Raditz was Super Saiyan grade 2 as he watched Ranch powering up before him. Once it was clear that they had mastered grade 2, Ranch had announced to him that she had unlocked the next step. So Raditz decided to stand back and let her ascend to grade 3. The power that she was amassing was enormous, stronger than anything he felt before. Her extra-long hair became even spikier and her muscles grew bigger.

When Ranch finished transforming and stood before him, she said, "Impressive, right?"

"It certainly is," he said stoically. "But let's test this out. Come at me."

"Sure about that?" asked Ranch with a confident grin. "You better be ready."

"I am, trust me."

Ranch sprang towards her father, threw a punch, and Raditz dodged her. Unfazed, Ranch began to throw attack after attack at Raditz, but he effortlessly avoided everything. Frustration quickly began to eat away at Ranch, as she desperately tried again and again to land any kind of hit. When Ranch finally had to stop and was panting for air, she and her father stared each other down. He didn't say a word the entire time, and he waited to see if she was able to figure it out or stubbornly continue.

Her Saiyan side showed when she began gathering more power instead of thinking, and bulked up even more. Deciding that she was ready for another go, Ranch began another barrage, but once again Raditz got out of the way of everything. And after a while, she noticed that her father was only dodging, and wasn't attempting to hit her back in any way.

Jumping back away from him, Ranch shouted at him, "Okay, what the hell? Why can't I hit you? And why aren't you attacking me back?"

Raditz sighed. "You're certainly much stronger than me right now, Ranch, so striking you would do nothing," he explained. "But the reason you can't hit me is because all the mass you've built up is slowing you down." Shocked, Ranch looked down at herself and suddenly noticed that what he was saying was right. "Do you think you were the only one to figure out this form?" Raditz then began to power up, and bulked up his muscles and gathered strength until he was just as strong as Ranch. "This may be powerful, Ranch, but all your opponent has to do is wait until you're out of energy, and after that they'll manage to finish you off easily."

Distraught, Ranch powered down to her base form and dropped to her knees, slamming her fists on the ground. "Damn! And here I thought I found a trump card!"

Raditz powered down as well, and went over to his daughter. Smiling reassuringly, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Take it easy on yourself, you didn't know before, but you do now. All you can do it learn from this."

"Thanks, dad," she said, getting back up.

"You know," he said, rubbing her head, "that hair of yours can practically be considered a weapon on its own when you're Super Saiyan. How about we give it a cut?"

Ranch couldn't help but laugh. "I don't think so, dad. I'll wait until we're out of here and let mom do it."

Back at the island, when Trunks finished powering up again, he renewed his attacks on Cell, but he was met with the same result. When Trunks punched again, only to hit nothing but a boulder, he said out loud, "Damn, why can't I hit him?" He turned to face Cell up in the sky, and tried to attack again. But not only was Cell dodging everything still, he began to hit him back. Cell unleashed a barrage of attacks on Trunks, pushing him backwards unable to block anything. With another punch, Trunks was thrown to the ground.

"Amateur," Cell said, landing by him. "You think that pumping your muscles up was enough to be beat me? That's nothing special, I can do that too." And to prove his point, Cell powered up and muscles got bigger, astonishing Trunks. "Don't you get it? It doesn't matter how much power you have if you're too slow to make any use of it!" When he powered down, he continued, "I bet that even Vegeta figured this out, but he wasn't foolish enough to use it."

Trunks stood there shocked at his own stupidity. It was so obvious now. That was why his father didn't go to the next level. Disheartened, Trunks powered down to his base form. "Go on, finish me off then," he said, defeated.

At the lookout, Piccolo exclaimed, "No!"

"What?" Bulma asked, concerned. "Is something wrong? Did Trunks finish off Cell yet?"

"No," Goku said tensely. "He lost."

Horrified, she said, "So he's in trouble! We have to do something! Please, Goku, help him!"

Goku wanted to help, but was unsure. Would the same trick he pulled off earlier work again? Would he be fast enough? He had to try, though. Goku was raised his two fingers to his forehead…

Cell raised his hand, saying, "If that's what you want. But tell me, though, where's that partner of yours?"

Trunks scowled at him. "What's it to you?"

"I was hoping for a repeat of the last time I faced off with you two," Cell jeered.

"What're you talking about?" Trunks demanded heatedly. "We've never met you before!"

"Oh, but I've met you." Cell chuckled. "Think about it, how do you think I'm here in the first place?" Trunks didn't answer as his mind went to the derelict time machine, which he had completely forgotten about until now. "In my timeline, I took your time machine from you. And when I killed you, Trunks, Ranch went berserk, unleashing a power that was almost too much for even me. In the end, though, she met the same fate as you."

"You monster!" Trunks bellowed angrily. "Don't you think it'll be so easy this time around! Once Goku gets stronger, you'll be done for! I guarantee it!"

"Is that so?" Cell asked, intrigued in the same manner as Vegeta was earlier. "And how can you be so sure that he can even pose a challenge?"

"How do you think I got so much stronger?" he countered.

"Fair point." Cell lowered his arm. "In that case I'll spare you for now. In exchange tell him I'll be looking forward to our match."

Growling, Trunks said, "Match? Are you insane? Is this some sort of game to you?"

"Game?" Cell repeated. "Yes, that's what we're missing! Let's make this a tournament. And just to make sure everyone has ample enough time to prepare I'll give it ten days." When Trunks was too surprised by this to respond, Cell went on, "Make sure you keep an eye on the news." Cell took to the air, leaving behind Trunks, who was still trying to process what had just happened. Tournament? Ten days? Where did all this come from all of a sudden?

Goku lowered his fingers, prompting Bulma to demand, "Well, aren't you going?"

"I don't have to anymore," he replied.

"Oh no! Is he—?"

"Sorry, no, Trunks is just fine," Goku told her. "Cell let him go."

"For now," added Piccolo.

"So what happens now?" asked Gohan.

"The plan hasn't changed," said Goku. "We're going into the time chamber after Raditz and Ranch, and once we're done we'll have our shot against Cell."

After Krillin had landed on a deserted island to give the injured Vegeta a Senzu bean, he recovered and they noticed Trunks' power practically disappear. Stubbornly wanting a rematch, Vegeta flew back where they came from, and Krillin tentatively followed. When they arrived back on the island, they found Trunks alone after he had unleashed a large amount of power to vent his frustration. When they landed, they asked what happened and Trunks filled them in on what had happened.

As they began discussing the tournament and getting stronger, a weak voice met their ears. "I…will…fight…too…" They looked in the direction of where it came from, and Krillin ran over until he found the top half of 16, who was still functioning. "Let…me…help…"

"Whoa, you're still alive?" Krillin said, taking in damage that Trunks caused 16.

"Please…take me…to…get…fixed," pleaded 16, raising his arm at them imploringly.

"So still kicking, huh?" Trunks asked venomously, walking up to him and pointing his palm at 16. "Good, killing you might just cheer me up a little."

"No…please…."

As Krillin looked on, what 18 had shouted out to him began to ring in his ears, and he could tell by looking into 16's eye that the cyborg meant what he said. Taking a huge gulp, Krillin stepped forward between 16 and Trunks, and said, "Don't worry, I can get you the help you need."

"Krillin, you have got to be kidding!" Trunks burst out furiously.

"Relax, clearly he's no friend of Cell," Krillin told him calmly.

"Did you happen to forget how it tried to shoot you of the sky?" he demanded.

"No, but he was just trying to protect his friend," Krillin said calmly. "Can you really blame him?

"YES! It's a cyborg, it can't be trusted!"

"The ones from your timeline certainly can't, but things are different here," he reasoned. "Maybe here a cyborg will help save the world. Besides, you can't deny that we need all the help we can get."

Trunks clenched his fist, but then let out a heavy sigh. "Fine, but the consequences are yours to deal with."

Smiling, Krillin picked up 16's upper by his arm, and the saw the legs lying not too far away. "Hey, can I get some help with the…?" The look that Trunks and Vegeta gave him was all the answer he needed and Krillin proceeded to awkwardly carry the legs as well.