The Cell Game Begins! (セルゲーム始まる Seru Geimu Hajimaru, lit. "The Cell Games Begin") is the three hundred ninety-fourth chapter of the Dragon Ball manga.
Cover
The cover depicts Cell waiting in the Cell Games Arena.
Summary
Piccolo asks Dende if he's certain he can make Dragon Balls, but Goku says the guy on New Namek vouches for him. Dende says he could make Dragon Balls in 100 days, to Goku's shock, not realizing it would take that long. However, Dende adds that he could make them right away by reactivating the Dragon Balls of Earth, improving them so they grant three wishes, like the Namekian Dragon Balls. Piccolo asks if it's possible to make it so they can revive more than one person with a single wish, and Dende confirms this, though doing so means they only get two wishes.
Piccolo says this is acceptable, and then asks Mr. Popo to bring his model of Shenron. Dende proceeds to restore life to the dragon, and reactivates the Dragon Balls. Goku tells Gohan to stay with Dende, and that he doesn't have to train anymore until the Cell Games. Gohan is surprised, but Goku reassures him before teleporting away. Future Trunks asks Gohan what Goku's thinking, and why he's so cheerful knowing that Cell is stronger than him. Gohan doesn't know what's going on either. Krillin thinks Goku has a plan, but Piccolo suggests he's just being fatalistic.
Everyone passes the time until the Cell Games in their own way. Bulma and Dr. Brief work on repairing Android 16, Goku goes on a hunt for the newly revived Dragon Balls, Vegeta and Trunks continue their training, Cell waits in his arena, thinking ten days was too long, and Mr. Satan becomes famous as the hero about to face Cell.
Finally, the day of the Cell Games arrives. Goku suits up in his gi, ready to go. Chi-Chi asks Goku to not get killed, and to make sure that Gohan's not fighting. Instead of assuring her that he won't let Gohan fight, however, Goku gets going instead, which confirms the truth for Chi-Chi.
Goku arrives at the lookout, to find that Vegeta already left. Krillin then reveals a problem with the new Dragon Balls; even with the upgrade by Dende, the Earth Dragon Balls still can't revive anyone who's already died once. Goku, however, just says all they have to do is not die, then they head off for the Cell Games.
Cell is waiting with anticipation for his chance to finally face Goku in battle. On a ridge a ways away, a ZTV Cameraman is recording the scene below, and Jimmy Firecracker is reporting that the Cell Games are about to begin. Eventually, Hercule's car arrives, and Hercule steps out, posing for the camera, then directing a thumbs down towards Cell. Cell is unimpressed. Jimmy Firecracker then announces that there's only fifteen minutes until the Cell Games begin.
