Reversal of Offense and Defense

The golden aura ignited around Vegeta once more.

But this time, it was clearly far less imposing than before.

"Come on." Vegeta assumed a fighting stance, the arrogant smile still hanging on his lips. "I'll fight you to the end."

Cell rolled his neck, producing a series of cracking sounds.

"Your courage is commendable."

The next second, he vanished.

"What?!"

Bam!!

Vegeta was blasted away by a single punch!!

His body smashed through three mountain peaks before finally coming to a stop!!

"Cough!"

He climbed out of the rubble, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with shock.

So fast!! Much faster than before!!

Gohan lay at the bottom of the crater, his pupils trembling.

Cell had absorbed all the animals in the entire forest... his combat power had increased by at least two or three times!!

Cell's power might have already surpassed 150 million!!

"What's wrong?" Cell slowly flew over. "Weren't you pretty arrogant just now?"

"Prince of the Saiyans?"

"You treated me like a punching bag?"

His smile was full of mockery.

"So who's the punching bag now?"

Whoosh!

Vegeta gritted his teeth and charged forward, throwing a fist carrying devastating force!

Bam!!

It hit!

But Cell did not budge.

"That's it?"

Slap!

With a backhanded slap, Cell sent Vegeta flying again!

"Too weak."

"Your attacks aren't even enough to scratch an itch for me!"

How was this possible?!

Gohan could hardly believe it.

Uncle Vegeta had a combat power of 180 million, yet he could not even break Cell's skin?!

Just how strong had Cell become now?!

The battle continued.

But it was a completely one-sided beating.

Cell treated Vegeta like a punching bag, every punch leaving cracks across Vegeta's body.

"Where's your regeneration?" Cell punched straight through Vegeta's abdomen. "Aren't Saiyans supposed to be known as a warrior race?"

"Why aren't you fighting back?"

Vegeta clenched his teeth and forcibly unleashed his aura.

Boom!!

The golden aura blasted Cell back!

"I... haven't lost yet...!"

"Is that so?"

Cell sneered and charged in again!

Bang bang bang bang bang!!

Every blow landed squarely on flesh!!

Vegeta was beaten so badly that he could not fight back at all, and the wounds across his body kept multiplying!

"Uncle Vegeta...!" Gohan clenched his fists.

Damn it!! I have to go help him!!

But I can't even stand up...!!

BOOM!!

Vegeta was blasted into the ground again, smashing out a massive crater!

"Pant... pant..."

He knelt on one knee, covered in blood, yet the fighting spirit in his eyes still burned fiercely.

His pride would not allow him to retreat.

But reason told him he could not win.

"Get up." Cell floated in the air. "Isn't the Saiyan Prince someone who never admits defeat?"

"Or have you finally accepted reality?"

Vegeta remained silent.

Then, he slowly rose to his feet.

"...Admit defeat?"

"I've never lost in my entire life."

His aura surged again!!

"Because I never fall!!"

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!!

Just then, two figures flew in from the distance!

Android 17 and Android 18!!

"Cell." Android 17 landed in front of Vegeta and spoke coldly. "You've got new opponents."

Cell narrowed his eyes. "You're interfering?"

"Interfering?" Android 17 sneered. "You're overthinking it."

"We just don't want you to absorb us."

So that's it!!

Gohan suddenly understood.

Android 17 and Android 18's "plan" was to take down Cell first!!

They did not want Cell to absorb them and become Androids 2 and 3!!

So they wanted to destroy him before he reached his perfect form!!

"You two?" Cell sneered.

"You think absorbing a few animals means you can challenge us?"

Android 17 adjusted his glasses, a playful smile on his face.

"Cell, you should be grateful you ran into us."

"If you were in your perfect form..."

"You might have been somewhat interesting."

"But now?"

His aura erupted!!

RUMBLE!!!

A terrifying pressure swept across the battlefield!!

Krillin stared wide-eyed. "That energy...!!"

Piccolo's pupils trembled. "It's even stronger than Cell's!! At least over 300 million!!"

A power level of 300 million!!

Gohan's heart jolted.

Android 17 was more than twice as strong as Cell!!

This was the true terror of the Androids' infinite energy—they would never tire!!

"Just insects." Cell gritted his teeth.

"Then come and try."

Android 17 vanished.

BAM!!!

His fist slammed into Cell's face!!

His head was sent flying!!

"What?!" Cell was stunned.

Android 17's punches were too fast!! So fast that Cell could not react at all!!

This was the true power of a 300 million battle power!!

Gohan stared, dumbfounded.

Android 17 beating Cell... was as effortless as Vegeta beating the 50 million battle power Cell earlier!!

Bang bang bang bang bang!!!

Android 17's attacks came like a raging storm!

Every punch carried devastating force!!

Cell's regeneration could not keep up—his body was smashed to pieces, regenerated, then smashed apart again!!

"Damn it...!!" Cell roared.

"What?" Android 17's voice was icy. "Didn't you say you wanted to be the hunter?"

"Who's the prey now?"

Awesome!!

Gohan's blood boiled as he watched.

Android 17 was so damn cool!! An Android crushing Cell!! This was how it was supposed to go!!

But...

He frowned.

After getting stronger, Cell's speed and regeneration had both risen to another level...

Although Android 17 held the advantage, Cell kept dodging, blocking, and looking for a chance to get close and absorb him...

"Android 17!!" Gohan shouted with all his strength. "Watch out for his tail!! Cell's tail can absorb energy!!"

Android 17 tilted his head slightly. "I know."

The next second—

Smack!!

A tail shot at him from behind!

Android 17 sidestepped, and the tail whizzed past through empty air!

"Still trying to use the same old trick?"

Android 17 grabbed the tail and yanked hard.

Rip!!

The entire tail was torn off!!

"No!!" Cell screamed.

"You think I didn't see what happened to that insect?"

Android 17 sneered.

"I won't give you any chances."

But just then, a sly glint flashed through Cell's eyes.

His body suddenly swelled!

"What?!"

Rumble!!!

Self-destruction!!

Android 17 was swallowed by the energy storm!!

"Android 17!!" Android 18 shouted.

"I'm fine." Android 17's voice came from within the storm.

"This little power isn't enough to hurt me."

But when the smoke and dust cleared, Cell was already gone.

"Where did he go?!" Krillin cried out.

Piccolo pointed into the distance. "Toward the city!!"

Cell had escaped!!

Taking advantage of the self-destruction to blow Android 17 and Android 18 apart, he had fled toward the city!!

"What is he trying to do?!" Gohan's heart sank.

There were ordinary people there!!

Cell wanted to take hostages? Or...

Or was he looking for a chance to absorb more energy?!

"Damn it!" Android 17 gritted his teeth. "I'll go after him!"

"No." Android 18 grabbed him. "We're going together."

"He's definitely setting a trap."

"We can't split up."

Android 17 frowned, but he still nodded.

"That bug... is more cunning than I thought."

Where was Android 16?!

Gohan suddenly remembered.

Where had Android 16 gone?! And Android 16's power level was no less than 200 million...

If Android 16 joined the fight, three against one, Cell would be dead for sure!!

Just then, a figure appeared at the edge of the crater.

It was Android 16.

"Gohan." His voice was still calm, but there was an extra trace of... concern in his eyes.

"Android 16!" Gohan shouted excitedly. "Where did you go?!"

"I went to Dr. Gero."

Dr. Gero?!

"I discovered something." Android 16 crouched down. "About Cell."

"Inside Cell... there is a control device created by Dr. Gero."

What?!

Gohan's eyes widened.

"Although Cell absorbed the energy of Android 17 and Android 18, his core is still controlled by the doctor."

"If we can get the remote control for that device..."

"We can force Cell to stop."

So that was it!!

Gohan's eyes lit up.

Dr. Gero was Cell's weakness!!

As long as they got the remote, they could directly KO Cell!! That would be much easier than fighting him head-on!!

"Where's the remote?!" Gohan asked urgently.

Android 16 fell silent for a second.

"On the doctor."

"And the doctor..."

He looked toward the distant city.

"Is in the direction Cell fled."

Damn it!!

Gohan's heart sank.

The doctor was with Cell!!

That meant they had to get past Cell to obtain the remote!!

And Android 17 and Android 18 were flying that way too.

If Cell took the chance to ambush them, or absorb either one of them...

If Cell reached his second form, then it would really be over!!

"Android 16!!" Gohan grabbed Android 16's hand. "Please! Go stop Android 17 and Android 18!!"

"Tell them about the doctor!!"

"If Cell absorbs either one of them—"

"Earth is finished!!"

Android 16 looked silently at Gohan.

Then he nodded.

"I understand."

His figure vanished.

Gohan let out a sigh of relief, but the anxiety in his heart did not lessen.

Android 16 had gone to notify Android 17 and Android 18...

But Cell was no fool...

He was definitely planning something... and he definitely knew Android 17 and Android 18 would catch up to him!!

What if he deliberately lured Android 17 and Android 18 apart, or took advantage of the chaos to ambush one of them? Gohan shuddered.

He looked toward the city, where explosions could faintly be heard in the distance.

The battle was about to begin once more.

And this time, Cell's target might no longer be energy.

It might be Android 17—or Android 18.

Who would become his prey first?

Gohan tried with all his strength to get back on his feet, but the agonizing pain throughout his body made him collapse again.

Damn it... if only I could move...!!