This wasn't some science fiction movie.
This was reality.
The sharp crack of gunfire shattered the afternoon air as several armed security guards raised their weapons and unleashed maximum firepower at Kevin. Bullets tore through the sound barrier, striking him head-on in a deadly volley.
"Useless!"
Kevin's expression twisted with manic glee as he thrust both palms forward. Blue electrical current erupted from his hands like a tidal wave, the massive discharge instantly frying every bullet in mid-flight. Molten metal fragments rained down onto the asphalt, smoking and hissing.
"Boss, we'll help you out!"
Rojo raised her arms, revealing two small turrets mounted on her forearms. She aimed at the road ahead, directly in front of the armored cash transport.
BOOM!
Twin crimson energy bolts launched from her arms, slamming into the highway and detonating with tremendous force. The explosion tore a massive crater in the road, chunks of concrete and asphalt flying in all directions.
The armored truck driver never had time to react. The vehicle plunged nose-first into the crater, wedging itself at a diagonal angle. Armed guards inside were thrown against the walls, weapons clattering from their hands.
"Super accurate!"
Kevin praised Rojo's attack with a wide grin, treating the entire situation like some kind of twisted game.
"I didn't expect the transformation to make me this strong," Rojo said, staring at her hands with exhilaration. She clenched her fists, feeling the power coursing through the mechanical enhancements.
With equipment like this, they'd never run out of money again!
"You, who are you? Don't move!"
"Calling for backup! We need backup immediately!"
The security guards endured the pain from their injuries, struggling to their feet. They raised their heavy-caliber weapons toward Kevin and Rojo, simultaneously using their radios to notify the bank's response team.
THUD.
Kevin dropped to the ground first, casually ignoring the weapons as if they were children's toys. He walked toward the armed men with deliberate, playful steps, savoring their reactions.
He loved this, watching his prey transition from confidence to disbelief, and finally to terror and desperate pleas for mercy.
Of course, he absolutely despised being on the receiving end of such treatment.
"Fire!"
The guard with the sniper rifle aimed directly at Kevin's head. The one with the assault rifle held down the trigger in sustained bursts, and another wielded a light machine gun with similar intent.
CRACKLE!
Kevin's body erupted with brilliant electrical light, transforming him into something resembling a thunder god from ancient mythology. The instant bullets approached his body, they were scorched and melted by the massive electrical discharge.
He was essentially an undead monster, completely invincible.
Kevin's fellow technologically-enhanced criminals fell in behind him one by one, staring at the security guards with mocking amusement, like cats toying with cornered mice.
Meanwhile, further down the highway, the entire road had been shut down in an emergency to prevent innocent civilians from being caught in the crossfire.
But before the closure...
Asher and Ben had already entered the highway on their scooter, racing toward the battle.
From a distance, they could hear the faint sounds of explosions and gunfire echoing across the concrete expanse.
"Ben, we're almost there!"
Asher quickly brought the scooter to a halt and grabbed Ben's shoulder, his expression deadly serious. "There's large-scale weapons firing ahead, it's going to be extremely dangerous if you go in there."
"Then... alright." Ben raised a very important concern. "But what if I'm attacked by Vilgax's people again?"
"Fire your air gun into the sky. If I hear it, I'll come save you immediately."
Asher pointed to the air gun in Ben's pocket, establishing this emergency signal with him.
In addition, Ben found a hiding spot beneath the highway railings, making it difficult for Vilgax's flying surveillance drones to spot him from above.
After his experience being ambushed by Vilgax, Asher naturally couldn't leave Ben unprotected at the hotel.
"Now I'm going to vent all the anger in my heart by giving Kevin the beating he deserves!"
After ensuring Ben's safety, Asher's face filled with barely contained fury. He slammed his hand down on the Omnitrix's dial, spinning it heavily in the direction of Heatblast.
Anger meant fire.
That meant Heatblast!
He jabbed the activation button.
WHOOOM!
Blinding fire erupted from Heatblast's transforming body, like a volcano awakening after centuries of slumber. The searing light was so intense it forced Ben to shield his eyes with his hands, squinting against the overwhelming brilliance.
The ground beneath Heatblast's feet scorched black and cracked, radiating outward in a web of charred patterns.
"Heatblast looks way scarier than usual!" Ben kept his hands in front of his face, trying to block some of the intense heat and light. His voice carried genuine shock and awe.
FWOOSH!
The flames surrounding Heatblast's body suddenly drew inward, consolidating into a controlled aura. His expression radiated absolute dominance, the fires on his rocky form now resembling purgatory flames rather than ordinary fire. A massive pillar of flame erupted from beneath his feet like a launch pad.
BOOM!
Like a red comet tearing across the sky, Heatblast launched himself toward Kevin and his gang's battle location, leaving a trail of superheated air in his wake.
"It's useless resisting, you idiots!"
Kevin grabbed the last security guard, savoring the man's terrified expression before hurling him off the side of the highway. The guard's scream faded as he flew dozens of meters through the air.
"Let's get the cash out of the transport together!"
"Hurry up, this is all ours! I've never seen this much money in my entire life!"
The other technologically-enhanced robbers rushed to the disabled armored truck with wild enthusiasm, using their armored claws to tear open the reinforced sides like opening a tin can.
Box after box of gleaming gold bars was revealed inside.
"Haha! With this, we never have to worry about money again! Our thinking was too small before, we should be focused on the wealth of the entire world!" Kevin made no attempt to hide his raging ambitions. In Vilgax's absence, he was king.
"Kevin, your delusions end here, because you're going to die on this highway!"
Above them in the sky, a massive fireball descended toward Kevin, Rojo, and the others like a falling meteor. The figure within the raging flames was unmistakably humanoid.
Heatblast.
"Asher! So you've turned into that fire-covered alien!"
Hearing that familiar voice, Kevin's head snapped upward. His pupils reflected the brilliant firelight as they constricted involuntarily.
Fear. Trembling.
Those were his first instincts.
When facing Asher directly again, he still couldn't help but feel intimidated.
"Boss, let's kill this guy together!"
"It doesn't matter what form he takes, anyone who gets in our way dies!"
"You think playing with fire scares us? We've got high-tech weapons!"
On the other hand, Kevin's gang of mechanically-enhanced criminals thought they were invincible. They sneered at Heatblast in the sky, completely failing to understand the horror Asher represented.
Kevin's confidence began stabilizing as well. He took a deep breath, his expression returning to its usual arrogance.
He'd been strengthened with advanced armor. He had a group of powerful allies. Even the chairman of the universe, Vilgax himself, supported him.
What was there to fear from Asher?
Kevin's confidence surged back to full strength.
CRASH!
But then Heatblast landed in their midst.
The tremendous impact sent Kevin and all his companions flying through the air like ragdolls, launching them dozens of meters high with a single explosive landing.
The spreading shockwave of flame rippled outward in a tsunami of fire, covering a range of tens of meters in every direction, like a pyroclastic flow from an erupting volcano.
The Flame Emperor had descended.