Three months later.
On the highway connecting the "City of Sin," dark clouds hung heavy in the sky, and the low rumble of thunder echoed across the horizon.
A violent storm was about to break.
A pink little Beetle cruised along the highway, playing retro folk music.
Behind the wheel was none other than the newly upgraded Anroid 18, her second modification complete.
Having just returned from shopping in the city, she was now heading back toward the "Underground Laboratory."
But even beyond Earth, satellites had already locked onto her position.
From a military base on the outskirts of the city, two F-22 stealth fighters, loaded with heavy weaponry, were moving in her direction.
The "Battle of the Giants" from two months ago had ended.
The Hulk, with help from his girlfriend, had once again escaped military control, vanishing without a trace.
Yet the relentless General Ross, still obsessed, continued both his search for the Hulk and his surveillance of Anroid 18.
Using satellite tracking, he conducted an around-the-clock, "carpet-bomb" search.
Finally, amidst the sprawling crowds, he located the android girl once more.
He intended to capture her in the same way he had hunted the Hulk, demonstrating military power to the creator of Anroid 18.
He believed that once she was captured, she would be grateful, loyal, and obedient.
If successful, he would command a formidable army of androids.
Arrogant as ever, General Ross cared little for anyone else's feelings.
This man epitomized the selfishness and greed of his nation.
Unfortunately for him, he had provoked the wrong opponent.
And soon, he would pay a price more severe than he could imagine.
…
The two state-of-the-art stealth fighters locked onto their target below.
A pink Beetle.
Four "Rattlesnake Missiles" detached from the aircraft, tracing gray-white paths through the sky as they dove toward the car.
The deadly flower of hell was about to bloom.
Inside the car, Anroid 18 smirked playfully.
She rolled down the window, extending a pale hand.
Blue-and-white energy swirled at her fingertips, compressed into a paper-thin, rapidly spinning "Light Saw."
This was her "Ki Circular Slash."
Like a laser cutter, it could slice through anything it touched.
Even cosmic-level warriors like Frieza had fallen victim to this technique.
No early Dragon Ball villain would dare resist the Ki Circular Slash.
To Anroid 18, Earth's steel warplanes were little more than garbage.
The Ki Circular Slash struck with lightning speed, surpassing multiple times the speed of sound.
One by one, the incoming Rattlesnake Missiles were cut in half midair, igniting brilliant fireworks.
The two bewildered pilots froze in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
A flash of radiant blue light swept past them.
Their fragile bodies, spattered with crimson blood, along with the stealth fighters, were sliced cleanly in two.
Until their deaths, they never realized the magnitude of the enemy they had provoked.
The blue-and-white Ki Circular Slash pressed on toward the sky.
Breaking through the atmosphere, it obliterated the surveillance satellite tracking her in an instant.
Anroid 18 withdrew her hand with disgust, rolling her eyes, and continued her journey home.
But the cold, mocking voice of the "Creator" suddenly echoed in her mind.
"You've only swatted two flies, and you think that's a deterrent?"
Anroid 18 frowned, unsure of what he meant.
The Creator continued, his words dripping with ruthless disdain:
"This is a nation that worships 'Social Darwinism.'"
"Survival of the fittest!"
"Weakness has no value; compassion is nothing but folly."
"When hunters mark their prey, even your claws will only stir their greed."
"If you want these despicable creatures to forever fear you, you must establish from the start who is the prey and who is the hunter."
Anroid 18's lips curved into a cruel smile. She altered her planned route.
Her next destination?
The military base from which the two F-22 stealth fighters had taken off.
Since they had dared to provoke her, there was no need to play the hero.
Fight fire with fire. Always the most effective solution.
She parked her car by the roadside and pressed a pink button.
As she stepped out, the car shrank into a thumb-sized capsule, bouncing into her hand.
Then, she casually slipped it into her pocket.
This was the "Capsule Technology" from the Dragon Ball universe.
By altering atomic arrangements and compressing distances between atoms, massive objects could be reduced to convenient, portable capsules.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe had similar technology—Ant-Man's suit and the Pym Particles—though the latter was less practical.
With this tech, entire houses, vehicles, time machines, and armored weapons could be miniaturized.
It was precisely this technology that had made the Bulma family the wealthiest in the Dragon Ball world.
Now, this technology would provide Renjie with immeasurable wealth and the foundation for an industrial empire surpassing all others.