"Severe energy fluctuation detected. Severe energy fluctuation detected..."
The Mechadroids, Kevin, Rojo, and the others turned to stare at Ben. What appeared before them was no longer the helpless Earth child they'd been tormenting.
Now stood a warrior clad in gleaming steel!
In their widening pupils, dazzling golden light reflected off the armor, particularly brilliant against the dim ruins of Times Square.
"Where did that kid get that suit?" one robot crackled. "Why does it look more advanced than ours?"
"Fight back! Quickly, fight back against him!" Kevin shouted frantically.
"The source material for that armor came from a mercenary I sent to Earth before!" Vilgax's voice boomed through the communications array, thick with confusion. "How could it appear on him? And be transformed into that battle suit?"
Rojo's puzzled exclamation, Kevin's panicked commands, and Vilgax's explanation all mixed together in a cacophony of noise.
Multiple turrets swiveled toward Ben's armored form, their barrels beginning to glow with gathering energy. Even Kevin's arms started crackling with electrical and flame energy as he prepared to attack.
But they were too late.
BOOM!
The palm repulsor Ben aimed forward, unleashed a devastating golden energy blast. Rather than targeting Kevin and the others directly, it struck the ground just ahead of them.
BOOM!!
The entire plaza shook from the impact!
Golden light with temperatures rivaling Heatblast's flames instantly flooded Times Square. Kevin and the others found themselves engulfed in the blinding radiance, unable to see anything but overwhelming brightness. They could only feel the powerful shockwave from the explosion threatening to sweep them off their feet like leaves in a hurricane.
With that single shot, Ben had released a massive amount of energy from the arc reactor! The attack looked devastating, but its actual lethality wasn't as terrifying as it appeared, its primary purpose was creating a tactical advantage through battlefield manipulation.
"I can't see anything!"
"Why is his attack so powerful?"
"Something's wrong here!" Rojo shouted over the chaos. "He deliberately didn't target us directly. This has to be a diversion!"
Times Square erupted into confused shouting again as the enemies tried to reorient themselves in the blinding aftermath.
Within the golden haze, Ben disregarded their panic entirely. He surged forward with several powerful strides and slammed a left hook directly into a tech-enhanced robber's faceplate.
"Ahhh!!"
The robot screamed as the punch sent it flying backwards, its metal face crumpling like cheap tin. It crashed somewhere in the distance, processors scrambled and chassis dented beyond recognition.
"While you're all blind, I'll teach you a proper lesson!" Ben declared, his voice carrying newfound confidence as he prepared for the next opponent.
Meanwhile, at the back of Times Square...
The moment Asher saw the golden light flare, he knew the plan had succeeded.
Ben had taken advantage of the confusion to release that energy blast, effectively blinding their enemies. Now Asher could rescue Grandpa Max and Gwen first, just as they'd planned.
Asher raised the Omnitrix on his wrist, selected Four Arms, and slammed down on the dial. His entire body surged upward, transforming from a child's frame into a burly, Hulk-like physique that radiated raw power.
Four Arms!
"Ding!"
"Signable objects detected: Gwen Tennyson and Grandpa Max, taken hostage by Kevin and Vilgax!"
"The host must rescue both individuals without allowing serious injuries such as disability or death to complete the sign-in!"
"What..."
"Signable objects detected: Vilgax, Kevin, and their gang!"
"The host must successfully repel them and dismantle their plan to seize control of the city to complete the sign-in!"
Asher had barely completed his transformation when the sign-in system issued two tasks simultaneously. That could only mean one thing, an enhanced sign-in reward was virtually guaranteed!
This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for!
"Maybe because Kevin and Vilgax are both high-level villains with considerable combined strength, the system issued me two sign-in tasks at once!" Four Arms thought, barely containing his excitement at the realization.
He'd never suspected the system had such hidden mechanics!
I need to rescue them immediately!
The four-armed powerhouse bent his legs and launched himself like a missile, soaring through the air toward the corner where Max and Gwen were being held captive.
Boom!
His landing created a crater in the pavement, the impact sending tremors through the ground!
"Who's there?" Max's cautious voice called from the shadows.
"Grandpa, it's me, Asher! Are you and Gwen in the corner?" Four Arms called back, deliberately lowering his naturally booming voice to avoid alerting Vilgax and the others to his presence.
"Yes! The moment I saw Ben use that palm cannon, I broke free from the ropes and got Gwen to safety," Max explained quietly. "Actually, I'd already loosened the bindings earlier, but I was waiting for the right opportunity."
He was like an experienced hunter, patient, observant, and ready to strike when the moment presented itself.
Four Arms used his four massive arms to systematically clear away the debris blocking their path, shoving aside chunks of concrete and twisted metal with ease. Only when all four hands touched the wall in the corner could he sense their presence, feel their breathing, their heartbeats.
"Hold on tight," he rumbled.
With a powerful roar, he extended his arms. One pair grabbed Max securely, while the other carefully lifted Gwen, who needed more protection given her smaller size.
Boom!!
He stomped the ground with both legs, and the resulting explosive force launched all three of them skyward!
"Ahhhhh!!" Gwen shrieked, clutching Four Arms' muscular arm tightly and pressing herself against his broad chest with her eyes squeezed shut. The intense wind whipped her hair into chaos around her face.
"Gwen, don't worry! I'm taking you somewhere safe!" Four Arms reassured her, his deep voice surprisingly gentle despite its volume. He controlled their trajectory carefully, guiding them away from Times Square toward safety.
"Asher, I need to hear about Ben's battle suit and your entire battle plan after this is over," Max said with genuine curiosity lighting up his weathered features. "Because I'm absolutely fascinated by how you two pulled this off!"
"Don't worry, Grandpa. I'll explain everything once this is finished," Four Arms promised.
They descended toward an empty clearing several blocks away, Four Arms' powerful legs absorbing the impact as they touched down.
Boom!
A massive crater appeared in the pavement as countless fragments of concrete exploded outward like a meteor strike, creating a ring of debris around the landing site!
Four Arms' bent legs sank deep into the ground, bearing the full punishment of the tremendous impact force. His muscles remained completely unharmed, the shock force was nothing to his Tetramand physique. Child's play, really.
"Alright, you're both safe now," Four Arms said, slowly releasing Max and Gwen from his grip. He knelt on one knee to reduce the height difference and looked at them with surprisingly soft eyes for such an intimidating alien form. "I'm going back to help Ben now. Grandpa, Gwen, you two need to hide and stay hidden. Don't let anyone discover you."
"I knew you'd come to save us," Gwen said with absolute conviction, trust shining in her eyes. "Grandpa and I never doubted you for a second!"
"You're right, I'd never abandon you," Four Arms replied with a slight smile that somehow managed to look reassuring despite his fearsome appearance. Then his expression hardened again as he turned back toward Times Square, where the sounds of battle still echoed.
Now it was time to deal with those alien invaders.
"Oh, right, I should check what reward the first sign-in task gives me!" Four Arms realized suddenly.
☆☆☆
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
☆☆☆
-> 50 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/AshenMoon
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you