Android Saga

For the next two years, Cado and the others dedicated themselves to intense training, honing their skills and pushing their limits. Cado, in particular, had seen the most improvement due to his newfound transformation. Though it had taken time, he had finally mastered the ability to transform at will. At first, it had been difficult, but now, it felt as natural as breathing.

Through his training, Cado had realized something surprising—he had caught up to Goku at full power. At first, he thought it was just a fluke, but as time went on, he started to get the distinct feeling that he had actually surpassed his mentor. While Goku's growth seemed to have plateaued slightly, Cado's power kept climbing.

Meanwhile, Piccolo and Gohan had made incredible gains in strength. Piccolo, as always, was a fierce warrior, steadily closing the gap between himself and Goku. Gohan, however, was a bit of an anomaly—while his base power was impressive, Cado had noticed that whenever the kid got angry, his strength spiked dramatically. It made Cado wonder just how much potential Gohan really had.

Despite all his progress, Cado often found his thoughts drifting elsewhere. How strong had his father gotten? Had the Saiyan prince finally unlocked the Super Saiyan transformation as well? Would he finally acknowledge Cado as his son, or was he still too blinded by his pride? These questions lingered in his mind as he stared out the window of his room.

"Cado! Hurry up or we'll be late!"

Bulma's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He groaned, rolling his eyes.

"I swear, if she wasn't the mother of my little brother Trunks…" he muttered under his breath, stopping himself before his irritation got the better of him.

With a sigh, he got up from his bed and stretched before heading to get dressed.

Now eleven years old, Cado had grown significantly. He now stood at an impressive 5 feet tall, which, in his opinion, was pretty solid for his age. His lean yet well-defined build reflected the years of grueling training he had undergone. He slipped into his signature gi and tightened his wristgaurds.

As he stared at his reflection for a moment, he smirked. He had come a long way since that battle with Cooler.

And he had a feeling that even greater challenges lay ahead.

As the aircraft descended toward the island, Cado gazed out the window, arms crossed, watching the waves crash against the shore. The ocean breeze swayed the trees lining the coast, and from this height, the small city below looked peaceful—though Cado knew that peace was always temporary.

Bulma, holding baby Trunks in her arms, tapped at the aircraft's control panel as they prepared to land. Yamcha sat beside her, absentmindedly cracking his knuckles. The former bandit had been keeping up with his training, but Cado could tell he wasn't on the same level as the real powerhouses of the group. Not even close.

As they touched down, Cado hopped out first, stretching his limbs. The cool, salty air filled his lungs, but before he could take in the surroundings further, his sharp senses picked up a familiar presence.

Up ahead, standing in a clear mountainous area overlooking the city, was Tien Shinhan. The three-eyed warrior had clearly arrived earlier to scout the area. As Cado approached with the others, Tien turned his attention to them.

"Yamcha. Bulma," Tien greeted, giving them both a curt nod. His gaze lingered briefly on the infant in Bulma's arms before shifting away indifferently. He didn't so much as glance in Cado's direction, completely ignoring his presence.

Cado smirked to himself, unimpressed. Still holding onto old grudges, huh? He wasn't surprised. Not that Cado cared. He had changed over the years, no longer the cold-blooded fighter he once was. and if Tien hadn't noticed, that was his problem.

Cado didn't bother acknowledging the silent treatment. Instead, he turned his attention to Bulma and narrowed his eyes.

"What in the hell made you decide this was a good idea?" he asked bluntly, gesturing toward her and baby Trunks. "This isn't exactly a daycare field trip."

Bulma huffed, adjusting Trunks in her arms. "Oh, relax, will you? I can take care of myself, and I've got Yamcha with me."

Cado scoffed. "Oh, yeah. That makes this so much dumber," he said sarcastically, side-eyeing Yamcha, who bristled slightly but said nothing.

Bulma rolled her eyes. "Besides, if something big is about to go down, I want to see it firsthand. Someone has to document all this. And if you can survive whatever happens, so can I."

Cado let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing his temples. "You really are stubborn."

Bulma smirked. "You're just figuring that out now?"

Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo descended from the sky, their landing stirring up a small cloud of dust as they touched down near the group. Goku stretched his arms behind his head, flashing his usual carefree grin.

"Maybe Cado's right, Bulma," Goku said, glancing at her with a hint of concern.

Bulma huffed, adjusting baby Trunks in her arms. "Oh, come on, Goku! I just want to get a good look at these androids. Once I see them, I'm out of here, I promise."

Krillin, who had just arrived, peered at the baby in Bulma's arms, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Yeah, okay, but uh… who's the little guy?"

Before Bulma could respond, Gohan turned to Yamcha with an excited smile. "So, you two got married? That's great, Yamcha!"

Yamcha's face immediately soured, his expression twisting into a frown. He crossed his arms and grumbled, "Tch… Kid's not mine. Why don't you ask her who the father is?" He jerked his head toward Bulma, clearly frustrated.

Goku, meanwhile, had stepped closer to Bulma and was now making funny faces at the baby. He chuckled and playfully wiggled his fingers at the infant. "Hey there, little guy! I'll bet your dad is Vegeta, huh? Right, Trunks?"

The group fell silent for a moment, blinking in surprise.

Bulma's jaw nearly dropped. "How in the world could you possibly know that?"

Goku froze, his nervous laughter betraying him as he scratched the back of his head. "Uh… well, you see… I, uh…" He struggled to come up with an explanation, shifting uncomfortably under Bulma's scrutinizing gaze.

Luckily for him, Krillin came to the rescue, his voice rising in shock. "Wait, Vegeta is the father?! No way!"

Bulma sighed, rolling her eyes. "Yes, Vegeta is Trunks' father. And before anyone asks, no, I don't know where he is. But I'm sure he'll show up before long."

Goku, still smiling, nodded confidently. "Yeah, Vegeta wouldn't miss a fight like this. He'll be here."

With that, the group turned their attention toward the city below. The air grew tense, the weight of the coming battle settling over them. All they could do now was wait.

The group had been waiting in silence for a while when suddenly, Piccolo's sharp eyes narrowed, his antennae twitching. "Someone's coming," he announced, his tone cautious. "But… I don't sense any evil from them."

Gohan perked up, hopeful. "Is it Vegeta?"

Krillin shook his head. "Nah, can't be. Vegeta's definitely got some evil in him."

As they pondered who it could be, an aircraft came into view, flying toward them at a steady pace. The ship soon landed, and out stepped Yajirobe, his usual grumpy expression in place as he marched over to Goku. He reached into his gi and pulled out a small pouch, tossing it at Goku. "Here. Senzu beans."

Goku caught the pouch with a smile. "Thanks, Yajirobe! You gonna stick around?"

Yajirobe scoffed. "Nah. I don't like getting creamed." Without another word, he turned on his heel and hopped back into his aircraft, preparing to take off.

Cado, watching this unfold, turned to Bulma and shot her a pointed look. Bulma, in response, stuck her tongue out at him, clearly amused.

Tien glanced at the sky, frowning. "That guy's timing must be off. It's already ten o'clock sharp, and there isn't a single trace of these androids."

Yamcha folded his arms, a cocky smirk forming on his face. "Maybe these androids aren't all they're hyped up to be."

Before anyone could respond—BOOM!

A powerful explosion shook the air as Yajirobe's aircraft was suddenly struck by an energy blast, erupting into flames and plummeting into the water below.

"What the—?!" Krillin shouted, eyes wide in horror.

Two figures descended from the sky, landing in the middle of the city below, their presence ominous and unreadable.

Goku clenched his fists. "I don't sense any power from them at all."

Gohan's eyes darted between the figures and the burning wreckage of Yajirobe's ship. "Wait… if they're machines, that must mean we can't sense their energy!"

Realizing the urgency of the situation, Goku quickly tossed the pouch of senzu beans to Bulma. "Stay back," he told her firmly, then turned to his son. "Gohan, go rescue Yajirobe."

Gohan nodded and immediately took off toward the water.

The rest of the fighters exchanged glances before Goku spoke again. "Everyone, pick a street and start searching. Let's find these androids before they cause any more damage."

Without hesitation, the group leaped into the air, splitting up to cover more ground as they descended into the city below.

Cado stood on the rooftop of a tall building, scanning the streets below for anything unusual. With his arms crossed, he couldn't help but smirk—he felt like one of the superheroes from the comics Chi Chi had gotten him hooked on. Maybe being a hero isn't so bad, he mused.

His eyes then caught something strange in the distance. Over in the direction Yamcha had gone, two figures were floating in the air. Before he could get a better look, they suddenly landed, and then—BOOM! A massive explosion rocked the city.

Without hesitation, Cado dashed toward the blast, his aura flaring as he moved at lightning speed. When he arrived, his eyes widened in horror. An old man, dressed in strange clothing, stood there holding Yamcha up with one hand. The other hand was gruesomely impaled straight through Yamcha's chest.

Before Cado could react, Tien, Goku, Krillin, and Piccolo landed beside him. The old man, his expression eerily neutral, tossed Yamcha's limp body to the ground as if he were nothing more than trash.

Goku clenched his fists, his rage evident. "Krillin, take Yamcha to the ridge where we left Bulma. Give him a senzu bean—now! Don't worry, the androids won't harm you."

Krillin, shaking from the sight of Yamcha's near-fatal wound, quickly scooped up his injured friend and blasted off toward safety.

The old man adjusted his stance, his calculating gaze sweeping over the group. "So… you've already identified us as androids," he said, his voice calm but laced with something sinister. "And it appears you've all gathered here to confront us. Tell me—who gave you information about us?"

Piccolo scowled. "Like hell we'd tell you, tin can." His muscles tensed, preparing for battle.

Before the situation could escalate, Goku stepped forward, his expression serious. "Hold on. We should take this fight somewhere else. There are too many innocent people around."

The old man's lips curled into a cold smile. "There's an easy remedy for that."

His eyes glowed red, and he unleashed a barrage of devastating energy beams, each one aimed at the unsuspecting civilians below.

But before the destruction could unfold, Cado vanished in an instant. He reappeared in front of each blast, deflecting them into the sky with lightning-fast strikes. One by one, the redirected blasts exploded high above the city, lighting up the sky like fireworks.

Goku, seeing the android momentarily distracted, took his chance. With a burst of speed, he flew forward and delivered a thunderous punch straight to the old man's jaw. The impact was powerful enough to send the android's hat flying off, revealing something shocking—a visible, organic brain implanted in his mechanical skull.

Yet, despite the force of the blow, the old man remained standing, entirely unfazed. With eerie calmness, he bent down, picked up his hat, and placed it neatly back on his head.

The old man tilted his head slightly, his cold, monotone voice breaking the silence. "It seems my solution does not please you."

Goku, his fists still clenched, growled, "Enough of this! Follow me so I can turn you into scrap metal!"

Before the old man could respond, the other android—a rotund, pale-skinned figure—spoke up in a deep, almost robotic tone. "Your victory will not be the outcome."

The old man then smirked. "Very well. We will follow you. Select the place of your defeat, Goku."

Goku's eyes narrowed at the android's words. He knows who I am?

Tien and Piccolo exchanged surprised glances. How could this thing know their names?

As Cado landed beside them, he caught the tail end of the conversation.

The old man turned his gaze toward Piccolo. "I know much more. Your name is Piccolo." He pointed at the Namekian before shifting his finger toward Tien. "You are Tien. And the boy's name is Cado."

Cado's eyes narrowed in suspicion. How does he know so much about us?

Goku shook his head, clearing his mind. There would be time for questions later. "C'mon," he said, turning to the group before blasting off into the sky. The others quickly followed, the androids in pursuit.

After a while of flying, the old man abruptly came to a halt. "We have gone far enough," he declared, his voice carrying across the open air. "No more stalling. Land—now."

Goku exhaled sharply. So they're onto me… He nodded and led the group down to a nearby island, its terrain mostly flat with scattered rocky hills surrounding it.

As they touched down, Piccolo scanned the area, his eyes sharp with suspicion. "If things get bad for them, they might try to run and hide in these hills," he warned.

Cado rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck. "They won't get the chance," he said firmly, eyes locked onto the androids.

Goku panted heavily, sweat dripping down his brow as he looked at the old man. "How do you know us?" he asked between breaths.

Cado frowned as he observed Goku closely. Why is he so winded? We didn't travel that far…

The old man's expression remained unreadable as he replied, "Using a fleet of miniature drones, we have kept a close watch on many of your exploits for some time. From the World Martial Arts Tournament… your fight with Piccolo… the battles with those of your own race, particularly Vegeta. In short, we have catalogued your progress as a warrior." The old man's smirk widened slightly. "You have been under constant surveillance, observed by an eye seeking to determine the most effective way to defeat you on behalf of the Red Ribbon Army."

Goku's eyes narrowed. "Oh, I see. So this is about a grudge."

The android's voice remained devoid of emotion as he continued, "Your actions single-handedly led to their ultimate disgrace. Dr. Gero was humiliated."

Before Goku could respond, Piccolo stepped forward, his sharp gaze locked onto the old man. "What's it to you? You talk about him as if you are Dr. Gero."

The old man scoffed. "That is absurd. I am a specimen created by a mind of incalculable genius. Dr. Gero is no longer among us."

Goku's eyes narrowed further. "If you've been tracking us for so long, then what about our battles against Frieza? Or his brother Cooler?"

"There would be no point in such analysis," the old man replied flatly. "The sum of data collected from your previous battles has already provided superb information. Any gains in strength you may have achieved would be offset by your age. In other words… your limits are clear."

Goku smirked, shaking his head. "If you only tracked our progress from before we went to Namek… you're in for a rude awakening."

Piccolo crossed his arms, a confident grin forming. "Trust me, your data model isn't calibrated for Super Saiyan."

The old man's brow furrowed ever so slightly. "Super Saiyan?" he repeated in confusion.

Without another word, Goku let out a powerful yell, his aura flaring as golden light erupted around him. His energy skyrocketed, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.

Cado watched Goku closely, his sharp eyes analyzing the transformation. I could've sworn… Goku was stronger than this. Maybe he's not up to it…?

Piccolo, Cado, and Tien stood on the sidelines, watching as Goku squared off against the androids. Goku turned to them and said firmly, "Stay out of this. I'm the one they're after."

Cado, arms crossed, studied Goku carefully. Something felt off. His energy, his movements—it wasn't the same Goku he'd come to know. "Let me fight first," Cado said, stepping forward. "I'll dismantle these androids in minutes."

Goku shook his head, offering a reassuring smile. "I got this, Cado. Don't worry."

Not convinced in the slightest, Cado simply nodded and stepped back, keeping his eyes locked on Goku as the fat android stepped forward.

The old man, watching from a short distance away, smirked. "This 'Super Saiyan' is impressive, but still well within manageable parameters."

Goku wasted no time. He dashed forward, and in an instant, he and the fat android began exchanging blows. Both fighters weaved, dodged, and parried at high speed, neither managing to land a decisive hit.

The android suddenly broke away, retreating around a nearby mountain. Goku gave chase, but as he rounded the rocky terrain, a sudden blast tore through the mountain, forcing him to react. With ease, he dodged the incoming attack and continued his pursuit.

Seeing an opportunity, Goku started using Instant Transmission-like speed, vanishing and reappearing closer and closer to the android to throw off his timing. When he finally got near, he disappeared again—only to reappear behind the android and drive his elbow into his back. The force of the blow sent the android hurtling into a massive boulder, which collapsed on impact.

Piccolo, Cado, and Tien watched in silence. Cado's expression darkened as he finally voiced his concern. "Something's off… I just can't put my finger on it."

Piccolo, arms crossed, gave a slow nod. "I feel it too."

Before they could dwell on it further, the android emerged from the rubble, flying straight at Goku with a headbutt.

Goku was ready. He stopped the android's momentum with a single hand, gripping his head mid-air. With a quick movement, he launched a brutal kick to the android's midsection, sending him rocketing into the sky.

Wasting no time, Goku shot upward to meet him. The android unleashed a furious flurry of punches, but Goku dodged each one effortlessly. He retaliated with a powerful uppercut that, though blocked, shattered the android's guard. Without hesitation, Goku followed up with a spinning side kick, driving his foot deep into the android's gut and forcing him to double over.

Seizing the advantage, Goku unleashed a relentless barrage of blows, striking the android with rapid precision. The fight seemed to be turning in his favor—until he suddenly jumped back, breathing heavily.

Cado narrowed his eyes. Why is he winded already?

After catching his breath, Goku went back in, continuing to land hits while skillfully dodging the android's counterattacks. But despite his performance, something still didn't sit right with Cado and Piccolo.

Something was definitely wrong with Goku.

As Goku continued his fight, Gohan, Yamcha, and Krillin finally arrived, landing near the others. Gohan's eyes immediately locked onto his father, concern clear on his face.

"Aw man, we're late," he muttered.

Tien turned to him and waved off his concern. "Don't worry, Goku's got this in the bag."

Everyone's attention snapped back to the battle, where Goku was unleashing a relentless assault on the android. His blows landed with brutal precision, forcing the android onto the defensive.

Yamcha and Krillin both cheered, grinning as they watched. "Goku's mopping the floor with that clown!" Yamcha exclaimed.

Krillin nodded. "Yeah, he's got this! No way that tub of bolts is keeping up!"

But Gohan wasn't so sure. He studied Goku carefully, his expression shifting into a frown. "Something's wrong…" he said.

Cado, arms crossed, gave a firm nod. "I agree. Goku looks rushed—he's burning through way too much energy."

Tien scoffed. "What? You guys are kidding, right? Goku's completely in control."

Piccolo, however, narrowed his eyes and stepped forward. "No… they're right." His voice was serious, his gaze locked on Goku's movements. "His technique is sloppy. He's strong, but he's fighting like he's running out of time."

The realization hit Gohan like a brick. "Wait… maybe the android stole Dad's power!"

Everyone turned to him in shock.

"What?!" Piccolo exclaimed.

Gohan quickly explained. "Yamcha told us—these androids can steal energy from people! What if that's what's happening right now?"

Piccolo's eyes widened slightly, and Cado clenched his fists. If that was true, then Goku was in more danger than any of them had realized.

Goku landed a monstrous kick, sending the android careening toward the ground. Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien erupted into cheers, convinced that Goku had this fight under control.

Meanwhile, Gohan, Piccolo, and Cado remained silent, their expressions unreadable. Something still wasn't right.

The android slowly stood up, casually dusting himself off as if Goku's attack had been nothing more than an inconvenience. Goku, still panting heavily, narrowed his eyes, deciding to put an end to the fight. He charged up a Kamehameha and fired it straight at the android.

To everyone's shock, the android simply smirked, raised his palm, and absorbed the energy blast effortlessly.

Cado was the first to react, his tone dripping with confusion. "What the fuck?"

Piccolo's eyes widened. "Goku! That thing can absorb your energy!" he shouted.

Goku, struggling for breath, looked just as shocked. "Wha—really?"

Krillin's face paled. "Wow… how much energy has it already taken? Goku looks completely drained."

Cado shook his head. "That's just it… I don't think it's taken anything from him except for that blast just now."

Before anyone could say more, the android flew up to meet Goku, and the battle resumed. This time, however, it was different—both fighters were landing blows, but Goku's hits didn't seem to faze the android, while Goku himself was clearly struggling to withstand the android's strikes.

Then, with a powerful double hammer fist, the android slammed Goku down toward the ground. Goku barely managed to catch himself before impact and, acting on instinct, fired another blast.

"Stop, you fool!" Piccolo bellowed from the sidelines.

Goku halted the attack just in time, realizing his mistake. He landed on the ground but immediately clutched his chest, his breath ragged.

Gohan's face twisted with worry. "It—it has to be the heart virus! The one the future warrior warned us about!"

Krillin shook his head in denial. "No way, that can't be it! Goku took the medicine a long time ago, right?"

Gohan's expression darkened. "No… he never did. He said he wasn't showing any symptoms, so he didn't think he needed to take it."

Before they could process the implications, Goku collapsed to one knee, still gripping his chest.

Seizing the opportunity, the android launched forward and pummeled Goku with a brutal combination of strikes. The others could only watch in horror as Goku—once the strongest among them—was utterly powerless to fight back.

Then, with one final, devastating blow, the android sent Goku crashing to the ground. His golden aura faded, and he reverted back to his normal form, lying still as the battle slipped out of his grasp.