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After absorbing Android 17, the once short and insect-like Cell underwent a jarring, massive metamorphosis. His physique grew tall and burly, and his face, which previously bore no resemblance to anything mortal, took on a chillingly human-like appearance.
However, the physical change was merely a surface-level horror. The most critical shift was the astronomical rise in his power. The malevolent Ki radiating from him was so immense that it made Piccolo tremble with visceral fear.
On the way to West City, Lapis stared at the projected footage with wide eyes. "I... I was actually absorbed by that hideous freak?" Watching his future self being consumed by the bio-android was a living nightmare he couldn't quite process.
Standing nearby, Lazuli's expression was equally grim. "If you were taken, then my own absorption isn't far off," she noted, her voice tight. Her brother was already gone in the timeline of the video, meaning she was the only piece left for Cell to complete his puzzle. She looked at her brother with a sharp, critical eye.
"But then again, Lapis, you were far too overconfident. Piccolo warned you to run, yet you stood your ground and even dared to attack him. If you had just retreated, he wouldn't have caught you so easily."
Lapis couldn't find the words to refute her. His arrogant demeanor in the video made even him feel a sense of revulsion. He wasn't usually like that; it seemed that the future transformation into an Android would warp his personality, making him conceited and reckless. He felt a small wave of relief knowing that, despite the cybernetic enhancements, his future self still retained enough humanity to avoid becoming a mindless monster. Still, he knew the best way to avoid that fate was to ensure the transformation never happened at all.
As for the countless viewers across the Wanjie Multiverse, the absorption of Android 17 was expected. They had already deduced that Cell would eventually reach his Perfect Form, so the event itself wasn't the shock. It was the implications of his current strength that rattled them.
Sengoku of the Marines voiced the concern that haunted everyone. "I recall that Cell was no match for Piccolo earlier. If Piccolo hadn't feigned defeat to gather intel, he could have ended him then and there. But how much time has passed? Cell can now easily overpower Android 17. Just how much life energy has he consumed to bridge that gap?"
Sengoku's words cast a heavy silence over the dimensional chat, especially among the ordinary citizens of various worlds. They knew Cell grew stronger by drinking the life essence of others. To go from being weaker than Piccolo to dominating a high-level Android meant that countless lives had been snuffed out.
The thought of entire cities becoming ghost towns filled with empty clothes made even the most hardened villains shiver. They might be ruthless, but compared to Cell's cold, systematic consumption, they were practically benevolent. Cell was a true demon.
Uzumaki Naruto spoke up, his voice echoing the sentiment of many. "I wonder if Dr. Gero would actually regret creating such a terrifying monster if he saw this."
The response was immediate and chilling. "Regret? Why should I feel regret?" Dr. Gero's message appeared, filled with a twisted sense of pride. "To create such a magnificent, powerful Android... I truly admire my own genius!" Gero looked at the image of Cell with eyes full of scientific obsession.
To him, Cell was his masterpiece. However, the video served as a quiet warning; he realized he needed to ensure absolute control over his creations. He had no intention of being devoured by the tiger he had raised.
His comments drew a barrage of curses from across the dimensions, but Gero ignored them entirely. Then, Bulma's voice cut through the noise with a logical solution. "Listen, why don't we just find Dr. Gero right now and get rid of him? That way, the Androids and Cell never happen in the first place."
In the original timeline, this idea had been dismissed, but seeing the carnage Cell was capable of changed everything. The Z Fighters were now in full agreement. Krillin chimed in, "Exactly. At this point in time, Gero probably hasn't even finished the Androids. If we take him out now, we can stop this crisis before it starts."
Tien Shinhan added, "Even though Vegeta is still on his way to Earth, I think even he would agree to this."
Inside his speeding spaceship, Vegeta remained silent, but he subconsciously nodded. The existence of Dr. Gero was an insult to the Saiyan race. The idea that a mere human scientist could create machines that surpassed a Super Saiyan was a reality Vegeta refused to accept. If he could erase the man and the machines from history, he would do it in a heartbeat.
"In that case," Krillin continued, "let's hurry and find Gero, then we can get back to our preparation. Bulma's father hasn't even finished the high-gravity training device yet anyway."
"Good idea," Yamcha agreed.
With their minds made up, the Z Fighters prepared to nip the threat in the bud. They felt no guilt about targeting the old man; they knew the monster he would eventually unleash. This decision sparked a wave of support from the ordinary citizens of the Dragon Ball world. No one wanted to become fuel for Cell's evolution.
A global manhunt began, with everyone on Earth searching for any sign of Gero's hidden laboratory. While the Saiyan invasion was still a year away, the threat of Cell felt far more immediate and visceral.
Suddenly, a message appeared from Lapis. "@Krillin, my sister Lazuli and I are currently heading toward West City. Could you come and pick us up?"
Krillin replied cautiously, "Who are you?"
"We are the two siblings from the video," Lapis explained. "But we haven't been turned into Androids by Gero yet. We're still human."
"Understood," Krillin responded, a sense of urgency in his tone. "Send me your coordinates. We're coming for you."
Akira watched the exchange with a tactical eye. As a transmigrator, he knew that securing the siblings now wouldn't just save themāit would effectively cut off Cell's path to perfection before the game even began.