The smoke and fire of the ruined island still lingered in Rudra's mind when he turned sharply to Trunks.
"Trunks," he said firmly, his tone carrying a weight that allowed no argument. "Take Gohan. Go to your mother — where she will be waiting. Keep him safe there. I have… something I must confirm."
Trunks frowned, worry crossing his features. "But Rudra—"
Rudra cut him off. "I'll lock onto your ki signature. The moment I'm finished, I'll return to you. You have my word."
For a moment, silence hung between them. Then Trunks nodded. "Alright. But don't take long."
He wrapped Gohan's arm around his shoulder, helping the weakened fighter move toward the opposite direction. The two vanished into the wreckage, their silhouettes fading in the haze of broken concrete.
And then, Rudra closed his eyes.
In the blink of an instant, his form flickered and vanished.
When his vision cleared, Rudra stood in the hollow remains of what had once been the Red Ribbon Army's secret base.
But the place was not as he remembered. The buzzing of machinery, the flashing consoles, the gleam of steel labs filled with experiments — all of it was gone. The walls were stripped bare. The floor was coated in dust. The mighty fortress that had once birthed nightmares was now nothing more than a barren shell.
And yet, one thing remained.
A single chair, placed at the center of the room.
And in that chair, seated with an air of arrogance as if it were a throne, was Dr. Gero.
The old scientist leaned back lazily, his hands resting on the chair's arms. There was no fear in his gaze, no panic at Rudra's sudden arrival. Only a cold smirk.
Rudra's rage erupted instantly. His voice thundered, sharp enough to make the empty walls shake.
"Dr. Gero! Don't you dare play innocent. I remember my words clearly. I told you — you were to activate the Androids on this day, no sooner! And yet you unleashed them a full year early!"
" Why???? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
The scientist chuckled, low at first, then louder, until it became mocking laughter echoing through the chamber.
"Boss," he sneered, "surely you know me better than this. I am nothing if not… dedicated to my work. The Androids were complete ahead of schedule. What was I to do? Let them rot in their capsules, waiting for some arbitrary date? No. Their abilities had to be tested. Their potential had to be unleashed. So I sent them out… to taste the world. To play with it."
His smirk widened. "And now, wouldn't you know it? They no longer obey me. They act of their own accord. What a shame. Truly, what a shame."
Rudra's fists tightened at his sides, nails digging into his palms. His aura flickered violently, threatening to ignite at any moment.
"Enough lies, old man," he spat, his voice shaking with restrained fury. "The activation switch was in your hands. You chose this. You betrayed me."
Dr. Gero rose slowly from the chair, stretching his arms as though he had all the time in the world. His expression was infuriatingly calm.
"Oh, I betrayed you, did I? Perhaps. But tell me, Rudra… was it betrayal? Or was it ambition?" His eyes gleamed with madness. "You thought you were manipulating me, pulling my strings, making me your puppet. But the truth? I've been pulling yours all along. And now, the fruit of my genius stands ready to prove it."
Rudra's aura flared, the ground cracking beneath his feet. "Then I'll sever those strings myself. I'll end you here and now!"
Dr. Gero only laughed. "End me? Oh, Rudra. You're a thousand years too young to even dream of such a thing."
He raised his hands and clapped. The sound echoed unnaturally through the chamber.
At once, the ceiling above them groaned, metal tearing like paper. From the shadows, a figure dropped, crashing to the ground between them with enough force to rattle the earth. Dust exploded outward, a thick cloud engulfing the chamber.
Rudra shielded his eyes, blade at the ready.
When the smoke cleared, his heart froze.
Before him stood a figure unlike any he had faced.
Skin a sickly green, covered with irregular black spots. Muscles rippled with unnatural precision, as if sculpted for perfection itself. Wings folded behind its back, a long, segmented tail swayed slowly, dripping menace with every movement.
The aura it radiated was suffocating. Dark. Endless. Hungry.
Rudra's breath caught. His chest tightened as sweat poured down his brow. His heart slammed against his ribs like a war drum.
The creature tilted its head, its lips curling into a grotesque smile.
Dr. Gero's voice rang out behind it, triumphant and cruel.
"Well? Do you like him, Rudra? My masterpiece. My ultimate creation. The culmination of every cell, every gene, every calculation. Behold…" He spread his arms wide. "…Perfect Cell."
The words barely registered. Rudra's gaze was locked on the being before him. Its aura pressed down on him like a mountain, heavier than Frieza's malice, more suffocating than even the Gods he once studied. It was raw perfection in the form of a nightmare.
His blade trembled in his hand. His legs refused to move. For the first time in his existence, Rudra froze.
This was not what he had planned.
He had studied this universe. Calculated its warriors. Manipulated its battles. He thought he understood it. He believed he could weave its chaos into his own design, rising as a threat greater than any before him.
But now… now the truth was undeniable.
He had underestimated them all.
Not the Saiyans. Not the Z Fighters. But this man. This scientist. This madman he had dismissed as a pawn.
Dr. Gero.
The one who had played him all along.
The laughter of the old man rang in his ears, sharp as blades.
"You see now, Rudra? You thought you were writing the story. But the pen was always in my hands. And the chapter you're standing in now?" His grin widened, cruel and gloating. "It's the chapter where you finally learn what true terror feels like."
Rudra's mind spun.
He had believed his path was clear. Manipulate the fighters. Surpass them. Use the chaos to rise as the greatest threat this universe had ever seen. And when the time was right, step into the light as a god among mortals.
But standing before Perfect Cell, with the weight of that monstrous aura pressing down on his very soul, Rudra saw the cracks in his vision.
This was no longer his game. This was no longer his story.
Dr. Gero had flipped the board, and Rudra was just another piece.
His sword slipped in his grip, his body locked by fear, his mind drowning in the realization of his mistake.
For the first time since stepping foot in Universe 7, Rudra's confidence shattered.
And in that moment, as Cell's smile widened and his aura burned brighter, Rudra understood something with horrifying clarity.
He was not the predator.
He was the prey.
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