17 and Piccolo seemed to be evenly matched as traded blows over and over and over again, tiring each other out. Piccolo's friends on at Kame House and at the lookout could only sit by sensing what was happening and hope that he could pull through. They weren't the only ones that noticed the fight going on. As Cell was terrifying another populace, he sensed the power emanating, recognizing it as Piccolo's. But he couldn't sense who he was with and knew what it meant: 17 and 18. In the meanwhile Bulma was still in her lab working on her computer with Gero's blueprints. She was so close she could taste it.

As Cell approached the battle, the others noticed the creature's energy getting closer to the fight. Raditz seethed as he waited, and Gohan was growing ever more impatient. Goku was kept glancing at the chamber in the hope he'd see Vegeta and Trunks walk out. Ranch paced back and forth, her attention drawn between the door and the fight. At Kame House Krillin, Tien, and Yamcha were standing at the beach anxiously looking over the ocean, frustrated that they couldn't do more.

Then the phone at Kame House rang, and Chi-Chi picked up. It was Bulma announcing that she had completed a device that would switch off the cyborgs, and that she would make her way over to them. But not long after the phone call finished, Cell had arrived at the battleground, bringing the fight between Piccolo and 17 to a halt.

Cell grinned menacingly as he watched his prey, eager to absorb them and achieve his perfect form. He jumped down to them and began to power up, showing off all the strength that he had gained, and horrifying Piccolo at the thought how many people Cell had to absorb to achieve it. They were feeling Cell's massive energy at Kame House, where Tien and Krillin were panicking. They only stopped when Chi-Chi made the obvious suggestion of one of them flying off to meet Bulma on her way to the island. Krillin wasted no time taking to the sky to do just that. Tien, however, finally had enough and took off to help Piccolo, deaf to Roshi's pleas to stay.

Cell merely strolled past a stunned Piccolo as it made its way toward 17. Piccolo just barely managed to come to his senses, and shouted to 17 Cell's intention to absorb him. 17 just managed to dodge as Cell stabbed its tail at him, and kept it up until Cell grabbed 17 and threw him to the ground. As Cell brought its tail up, Piccolo charged him, and knocked it away from 17. They all traded words and 16 began advising them that they should back down and run away, but 17 didn't listen. He went in for an attack but was put down, so Piccolo went in next, but he was swiftly swept aside.

Piccolo hit the ground crashing and tumbling. When he came to a stop, Piccolo shakily stood up facing Cell, who approached him slowly intending to finish him off. As exhausted Piccolo was, though, he didn't give up. Touching his fingertips together, he charged up an attack. Undeterred, Cell continued advancing, until Piccolo shot his Light Grenade, unleashing a powerful beam right at Cell. The powerful blast took a chunk out of the island and displaced the water, the cyborgs looking on in awe.

When the dust cleared 18 thought the job was done, but 16 stated that it wasn't. Cell rose out of the ocean, much to everyone's shock, including Tien, who had recently arrived and stood on a rock away from them. Cell landed back on the ground and once again approached Piccolo, who could only stare him down. Once face to face, Piccolo shouted for 17 to run away, but Cell punched him to the ground. Cell picked the unconscious Piccolo up, put its palm against his body, and blasted a hole through him before tossing him into the ocean.

Goku, Raditz, Gohan, and Ranch all stood in shock as they sensed what happened.

"I can't take this anymore!" Gohan cried. He began to run, but Goku quickly managed to grab him from behind.

At the same time Raditz yelled, "Enough!"

"Ranch! Stop him!" Goku shouted urgently as Raditz ran.

Ranch quickly got in front of her father, grabbed his forearm, and twisted around until she got him in an arm bar, ensuring that he wasn't going anywhere. "Ranch! Get off me now! I have to help Piccolo," Raditz said, struggling against her grip.

"Uncle Goku is right, dad! Things changed, there's no way we'd make a difference now!" Ranch desperately said, knowing that the situation was much direr than it was earlier.

"Piccolo needs us!" Gohan cried desperately, trying to wiggle away from Goku. "It's not fair, he needs help!"

"No, if you go now then his sacrifice will have been in vain," Goku pleaded. "We have to wait until we're stronger!"

"Dad!" Ranch yelled, her voice cracking. "If you go then I'm following!"

"No, you're staying."

"I won't!" She then felt him stop struggling, so she tentatively let go of him. Seeing that he was still shaking, Ranch went around in front of him, and hugged her father. "I don't want to lose you again," said Ranch, as tears began to fall. Raditz didn't say anything as he hugged her back. Behind them Gohan fell to his knees shaking with anger and sorrow, as Goku continued to hope Vegeta and Trunks would exit soon.

17 tried once again to attack, but once more was easily taken down. Cell expanded the stinger in order to absorb 17, when suddenly 16 stepped in and punched Cell. 16 implored 17 and 18 to retreat as the large cyborg began to take on Cell, but they didn't listen. 16 and Cell closed in on each other, and Cell was able to swiftly stick his stinger in 16's neck—but to his surprise it did nothing. 16 simply grabbed on to it and pulled it out, knocked Cell down, and ripped the tail off.

It was to no avail, though. Cell quickly sprouted a new one. 16 tried to hit him, but Cell countered and tossed him away. As Cell charged in to deliver another blow, 16 sat up and pointed his fist, which rocketed off of him, hitting Cell. Dashing forward and reattaching his fist, 16 hit Cell again, picked him up, and slammed into the ground to create a large hole. 16 then detached both fists, tucking them under his arms, aimed the stumps down into the hole, and unleashed a powerful blast. 16 again implored 17 and 18 to run, but they saw no need as they thought the creature was done for.

But unbeknownst to them Cell buried underground towards 17, and emerging slowly behind him. Tien tried to shout a warning, but it was too late. Cell managed to get its widened stinger over 17, and gradually sucked the cyborg down. Once 17 was fully absorbed, Cell began to glow and its power began to skyrocket.

Goku, Raditz, Ranch, and Gohan all stood in shock at the drastic rise in Cell's power, all knowing that it could only mean that one of the cyborgs had been absorbed.

Knowing they were now completely outmatched 16 grabbed 18 and attempted to make a run for it. But Cell was far too fast and easily overtook them. Even Cell was amazed at his new strength and speed, when 16 rushed in and punched Cell in the face. It didn't even faze Cell, though. Cell raised his palm and blasted him away, damaging 16's skull and exposing the machinery beneath.

Cell started to advance on 18, who came to a decision and placed a hand over her chest and threatened to destroy herself. Cell attempted to convince her join him by mimicking 17's voice, but it did not work. Deciding to just absorb 18 by force, Cell began to approach her again.

Tien took action. He was in the air above them, and put his hands together. Catching Cell off guard, Tien shot a Neo Tri-Beam down at it, creating a gaping hole in the ground. Noticing that 18 was still hanging around, Tien yelled at her telling her to get out. Cell flew up at Tien, but before it managed to reach him, Tien show another beam, buying as much time as he could for 16 and 18 to escape. As Tien shot beam and after beam, each one taking a toll on his body, everyone on the lookout was distraught that Tien might meet his end.

After 16 and 18 took their leave, Tien stopped firing off his beams as exhaustion overtook him and he fell to the ground. Cell emerged from the hole to find his prey had gotten away, but before he went off to look for them he intended to finish off Tien. Goku could take no more, and teleported himself to the island.

Cell was taken by surprise by Goku's sudden appearance. Goku told Cell that he wouldn't be hurting his friends anymore and that even though Goku couldn't beat Cell at the moment, in two days he would be. It was then that Goku felt Piccolo's energy, and spotted him half out of the water clinging to land. Goku grabbed Tien, teleported to Piccolo, picked him up, and stared at Cell angrily. Cell charged at Goku, thinking there was no escape for him, but Goku teleported again and Cell just punched thin air. Cell wondered what sort of technique Goku had learned, but there was time for that later. For now, Cell began his search for 18.