Hearing Vegeta's contempt, Krillin and Yamcha clenched their fists hard, but said nothing.
They had once believed that with Kaio-ken and sheer effort, they could keep up with Goku's pace.
But ever since Goku became a Super Saiyan, they realized the gap between them had become something impossible to bridge.
Vegeta's words were harshā
but not wrong.
Their strength had reached its limit. For a long time, there would be no massive improvement.
They were destined to fall behind.
Just then, Dr. Gero stopped.
"The lab is down there," he said. "Wait here."
"I'll call out 17 and 18."
"Don't even think about running!" the others barked.
They didn't loosen up at all as they followed Dr. Gero inside.
Dr. Gero entered his underground laboratory.
Staring at the pods holding Android 17 and Android 18, cold sweat poured down his forehead.
Hearing the heavy footsteps behind him, he thought bitterly:
Unless I have no other choiceā¦ I would never release them.
But nowā¦ I have no choice.
If I don't, I'll be killed!
So without hesitationā
he reached out with his broken arm and slapped the release switch.
"Hissā!"
Two pods opened.
Android 18 and Android 17 rose to their feet.
Unlike Android 19 and 20āwith their fat-body and old-man looksā
these two were completely different.
The man was handsome. The woman was beautiful.
Both wore cold, indifferent expressionsāemotionless and aloof, like they had no interest in anything at all.
Behind Dr. Gero, Vegeta and the others stiffened as they saw the new Androids.
Vegeta sneered.
"So this is your 'new model'?"
"You just improved your sense of aesthetics and changed their appearance."
"Hmph! That doesn't help in battle at all."
"Trash."
Dr. Gero didn't dare meet Vegeta's gaze.
He immediately turned to the two Androids and said:
"Android 18. Android 17."
"You have a mission."
"If you kill the people in front of youā¦ and Son Gokuā¦"
"Then you'll be free!"
Android 17 and Android 18 both froze.
"We'll be free?"
Dr. Gero nodded quickly. "Yes. Once you complete the mission, you'll be free."
The two exchanged a look, then turned their eyes toward Dr. Gero.
They could see his miserable condition.
Both arms destroyedā¦ and one leg seemed broken too.
Then they looked around the laboratory.
And at the people behind Dr. Geroā
especially Vegeta, who looked like a furious demon.
Instantly, they understood everything.
After locking the two of them away, Dr. Gero had turned himself into a mechanical Android.
Probably to get stronger, go out, and take revenge on Goku.
But he had failed.
He couldn't defeat these enemies and nearly got killed.
That's why he came crawling back in this pathetic state.
Now he was gambling everythingā
releasing them as a last resort to deal with the enemies in front of himā¦
and ultimately, to kill Son Goku.
Android 17 and 18 felt a quiet sense of relief.
Good thing he couldn't beat them.
Otherwise, he would've waited until their consciousness was erasedā
until they became nothing but killing machinesā
before he ever let them out.
Seeing that neither of them showed any intention of attacking, Dr. Gero panicked.
"Hey!"
"17! 18!"
"You're not going to obey me?!"
"I created you!"
"I gave you power and immortal bodies!"
"Be carefulāI can lock you up again!"
As he spoke, Dr. Gero glanced toward a table.
A large emergency shut-down device rested there.
The moment he threatened themā
Android 17's eyes turned icy.
"You don't even have arms anymore," he said. "What exactly are you going to use to shut us down?"
He turned slightly.
"18. Do it."
"Got it."
Android 18 instantly rushed past Dr. Gero, reached the table, and snatched up the emergency device.
Her slender fingersā
carrying terrifying strengthā
crushed it like a piece of brittle plastic.
She flicked the debris from her palm and looked back coldly.
"Now no one can shut us down."
Dr. Gero's face twisted in horror.
"18! What are you doing?!"
Before he could say anything elseā
his world spun.
Android 17 had already moved.
With one clean hand-knifeā
he sliced off Dr. Gero's head.
Dr. Gero's severed head rolled across the floor.
Electric sparks hissed from the neck.
Then Android 17 planted his foot on it.
Dr. Gero's head snarled, "Youā¦ damn itā¦ 17! 18! You're betraying me!"
"I'm warning youāwithout me, you'll die too!"
Android 17's voice was full of disgust.
"You locked us up for years, and you're surprised we'd betray you?"
"You bastard."
"Just die."
He stomped.
Dr. Gero's head crushed into pieces.
Everyone watching was stunned.
"What ruthless methodsā¦"
"He didn't even spare his creator."
Android 17 looked toward Krillin.
"Hey, bald guy. You got that wrong."
"He was never our master."
Vegeta snorted.
"They've got the right idea."
"We Saiyans are the same."
"Anyone who annoys us dies."
"Otherwise, what's the point of getting stronger?"
At that moment, Android 18 glanced at another pod nearby.
"Hey, 17ā¦ there's another Android sleeping here."
"Looks like 16."
"Should we open it?"
Android 17 shrugged.
"If he's like us, he probably got locked up for not listening."
"Open it."
Android 18 didn't hesitate.
She pressed the switch.
The pod openedā
and a massive Android stood up.
Seeing that, Krillin and the others sucked in a breath.
"A-another Android?!"
"That thing is huge!"
Yamcha swallowed hard.
"He looks strongā¦"
"KrillināVegeta takes one, Piccolo takes oneā¦"
"Then you and I take this one?"
Krillin nodded.
"Alright."
Vegeta couldn't wait anymore.
He shouted at them, impatient and arrogant:
"Hey!"
"Which one of you wants to fight me?"
"Or are you three coming at me together?!"
Android 17 and Android 18 looked at Vegeta's group.
"Why would we fight?" 17 asked.
Krillin and the others froze.
ā¦Not fighting?
Then everyone's eyes drifted to Dr. Gero's headless lower body still lying on the floor, sparks crackling from the severed neck.
Krillin realizedā
Dr. Gero created them.
They refused to obey, and killed him.
Now that they had free willā¦
there was no reason to follow Dr. Gero's command anymore.
Krillin felt a wave of relief.
Maybeā¦ they didn't need to fight.
But Vegeta stepped forward, chin lifted high.
He sneered.
"What?"
"Are you afraid of me?"
"Just puppets."
"And you're capable of fear?"
"Earth's technology is surprisingly amusing."
The moment Vegeta called them puppetsā
Android 17 and 18's eyes flashed with cold killing intent.
Android 17 turned to Android 16.
"16."
"He called us puppets."
"Go."
"Let's see what you can do."
"Fight him."
Android 16 replied flatly, "No."
"I don't like fighting."
17: "..."
18: "..."
"I don't like fighting"ā¦?
That single sentence left both Android 17 and 18 silent.
Android 18 sighed. "17ā¦ I think I understand why Dr. Gero locked the three of us up."
Android 17 put his hands on his hips. "Yeah. I get it too."
"All three of usā¦ don't listen."
Android 18 brushed back her bangs and looked at Vegeta's group.
She had already scanned them.
But she didn't see Son Goku.
Dr. Gero created them for one reasonā
revenge for the Red Ribbon Army. Killing Son Goku.
But Android 18 wasn't stupid.
When she was younger, she had once met Goku briefly on an island.
He had even given her a Senzu Bean.
She hadn't known his name back then.
Now that she had awakened, she naturally wanted to see someone familiar.
Besidesā
she and 17 had no personal hatred toward Goku at all.
It was Dr. Gero who hated Goku.
And "brainwashing" adults with words alone?
Not so easy.
After Gero modified them, their personalities remained uncontrollable.
So he used the emergency stop system to disable themā
sealed them awayā
and tried to slowly brainwash them with scientific programming.
Later, as his lifespan neared its end, he created 19ā¦
and modified his own bodyā¦
Years passed like that.
In the dark pod, they had been forced to absorb endless informationā
including Goku's entire life story.
And when Android 18 finally connected everythingā
she realized the kid who defeated King Piccolo had grown up.
They had also received extensive data on everyone around Goku.
The most shocking part?
The rich woman Bulmaāthe one who once casually handed them a bank cardā
was actually Goku's wife.
They were stunned when they saw that.
Bulma was truly the world's richest person.
And a genius beyond belief.
Goku's growth wasn't just strengthā
it was backed by her technology and money.
Even Goku's appetite alone would bankrupt normal people.
And then another important thought hit them:
Back before they were captured, they had spent that moneyā
but there was still plenty left.
Now years had passed.
Their old home had probably been destroyed by Dr. Geroā¦
and the bank card could be gone, ruined, weathered away.
Android 18 suddenly thoughtā
Why not just go find Bulma and get a replacement card?
All those thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant.
Then she asked calmly:
"Goku isn't here?"
Vegeta's face twisted with rage.
"You dare ask whether Kakarot is here right in front of me?!"
He bellowed:
"Let me tell you something!"
"I'm the Saiyan Prince!"
"I'm far stronger than that clown Kakarot!"
"Come on!"
"Fight me!"
Vegeta roared and erupted in golden lightā
transforming into a Super Saiyan.
Android 17 blinked. "Huh. His aura's different now."
Vegeta laughed coldly.
"Not just different."
"My strength will terrify you!"
"You three wooden dollsā"
"I'll show you what real power is!"
Android 18 rolled her shoulders loosely.
Then she said with a faintly confused tone:
"I honestly don't understandā¦"
"How someone as arrogant as you, with mediocre strength and a terrible personalityā¦"
"ā¦managed to get into Goku's circle."
Vegeta's fury exploded.
"You puppet!"
"How dare you!"
"The world has changed!"
"I'm the strongest Super Saiyan alive!"
Android 18 raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Vegeta snapped completely.
"Damn it!"
"Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're a woman!"
"You're just a puppet!"
"I'll smash you into pieces!"
He stomped, shattering the floorā
and launched forward with a monstrous punch aimed at Android 18.
But Android 18 didn't even flinch.
She met him head-onā
and the fight began.
Vegeta unleashed a storm of savage attacks.
Android 18 blocked them all with calm precision.
Watching from behind, Piccolo, Krillin, and Yamcha were completely stunned.
"Dr. Gero was rightā¦"
"The new models really are stronger!"
"Vegeta's Super Saiyan power is insaneā"
"Way beyond Frieza back then!"
"And this womanā¦ she's holding him off!"
Vegeta pressed forward nonstop, vicious and unrelentingā
like he wanted to crush her into nothing with his fists.
But Android 18 kept defending with minimal movement,
quietly probing his level the entire time.
Yet Vegeta was growing more and more impatient.
He wanted a quick kill.
After allā
Android 18 wasn't the only one here.
So his attacks became even more ferocious.
Watching, Android 17 couldn't help being surprised.
"In Dr. Gero's data, Vegeta was basically the weakest."
"I never expectedā¦"
"We've only been asleep for a few yearsā"
"And he grew to this level."
"What a monster."
"No wonder Dr. Gero crawled back to the lab like that."
Vegeta and Android 18 clashed again, then separated.
Vegeta stared her down coldly.
"Your agility is beyond what I expected."
"But my power is far greater."
"You can't be fine."
"You blocked my hits, sureābut your arms must be numb by now."
A smug grin lifted his lips.
Android 18 casually brushed her bangs away.
She didn't answer.
The gesture alone was a messageā
I'm unhurt.
And I'm not even tired.
Seeing her seemingly untouched,
Vegeta's anger surged againā¦ then he laughed loudly.
"Hahahaha!"
"I get it now!"
"You're just a puppetāso you don't feel pain!"
"Hmph. What a pity."
"Then I'll just destroy you completely!"
Android 18 asked coldly, "You weren't using your full power, were you?"
"Saving strength for 17 and 16?"
Vegeta sneered.
"Of course!"
"If I went all out, the Earth couldn't withstand it!"
Android 18 put her hands on her hips.
"I haven't been serious either, you know."
Vegeta pointed his thumb at himself arrogantly.
"Then you'd better get serious."
"Otherwise, you're about to be shattered into pieces."