Chapter 17

"The names of the people I am talking about... are Son Goku, his Son Son Gohan, the fighter Vegeta, the son of Demon-King Piccolo and several others around them," Mister Satan announced.

"As only a mere child Son Goku defeated King Piccolo and saved the world. Then he defeated Piccolo Junior in the 23rd Budokai and later he and his son Gohan convinced him to change his ways and join them.

Son Goku was World Champion before me. But he is younger than me and his strength - that rivals my own... of course -" he proclaimed with fake confidence, "... is still in it´s prime."

"M-Mister Satan - if there is truly a fighter like this on this world, one who is as strong as yourself, why have we not heard of him before?" the moderator asked in astonishment.

"This is a good question," Mister Satan replied. "The truth is, they did not want it to be known. Goku and the others prefer a normal and quiet life away from the public and the media.

They were also the two golden fighters who had also fought Cell at the Cell Games. Their fights helped me to figure out Cell´s tricks and his fighting style.

And Goku also stopped Cell as he tried a suicide attack to kill everyone and nearly died in the process.

I know in the past I often talked down and understated their contribution, I talked about tricks... I did that on their own request, that allowed them to keep their anonymity.

Son Gohan has also been the superhero known as the Great Saiyaman.

But now that the world is once again threatened, they decided to come out in the open."

xxx

At their homes, before their TV-sets, several former Orange Highschool students were in this moment completely stunned watching the revelations about their former classmate.

Especially two of them.

"Son Gohan is..." Sharpner started.

"... Saiyaman," Erasa sitting next to him finished. "The tournament - it seems he had really been the real deal the entire time."

They both remembered the strange incident during the 25th Budokai, where Gohan had participated under the name Great Saiyaman and had suddenly been attacked by two other participants after showing his golden hair.

They should have figured it out earlier, they both realized.

xxx

So this was it, Mister Satan thought. They had discussed earlier how much of the truth to reveal and what not. Just as much to present Goku and the others as the heroes they were without destroying his own reputation in the process.

He felt freer than he had in a long time, he admitted to himself. Like he was finally free of the charade he had started himself all these years ago.

It was still a lie, but at least he had finally given Goku and the others the credit they deserved.

Of course there were also other reasons why he revealed all this to the world now.

Plainly said, even if he wanted to, he did not believe that he could fool everyone again. With Cell he had gotten lucky that the cameras had been off in the end. The fight with Buu had happened far away from everyone.

But here they were dealing with several opponents at once who could attack anywhere in broad daylight. What would he do if they attacked at two places at once? How should he then convince the public that he had stopped them all by himself?

And how were the chances that both times were no witnesses and cameras around?

No - the chances to convince everyone that the `Great Mister Satan´ had saved them once again was slim.

He remembered that time these group of aliens came to Earth to challenge him and he somehow got away just by dump luck.

And beside that, to put up an actually convincing claim, he would have at least to be there during the fights.

The chance that he would accidentally get in the way of the other fighters and distract them or even taken hostage was just too great (and beside that, he did not exactly want to be killed).

He would take the graceful way out as long he still could.

And what he just told the audience was not untrue as well. He was truly getting old.

He did not longer want to have to pretend to be the strongest of all the entire time when he knew it was not true. Not longer pulling crazy stunts and relying on sheer luck to convince everyone he had just pulled off another victory.

He was so sick of it all.

xxx

"Saiyaman? And the Golden Fighter?" a reporter asked. "Is that the reason you agreed to him marrying your daughter?"

"That is part of it," Mister Satan admitted. "My son-in-law is a remarkable person in many ways. Not only is he strong but also smart."

"Where is he now by the way?" another reporter wanted to know.

"Training for the fight with the Androids of course," Mister Satan responded.

That was all too true. Gohan was preparing himself by using that strange machine that Bulma had built. They could only hope that it would work.

xxxxxxx

The fight between Goku and Super 17 continued.

So far it was not looking too good for the saiyan.

"Hey!" the new version of Kefla appeared flying towards them.

She charged up a powerful ki blast and fired it at Super 17

"No wait," Goku called out. But it was too late.

This time the Android did not bother to create a barrier. He just lifted his hand towards the blast and absorbed it.

Goku had already known about this. Gohan had warned him that the Clone Androids possessed similar energy-absorbers like they had seen years ago.

Just what they didn´t need.

Seventeen moved. Even Goku could barely see him as he moved forward and punched Kefla into the gut.

His strike send her flying downwards, into the city... and crashing right through a couple of skycrappers, leaving large holes in the giant buildings.

The citizens below them were now panicking even more after seeing this display.

Goku was not sure how many innocents had just been killed right now. But it was enough.

He let himself fall into the state of Ultra Instinct...

... and attacked. For the first time since the fight started, he actually landed a hit.

Super 17 striked back, but Goku´s body avoided the punch.

Good so far.

xxx

Kefla had quicky recovered from the punch and come back up again. But for the moment she and Cabba were only watching the fight.

"I think there is not much we can do here," Cabba stated.

"Oh yes?" Kefla replied irritated.

"Yes - you have seen how easily he has punched you down... and your attack has only made him stronger."

"I was only Super Saiyan 1," she argued. "If I go 2..."

"I fear you would still not win."

"We will see about that."

xxx

Seventeen formed another barrier to stop Goku´s next attack.

But in Ultra Instinct, it was as if his body could detect small vibrations in his barrier. Whenever it got weaker for a split-second and Seventeen´s eternal energy-core refilled it.

And Goku just used this moment - if only he was fast enough - to break through this barrier much more easily. This time it wasn´t even a full powered Dragon Fist necessary, but just a gathering of ki in his hands.

That move took Seventeen by surprise and he landed another punch. This time strong enough to send the Android flying backwards and out of the town´s border.

Super 17 reacted by forming a few more barriers around himself. This ones however he was not using as shields, but as footing to let himself jump in all directions... and become faster and faster in the process.

Goku recognized it as a variant of the technique Seventeen had copied from Kakunsa during the Tournament of Power.

For a minute the Android was actually keeping up with Goku´s Ultra Instinct, by sheer speed and mavoverability alone.

At one point he also errected another couple of barriers between them to hinder Goku´s movement. But he just once again the abilities of Ultra Instinct to sense their weakest points and break through them with with relative ease.

Then however Goku finally managed to intercept and caught one of Seventeen´s moves with a kick and send him downwards to the ground.

But Super 17 was instantly standing up again. The hits had barely seemed to have barely caused any damage.

If at all.

Then he suddenly laughed.

"Very good Son Goku," Seventeen said. "But I fear you have made a dangerous mistake."

"Oh yes?"

"You remember the Tournament of Power? You have noticed Seventeen´s ability to pick up new fighting techniques from watching his opponents. You have this ability as well.

But I possess in addition to that the most evolved scanning technology that had ever been created. With both of them combined, I am able to understand the principles of ever fighting technique simply after having seen them.

Goku froze... he could not mean.

Super 17 moved again. This time he actually seemed faster than the last.

Goku was still shocked by his last statement... and Seventeen tried to land a hard blow on the side of his head, followed by a knee to his guts.

Still, Goku´s body managed to at least soften the first blow by bending to the right and avoid the knee by falling back. But yet, Seventeen was able to keep up with his own movements.

"You - you might be able to scan my moved. But you can not understand the principle behind it," Goku argued.

"Oh - but the original Seventeen can," Super 17 replied. "And he is now part of me... and with every move you make he will understand more... and so will I."

They exchanged another few more strikes. Their was no doubt.

Super 17 was beginning to learn to use Ultra Instinct.

xxxxxxx

Capsule Corp

At the same time Trunks and Goten had finally returned.

Bulma threw her arms around her son as she saw him. And Chichi, who had arrived a few minutes earlier after hearing what was happening, did the same with Goten.

They had already heard from Piccolo about the fight the two had gone through.

And finally Piccolo himself arrived. He was still injured from the last fight and more than a bit exhausted.

"Does anyone of you have a senzu bean?" he asked.

"Sorry - but Goku has taken the bag with him," Bulma said.

"Well - no big surprise," he stated. "I guess Goku might have use of them."

"So he truly went to face this new Androids before Vegeta returned," Chichi commented. "Typical. And the three saiyans from Universe 7 went with him?"

"He had not much of a choice here," Krillin argued. "This fused version of Seventeen could have gone berserk on that town."

"B-but you could bring all this people back with the Dragon Balls anyway, right?" Shu asked them.

He and the rest of the Pilaf Gang had staid mostly silen during most of the conversation until now.

"How many of these people have died and been revived before?" Bulma stated.

"And even then, can you just let people die and say... well, we can revive them later?" Mai argued.

Piccolo gritted his teeth.

"We were forced to do exactly that against Buu," he said, "... and we hated every moment of it."

"You can say that," Chichi commented darkly. She remembered how she thought Gohan were dead and was forced to let her younger son to fight the monster. While they all were just standing back while nearly the entire rest of the world was killed.

"A good point," Pilaf stated. "Besides, if you were to just let people die only to revive them later, how are you any better than the bad guys."

"And that comes from the guy who had planned to use the Dragon Balls to make himself ruler of Earth and left us to die in his dungeon," Bulma commented.

"That - that was all years ago and literally in another life," Pilaf replied.

"Enough of this," Freeza of all people suddenly spoke up. He and his brother were standing at the other side of the garden. "Don´t you have something else to do?"

"Surely," Cooler said as well, "you are facing a threat to your world - maybe the entire universe... and are tussling about things that happened years ago."

"Aeh - you have to admit he is right Mom," Trunks stated. "This is truly not the time to fight over such old stories."

"Well - I guess we do that sometimes when we are nervous," Bulma replied.

"Yes right," Pilaf said as well.

They both were now grinning a bit awkwardly.

"By the way - you are truly sure that there is no way that Gohan will turn into a giant ape?" Mai asked a bit fearfully.

From all her memories of their old life, the Pilaf Gang´s confrontation with a transformed Goku, who had completely wrecked Pilaf´s castle was still one of the most prominent.

"Don´t worry. We are quite sure," Bulma replied.

"Quite?" Shuu asked now nervously.

"Ohh - theere you are," a loud, nearly sing-songing and insane sounding voice suddenly came up from the sky.

It was 21. But she was not like they remembered her.

Her skin had turned pink. She had disgarded most of her clothes, especially the labcoat. A long strange tail was showing behind her body... and her eyes ressembled that of the evil side of the Demon Buu.

"You..." Piccolo growled. He was still now in a state to fight.

"I had hoped to find you here Piccolo," 21 said. "But even better, you are not alone." She was looking around in glee. "So many treats."

"Wait a minute - we have met each other before. You have saved our lives," Mai called out. "You have freed me, Master Pilaf and Shuu from the Red Ribbon Army´s lab. Don´t you remember that at all?"

"Sorry - I have no memories of my human life," 21 replied. "It doesn´t matter anyway. You are a simple weak human. So you have no place in the world Doctor Gero envisions."

"You should give up. It is hopeless when she is in this form," Future Marron told her. "Your future-self had tried as well and was nearly killed for it."

"Get out of here," Piccolo told the others.

"What?" Trunks called out. "We wan to help. I am sure as Gotenks, we can take her."

"No - have you forgotten what Goten´s future-self had said? Even in the future you could not beat her. And you were stronger than you are now."

21 powered up. They saw instantly that Piccolo was right. She was too strong for them. She seemed even stronger, Piccolo noticed, than she had been when he fled from her earlier.

If he were uninjured and at full strength, he was sure he could beath her. But he was neither.

"Get your mothers and the others away... and get Gohan," he said.

"And you better do the same thing Piccolo," Freeza stated in his typical smooth tone. "You are in no state to fight. But why wait for Gohan? I will take care of this crazy woman for you."

He had for sure retained his arrogance, Piccolo thought. Even if not his memories or his maliciousness.

But he was right. As strong as 21 was, Freeza was even stronger.

"You want to fight me?" 21 asked. "Are you all friends now? How cute."

Freeza stepped right in front of her.

"I will fight you. I will beat you," he said. "This guys here had saved me from you and I guess I should return the favor, right?... and I if I have to kill you, I have no problem with it," he stated.

"One crazy bitch less in this universe."

"My - you are truly not longer the same aren´t you?" 21 replied. "It is not long ago that you would have gladly blown up this entire planet yourself. Just ask your `friends´ here?"

Freeza looked around hastily at the others for a moment. Their expression told him what he needed to know.

"I - I am not like this anymore," he said. "And I will take you out."

"You think so?"

21 used his short distraction and send a wave of magical power at him. And before the eyes of the shocked audience he was turned into a piece of chocolate.

Before any of the stunned spectators could react, she had already grabbed the chocolate and ate it... and 21´s powerlevel exploded.

"You..." Cooler growled angrily.

"That!" Goten called out.

"That is the same magic Buu used," Trunks finished for him.

"Of course - this state is the result of his cells," Piccolo remembered.

For a short moment it looked like it was over to them... but to their relief in this second Gohan flew out of the Capsule Corp Building, just breaking through the doors.

His hair had turned green and his eyes had gotten shades of yellow and red around the irises.

"Gohan!" Krillin called out as he saw him.

"It has worked," Piccolo stated.

"Yes."

"Be careful. She can do the same trick like Buu to turn people into food to eat them. In this way she also becomes stronger. She has eaten Freeza."

"I see," Gohan replied.

"Oh - he was not the only one I have eaten," 21 said enthusiastically. "There was this small village. But the people there were not very satisfying, so I ate only two of them. And then there was his crew. I made a small visit to them."

She pointed at Cooler, who was looking at her hatefully.

"I will put an end to that here and now," Gohan - in his new form - stated. "And then we will use the Dragon Balls to bring everyone back to life who had died."

xxxxxxx

The fusion warrior Kefla and Cabba were watching the ongoing fight between Goku and Super 17 for a few minutes now.

And yet they both - even Kefla - admitted now there was not much they could do.

Beside that they knew that her fusion would not last much longer.

Goku send another punch at Super 17. Which he barely avoided. Seventeen in return raised his hand to fire a blast, but suddenly...

"Arghh," he called out.

Super 17 froze in his movement... and then he was holding his own head.

"No..."

For a moment the Android was just standing there as if he not knew what to do.

Goku understood. Ultra Instinct - even if it was incomplete - the control of the Clone Android was slipping when he was in that state.

He lunged forward and grabbed both of Super 17´s arms, right above the energy absorbers.

"Kefla, Cabba - help me to hold him," Goku called out.

"Seventeen - try to regain control."

Cabba and Kefla - now both in SSJ 2 form - moved forward. But before they reached them, they were suddenly being shot in the back from somewhere in the city behind them.

One moment later and faster than either of them could even react, Super 18 appeared right next to them, grabbed the distraughted Kefla and used her energy-absorbers to draw the power out of her body.

"It seems my brother had some smaller problems here," Eighteen stated. "So it is good that I left my post for a few moments after all."

"Yes - yes," she heard Doctor Gero´s voice in her mind. "But now hurry up and return, as soon as you finished this saiyans off."

The fight with the Super Androids is starting to get into the final phase.

That fight however will not be the end of the Arc itself, since there will still be several loose ends afterwards (Moro and the new future-timeline).

For reminders: Freeza alone at this point is about as strong as SSj Blue Kaioken 20 Goku after the Tournament of Power. Piccolo at full strength around Blue Kaioken times 1 (when not injured)... and Gohan - before his new form - around times 3.