"Three days."
Dr. Gero held up three fingers and announced to Son Gohan and the others in an unquestionable tone, "In three days, I'll hold a World Martial Arts Tournament. All of you will take part."
"The rules will be the same as the World Martial Arts Tournament, except I'll have two Cells fight. Each time, you'll also send out two people. Two against two, until everyone on one side is dead."
"This is your only chance. You have no choice. If you refuse to participate, I'll kill every human on Earth."
Android 16, Android 17, Android 18, and Android 19 stood where they were, like lambs waiting to be slaughtered, despair filling their eyes.
No matter which side won, the four of them were doomed.
Android 18 was standing directly across from Krillin. Seeing despair well up in her beautiful eyes, he couldn't help feeling sorry for her.
On top of that, Dr. Gero's words sent Krillin into a rage. He roared, "You bastard!"
A Destructo Disc shot out. In midair, it abruptly split into six blades, like six sharp swords, sealing off every direction around Dr. Gero with a piercing whistle as they tore through the air.
"You bastard! What do you think the people of Earth are to you?" Piccolo was furious, too. Old Kami had entrusted him with protecting the Earth.
Before Piccolo had even finished speaking, he vanished from where he stood. The next second, he appeared above Dr. Gero, bringing his palm down in a strike from above.
Just as his palm was about to touch the crown of Dr. Gero's head, Future Cell reached out and grabbed him. The androids linked up, and with a swish, vanished into thin air.
"Ke ke ke! Enjoy your last three days!"
Dr. Gero's laughter echoed through the air, its grating sound ringing in the ears of Son Gohan and the others.
Piccolo's palm struck nothing. He stood where Future Cell and the others had vanished, his expression complicated.
After his brief clash with Lightning Cell earlier, he'd felt that his opponent wasn't as strong as he was. And with his half-immortal body, if they kept fighting, Piccolo would surely win.
What a shame. They'd all gotten away, and he'd missed a golden opportunity to wipe them out.
The six blades of the Destructo Disc had lost their target, too. They struck the iceberg behind them with a thunderous crash. Countless enormous chunks of ice broke off, smashed through the ice floe, and plunged into the sea, triggering a sizable tsunami.
"Dr. Gero is too arrogant. Future Cell went to all that trouble to travel through time. He won't stay under someone else's thumb forever," Son Gohan said, looking worried.
"I have a feeling these three days might not be our last. They might be Dr. Gero's final days instead. How strong will Cell be when we meet again?"
"I've got it! Dr. Gero and the others must have gone back to the research facility at their base," Trunks said, suddenly sounding excited.
"We can go there, too. We can beat them before Cell gets any stronger!"
He remembered Bulma once telling him that Dr. Gero's laboratory was in the mountains nearby, in the north. They'd hollowed out the mountains to build it.
"It won't work. Future Cell would have thought of that. They must have moved somewhere else," Son Gohan said, rejecting the idea.
"I want to look anyway. It's better than just waiting around here." Trunks had made up his mind. He flew north.
"I'm going with him." Piccolo chased after him. If they really did find Dr. Gero's laboratory, Trunks would be walking to his death if he went alone.
"I'll go, too. At least I can help keep two of the androids under control." Tien Shinhan took a small bag of Senzu Beans from Chiaotzu and sped off.
Son Gohan nodded. Everyone was anxious. It was good to have something to do.
"If I go now, I probably won't be any help. I'd only be a burden." Yamcha clenched his fists, then let them fall helplessly, mocking himself.
Son Gohan patted him on the shoulder, unsure how to comfort him. Yamcha was undoubtedly at the lowest point in his life, unlucky in love and defeated in battle.
Krillin must be blaming himself, too. He couldn't help the others with his strength, so he must be feeling pretty down, right?
Son Gohan looked over at him. Krillin was standing there in a daze, muttering over and over, "Android 18, Android 18..."
Well, never mind what I said.
In the dim underground laboratory, the hum of a giant computer echoed through the room. Green liquid churned inside several incubation tanks, with unfinished android bodies submerged within.
Android 16, Android 17, Android 18, and Android 19 lay sprawled across the floor. They had become objects, no longer treated as people.
"Dr. Gero, the four of them are out of control. Let me absorb them!"
First Form Cell grinned cruelly, his mouth like an insect's mandibles.
Dr. Gero agreed without hesitation. "Of course. You'll both be fighting in three days, and you're far too weak as you are."
Having received permission, First Form Cell licked his lips, as if he couldn't wait to dig into a feast.
The end of his tail suddenly widened, opening like a giant serpent's mouth. It swallowed half of Android 19's body in one gulp, which slid down into Cell's body with a glug.
Then First Form Cell absorbed the other three androids. His appearance and aura began to undergo a dramatic transformation.
Dr. Gero's hands flew over the keyboard. His fingers blurred as they moved across the supercomputer's keys, the rapid clacking never stopping.
A huge barrier covered the entire laboratory, sealing in Cell's rapidly growing energy so that no one outside could sense it.
After a long while...
"So this is the perfect form?"
First Form Cell reveled in the energy within him. Golden lightning flickered around his body from time to time.
"This is nothing like a perfect form."
Dr. Gero sounded dismissive, but a trace of greed flashed in his eyes.
"After my modifications, you should theoretically be able to absorb every android. Then your power will reach a level capable of destroying the world. It's beyond imagination."
"Sadly, I won't get to see it now. You two have divided all the androids between you. But I'll create more androids in the future." Dr. Gero painted a picture of a bright future.
"Actually, you can see it."
Future Cell smiled slyly. "All you have to do is let me absorb First Form Cell."
"You want to absorb me? Do you think you can beat me?" First Form Cell sneered.
Dr. Gero saw the two of them at each other's throats again and snapped, "Stop arguing!"
"You two exist to help me get revenge. Don't say such meaningless things."
"I think it's very meaningful."
Future Cell was acting out of character. As if he'd learned some earth-shattering secret, he stared at Dr. Gero with an evil grin.
"You can relax now that both of us Cells have evolved to perfection, can't you?"
"Dr. Gero, your calculations were flawless. You really are the most brilliant scientist."
Future Cell strolled slowly across the laboratory, then stopped in front of Dr. Gero. He looked at him with a knowing smile, his voice playful.
"So when are you planning to make your move, absorb both of us Cells, and evolve into the strongest warrior in the universe?"
Before you continue