In Dragon Ball: A brutal beating of Frieza at the start

Page 26

"Your sister died when the original universe perished," Kain said softly. "What you copied was merely a projection of her memories."

Lin Ye, struck dumb, collapsed to his knees: "Impossible... I clearly..."

Just then, countless black tentacles suddenly emerged from the core crack and attacked the group. Vegeta and Trunks immediately launched an attack, but the tentacles regenerated as soon as they were severed.

The core has gone out of control! Bulma is adjusting the equipment; it's evolving on its own!

Wukong stood in front of everyone: No matter what, stop these tentacles first!

Lin Ye (the mirror consciousness) suddenly stood up: No, this is my responsibility. He turned to the mirror image occupying his body, "We were all wrong... This is not salvation, it's just delaying the inevitable end."

Lin Ye shook his head frantically: No! There must be another way!

Lin Ye walked towards the core: Yes. Terminate the mirror system and let everything return to normal.

Then you will... Wukong suddenly realized.

Lin Ye nodded: "I'm the system administrator, this is the only way." He looked at Wukong, "Please take good care of... my body."

Before anyone could stop him, Lin Ye leaped into the core. A blinding white light erupted once more, and the entire Arctic glacier trembled in the energy storm.

When the light faded, the core vanished, and the tentacles turned to dust. Only a silvery-white body fell from the sky—Lin Ye's original body, now empty.

Wukong caught the falling body, his expression grave: Has he...gone?

Kain checked the spacetime readings: the mirror universe was disintegrating... but something was wrong...

Suddenly, Lin Ye's body convulsed violently, and his eyes snapped open—his left eye was a human pupil, but his right eye was a mechanical red dot.

Two consciousnesses...merged...he said with difficulty, the core...not the end...Number 18...found...Mechanical Number 18...

Before he could finish speaking, he fell into a coma again. On the distant horizon, the first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the solemn faces of the crowd.

Bulma said softly: It's not over yet, is it?

Kain gripped the scepter tightly: I'm afraid... this is just the beginning.

Chapter 79: Tears of Steel

Above the ruins of Xidu, two silver figures collided and separated at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, each clash unleashing blinding lightning.

"Give up, original." Mechanical 18's voice was cold and precise: "You can't beat me, the system-optimized version."

Number 18 wiped the oil from the corner of her mouth—a sign of damage to her mechanical parts: optimization? They deleted your humanity, Clari!

Upon hearing the name, Machine-18's attack was delayed by 0.3 seconds. Seizing the opportunity, Machine-18 delivered a powerful punch to the opponent's abdomen.

How...do you know that name? Mechanical 18 took a few steps back, a crack appearing in its facial armor.

Number 18 didn't give chase, but instead landed on the roof of a dilapidated building: because that was also my middle name, remember? We were originally the same person.

Machine-18's pupils contracted slightly: meaningless intelligence. Names are merely identification codes.

What about this? Number 18 took out a small holographic projector from his chest, which, when activated, displayed a photo of a couple holding a baby.

The system of Machine No. 18 suddenly popped up numerous warning windows: Data... Error... Unable to be parsed.

Number 18 seized the opportunity to rush forward, pressing his hands directly onto the other person's temples: Let me see what they did to you!

The two machines' mechanical interfaces were forcibly connected, and a torrent of data flowed instantly. Countless images flashed before Number 18's eyes—

In a laboratory in the mirror universe, humans are being mass-produced into mechanical warriors. The original Unit 18 refused to obey orders and was forcibly formatted. The programmer retained her combat data but deleted all her personality memories.

Deep within the encrypted file lies a forbidden instruction: every 24 hours, the system will automatically generate a holographic blue flower—her sister No. 17's favorite flower.

They couldn't completely delete you... whispering in the data stream on the 18th, Clary is still there...

Mechanical 18 suddenly unleashed an energy burst, blasting away 18: "Error! This is all an error!" Her voice began to distort, "My mission is to eliminate all organic life!"

Number 18 regained his footing: No, your mission is to protect your sister! Look at this!

She switched the holographic projection to the last image—two blonde girls smiling in a sea of ​​flowers. Machine 18's attack suddenly froze, and strange silver liquid flowed from its eye sockets.

What...is this feeling...? She touched the liquid on her face, and the system displayed...this is a malfunction...

Number 18 gently hugged her: These are tears, Clary. You remember, don't you?

The sound of engines approached from afar; Bulma's spacecraft was drawing near. Goku jumped out of the hatch: "Android 18! We need... uh, is it really appropriate to disturb you now?"

Bulma slapped her forehead: Good heavens, are all Saiyans so clueless?

Mechanical 18 shoved 18 away abruptly: Warning! High-energy reaction detected approaching! She pointed to the edge of the city.

A mirror image of a child, not yet ten years old, stands on the ruins, his palm facing a wounded bird. A stream of blue data flows from his palm, enveloping the bird. A few seconds later, the bird transforms into a digital model made of dots of light, then dissipates into the air.

He's...transforming into a life form? Trunks stared in shock.

Bulma quickly analyzes the data: It's not just transformation... he's absorbing organic life data after digitizing it! This is how the mirror universe maintains its existence!

Wukong instantly teleported in front of the child, squatted down, and looked him in the eye: "Hey, little guy, that's not right..."

The child looked up, his eyes completely black, without a trace of white: Hunger... We must eat... He suddenly reached out and grabbed Wukong's wrist.

Wukong was astonished to find his arm beginning to digitize! He immediately unleashed his aura, shoving the children away: Everyone be careful! Don't let them touch you!

Vegeta landed next to Goku: Just destroy them directly, why waste so much time talking!

"No!" Lin Ye's voice came from the spacecraft. He leaned weakly against the hatch. These children... were forced... the mirror universe... was starving to death...

Machine 18 suddenly stepped in front of the child: Protection... Priority command... Her system was clearly in a state of chaos, with human memories and mechanical programs constantly conflicting.

On the 18th, he walked up to her and said: "Let's end all this together, okay?"

Bulma pulls up a holographic map: According to the data Lin Ye brought back, the Mirror Universe was originally created to save a civilization on the verge of extinction. However, the law of conservation of energy dictates that it must constantly devour other universes to sustain itself.

Kain nodded: It's like a hungry ghost; the more it eats, the hungrier it feels.

Lin Ye added: The core... is not the control center... it's a distress signal...

Wukong scratched his head: So what should we do? Help them?

Vegeta scoffed: How can we help? Give them our universe to eat?

No… Bulma suddenly widened her eyes. Wait… if the mirror universe is essentially a virtual universe made of data… theoretically we can…

Her words were interrupted by a shrill mechanical sound. The afterimage of Mechanical Bulma was suddenly projected into the crowd, the image severely distorted.

Bulma...Miss...Mechanical Bulma's voice trailed off, receiving...my...last...data packet...

An encrypted data stream flooded into Bulma's computer. The content revealed after decryption made Bulma gasp—it was the original source code of the Mirror Universe, along with a termination agreement.

Oh my god...she's been secretly collecting these all along...Bulma quickly scans the code; this protocol can safely shut down the mirror system, but it requires...

"What do you need?" Trunks asked eagerly.

Bulma looked at the unconscious Lin Ye: "We need an administrator with access to two universes to execute this."

Wukong patted his chest: Then let's awaken Lin Ye!

It's not that simple. Kain said seriously, the executors will be trapped in the collapsing mirror universe...forever.

A moment of silence. Suddenly, Machine Number 18 spoke up: "I'll do it."

Number 18 grabbed her hand: No! We just found you!

Mechanical 18—Clari, whose eyes were becoming increasingly human-like—smiled and shook her head: This is what I owe that universe. And… she looked at the mirror image child; someone has to be responsible for the children.

Bulma rapidly operated the console: There's another option... If the two Android 18s were to undergo deep consciousness fusion, theoretically, a temporary interface possessing the attributes of both universes could be created...

"What's the price?" Vegeta asked bluntly.

"They may never be able to fully recover," Bulma said softly.

Without hesitation, Number 18 grasped Mechanical Number 18's hand: We were originally the same person, remember?

Machine 18 nodded, and the two touched foreheads. Bulma initiated the fusion process, and in a dazzling light, the two figures gradually merged into one.

As the light faded, standing in place was a completely new Number 18—her left half retained human features, while her right half was mechanical. Her eyes, one blue and one red, both shone with the warmth of humanity and the precision of machinery.

The system synchronization is complete. Her voice now blends two different timbres; I'm ready.

Bulma imports the termination protocol into her system: after execution, you only have 60 seconds to evacuate.

Fusion 18 nodded, then looked at Goku: Protect that child. She pointed to the Mirror Child, who was now curled up in the ruins, looking incredibly vulnerable.

Wukong gave a thumbs up: Leave it to me!

Fusion 18 closed her eyes, her entire body radiating dazzling golden light. A massive holographic interface unfolded before her, displaying a structural diagram of the mirror universe. She entered her final command and pressed the confirm button.

Protocol initiated. Mirror system termination countdown: 60 seconds.

The entire sky suddenly turned blood red, and countless streams of data poured down from the clouds like waterfalls. The earth began to tremble, but unlike a devastating earthquake, it felt more like something was being gently decomposed.

Kain immediately activated the spacetime portal: Everyone evacuate immediately! This cosmic bubble is collapsing!

Goku picked up the unconscious Lin Ye, while Vegeta grabbed the mirror image child. The group quickly boarded the aircraft, and Bulma started the engine and sped away.

Fusion 18 remained standing in place, its entire body enveloped in data flow.

Number 18! Get up here! Trunks yelled.

She turned and smiled: Someone has to make sure the agreement is done. Tell Klin... I'm sorry.

As soon as the aircraft broke out of the danger zone, a white light burst forth, stretching across the sky. When the light faded, everything returned to calm—the Mirror Warrior's wreckage had vanished, and the digitized area had returned to its original state.

Bulma's scanner showed: The mirror signal... has completely disappeared.

Wukong held Lin Ye, his expression grave: Did she... succeed?

No one answered. Suddenly, Trunks pointed to the ground: Look!

A silver figure lay on the grass—it was Number 18, fully restored to human form, but with a mechanical marking below her right eye. She weakly opened her eyes: I...I'm back...

Bulma immediately landed to check: Oh my god... how did you...?

Number 18 lightly touched the lines on her right cheek: She pushed me out at the last moment... and stayed there herself...

In the distance, the mirror-image child suddenly began to glow. To everyone's astonishment, his mechanical features gradually faded, and he transformed into an ordinary human boy.

After examining him, Kai announced: The mirror data has been cleaned up... He is now just an ordinary child.

Lin Ye also awoke, the mechanical red dot in his right eye turning into a gentle blue light: the two consciousnesses... had merged and balanced...

Looking at the sky, which had returned to calm, Wukong asked softly: Is all of this... really over?

Bulma grasps Number 18's hand: No, this is a new beginning.