''So you'd really destroy the Earth without batting an eye would you?'' Goku asked during the momentary break in his mid-air battle with Cell.
Cell smiled. ''Are you still going on about that?'' he asked as he appeared above Goku in the blink of an eye and attempted to swat him back down to the ring, but the Saiyan was quick and dodged the attack in the nick of time and then appeared above Cell and tried the same thing that he had just attempted, aiming a swift strike to knock Cell back down to the Earth, but the Bio-Android was too fast and Goku only succeeded in punching an afterimage leaving him vulnerable to another attack by Cell who by this time was a few feet above him in the air again and quickly charging a new technique to be fired from just his fingertip.
''Super Special Beam Cannon!'' In an instant the orange laser beam came hurtling down at Goku.
''Hey, that's Piccolo's move!'' Krillin commented on the sidelines. ''B-but, it's so much bigger than normal!''
Not having time to charge a Kamehameha to match the blast, Goku channeled his energy to his arm which gave it a bluish glow and then charged fist forward to meet Cell's attack. His energy encased fist connected with Cell's giant beam and the two struggled in a brief but fierce duel for supremacy. Eventually, just barely, channeling most of his power into his fist, Goku was able to overpower and send Cell's attack off into space.
''Wow'' Goku thought as he looked down at his burnt hand. ''that Special Beam Cannon wasn't only much bigger than Piccolo's, it packed way more power, and he charged it so fast! He can use our own attacks better than we can!''
Cell was momentarily shocked that Goku had managed to send another of his blasts speeding off into the cosmos, but then a smile lit up his face. ''Yes. This is what I want to see Son Goku. This is the kind of desperate fighting that makes life worth living! That makes life so much fun for a perfect being like me! I want to see you struggle with all you have to save your doomed planet, and I want to see the look on your face when you realize that all you had wasn't good enough. That your supposed heroism was all in vain. That soon everything and everyone you knew and love will be gone forever. That is what gives me my greatest joy!
Goku, exhausted from the prodigious effort he had just put out to stop another attack that had the potential to easily destroy the Earth without leaving a trace, did not reply immediately. Finally he managed to speak in between deep breaths. ''that-that's the Frieza in you talking. It's not your fault, not entirely. Dr. Gero was the one who made you this way. But you're not a mindless robot subject to a crazy dead man's wishes Cell. You're an organic being with free will. Sure some of your cells may predispose you to certain behaviors, but well, that's the thing. Some of your cells may predispose you to other behaviors. Don't forget that you have my cells in you as well, and Krillin's, and Tien's, and Piccolo's, and-and even Vegeta's. In fact i'd say you have more good in you than evil!'' Goku said with a weak smile.
Cell just scowled.
''And...'' Goku continued, but Cell interrupted him.
''Enough. You bore me when you aren't fighting me Goku. The concept of good and evil means nothing to me.. and if it did, well I am perfect. My goal is to rid the Universe of imperfection. What could possibly be evil about that?'' Cell didn't give Goku time to answer. ''Anyway.. you overpowering my Super Special Beam Cannon... I didn't think you could do it, though I could have made it even more powerful if I had chosen to but I thought it would have ended both this match and the planet as it was. I am pleasantly surprised it did not. Yes, not bad at all Son Goku. I honestly didn't think I'd have this much fun...'' As Cell said this a golden aura enveloped his body. ''It would be a shame to end this fight with an out-of-bounds.''
''Huh?'' muttered a puzzled Goku.
''Let's take that rule... out of the book.'' Cell continued as he pointed out his arm toward the arena. ''It's not how this is going to end.''
The sudden realization of what Cell was going to do hit Goku. ''Everybody!'' he called to the Z-Fighters watching on the sidelines, and to Mr. Satan and the reporter and camera crew. ''Get away from the ring!''
Cell then fired a yellow energy blast at the arena. The resulting explosion took no lives as everyone had heeded Goku's order, Android 16 having even helped Mr. Satan, the reporter and his cameramen get out of the way, but then killing was not Cell's intention with this blast anyway. Though he supposed it wouldn't have been a bad thing if it did in fact kill a few people. After the clouds of dust passed away all that was visible where the entire arena once stood was a huge seemingly bottomless crater. A testament to his superior power even with such a casual attack, a standard yellow Ki blast.
''Phew!, that was close!'' Krillin said in relief, as the reporter voiced his thanks to Android 16 for saving him.
''You should leave. You're in the way.'' Was the red headed Android's curt emotionless response.
''W-we can't do that! Mr. Satan is up next!'' The reporter looked hopefully over to Mr. Satan. ''Right?!''
''O-of course!'' the world champion replied. ''But maybe we should step back a bit further...''
As this exchange was going on Goku descended back down to Earth.
''Now the whole Earth is the ring.'' Cell proclaimed. ''One of us will have to admit defeat... or die.''
''Well if I lose I guess you'll expect me to die whether I admit defeat or not.'' Goku responded. ''After all you did say you would destroy the planet if you won this tournament, And I guess you're pretty confident about winning a tournament you started yourself. That's the opposite of what the perfect being would do though. You said your goal was to rid the Universe of imperfection. Well I don't think anyone is perfect but if you think perfection is possible why not use your powers to help others attain it? Why not try to make the Universe a better place instead of destroying it planet by planet?''
''They stopped fighting again?'' an irritated Vegeta rhetorically asked from the sidelines. ''What is Kakarrot rambling on about? this is ridiculous.''
Meanwhile Piccolo who could hear Goku and Cell's conversation thanks to his superhuman Namekian ears was frowning.
''I told you before, your little speeches bore me.'' Cell answered to Goku. ''Are you going to fight me or not? If not I'll gladly blow up this planet right now.''
''It's just sad that you're putting your power to such waste. You think you're perfect and you want to destroy all life other than your own? Then what? What do you gain from that besides a lonely eternity where nobody is left to witness your so called perfection. You have the cells of Earth's greatest warriors in you. Deep down I know you have to have some elements of our personalities and I know you have to have inherited some of our love of this planet!''
''I said that's enough!'' Cell shouted as he flew up into the air and fired an energy blast which Goku promptly dodged. Cell fired another yellow energy blast, and Goku jumped out of the way again. Now Cell began to fire a barrage of multiple blasts which Goku continued to evade before taking to the skies and adopting a familiar stance.
''Ka... Me... Ha...''
Cell laughed. ''You don't dare unleash it from up there! You know what that would do to the Earth!''
''What do you care? Weren't you going to destroy it anyway?''
''Me...'' Goku continued preparing his attack.
''H-hey...!'' Now Cell began to look worried...