After another half an hour, Linze had gradually familiarized himself with the new body he now inhabited. He could now control the power coursing through him with increasing fluency.
Even the mysterious "Sign-In System" embedded in his body had been carefully studied and understood.
As long as he performed a sign-in, he could receive valuable items or power-ups. However, after the initial daily sign-in, the system now required him to sign in on a weekly, monthly, and even yearly basis.
In other words, the intervals between sign-ins would continue to increase over time.
"Let me sense the ki nearby."
Now that he had a solid grasp of his abilities, Linze was ready to use ki sensing to understand his surroundings.
Thanks to his mastery over breath—ki—he could now effortlessly perceive energy signatures in the environment.
And more importantly, he needed to determine which point in the Dragon Ball timeline he had entered. What era was this? What events were unfolding?
And most critically—who were the enemies or threats active at this time?
"I sense four ki signatures… Three of them are fairly strong. One is significantly weaker. And… they're currently engaged in combat."
As he focused on the surrounding ki, Linze opened his eyes slightly and muttered under his breath.
He could almost detect all of the major power levels across Earth.
These four auras were the closest to his current location.
However, none of them were on the level of god-tier fighters like Goku in his Ultra Instinct form or Beerus, the God of Destruction. That likely meant this wasn't set in the late stages of Dragon Ball Super, nor during the Majin Buu arc.
This probably placed him in the Android or Cell Saga, a time when the Earth's defenders were still in the process of surpassing Super Saiyan boundaries.
If so, then he still had plenty of time to grow stronger!
"Alright then… let's go see who's fighting."
…
At that moment, on a small island just south of Kame House—also known as Guixian Island—six figures were locked in a dramatic confrontation.
Had Linze been present, he would have immediately recognized the scene from the manga's Perfect Cell arc.
There stood Perfect Cell in his semi-perfect form, Super Vegeta (who had just powered up in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber), Future Trunks in his ascended state, Krillin, and Androids 16 and 18.
But Android 16 was in a dire state—half of his head had been blasted off, black smoke trailing from the exposed wiring and circuits.
He was clearly out of commission.
Up in the sky, Vegeta, Trunks, and Cell were locked in a tense standoff.
"Hey, Cell," Vegeta sneered, his arms crossed arrogantly as the golden aura of Super Saiyan surged around him. "Didn't you say that all you needed to reach your perfect form was to absorb Android 18?"
"Well? Go ahead and do it. The Prince of all Saiyans wants to see whether you were just running your mouth!"
Vegeta's prideful smirk curled upward, his confidence absolute. He had just unlocked a form beyond the ordinary Super Saiyan—commonly referred to as "Super Vegeta"—and believed no one could rival him.
Cell's eyes gleamed with cunning and ambition.
"I wasn't bluffing," Cell replied coolly, a sly grin stretching across his face. "But watch carefully, Vegeta. You won't want to miss this."
He knew that Vegeta, in his overconfidence, would allow him to absorb Android 18 just to test his newfound strength.
Vegeta's current level of power was far beyond Cell's semi-perfect form. But if Cell managed to absorb 18 and attain his perfect form, not even Vegeta's enhanced transformation would be enough.
Someone like Vegeta—so proud, so reckless—could be crushed with a single finger once Cell became complete.
"Dad, don't let him do it!" Trunks cried out, his voice shaking with urgency and fury. "If Cell reaches his perfect form, he'll destroy the entire planet!"
Trunks' expression was tight with desperation. His fists were clenched.
His father… was gambling with the fate of Earth.
The future he came from had already suffered the wrath of the Androids. Countless lives had been lost. Cities destroyed. Hope extinguished.
He couldn't bear to watch that same nightmare unfold again.
Even if it meant raising his sword against his own father.
"Arrogant brat. If you really want to stop Cell, then come and defeat me first."
Vegeta sneered, his arms spread wide with confidence, then suddenly launched himself at Trunks in a golden blur.
Trunks clenched his jaw tightly. It was clear now—if he wanted to stop Cell from reaching his Perfect Form, he had no choice but to get past his own father.
Fwoosh!
With a flash of light, Trunks vanished, reappearing instantly to intercept Vegeta mid-air, the two colliding with a deafening shockwave.
…
"Hmph… Vegeta, you fool," Cell muttered coldly, watching the skirmish from above with a mocking grin. "You'll understand just how worthless your pride is soon enough."
Then, without hesitation, Cell turned and shot through the air like a missile, heading directly for Android 18.
"Damn it…"
"Eighteen, run! I'll stop him!"
Krillin shouted desperately, throwing himself forward. His bald head glinted under the sunlight as he tried to intercept the monstrous bio-android.
SLAP!
But before he could take more than a few steps, a brutal backhand from Cell sent Krillin flying through the air. He crashed into a pile of boulders with a thunderous thud, the rocks collapsing over him.
He didn't get up.
"Number 18… you have to escape! Don't let him absorb you. If he succeeds, the Earth is finished…"
Android 16's voice crackled from his damaged body, struggling to stay upright. His systems were failing, but his protective instincts burned strong.
But running now was no longer an option.
Cell had already landed in front of Android 18, a twisted smirk curling across his face. His eyes gleamed with hunger, like a predator cornering its prey.
"Eighteen… become one with me."
"This is your destiny," he whispered ominously.
As his words fell, Cell's long, segmented tail curled forward—its sharp stinger suddenly opening up into a grotesque, tooth-ringed mouth dripping with fluid, lunging straight toward her.
"You disgusting freak—get away from me!"
Android 18 tried to dodge, but Cell's speed overwhelmed her. She could only scream as the tail-mouth lunged at her body, mere inches from contact.
FWOOOOOM!
In the blink of an eye, a sharp burst of air tore through the battlefield.
A red blur descended between them—just as Cell's tail struck.
A single hand—firm and glowing—grasped Cell's tail and stopped it dead.
"Wha—!?"
Cell's eyes widened, stunned.
Everyone's attention snapped to the new figure standing between them.
"Wh-Who is he…?"
Android 18's voice trembled in disbelief, her wide blue eyes locked on the newcomer. Her breath caught in her throat.
The figure was tall, clad in a deep crimson aura that shimmered like molten fire. He stood like a wall in front of her, hand still clutching Cell's tail.
This mysterious red figure had appeared out of nowhere—yet carried himself with total composure.
Of course, it was Linze.
Using his mastery of ki and the Instant Transmission technique, Linze had tracked Cell's malicious aura and Vegeta's Super Saiyan rage, teleporting to the source of the battle just in time.
And now, before all their stunned eyes, he stood between Cell and his perfect evolution.
---