The sky churned with dark clouds, a roiling canopy over the shattered battlefield where Cell stood, his green form glinting with sweat and purple blood under the flickering sunlight. Eight years of wandering the cosmos had left him restless, his boots crunching the ashes of countless worlds, yet no foe had risen to match the thrill of Goku or Gohan's defiance. Now, back on Earth, his wings buzzed with anticipation, the rush of combat rekindling a fire he'd thought long extinguished as he faced me, a seven-year-old Saiyan who dared to stand against him.
Our bodies darted through the air, two streaks of golden light clashing in a relentless dance, the sound of our collisions ripping through the atmosphere. Sonic booms erupted with every strike, circles of force blooming in the sky, each one mirrored by a fresh crater scarring the earth below. Dust and debris spiraled upward, a chaotic storm born of our fury, and I felt the strain in my bones, the thrill of pushing my limits against a monster who'd haunted my every waking moment.
Krillin watched from the sidelines, his cybernetic eyes struggling to track our movements, his bald head gleaming as he shielded his face from the gusts. "This is insane, Goten's unreal," he muttered, voice trembling with awe and disbelief, his hands clenching into fists. "How'd he get this strong so young? He's already at Goku's level, maybe he can actually pull this off!" His heart pounded with hope, a silent cheer echoing in his chest as he entrusted Earth's fate to me, a kid he'd barely kept alive minutes ago.
The fight intensified, shifting from a game of speed to a brutal melee, our fists and elbows slamming together in a symphony of violence. My knuckles grazed Cell's jaw, his knee caught my ribs, and scars bloomed across our bodies, shallow cuts and bruises marking the toll of our clash. The air crackled with energy, the ground trembling beneath us as we traded blows, neither yielding, both driven by a hunger that transcended words.
A full-force collision sent shockwaves rippling outward, the earth groaning as fissures split the dirt, and we sprang apart, landing hundreds of feet from each other. I stumbled back, boots skidding, leaving deep gouges in the rock before I steadied myself, breath heaving as I wiped a trickle of blood from my lip. My gi hung in tatters, shredded by the fight, but my eyes stayed locked on Cell, who mirrored my stance, his own scratches glistening with violet streaks against his green hide.
Krillin rushed forward, his voice cutting through the haze. "Goten, you okay?" he asked, worry etching his face as he scanned me, his cybernetic hand twitching with nervous energy. I shook my head, brushing off the concern. "I'm fine," I said, voice rough but firm, though inside I measured Cell's power, a beast still leashed, his lightning form untapped, a storm I might need Ultra Instinct Mega to weather.
Cell smirked, wiping the purple blood from his mouth with a thumb, his eyes alight with a manic glee. "Not bad, kid, not bad at all," he said, his tone a mix of praise and menace, relishing the pain I'd dealt him. "You're the first since Gohan to make me feel anything; it's been eight years since I've had this much fun!" His wings flared, excitement pulsing through him, a predator savoring a rare hunt.
I spat to the side, clenching my fists tighter, the sting of his words fueling my fire. "Tch, keep talking," I muttered, then roared, golden flames surging around me as I pushed my aura higher, my hair glowing brighter, teetering on the edge of Super Saiyan 2. The power coursed through me, a limit stretched thin, one breakthrough away from shattering, but that step eluded me, a wall I couldn't yet breach.
Cell matched me, a guttural laugh escaping as purple light flared around him, his own aura spiking to meet mine, a twisted reflection of Saiyan might. The air thickened, charged with our clashing energies, the ground quaking as we stood poised, two forces locked in a standoff. "Let's dance, brat," he growled, his grin widening, and we launched at each other, no words left, just the raw intent to destroy.
His fist smashed into my jaw, a blow that sent me reeling, but I twisted midair, driving my knee into his chin with a crack that echoed over the plains. We flew apart again, bodies tumbling through the dust, and I landed hard, skidding as pain flared, sharp and bright. Cell recovered just as fast, his laughter ringing out, a sound that chilled me even as my blood boiled.
The brawl stretched on, five minutes of relentless strikes, fists and feet blurring into a storm of gold and green, Krillin's gaze lost in the chaos, unable to track even our shadows. Bruises darkened my skin, my breath ragged, and then Cell's kick landed, a brutal strike to my chest that launched me skyward. I crashed down, the earth buckling into a massive pit, dust billowing as I coughed, pain radiating through me, the gap in our strength stark and undeniable.
Krillin's face paled, his voice breaking. "Goten!" he shouted, stepping forward, fear and fury warring in his eyes as he glared at Cell. "He's got Goku's power, but it's not enough; this bastard's too much!" His hands shook, rage bubbling up as he refused to let me fall alone, not again.
"You damn monster," Krillin snarled, his voice raw, trembling with eight years of pent-up guilt and anger. "I won't forgive you, not ever!" He thrust his hands forward, blue light flaring as he summoned a Kamehameha, the energy roaring to life, a desperate bid to buy me time, to shield me even if it cost him everything.
The beam surged, a torrent of power that warped the air, squealing as it tore toward Cell, who barely glanced its way. "Pathetic," he scoffed, swatting it aside with a casual flick of his hand, the energy veering off into the sky, vanishing beyond the horizon. "That trick's nothing to me, you fool," he said, his voice cold, dismissive, as he loomed over Krillin, a ghost of death in motion.
Krillin barely blinked before Cell's fist drove into his gut, an uppercut that lifted him off the ground, blood spraying as he crumpled, clutching his abdomen. He dropped to his knees, retching, pain twisting his face, his cyborg strength no match for Cell's disdain. "Should've stayed down," Cell muttered, stepping back, his interest fading fast.
Cell's gaze shifted to me, then back to Krillin, his expression hardening into something icy, final. "You two have overstayed your welcome; I'm done playing," he said, his voice flat, the thrill gone from his eyes. "Time to end this boring game; go join Goku and the rest in hell." His aura flared, a promise of annihilation, and I pushed up from the dirt, heart racing, knowing the next move would decide it all.
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