"Son Goku..."
Android 17 stared at Goku below, the surprise in his eyes gradually turning into excitement.
"That old man, Dr. Gero, programmed our ultimate mission to kill you."
"I thought I'd never get the chance to carry it out."
"And yet you delivered yourself right to us."
"This is... perfect!"
Boom!
A green aura erupted around Android 17 as he shot downward like a missile.
"Die!"
He skipped all probing attacks and opened with a killing blow.
His speed was terrifying, ripping through the air with a deafening sonic boom.
Goku remained expressionless, standing perfectly still.
Only when Android 17's fist was less than an inch from his face did he move.
Smack!
A crisp impact echoed through the battlefield.
Goku casually raised his left hand and caught the heavy punch with ease.
A violent shockwave exploded outward from the two of them, pulverizing the surrounding rubble into dust.
"What?!"
Android 17's pupils contracted.
That punch had carried nearly eighty percent of his power.
It was strong enough to blast through a mountain.
And Goku had stopped it as casually as catching a ball.
"Too slow."
Goku's calm voice echoed.
The next instant...
Golden light burst into the sky.
Super Saiyan!
Goku's power exploded as blazing golden flames engulfed his body.
Grabbing Android 17's wrist, he twisted his waist and executed a flawless shoulder throw.
Boom!!
The earth shattered as Android 17 was smashed straight into the ground, leaving behind a massive crater.
"Damn you!"
Roaring in fury, Android 17 blasted out of the crater, looking thoroughly battered.
"Stop watching, 18! Help me!"
"This guy isn't anything like the data!"
He finally realized the Goku before him was nothing like the man who was supposed to have died from heart disease.
"Tch. Useless."
Android 18 snorted.
Though she mocked him, she instantly transformed into a blur and joined the fight.
Two against one.
Or so it seemed.
Just as Android 18 was about to reach Goku...
A violet sword slash and a dark blue energy wave struck simultaneously.
Clang!
Forced onto the defensive, Android 18 kicked Trunks' sword aside before twisting away from Vegeta's Galick Gun.
"Don't forget."
"You're not fighting Kakarot alone!"
Golden light surrounded Vegeta as he hovered proudly in the air, looking down with absolute confidence.
"Androids?"
"Hmph. You're nothing but piles of scrap metal."
Future Trunks also transformed into a Super Saiyan.
His sword gleamed in his hand as vengeance burned in his emerald eyes.
"Today..."
"I'm going to avenge everyone who died!"
The battlefield instantly split apart.
Goku faced Android 17.
Vegeta and Future Trunks teamed up against Android 18.
...
Wait.
There was still one bald man.
Krillin floated high above the battlefield with his arms folded, calmly watching the chaos below like a referee.
He opened his system panel and scanned Android 18.
[Target: Android 18 (Future Timeline)]
[Race: Android (Infinite Energy Model)]
[Power Level: 780,000,000]
"Seven hundred eighty million..."
Krillin rubbed his chin.
For the current Z Fighters, that wasn't especially impressive anymore.
After training inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, even Vegeta's regular Super Saiyan form could overpower her.
But this was Future Android 18.
She carried the aura of an ice queen.
Cold.
Merciless.
Completely indifferent to human life.
Compared to the tsundere wife from his own timeline, who had gradually softened toward him, this version had a very different charm.
"You aren't getting away."
"I came here specifically for you."
A smile slowly spread across Krillin's face.
Whoosh!
The next second, he vanished.
...
In the middle of the battlefield.
Android 18 had just kicked Future Trunks away and was about to fire an energy blast at Vegeta.
Suddenly...
A man's presence appeared directly behind her.
Extremely close.
So close she could feel his breath brushing the back of her neck.
"Who's there?!"
Android 18's expression changed dramatically.
Her android sensors hadn't detected anything!
Before she could turn around, a teasing voice whispered beside her ear.
"Hmm..."
"You smell like smoke from the battlefield..."
"But honestly?"
"You still smell pretty nice."
Krillin leaned close to her golden hair, taking an exaggerated deep breath with a thoroughly satisfied expression.
"The Future Android 18 may have colder eyes..."
"But you've still got a flawless figure."
"Everything's perfectly where it should be."
She had been flirted with.
Android 18's mind exploded.
Ever since she'd been created, besides Android 17, no one had ever dared stand this close to her.
Much less openly tease her like this.
"You bastard!!"
Fury erupted from her.
Twisting her waist, she unleashed a vicious spinning kick powerful enough to shatter reinforced alloy.
The kick was aimed straight at Krillin's head.
An ordinary person's skull would have exploded like a watermelon.
But to Krillin...
The attack moved in slow motion.
Bang!
Her kick landed squarely against the side of his face.
Yet...
The scene she expected never happened.
Krillin didn't move.
His neck didn't even tilt.
Instead...
Android 18 felt as though she'd kicked an indestructible steel wall.
Crack!
An overwhelming recoil shot back through her alloy leg, numbing it instantly.
She could even hear the metal inside her leg groaning under the strain.
"W... What?!"
Her eyes widened in complete disbelief.
How was this possible?
She possessed an Infinite Energy Reactor!
Even Vegeta wouldn't dare tank that kick with his face!
"Not bad."
"But what?"
"Did you skip breakfast?"
Krillin turned toward her with a brilliant smile.
The smile of someone who possessed absolute confidence in overwhelming strength.
[Passive Skill Activated: Absolute Physical Immunity (Advanced)]
[Damage Received: 0]
A faint crimson aura suddenly surrounded Krillin.
It wasn't the Kaio-ken.
It was the divine aura released by his Martial God Core.
Boom!
The mere eruption of his aura generated a tangible shockwave.
"Ahhh!"
Android 18 couldn't even react.
It felt as though she'd been struck by a speeding freight train.
She was blasted hundreds of feet away, tumbling through the air over a dozen times before barely regaining her balance.
A mixture of blood and machine oil trickled from the corner of her mouth.
Her eyes were filled with fear.
Just what...
...was this bald monster?
Krillin called out toward Goku and Vegeta in the distance.
"Hey!"
"Android 17 is yours for practice!"
He raised one finger and pointed at the horrified Android 18.
"As for this Android 18..."
"I'm taking her home as a souvenir."
"And nobody's stealing her from me!"
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