Earth.
This planet, once enveloped by azure oceans and lush greenery, now shows no signs of life.
Looking down from the desolate universe, the Earth's surface is completely shrouded in a thick, sticky layer of ash clouds, obscuring all sunlight, resembling a cold, lifeless apocalyptic graveyard.
The West City has long since been reduced to ruins.
Deep beneath these ruins lies a highly sophisticated secret research lab, completely out of place with its surroundings.
Inside the research room, there was only one lonely figure.
Bulma looked haggard, and her once beautiful purple hair was now streaked with glaring silver strands.
She sat blankly at the cold workbench, staring vacantly at the intricate mechanical parts scattered on the floor, motionless for a long time.
The sorrow in her heart, like the oppressive air underground, lingered and suffocated her.
Bulma slowly raised her hand and looked at the electronic calendar hanging on the wall.
Back then, she and Krillin risked their lives to successfully cover the last hope of this timeline— Trunks and Son Goten —as they escaped this hopeless world aboard the only Time Machine.
At that moment, she was prepared to perish along with the world.
But Cell did not kill her.
That demon gave her a new "game".
Rebuild the Time Machine!
The term is two years!
If Cell doesn't see what he wants after the deadline...
It will destroy the Earth!
The countdown to death continues to draw near.
Bulma is no longer afraid of death.
Having endured so much suffering, death might be a relief for her.
But what she fears is that if Earth is destroyed, Trunks and Son Goten from another timeline might return in Time Machine...
They will lose their only foothold!
And what if the Time Machine doesn't have enough energy for a second time jump!
They will inevitably get lost in the vast universe, exhausting their energy in endless loneliness and despair, and eventually turning into cold space debris.
The thought of that possibility made Bulma feel breathless...
at the same time.
One end of the Earth.
The once continuous glaciers have long been leveled by terrifying energy.
Perfect Cell was idly surveying his surroundings.
There was no other life in this world that could arouse even the slightest interest in him.
He longed to travel to other times and spaces, to find new prey that would excite him.
Cell glanced at the dim sky, his patience completely exhausted.
He snorted coldly, a cruel killing intent flashing in his eyes.
"That woman had better not be playing me."
Before he could finish speaking...
He instantly unleashed a massive evil aura, transforming into a green lightning bolt that tore through the sound barrier, hurtling straight toward the West City!
Above the ruins of the West City.
The green light suddenly stopped, and Cell's figure appeared.
He looked down at the desolate ruins below.
He casually tossed it downwards.
A golden Ki Wave, trailing a long flame, roared down.
Amidst the deafening roar, the ground was easily torn apart, as if it were made of paper.
A huge hole appeared in the very center of the ruins.
Blinding sunlight, mixed with billowing smoke and dust, mercilessly pierced into the dimly lit underground laboratory for the first time in two years.
The sudden blast wave violently knocked Bulma to the ground.
Her forehead slammed heavily against the floor, and bright red blood instantly seeped out.
Bulma struggled to sit up, blood streaming down her face, but she didn't care.
She raised her head and, through the billowing smoke, stared directly at the slowly descending figure, like the Grim Reaper.
In her eyes, there was no fear, no submission, only an overwhelming sorrow and resolute determination.
Cell landed in front of her, looking down at her from above.
"How is it, Dr. Bulma?"
"Are you ready with what I want?"
Bulma slowly and laboriously got up from the ground.
She straightened her back, meeting Cell's imposing gaze.
"The machine is not finished."
Her voice was hoarse.
"It's not time yet..."
"It's not time yet, but it won't be long!" Cell said calmly.
"Can I see your progress?"
Cell then sneered at Bulma's silence.
His figure vanished from the spot in an instant!
Bulma felt a blur before her eyes, and then a terrifying, suffocating force gripped her neck tightly!
Cell lifted her into the air with one hand.
"It seems you have absolutely no intention of cooperating, Dr. Bulma!"
Bulma's face turned red from being choked, and she struggled to breathe, but she still stared at him intently with those sorrowful eyes.
That look of resignation in his eyes completely ignited Cell's murderous intent.
"Since you are now of no value..."
Cell frowned.
"Then this boring planet will go with you and turn into cosmic dust!"
A blinding ball of destructive light rapidly condensed at his fingertips.
Death is just around the corner.
Bulma slowly closed her eyes.
In the endless darkness, the bright smiles of Son Goku, Vegeta, her former friends on Earth, Trunks, and Son Goten flashed through her mind.
In that split second between life and death—
Buzz--!!!
High in the sky, a sharp, piercing sound of spatial friction suddenly rang out!
Cell, who was about to enjoy the brutal killing, suddenly stopped in his tracks.
He instinctively looked up.
Suddenly, a dazzling light exploded in the dim sky above his head!
The once lifeless space was torn apart by an unreasonable brute force, creating a huge and irregular crack!
Before Cell could even see what was happening in the sky...
A blinding white light suddenly flashed before his eyes!
With a loud bang, Cell felt a dent in his chest!
An irresistible, heavy blow struck him instantly!
The hard shell on his chest shattered instantly.
Cell was thrown back uncontrollably.
It crashed into the dilapidated building next door, which was already in ruins.
Rumble--!!!
The already crumbling building collapsed with a roar upon impact, sending up clouds of dust that completely swallowed his figure.
"Cough... cough cough..."
Cell struggled to his feet from the ruins, his face filled with horror.
He glanced down at the shocking dent in his chest, where green blood was uncontrollably oozing from the corner of his mouth.
What happened?
What was that just now?
He suddenly looked up, heading in Bulma's direction.
The smoke and dust slowly dissipated.
A strange figure stood before Bulma.
He was a short boy.
He was wearing a strangely styled vest.