Present #17/18 = Future #17/18 doesn't make much sense from a narrative standpoint. If that were the case, there's no reason to add in the line that makes it apparent Toriyama is trying to say Present > Future.
withheldforprivacy said:
-Cell seeing Weighted Kamiccolo's and SSJ Vegeta's power and stating that only Piccolo can fight them.
Along with the evidence of SSJ Vegeta ~ Future #17/18 being pretty vague, the context could've also been referring to a 2 on 1 situation. Also, that only applies for Cell's timeline that has drastic differences to Trunks' already, such as the time machine being set for 1 year earlier in the past.
-Implications that Goku had no serious gains during the 3 years.
Such as?
-Alternate Seventeen's 'less than half' statement.
Which doesn't necessarily add up with Trunks' conclusion as pieces of a puzzle when if it really was such an important thing, then Toriyama would never have Trunks mention how they compared, especially when he also made it apparent he could hold his own 1 on 1. #17's "less than half" power can still be added without being important to what Trunks said as it serves as a way to shock Gohan and show him as being in over his head. #18's annoyance when fighting Trunks for the last time and wanting to kill him would also suggest she and her brother probably weren't just playing around the last time they fought him.
