Overwhelming Dominance

Android 17 made the first move.

With a stomp, the ground cracked as he turned into an afterimage and charged straight at him.

His right fist tore through the air, shooting directly for Son Gohan's face. Android 17's expression remained icy, but a flicker of impatience flashed in his eyes. What could some brat possibly do?

Son Gohan didn't indulge him either.

Boom—!!

Super Saiyan 2, full power!

Golden aura erupted skyward, lightning arcs crackling and bursting around his body.

The road beneath his feet was blown apart by the shockwave, rubble scattering in every direction as the surrounding building ruins were swept by the blast.

Android 17's pupils contracted sharply.

That punch had already reached Son Gohan's face.

Son Gohan tilted his head slightly and dodged with ease.

Android 17's gaze turned cold. His fists suddenly accelerated, throwing hundreds, even thousands of punches within seconds.

The fist shadows fell like a torrential downpour, striking from every direction, every blow carrying enough force to destroy a mountain.

Son Gohan continued to evade effortlessly, still holding back.

Every movement was just a fraction faster than the punches—casual and unhurried.

Android 17 gritted his teeth and sped up further, but his fists still couldn't touch even a single hair on Son Gohan's head.

His breathing grew ragged, and the rhythm of his punches began to fall apart.

"Damn it—if you've got the guts, stop dodging!!"

The corner of Son Gohan's mouth curled up.

"Sure, sure. If you want a beating, just say so."

The next instant, he vanished.

Android 17's fist struck an afterimage, causing him to stumble forward.

Then he felt it—a bone-chilling coldness surged up his back, making his scalp tingle.

He had no time to turn around. From the corner of his eye, all he could see was Son Gohan's utterly cold profile.

With his back to Android 17, Son Gohan slowly raised his right hand and casually struck backward.

Android 17 flew away as though he had been hit by a speeding truck, hurtling back even faster than he had come.

Boom—!!

He crashed into a row of ruined houses across the street, smashing through three walls as broken bricks and concrete collapsed over him, burying him beneath the rubble.

Dust filled the air.

Son Gohan breathed out and patted nonexistent dust from his palms.

"Boring."

Son Gohan walked over to the rubble and looked at the struggling Android 17 inside.

"I'm sure you understand how wide the gap between us is by now. But—" He crouched down, his tone casual.

"If you still insist on following Dr. Gero's ideals and killing Son Goku, then I'll destroy you without mercy. Understand?"

"Cell is already absorbing humans to increase his strength, isn't he?" Son Gohan sneered. "Once he absorbs you and Android 18 and evolves into his Perfect Form, you might all be finished by then. Not me, though."

Android 17's expression changed completely. He struggled out from the rubble, one hand clutching his chest, blood at the corner of his mouth.

He looked up at Son Gohan, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"How could you possibly know... about Cell...?"

On the wasteland.

The battle was already nearing its end, but the situation was somewhat strange.

Android 19 and Android 20 had absorbed too much energy, and their bodies were beginning to go out of control.

Vegeta's successive waves of Prince's Battle Technique had fired energy blasts at such overwhelming density that their absorption devices couldn't convert them fast enough. The heat buildup had reached its limit.

Boom—!!

The energy inside Android 19 went out of control and was forcibly released.

The explosion burst from within and spread in all directions, blasting a massive crater into the ground.

He withstood the explosion he had caused himself, but his body was already covered in wounds, his outer shell riddled with cracks.

Yet during that process, his power level had also been passively skyrocketing—the absorbed energy could not be fully digested, but his power curve was rising madly.

They had now forcibly replicated, through mechanical means, the combat power of Super Saiyan's second stage—the form that traded swollen muscles for greater strength.

Their power levels soared, but they couldn't control them.

Vegeta looked at the two muscular monsters across from him and frowned in disgust.

Just then—

A powerful aura erupted from the direction of West City.

A golden pillar of energy shot into the sky, its overwhelming pressure suffocating.

Piccolo suddenly turned toward the source of the aura, his expression turning to shock.

"That aura—it's Gohan!"

He paused, sensing the intensity of that aura, and his pupils abruptly contracted.

"That power... it's no weaker than mine."

"That kid got stronger again?" Son Goku scratched his head and muttered.

Piccolo withdrew his gaze and urged, "Vegeta, finish this quickly. Once you're done, we're going to find Gohan."

Vegeta snorted. He had originally wanted to play around a little longer, but Piccolo's words annoyed him.

"A bunch of scrap metal."

Vegeta suddenly unleashed his energy. Super Saiyan 2 at full power—golden aura soared into the heavens as lightning crackled wildly around him.

The ground caved in beneath him, and chunks of rock were swept into the air by the shockwave.

He stopped firing energy blasts and charged forward instead.

Android 19 raised his palm, intending to absorb energy, but Vegeta was far faster than he could react.

The golden figure flashed, and Vegeta was already in front of Android 19, both hands gripping Android 19's arms.

He yanked hard.

Android 19's arms were forcibly torn off. Sparks crackled from the breaks, and mechanical parts scattered across the ground. Android 19 opened his mouth to scream.

But Vegeta's kick had already landed on his chest. Android 19 was kicked into the air like a ball.

"Big Bang Attack!!"

A golden beam blasted from Vegeta's palm, engulfing Android 19 completely.

The blaze of the explosion lit up half the wasteland. Android 19 did not even have time to scream before his body was reduced to fragments in the intense heat, metal debris clattering down from the sky.

At that moment, Android 20—Dr. Gero—immediately turned around upon seeing this. He gave up on fighting and raced toward the distant mountains.

Vegeta did not even look at him as golden light gathered in his palm.

"Final Flash."

A thick, blazing golden beam shot from his palm, striking Android 20 with perfect accuracy.

It pierced through his mechanical body, energy expanding from within, and Android 20 exploded into fragments.

Ash drifted down.

Vegeta dusted off his hands, his expression disdainful.

"Let's go." Son Goku rose into the air. "Let's see what's going on with Gohan."

The group unleashed their energy at the same time and flew toward West City.

West City, atop the ruins.

Son Gohan stood in place, looking at Android 17 as he crawled out from a pile of rubble, his tone cold.

"With strength like that, you'd have trouble even serving as cannon fodder."

Android 17 clutched his chest and gritted his teeth, unable to say a word.

Several auras descended from the sky.

Son Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Future Trunks landed beside Son Gohan.

Son Goku looked at the several buildings that had been smashed through, then at the dirt-covered Android 17, his mouth falling open.

"Gohan, you really made quite a scene."

Son Gohan turned to the others, his tone calming.

"Let me explain the situation. Android 17 and Android 18 aren't inherently bad—they're different from pure killing machines like Android 19 and Android 20."

"Before Dr. Gero modified them into androids, they were ordinary humans. The greatest threat is someone else."

"Who?" Piccolo asked.

"Cell, the ultimate android. He should be secretly absorbing humans' life essence to increase his power right now."

"If he absorbs Android 17 and Android 18 and evolves into his Perfect Form—then with your current strength, he'll probably be difficult to handle."

That doesn't include me, Son Gohan thought.

When Vegeta heard the words "Perfect Form," not only was he not afraid, but his eyes instead filled with anticipation.

"Of course, Uncle Piccolo is an exception," Son Gohan added. "Uncle Piccolo can handle him now."

Piccolo crossed his arms and nodded slightly.

"So—" Son Gohan clapped his hands, "I'll keep an eye on Android 18 for now, so Cell can't absorb her."

"As for Android 17, he's still a little unconvinced. You guys educate him."

He turned and walked toward Android 18.

Before Android 18 could react, Son Gohan had already appeared in front of her. His golden aura transformed into a chain of light, binding her tightly.

Android 18 lowered her head to look at the golden flames restraining her, then looked at Son Gohan with an aloof expression of offense.

"Did I say I was going with you?"

"I'm not asking for your opinion. I'm informing you, understand?"

"You won't feel so good when Cell swallows you whole, covered in slime."

Son Gohan's tone was forceful as he grabbed her wrist. "Let's go."

Instant Transmission activated.

With a whoosh—!

Their figures vanished.

Android 18 disappeared with him from above the ruins.

Vegeta looked at Android 17, his fists cracking as he clenched them. A dangerous curve rose at the corner of his mouth.

"That was exactly what I had in mind."

He strode toward Android 17. Android 17 covered his chest and took a step back, the forced coldness on his face beginning to give way to unease.

"I'd like to see just how strong this guy called Cell really is."

Vegeta rolled his neck as he walked. "But before that—let me use you to warm up and get my hands moving."