Android 16

Bulma had modified this detector, which looked much like the Dragon Radar, based on the Frieza Force's Scouters.

It could detect unusual energy fluctuations and computer network nodes.

The detector in Son Gohan's hand had picked up computer signals nearby.

Computer network activity in this vast, uninhabited desert was clearly out of the ordinary.

Holding the detector, Son Gohan followed the signal.

A few minutes later, he descended from the sky and looked at the cave before him.

The cave was well hidden, with thick shrubs growing around it and concealing its entrance.

Without the detector, Son Gohan would have had a hard time finding it.

Son Gohan raised a finger, and a streak of blazing ki shot out, instantly setting the shrubs alight.

Before long, the shrubs had burned away, leaving ashes scattered across the ground.

With the shrubs gone, the round cave entrance lay fully exposed before Son Gohan.

Son Gohan waved his hand, dispersing the dust and acrid smoke, then leaped into the cave.

After walking about five or six meters, he found his path blocked by a heavy steel door.

Looking closely, he spotted a conspicuous emblem printed on it.

The emblem had a red background with white borders and looked much like a bow tie, with two capital Rs inscribed on it.

It was unmistakably the Red Ribbon Army's logo.

Son Gohan's heart leaped with joy.

I'd searched high and low without finding it, and now it's practically fallen into my lap.

Finally found it.

Dr. Gero's laboratory must be here.

With that thought, Son Gohan briefly flared his ki to alert Trunks.

Sensing the rise in Son Gohan's ki, Trunks erupted in a blazing aura and flew swiftly toward him.

Soon, Trunks descended from the sky, ran into the cave, and reached Son Gohan's side.

"Gohan, did you find it?" he asked.

Son Gohan pointed at the heavy steel door behind him.

"Unless something unexpected comes up, it's behind this door."

"Oh?"

Trunks walked around Son Gohan and placed a hand against the thick steel plate, feeling its cold surface beneath his palm.

He raised his hand and knocked, producing a dull thud.

"Gohan, this door is made entirely of steel plate, over forty centimeters thick. What do we do?" Trunks asked.

"What else? We force it open, of course," Son Gohan said. "Trunks, you open it. Just watch your strength. Don't destroy anything inside."

"Yeah, all right." Trunks nodded in agreement.

Son Gohan stepped back a few paces.

Trunks extended his palm and pressed it against the steel door.

His ki erupted!

Boom!

A deafening crash rang out.

In an instant, the ground shook, and loose stones rained down from overhead.

Trunks shattered the steel door, at least forty centimeters thick, with a single palm strike.

"Uh, Gohan, I think I used just a little too much force." Trunks gave an embarrassed smile.

"It's fine. Let's go." Son Gohan waved the dust aside and stepped through the doorway.

Trunks likewise waved away the smoke and followed close behind Son Gohan.

Beyond the steel door, a spacious laboratory opened up before them.

Unlike the dim cave, the laboratory had numerous glowing energy stones embedded in its ceiling.

The energy stones illuminated the entire space, making the laboratory as bright as day.

Dr. Gero had hollowed out the interior of this weathered mountain,

building a sizable secret base inside.

Dense bundles of cables filled the laboratory, running across the floor and along the walls.

Several giant computers stood there, their screens black and their operations already halted.

The archive room was packed with Dr. Gero's various manuscripts and work notes.

Three nutrient-filled stasis pods lay or stood in the main hall.

Two of the pods were already open. Only one remained sealed, with energy conduits attached to both sides, supplying it with a continuous flow of power.

Not far from the stasis pods lay a headless corpse.

Though calling it a corpse was a stretch; all that remained were its clothes and bones.

Judging by the clothing, the headless corpse had to be Dr. Gero himself.

After awakening Android 17 and Android 18, the unfortunate Dr. Gero

had tried to control them with a specially made remote, only for Android 17 to turn on him and kill him.

In the end, Android 17 had even blasted his head apart, leaving him without an intact corpse.

There was also a large hole on the other side of the laboratory.

Android 17 had most likely torn it open by force back then.

The hole led directly out into the desert, letting windblown sand pour inside and pile up across the laboratory floor.

Son Gohan crouched beside Dr. Gero's remains and searched them.

After taking the lone pen from Dr. Gero's breast pocket, Son Gohan stood up and kicked the headless skeleton out through the hole.

"Trunks, pack up everything useful," Son Gohan instructed.

"Right, Gohan." Trunks nodded, took out the storage Capsules he carried, and packed away the computers, notes, and assorted manuscripts.

Son Gohan walked over to the stasis pods.

He first stored the two open pods in storage Capsules, then crouched down to examine the only unopened one.

A number was written on the pod.

16!

Through the pod's transparent glass, Son Gohan saw a tall, powerfully built android lying inside.

The android had a sharply chiseled face and short red hair.

He wore green armor over a black bodysuit, along with white socks and short green boots. His expression was cold.

He was unmistakably Android 16.

Dr. Gero had created this fully mechanical android in the image of his own son.

Dr. Gero's son had been a high-ranking soldier in the Red Ribbon Army,

but had tragically been shot dead by the enemy during a mission.

Out of his special affection for his son, Dr. Gero had given Android 16 tremendous strength and a terrifying explosive device.

Yet he had not wanted him to be destroyed in battle,

so he had designed Android 16 with a relatively gentle personality.

As a result, Android 16 not only disliked fighting but loved peace, nature, and small animals.

To the ambitious Dr. Gero, that made him nothing short of a failed creation.

Thus, he had never activated Android 16.

That had left him dormant to this day.

Resting a hand on the stasis pod, Son Gohan considered it and decided to reactivate Android 16.

There were two reasons.

First, Earth had far too few top-tier fighters at present. Android 16 possessed considerable combat power, and there was no telling when he might prove useful.

Second, Android 16 was gentle and peace-loving, not a vicious villain like Android 17 or Android 18. The risk of awakening him was very low.

This android offered far more benefits than drawbacks.

Besides, with Son Gohan's current strength, even if Android 16 inexplicably rebelled, he could easily deal with him.

Never mind Son Gohan-even Trunks could easily subdue Android 16 now.

After their lengthy training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, the two brothers' base combat power was astonishing.

And even in terms of transformation stages,

Son Gohan was now only a single breakthrough away from Super Saiyan 2, while Trunks had already fully mastered the Super Saiyan Full Power form.

No matter how powerful Android 16 was, he could never be a match for them.

Son Gohan carefully inspected the stasis pod, found the activation button, and pressed it.

A creaking sound rang out.

The stasis pod's lid slowly opened.

Trunks, who had practically wanted to pry up the floor tiles as well, walked over.

"Gohan, I've packed everything up. What are you doing?"

Then,

he saw a massive android sit up inside the stasis pod.