Tien Shinhan's expression was grim.

Piccolo stared fixedly at the battlefield, his brow tightly furrowed.

"He's waiting for an opportunity."

"What opportunity?" Krillin asked.

"For the moment we let our guard down."

Piccolo's voice was heavy.

"Cell's regeneration ability may be strong, but after being hit continuously just now, his recovery speed has clearly slowed."

"If we keep wearing him down like this..."

"He might lose."

"But the problem is..."

Piccolo looked toward Gohan.

"He's been watching Gohan the whole time."

"As long as Gohan is there, he's his biggest target. If there's even the slightest lapse..."

Piccolo did not continue.

But everyone understood.

Cell was gambling. Gambling that they would be the first to break.

"This can't go on..."

Goku panted heavily, his forehead drenched in sweat.

The burden of Kaio-ken was eating away at his body, while Cell's harassment tactics gave him no chance to rest at all.

"I'll be the bait," Android 16 suddenly said.

"What?"

"I'll lure him away." Android 16's gaze fell on Gohan. "You stay and protect Gohan."

"But then you—"

"I can take more punishment than you."

Android 16's words were simple and direct.

"Besides... my mission is to protect Gohan."

He looked in Gohan's direction.

"Even if I die, I will complete my mission."

...Had this robot been implanted with some kind of strange ideological conditioning?

Gohan thought speechlessly.

"Android 16!" Gohan shouted. "Don't fight him up close!! Attack from a distance with energy blasts!! Hit him from both sides at once and blast him into dust, without giving him a chance to regenerate!!"

Android 16 nodded.

"Understood."

"Cell!!"

Android 16 raised both hands, and his energy began to gather.

"You said your regeneration was limitless?"

"Then let me see..."

Golden energy gathered in Android 16's palms, forming a dazzling sphere of light!

"Whether you can take my full-power attack!!"

Cell's expression finally changed.

"This is!!"

"Goku!!" Android 16 shouted.

"I know!!"

Goku raised both hands as well, his energy surging wildly!

"Cell!!"

Two golden energy waves shot out at once, crossing as they blasted toward Cell!

"You think that move can take me down?!"

Cell sneered, twisting sharply as he tried to slip through the gap!

But Android 16 had anticipated it.

"Tracking Energy Wave!!"

The energy sphere actually turned in midair, locking onto Cell without letting go!

"What?!"

Cell failed to evade in time and was hit head-on!!

BOOM!!

A golden energy storm swept across the entire battlefield, and the blast wave even toppled distant buildings!

"We did it!!" Krillin cheered.

"No—not yet!!"

Gohan stared intently at the heart of the explosion.

The smoke and dust dispersed.

Cell's figure appeared once more.

Half his body had been blasted to ash, leaving only half a face and one leg.

"Hiss..."

Cell grinned.

"That hurt. It really hurt."

"But unfortunately..."

"I'm still not dead!!"

The remains of his body began to writhe madly as his vital tissues rapidly regenerated!

"Is it too late?!" Goku gritted his teeth.

Just then—

BZZT!!

A silver figure shot out of the explosion, moving at an unbelievable speed!

"What?!"

Before anyone could react, that figure had already rushed toward—

Gohan!!

"Gohan!!" Krillin screamed.

"No!!" Goku tried to catch up, but the previous attack had drained all his strength.

Android 16 tried to intercept, but he was too far away!

It was over...

Gohan watched the black tail stinger stab toward his chest.

Was this really... the end...?

"You dare!!"

A thunderous roar came from the heavens!!

Everyone froze.

That silver figure—Cell—was sent flying by an even more powerful force!!

BOOM!!

Cell crashed into the ground, gouging out a trench hundreds of meters long!

And the figure that had knocked him away hovered before Gohan.

Golden aura!

Silver hair!

Proud eyes!

It was Vegeta!!

"Vegeta!!" Krillin shouted in delight.

Vegeta did not turn around.

His gaze was locked on Gohan in the crater, his expression complicated.

"Son Gohan..."

His voice was hoarse.

"You actually let a bug beat you into this state?"

"...Uncle Vegeta?" Gohan froze.

"Hmph."

Vegeta snorted coldly and turned toward Cell.

"I said it before."

His aura began to surge wildly!!

"Kakarot's son can only be defeated by me!!"

"Who gave you permission to touch him?!"