Chapter 84: Securing Android 18 (Patreon)

The two figures moved rapidly, as if vanishing almost simultaneously.

A thunderous boom erupted in the center of the hall, and in the blink of an eye the two of them were up in the sky.

Everyone else backed away to open ground to watch the fight.

Goku and Android 17's figures collided again and again as they moved at high speed, each impact sending out a violent shockwave of ki.

The pipes along the walls shattered from the tremors, sparks flying everywhere.

Piccolo pulled Gohan back, shielding him. "Everyone get back, or you'll get caught in this."

Krillin and the others immediately retreated further away.

Android 18 stood apart from the group, head tilted up, watching the fight with evident interest.

Goku transformed into a Super Saiyan, his golden aura blindingly bright.

His fists and kicks moved so fast that ordinary people couldn't even follow them.

Android 17's movements were just as fierce, every strike precise and powerful.

The two of them fought from the hall up into the mountainside, then smashed through the rock layers and burst into the sky.

The entire barren mountain trembled, rubble tumbling down without pause.

"So strong!" Tien Shinhan couldn't help exclaiming.

"Goku still... hasn't gained the upper hand." Krillin's face went pale.

In the sky, Goku and Android 17 clashed fiercely.

Goku landed an elbow strike on Android 17's shoulder, while Android 17 simultaneously kicked him in the ribs.

They separated, then instantly slammed back together.

Goku grabbed Android 17's wrist, trying to throw him toward the ground.

Android 17 used the momentum to flip, dragging Goku down with him instead.

The two of them crashed into the mountainside like meteors, blasting out a crater more than ten meters deep.

When the dust cleared, Goku knelt half-upright at the bottom of the crater, breathing hard.

Android 17 stood across from him, his clothes torn in several places, a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.

Both of them were hurt, but Android 17's expression stayed calm, his breathing even.

"You're more trouble than I expected," Android 17 said.

Goku wiped his mouth and slowly got to his feet. "So are you. Let's go again."

He charged forward once more.

The two of them kept fighting fiercely at the bottom of the crater.

Goku's breathing grew heavier and heavier — holding his Super Saiyan form was taking a massive toll.

Android 17, meanwhile, seemed tireless, his movements never losing the speed and power he'd started with.

Though he was taking hits too, his recovery was visibly faster than Goku's.

Piccolo caught the telltale sign. "There's no telling how much stamina these androids have.

I have a feeling that if this keeps up, Goku will be the one to run out of steam first."

"Then what do we do?" Krillin was frantic. "Let's all jump in together!"

"Don't panic. Let's see how Goku does first."

The battle between Goku and Android 17 had gone on for nearly twenty minutes.

The entire barren mountain had been leveled flat, littered with broken rock and scorch marks.

Goku's attacks were still fierce, but his speed and power were slowly fading.

Android 17 spotted an opening and landed a heavy punch to Goku's stomach.

Goku doubled over, and Android 17 immediately followed with a knee to his chin.

Goku's head snapped back as he was sent flying, crashing hard to the ground.

"Dad!" Gohan screamed, trying to rush forward, but Piccolo grabbed hold of him.

Goku lay on the ground, his chest heaving violently.

His golden hair flickered on and off — he could barely hold his Super Saiyan form any longer.

Android 17 walked up and looked down at him.

"You lose."

Goku gasped for breath, a wry smile crossing his face. "Yeah. Your stamina's too good — I can't beat you."

Android 17 raised his hand, energy gathering in his palm. "Sorry. We don't want to kill anyone,

but the purpose we were made for is to kill you. Dr. Gero's orders can't be disobeyed."

Android 18 walked over and stood beside Android 17.

Krillin, Tien Shinhan, and the others rushed forward.

Piccolo readied himself too, already beginning to charge his Special Beam Cannon.

They knew they were outmatched, but no one backed down.

Then, without warning, Android 18 casually flicked her arm. An explosion sent Krillin, Tien Shinhan, and Yamcha — the three in front — flying backward.

They crashed to the ground, and though not seriously hurt, they couldn't get up for a moment.

Gohan was knocked over by the shockwave too, tumbling into a pile of rubble.

"Our only target is Goku. Don't stick your noses in this," Android 18 said coldly.

The energy in Android 17's hand had fully charged.

Goku struggled to get up, but his legs wouldn't obey him.

Not far away, Android 20 — Dr. Gero himself — shouted excitedly, "Yes! Exactly like that..."

Just at that critical instant, a figure appeared without warning in front of Goku.

Goku's face lit up.

"Oryon, you finally made it!"

Oryon glanced around. This place had once been a mountain, but now it lay flat as an open plain. He couldn't help but marvel, "You guys really went all out."

The moment Oryon's figure touched down, Krillin, Tien Shinhan, and Yamcha all cried out almost at once.

"Oryon!"

"He's finally here!"

"Now we're saved!"

Goku, already spent, felt the tension drain from him the instant he saw Oryon appear.

He fell backward, lying at the bottom of the crater, gasping for air.

Gohan crawled out of the rubble, tears welling in his eyes. His lips trembled, and he finally cried out, "Uncle Oryon!"

Piccolo lowered his half-charged Special Beam Cannon and let out a long breath.

He knew Oryon's strength was unfathomable, but a trace of unease still lingered in him.

The power Android 17 and Android 18 had just shown went beyond anything he'd known. Whether Oryon could handle both androids at once was still anyone's guess.

Yamcha forced himself up from the ground, blood still running down his arm, relief showing in his eyes. "Thank god. Now that he's here, we're sure to win."

Tien Shinhan's gaze fixed intently on Oryon.

Only Vegeta still lay among the ruins, his mind hazy.

Krillin staggered over, pulled a Senzu Bean from the small pouch he carried, pried Vegeta's mouth open, and pushed it in.

"Vegeta, wake up!" Krillin slapped his face hard.

A few seconds later, Vegeta's eyes snapped open, and he shoved Krillin away.

He sat up, his muscles still trembling faintly from the heavy blows he'd just taken.

The Senzu Bean quickly mended his broken arm and damaged organs, the wounds visibly healing before his eyes.

He looked at Android 18 and Android 17, unable to settle the storm inside him.

He, of all people, had been no match for a mere android.

Now that Oryon had arrived, what difference would it make?

He wanted Oryon to win, yet he didn't want Oryon to be stronger than him.

Right now, Vegeta's feelings were a tangled knot of contradiction.

"Hmph. Let's see what you've got."

Android 18's gaze lingered on Oryon for a few seconds.

She tilted her head slightly and murmured to Android 17 beside her, "This one... he's stronger than the others. Should we take him together?"

"Together," Android 17 said.

Android 18 gave a soft "Mm."

Before the words had even settled, both of them vanished from where they stood.

Android 17 swung a punch from the left, Android 18 kicked from the right, their coordination leaving almost no gap between them.

Oryon neither dodged nor flinched. Both his hands shot out at once — his left hand caught Android 17's wrist precisely, his right locked onto Android 18's ankle.

With a shrug of his shoulders, he flung them both away.

Android 17 and Android 18 flipped through the air and landed steadily on their feet.

But before they could even settle, Oryon had already appeared in front of Android 17.

Android 17's pupils contracted sharply, and he crossed his arms to block.

Oryon's palm came down, looking almost casual, yet it forced Android 17 back five or six steps, his heels plowing two deep furrows into the ground.

Android 18 seized the chance to strike from the side and behind.

Oryon, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, reached back and blocked without even turning around.

Android 18's fist landed in his palm, and the recoil left her own hand numb.

Startled, she leapt back at once.

"How is this possible—"

"How could this be..."

Android 18 stared at Oryon's profile, her heart racing for no reason she could name.

She shook her head, trying to shake off the thought.

Oryon stood where he was and curled a finger at them, beckoning. "You two are stronger than I expected. From here on, I'm going to get serious."

Android 17 took a deep breath and charged forward again.

This time he was even faster, his fists raining down like a storm.

Android 18 joined the fray too, attacking fiercely from the other side.

Oryon wove and weaved through their pincer attacks, and every casual strike he threw forced one of them back.

"So strong..." Tien Shinhan muttered.

"Vegeta and Goku both got overwhelmed, but Oryon's holding down both of them by himself." Krillin's jaw dropped.

"He hasn't even gone all-out yet," Piccolo said, arms crossed, his voice low.

Vegeta stood off to the side, the mockery draining from his face, replaced by shock and anger he couldn't hide.

He'd thought he'd already touched the limits of a Saiyan, but the man in front of him was far more unfathomable than he'd imagined.

While Oryon fought the android siblings, a System notification flashed through his mind.

[Ding. You have subjected Vegeta to deep bullying. You have gained 30 days of cultivation progress.]

Oryon: "..."

Bullying him again? How?

Oryon glanced at Vegeta watching the fight — the jealousy on his face looked ready to burst him at the seams.

Something stirred in Oryon's mind.

Well, look at this — I can beat Android 17 and Android 18, and you're mad that I'm stronger than you?

If you're so good, get up here and do it yourself!

Just as Oryon punched Android 17 back with one blow, then—

— the instant his backhand elbow knocked Android 18 away, a hoarse voice came from the edge of the ruins.

"Android 18! Attack him from behind!"

Everyone froze for a moment.

Oryon turned to look and saw Dr. Gero struggling to crawl out from behind a collapsed wall.

Android 18's body stiffened, a flicker of conflict crossing her eyes.

Forced to comply, she turned and took a step toward Oryon.

Oryon sighed. He surged forward; Android 17 tried to block him but was swept aside with a single palm strike.

Before Android 18 could even attack, Oryon had already circled behind her and kicked her square in the back.

Android 17 and Android 18 collided and staggered backward.

In an instant, Oryon flashed in front of Dr. Gero and kicked him square in the chest.

"I hadn't even noticed you were here, but you just had to come looking for death."

He put weight into the kick, and Dr. Gero's mechanical body shattered instantly.

Oryon fired an Energy Blast from his palm.

"No—" Dr. Gero let out his final wail.

Then he was swallowed by the blast.

Android 17 and Android 18 had just gotten to their feet when they saw that Dr. Gero had been killed. Both of them let out a sigh of relief at the same moment.

Oryon turned to face them. "Now that Dr. Gero's dead, you don't have to follow his orders anymore, do you?

Besides, you're about to lose anyway.

You may have unlimited energy and never get tired, but you can still get hurt, can't you?"

The two of them froze for a moment.

How did he even know that?

Android 17 looked down at his own hands, then glanced at Android 18.

Android 18 hesitated, glanced once more at Oryon, then turned and left with Android 17.

Only when they had flown far away did Android 18 turn back for one last look at Oryon.

Their figures soon vanished at the far edge of the ruins to the south.

Krillin let out a long breath. "Is it over?"

"For now," Piccolo said, clenching his fist.

Right now, his heart was anything but calm.

He'd trained for three years, thinking his progress had been meteoric, only to find he couldn't even take part in the fight.

The whole group of them was the same — one wide-area attack from that woman had sent them all sprawling.

Supported by Gohan, Goku sat up and called out to Oryon, "Thanks, Oryon."

Oryon smiled. "Don't be so polite. Still—

you'd better keep training hard!"

Goku nodded. "Yeah. Now that I've fought them, I know how to surpass them."

Something stirred faintly in Oryon.

Just like Goku — already found a path to growing stronger?

"Well, good luck with that!"

The group gradually dispersed.

Vegeta stood in place, silent for a long while, before finally turning and walking away too.

Oryon watched everyone leave, but he didn't go himself.

He turned and headed toward the ruins of Dr. Gero's laboratory.

In the earlier battle, the barren mountain had been leveled flat, but part of the underground lab's structure still remained intact.

Oryon dropped lightly through a cracked opening and began searching through the dim corridors.

He searched for a long time, going through the main hall, the storeroom, and the control room, but found nothing out of the ordinary.

This lab seemed to have only one main level, with no second basement floor.

Oryon frowned and muttered to himself, "Could it not be here..."

Just then, a powerful surge of energy came from overhead.

Oryon jerked his head up — a bright Energy Blast had already struck above the laboratory.

The explosion instantly swallowed the entire space, flames and shockwaves surging wildly through the narrow corridors. Oryon's figure vanished into the blaze.

Outside, two figures hovered in the sky.

Android 17 looked down at the roiling sea of fire below and shrugged. "Dr. Gero's dead, the lab's gone — we're free now. What do you want to do?"

Android 18 straightened her torn, battle-worn clothes and said offhandedly, "I'll go change first, then figure it out. What about you?"

Android 17 tilted his head back, thinking. "I want to get a cruise ship and go traveling."

"Good luck with that, then," Android 18 said, waving.

Android 17 nodded, turned, and flew off into the distance, soon vanishing from sight.

Android 18 was about to leave too when she suddenly saw a figure shoot up out of the ruins below.

The figure was covered in soot, several locks of hair singed, clothes torn in multiple places, black ash smeared across his face.

It was Oryon.

"You... how are you still here?" Android 18's eyes went wide, and she froze in midair, stunned.

Oryon flew up in front of her, cheeks puffed out, glaring at her furiously. "So it was you who ambushed me?"

"Me? I didn't," Android 18 said quickly, shaking her head.

Without another word, Oryon raised his hand and rapped her on the forehead.

Android 18 instinctively raised a hand to block, but he caught her wrist in a firm grip.

He pinned her still with a joint-lock hold.

"And you still say you didn't!"

Android 18 lifted her chin, glaring at him stubbornly. "I really didn't!"

The moment their eyes met, a faint blush rose on Android 18's cheeks, and she turned away, not daring to look at him directly.

"It was me who fired it. But I didn't see you inside — I just wanted to destroy the lab completely."

"Destroy the lab? You mean you wanted to destroy the emergency control device?"

Android 18 froze. "How do you know about that?"

Oryon pulled a silver, rectangular device from inside his shirt and waved it in front of her.

"I found it. I was going to take a look at it, but you went and blew it up. So — what do you say we do about that?"

When Android 18 saw the device, her expression changed.

That was the emergency shutdown controller Dr. Gero had left behind. Even with Dr. Gero dead now,

as long as this thing still existed, it meant her and Android 17's freedom still wasn't fully their own.

"You..." Android 18 bit her lower lip, looking Oryon over carefully.

Young, handsome, powerful, commanding...

Wasn't this exactly her type?

If she ended up under his control, that wouldn't be so bad, actually.

After all, he could handle her just fine even without any controller.

Oryon flashed a wicked grin, tipping her chin up with a finger, and teased her playfully. "Well, little lady, I've got something on you now.

You'd better behave from now on. Got it?"

Android 18 was startled for a moment, her face flushing bright red.

She liked this bad-boy side of him even more.

Suddenly, she rose onto her toes and gave him a light kiss on the lips.

"Is this being obedient enough?"

Android 18 stepped back a little, looking at him with an expectant face.

Oryon stared at Android 18's face, now touched with a sudden hint of allure, and short-circuited for a moment.

Android 18 fidgeted, ducking her head slightly.

"As long as you destroy the controller, I'll do whatever you want."

They were both adults, and Oryon was an old hand at this besides.

How could he not understand what she was hinting at?

Oryon glanced at the controller, gave it a light squeeze, and crushed it to pieces.

The fragments scattered to the ground, blown away by the wind.