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Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Disappearance

The afternoon light filtered into Kami's house as Kairos and Krillin stepped inside. The other warriors—Goku, Piccolo, Tien, and the rest except Trunk and Vegeta—sat in a circle, deep in discussion.

As they entered, all eyes turned to them, and the conversation quieted.

"What were you all talking about?" I asked, scanning the room.

Goku met his gaze, his expression unusually serious. "I was explaining what we know so far about this creature. Did Dr. Brief find anything after looking over the research papers?"

Before Kairos could respond, Krillin anxiously spoke up, recounting everything Dr. Brief had told them. He explained Cell's horrifying design and ultimate purpose—to absorb Androids 17 and 18 and reach his complete form. The revelation fell like a hammer, and an eerie silence followed, each warrior processing the chilling news.

After a long moment, Tien cleared his throat. "Now… what do we do?" His voice was steady but tinged with worry.

No one responded. The weight of Tien's question lingered in the air. Cell's ki was undetectable, making him a phantom threat, sneaking through towns and cities, erasing lives without warning. The entire room felt the creeping dread; this enemy was unlike any they'd faced.

scanning their faces, seeing their unease and uncertainty. "Gohan," I said, breaking the silence. "Turn on the TV. Maybe there's something there that can help us."

Gohan nodded, quickly reaching for the remote. The television flickered to life, revealing a tense news anchor standing in a desolate street. Behind him, clothes were scattered across the pavement, abandoned and lifeless.

The reporter's voice was trembling. "Hello, everyone. We're live from Nicky Town, where a devastating event has just occurred. As you can see… there's not a single person left here. Everywhere we look, there are only empty clothes lying in the streets. We don't know who… or what… is responsible."

An image of deserted, silent streets filled the screen. Shivers ran down everyone's spine as they watched, eyes glued to the horrifying scene.

Gohan changed the channel, and a similar scene unfolded in Orange City. The streets were lifeless, with piles of clothing strewn across parks, sidewalks, even children's playgrounds. The camera zoomed in on empty strollers and bicycles, magnifying the eerie quiet.

He switched again. This time, it was Chazke Village, a small community nestled in the countryside. The town square was empty, not even an animal in sight. It was as if every living being had vanished, leaving behind nothing but a haunting silence.

Gohan swallowed, hesitating, but flipped one more time to the next channel. A scene from Satan City filled the screen. This time, a crowd was screaming, the panic palpable as a green-skinned creature with a long, scorpion-like tail moved with terrible grace through the streets. The creature jabbed its tail into helpless people, absorbing them in seconds. In the background, cars screeched, buildings crumbled, and terrified civilians ran in every direction, desperate to escape the horror unfolding before them.

"Oh my god!" the anchor shouted, his voice shrill with terror. "The creature—it's… it's killing them all! Everyone, run! Get out of here!"

The broadcast cut off abruptly, leaving only static, the last sounds of screaming and destruction fading into silence. The Z Fighters felt the horror of what they'd just witnessed sink in, their resolve hardening.

Without a word, they nodded to each other, then took off, launching into the sky and racing towards Satan City, prepared to face the monster responsible for the chaos they'd seen.

------

On their way they met Trunk and Vegeta , Krillin then told them about the news and everyone flew towards Satan City.

In no time, they reached Satan City, the air thick with panic and despair. I wasted no time, stopping a fleeing man by gently grabbing his shoulder. "Where is the creature?" he asked.

The man, wild-eyed and trembling, pointed toward the mall. "It... it went that way! Toward the city mall. Don't go there—it's killing everyone!" With fear etched deeply into his face, he pulled away and ran, his footsteps echoing down the empty street.

I gave a brief nod to the others, and they launched toward the mall. But when they arrived, the scene was one of chaos, civilians running in all directions. Yet, there was no sign of Cell. The air was tense; the silence beneath the frantic noise of fleeing people suggested a lurking danger.

"We should split up," I suggested, his tone decisive. "If we search separately, we stand a better chance of finding him before he slips away again."

Everyone nodded, quickly dispersing across the city. They scoured streets, alleyways, and rooftops, each warrior alert to any flicker of movement. But five minutes passed, and there was still no trace of Cell. It was as if the creature had sensed their power and vanished into thin air.

Unbeknownst to them, Cell was lying in wait in the dark, damp depths of a nearby sewer channel. His green, bug-like figure crouched low, his eyes fixed on Tien, who was searching carefully just a few meters above. The creature's face twisted into a grotesque grin as he watched, his gaze predatory.

"Ki... ki... ki... They'll never find me," he whispered to himself, licking his lips. "But this one... he looks delicious."

Tien, unaware of the danger lurking below, scanned the streets, his guard slightly lowered as he focused his senses outward. Just then, Cell made his move, shooting out of the sewer and gripping Tien's ankle with startling speed, dragging him down into the dark channel below. Tien barely had a moment to react before he was engulfed in darkness.

Cell's clawed hand clamped down over Tien's mouth, his laughter dripping with sadistic glee. "Ki... ki... ki... How does it feel to be helpless, Earthling?" His eyes gleamed with malice, relishing the fear he saw in Tien's face. Tien struggled, trying to break free from Cell's grip, but the creature's strength was overwhelming.

"Don't worry," Cell sneered, drawing his tail closer, the sharp, needle-like tip glistening. "Soon, your friends will join you."

With that, he drove his tail into Tien, draining him, absorbing his essence and his power, leaving nothing but empty clothes as evidence of the terrible encounter. Cell smirked to himself, disappearing into the shadows once more.

---

Meanwhile, the other warriors regrouped above ground, scanning the area for any sign of their missing comrade. Goku was the first to speak, worry evident in his voice. "Where's Tien?"

The group spread out again, searching anxiously until they found his clothes lying discarded in the dark sewer channel.

Seeing the empty remnants of Tien's presence, the group fell silent, faces grim and somber. Even Piccolo's usual stoicism faltered as he took in the sight. They knew what had happened but were still haunted by the sheer helplessness it evoked.

Everyone felt the weight of loss—everyone except Vegeta, whose expression remained as cold and unreadable as ever, and Kairos, who stood apart, his mind calculating as he surveyed the scene.

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