"So this is the Labyrinth of Evil… I guess we better get started."
Gohan, Videl, and Piccolo started to make their way into the maze, it didn't take long before they came to an intersection.
"Oh great, let's just pick a direction and go."
"Wait!"
Gohan nipped his finger and smeared a small drop of blood on the floor in front of the passage from whence they had come.
"Gohan, what are you doing?"
"I'm marking the trail, so if we only go down a dead end we know which way not to take."
"Oh… Well, carry on then."
Sure enough the three did run into several dead ends.
"Piccolo, since we have the time, can we talk?"
"About what?"
"I'm just curious." said Videl "What do female Namekians look like."
"There is no such thing as a female Namek, my people are genderless."
"Genderless? Then how do you reproduce?"
"Don't remember what we learner in biology class Videl? Some animals reproduce asexually, that is to say they don't need a mate, they just reproduce on their own."
"… Where's the fun in that?"
"On that topic Piccolo, I'm glad you and Dende were able to come to our wedding."
Piccolo actually cracked a smile.
"Of course we came. You saved Dende's life on Namek, and I'm your big green uncle."
"Good god, he told a joke…" whispered Gohan to Videl.
After awhile the three finally came to their first obstacle. There was a wall in their way with some weird writing on it.
"What language is this?" asked Videl.
"It's Namekian…"
"So what does it say?"
"It's a riddle… How did Mark marry three different women in the United States without divorcing any of them or without any of them dying?"
"Three women? I'm pretty sure that's not legal."
"It's simple." said Gohan.
"It is?"
"He was able to marry three different women because it's part of his job, he's a priest."
The wall flew up in front of them.
"Never would have thought of that…"
After five minutes the tunnel that Gohan, Videl, and Piccolo were in started to get darker, and darker, and darker, until you couldn't see your own hand in front of your face.
"Okay… is this making anyone else uneasy?"
"Maybe I can try lighting it up the place with a Ki Blaaaaaaaaasssst!"
Gohan and the others started falling down a huge hole, but as they did the lights finally came on. They finally landed on a floor made of huge stone tiles with numbers on them. They were standing on a tile with the number 5 on it in the top left hand corner of the room. They looked around the room to try and figure out what the heck this was about.
[5] 3 3 2 4 4
3 3 4 4 2 4
1 4 1 2 4 2
3 4 1 3 2 3
4 3 2 4 4 4
2 3 5 2 3 [Goal]
On the square on the bottom right hand corner where the tile marked "Goal" there was a door.
"Well let's go!"
"Wait Videl!"
"What? The door's right over there."
"Something's not right here."
Gohan took a coin out of his pocket and dropped it on the square right next to theirs. A huge burst of fire erupted out of the ground incinerating the coin.
"Yikes… So what do we do now?"
"And what do these numbered tiles mean?" asked Piccolo.
"Wait… I've seen this before… It's a puzzle!" said Gohan.
"A puzzle?"
"Yeah, we're currently standing on the 5 square, so that means we need to move five squares either horizontally or vertically. Once we land on that square we need to move horizontally or vertically the number of square on that tile, then we just repeat the process until we reach the goal square."
"Okay… So should we go to the top right corner or the bottom left?"
"Give me a minute… I'll figure it out."
After about five minutes of staring at the squares on the puzzle, Gohan and the others started jumping from tile to tile.
"Five, four, four, three, three, two, two, three, four, one, three, four, two, and we've made it!"
When Gohan, Videl, and Piccolo went through the door. On the other side they found two doors guarded by two stone dragons. In between them there was a tablet with writing carved into it.
You're near your goal
One door leads to the Dragon Ball seek
The other leads to certain death
One of these dragons speaks the truth
And the other speaks everything but the truth
You may ask one of these dragons one question
Choose your words carefully if you wish to find the prize you seek
"What the heck?"
"Another riddle." said Gohan.
"One of these doors leads to the Dragon Ball, the other leads to certain death. One of these dragons tells the truth, and the other is a liar. And we're allowed to ask one of them one question."
"So all we have to do is ask the one who tells the truth which one leads to the Dragon Ball!" said Videl.
"Normally that would work." said Piccolo "Except we have no way to tell the truth teller from the liar. Both dragons look exactly alike, so if we end up asking the liar the obvious question he'll just point to the wrong door."
"So this is where the riddle comes in." said Gohan "What do we ask so that we'll end up getting the Dragon Ball regardless of whichever dragon we ask."
They all spent about ten minutes contemplating the riddle.
"Well… I'm at a loss." said Videl.
"I've got it!"
Gohan walked over to the dragon that was beside the door on the left.
"If I were to ask the other dragon which door leads to the Dragon Ball, which door would they point to?"
The dragon Gohan was talking too pointed to the door on the right side which was guarded by the other dragon.
"So… do we take the door on the right?" asked Videl.
"No, we take the one here on the left."
"Why?"
"Let's assume the dragon I've just talked to is the one who tells the truth… I asked him/her which door the other dragon would point to if I asked them which door led to the Dragon Ball. Naturally the liar would point to the door that leads to death, so if this dragon is the truth teller, then he/she is pointing at the door that leads to death. But if the dragon we just asked is the liar, then they know the other would point to the door that leads to Dragon Ball, but the liar isn't going to tell us that, instead their going to point to the door that leads to death. In conclusion it doesn't matter whether this dragon is the liar or the truth teller, since they're currently pointing at the door that leads to death, we want to go the other way."
"I'm not sure I got all that… But I'm the one who married the smart one." said Videl giving him a hug.
Gohan, Videl, and Piccolo all went through the door on the left. Once inside they found themselves in a long tunnel, which they followed until they came to a door with four stars on it.
"This it guys, the four star Dragon Ball should be just behind this door."
"But didn't Kattalnuva say we'd have to fight someone for it?"
"Yes, and I have a pretty good idea who's in there."
They opened the door and went inside.
"Well, back for more I see." said Cell "I guess some people just aren't satisfied with being utterly defeated only once."
"You're right about one thing Cell, I have gotten soft since Majin Buu, but I'm also half Saiyan, so I get stronger every time I fight, so that little skirmish with you earlier gave me just the jolt I needed.
Cell started laughing.
"According to Frieza, Vegeta thought the exact same thing before he was killed on Namek. Your power hasn't increased that much."
"Gohan…"
"It's okay Videl… I know what I'm doing."
Gohan turned his attention back to Cell.
"I guess al those years in Hell made you forget what I'm capable of Cell… Earlier you caught me by surprise, and you weren't fighting me at my best."
"Hmm… Is that so? Well I wasn't fighting you at full power either."
"If you think your hand is so hot, then why don't you try your full power against mine?"
"Gohan's baiting him." thought Piccolo "He knows Cell can't resist testing out his powers."
"Very well then… You first."
"Thank you…"
Gohan started powering up, his power immediately started to skyrocket. But Cell just stood his ground.
"Gohan may have all this hidden power inside of him, he may even be able to call on it at will thanks to the Elder Kai, but I have Kattalnuva on my side, thanks to him I'm invincible!"
Just then Gohan transformed into a Super Saiyan, then he ascended to the next level, and then…
"WHAT! NO WAY!"
Cell watched in horror as Gohan reached the level of Super Saiyan 3.
"Oh my gosh! His power is unbelievable!" exclaimed Piccolo.
"That's my Gohan!"
"So tell me Cell… Are you sacred yet?"
"Scared? HA! I'm not scared! You may have become a Super Saiyan 3, but this is only your first time, you'll burn out your energy just as quickly as Raditz did!"
"Well see about that… In the meantime let's see what you can do."
"Very well, I'll show you the full extent of my new powers!"
Cell started powering up as well, as he did he was laughing.
"You weak minded fool! You have no idea what you're getting yourself into!"
When Cell was finished both Piccolo and Videl were shaken, but Gohan just stood tall.
"Not even a flinch? Very well, actions speak louder than words anyway."
Cell flew at Gohan using the After Image Strike, then he punched Gohan hard in the face and sending him to the ground.
"Gohan!"
Piccolo stopped Videl before she took a step.
"He's fine, just watch."
"How'd you like that?"
Gohan just smiled and got back up.
"Is that all you've got?"
Cell's answer was a barrage of punches and kicks, but Gohan matched him blow for blow.
"Well, maybe you weren't entirely dishonest about your powers after all. But you're still no match for me… Tri-Beam Cannon!"
"Masenko-Ha!"
Both attacks collided and made an explosion. At that instant Cell used his Instant Transmission and tried to attack Gohan from behind, but he saw it coming and caught Cell's hand.
"Unlike you Cell, I learn from my mistakes."
With his free hand Gohan hammed down on Cell's arm and broke it off.
"AAAAHHH! So… The little brat has grown up into a man… Very well… It will be that much sweeter when I beat you!"
Cell used his regeneration to grow a new arm.
"I haven't even begun to fight! Rapid Fire Big Bang Beam!"
Cell fired a continuous barrage of energy bursts from his finger, but Gohan just beat them away effortlessly.
"Oh yeah? Try this on for size! FINAL BUSTER!"
Cell fired an immense energy blast at Gohan, but he just kicked it away like it was a soccer ball.
"Err… ENOUGH OF THIS!"
Cell cupped his hands together.
"Woah… Serious Déjà vu." said Gohan.
"Galick Kamehameha!"
"Ka… me…ha…me…ha!"
The attacks collided and both Cell and Gohan started pouring all their energy into it. Neither side was gaining any ground.
"This… might be a problem." thought Gohan.
"Gohan needs my help!" thought Videl "How do you do it… You just cup your hands together and say Kamehameha don't you?Alright!"
"Videl! What are you doing?"
"I'm helping my husband!"
Videl rushed over to the place where Gohan was standing.
"KAMEHAMEHA!"
Videl's Kamehameha was bigger than anyone expected it to be, even if it wasn't as big as Gohan's, but it still wasn't enough to turn the tide against Cell.
"This is where I come in."
Piccolo flew behind Cell and started gathering energy.
"SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!"
"GAACK!"
Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon went right through Cell's gut, Gohan and Videl seized the opportunity to press the attack. In a matter of moments Cell was swallowed by their Husband and Wife Kamehameha.
"Whoa… Piccolo, you've been working out." said Gohan as he reverted back to his normal state.
"I'm retired now; I've got nothing to do and all day to do it, so I might as well spend it training. If you want to be surprised by anyone it should be your wife."
"Now that you mention it, how did you do a perfect Kamehameha? I never taught you that?"
"I don't know, I guess I just don't know my own strength."
Gohan, Videl, and Piccolo went over to the marble chest at the end of the room. Inside they found the key, the four star Dragon Ball, and three Senzu Beans.
"Well it looks like I got my Dragon Ball back."
"Yeah, too bad we need to use it to get rid of Kattalnuva."
"Yeah, but then a year from now you can just go out and find it again." said Videl.
"I can hardly wait. I just hope the others are doing alright. We need all seven to summon Shenron, and if even one our groups is unsuccessful it's game over."
(To be continued)
Coming up next
What's in store for Goku?