Chapter 3

"I don't want to be part of you, you ugly monster!"

Android 18 struggled to resist, but the power gap between her and Cell was far too great. There was no chance of escape.

She could only watch helplessly as that disgusting tail came closer to swallowing her whole.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the sound of something cutting through the air echoed loudly!

A figure wearing a black battle suit appeared in front of Android 18 in an instant and grabbed hold of Cell's tail.

"Not happening, ugly. You're not absorbing Android 18 while I'm here!"

With that, Katakana yanked Cell's tail sharply.

Rip!

Green liquid burst out from Cell's tail as Katakana pulled it clean off.

"AHH... Who... who are you!?"

Cell stared in horror at the mysterious man in front of him. The overwhelming sense of danger this man exuded made him momentarily forget the excruciating pain in his tail.

"Who… who is he?"

Android 18 blinked, her watery eyes—still brimming with fear—focused on the tall figure in front of her.

Who was this man? Why was he protecting her?

Her mind flooded with questions, unable to comprehend what was happening.

At the same time, Vegeta and Trunks, who had been fighting in the distance, also stopped to look at the newcomer.

But Vegeta's eyes immediately narrowed.

A tail?

Is this guy another Saiyan?

"He's... so strong!"

"To tear off Cell's tail like that… But why can't I sense his energy?"

Trunks frowned, puzzled. In the future timeline, he had never seen or even heard of this person.

Yet, the strength this stranger displayed was undeniable.

Tch. He must have some way to suppress his energy… but he can't fool me!

Vegeta scoffed arrogantly.

Even though the man had a tail, Vegeta refused to believe he was another Saiyan. After all, the destruction of Planet Vegeta meant there were only two surviving Saiyans—himself and Kakarot.

There couldn't possibly be a third.

"Who are you, and how dare you interfere with my plans!"

Cell glared at Katakana, his voice filled with anger and apprehension. Though Cell had no information on this mysterious figure, one thing was clear: anyone who could tear off his tail with such ease was a force to be reckoned with.

"Afraid of death?"

"From you?"

Katakana smirked confidently.

After gaining full control of his current body in the system space, Katakana knew exactly how strong he was now.

Cell, even in his Perfect Form, would be no more than an insect in Katakana's eyes.

"Be careful…"

"This monster… is very strong!" Android 18 whispered, trying to warn Katakana.

For some reason, looking at him made her heart race.

"Don't worry," Katakana replied with a faint smile.

"As long as I'm here, Cell won't lay a finger on you."

Katakana stepped forward, positioning himself directly in front of Cell.

"You bastard!"

"You dare look down on me!?"

Cell roared in fury. Clenching his fists, he charged at Katakana with all his might.

"I'll show you that no one can stop me from absorbing Android 18!"

Seeing Katakana remain motionless, Cell assumed his speed had overwhelmed him. A grin spread across his face as he prepared to attack.

But before Cell could land a blow, Katakana's fist had already slammed into his abdomen.

Thud!

Pfft!

Before Cell could even react, Katakana's punch pierced through his stomach entirely.

"Gah…!"

Cell's body shot backward like a cannonball, smashing through several mountains before finally crashing into a pile of rubble.

"What... just happened?"

Android 18 blinked, her wide eyes filled with disbelief as she stared at Katakana's back.

"He took out Cell with one punch… So strong!"

The sight of Cell, the terrifying monster that had dominated the battlefield moments ago, now lying motionless, left her utterly stunned.

Even Vegeta, as strong as he was, would have struggled to inflict this level of damage on Cell.

Who was this person?

Yet, amidst her confusion, Android 18 couldn't shake the feeling that Katakana had been watching over them the entire time.

It was only when Cell tried to attack her that he stepped in to deliver such a decisive blow.

His strength, his timing, his presence—it all left Android 18 in awe.

And just as Katakana stood there calmly, the system's notification rang in his mind.

Ding…