Asher recalled the memory from moments before, cold sweat soaking through his shirt. His heart still hammered against his ribs.
Even someone as strong-willed as him had nearly fallen into Zombozo's illusion.
Thank God my willpower was strong enough to snap me out of it. He exhaled slowly, relief flooding through him. If he'd been completely hypnotized, the consequences would've been catastrophic.
More importantly, he'd discovered something, he was no longer affected by Zombozo's jokes. It was as if he'd developed a resistance.
Inside the Omnitrix, Ghostfreak spoke up, his voice dripping with pride. "Idiot kid, without me, could you have resisted that illusion? You should be honored to have my help."
Asher couldn't hear Ghostfreak's smug commentary. His attention remained fixed on Zombozo. Since he'd broken free from the hypnosis, he had to pretend to still be laughing, otherwise the clown would realize something was wrong.
He needed to figure out a way to get Max and the others out of this nightmare, and discover exactly what Zombozo was planning.
Outside the circus tent, the market stood almost completely deserted. Nearly everyone had gone to watch Zombozo's performance, leaving the streets eerily quiet.
Ben walked through the empty market with his hands in his pockets, unease written across his face. "Clowns..." He shuddered. "Just looking at that sign gave me the creeps. No way I'm watching that thing."
His insistence on leaving hadn't been just to follow the three ability freaks. More than anything, he was terrified of clowns. Too many horror movies, too many urban legends, they'd all left their mark. No matter what anyone said, he refused to face Zombozo the Clown. That was his psychological shadow, plain and simple.
Crash!
The sound jolted Ben from his thoughts, pulling him back to reality.
Bang!
Another loud smash echoed through the deserted market, especially jarring in the silence. It came from a shop in the distance!
Ben's eyes locked onto the store.
Through the shattered window, he could see Thumbskull using his brute strength and iron-tough skin to destroy the shop's cash register, pulling out fistfuls of dollar bills!
"I like money." Thumbskull wiped a thick stack of bills across his palm, grinning as he admired his haul.
Smash!
In the jewelry store next door, Frightwig whipped her tentacle-like hair through the air, shattering display cases. She plucked out a string of expensive necklaces, selecting one particular ring and slipping it onto her slender finger.
Moonlight gleamed off her pale features, highlighting her cold, beautiful face. It was hard to believe someone so striking could be such a menace.
Unfortunately, her two accomplices weren't the appreciative type.
"Pfft!" Acid Breath removed his iron mask and spat a mouthful of corrosive liquid at a store wall. The substance ate through the barrier instantly, giving him easy access to the warehouse behind to search for valuables.
The three of them were robbing the market blind while everyone else was distracted!
"These three really are bad guys! Using their abilities to steal!" Ben's expression hardened, his fists clenching tight at his sides.
His intuition had been right after all!
"What's with that kid?" Thumbskull noticed Ben standing in the street with that serious expression. He turned to his companions, confused.
"Why didn't he go to the circus?" Frightwig tilted her head slightly, her cold eyes studying Ben with a hint of curiosity.
"Whatever. Just knock the brat out so he doesn't get in our way!" Acid Breath snarled.
The three criminals stuffed their stolen money into a large sack and advanced toward Ben.
What surprised all three of them was that the kid didn't run screaming for his mother. He wasn't frightened at all. Instead, he looked... eager?
Had fear broken his brain?
"You three bumping into me tonight? That's the unluckiest thing that'll happen to you." Ben stood his ground, his voice calm and steady.
"Hahaha!"
Thumbskull, Frightwig, and Acid Breath all burst into laughter.
What was this kid's problem? Didn't his mother teach him what fear was supposed to feel like?
"Wait, I can't... I can't stop laughing..." Acid Breath wheezed between guffaws.
Ben slowly reached up and pulled down his jacket zipper, revealing the glowing arc reactor embedded in his chest. Faint light illuminated his determined face.
The image was genuinely impressive.
Thumbskull's laughter faltered. "What's that weird thing this kid's wearing? Looks like he got scared and..."
"Whoa! It's freezing out here!" Ben suddenly zipped his jacket back up, folding his arms and shivering. His domineering presence instantly collapsed.
Unsurprisingly, the three criminals burst into laughter again.
Frightwig leaned forward with a mocking smile, her voice taking on a condescending, child-talking tone. "Little boy, is that glowing thing your mommy gave you so you don't get lost at night?"
"Hahaha!" Thumbskull and Acid Breath doubled over, the atmosphere turning almost jovial.
"That's it!!"
Ben slammed his palm down on the reactor, veins bulging on his forehead.
Whirr-click-click-click!
The reactor contained terrifying nanotechnology. What had been a small device instantly extended countless steel components, assembling themselves across Ben's body to form a complete suit of armor, perfectly tailored to his frame!
All three criminals froze in shock.
Standing before them was no longer a brown-haired kid. It was a fully armored figure with an adult-sized body!
"Hey, big ugly! Aren't you supposed to be the most vicious freak in the universe? Want to trade punches with me?!" Ben raised his steel-encased right fist, his voice amplified and deepened by the armor's systems as he called out to Thumbskull.
"What the hell is this thing? Some kind of armor? How does a kid have something like that?!" Frightwig and Acid Breath both looked genuinely surprised.
Thumbskull, whose brain was more brawn than thought, couldn't control his emotions. His face twisted with rage. "I don't care what it is, I'm gonna smash him!!"
Thud-thud-thud!
He charged forward like a cheetah pouncing on prey, his massive legs eating up the distance between them!
Thud-thud-thud!
Ben activated his suit's systems and rushed to meet him. The two closed on each other like rampaging beasts, committing to the most primitive form of combat!
As they came within range, both raised their fists simultaneously and swung with all their strength!
BOOM!
Thumbskull's punch connected with Ben's armored chest!
Ben stumbled backward two steps, his body swaying, then steadied himself. His voice came out calm through the suit's speakers. "That hurt. But only a little."
WHAM!
A split second later, Ben's counterattack slammed into Thumbskull's torso. The strongman's entire body bent forward, his knees buckling as he dropped to the ground, coughing violently!
Not only that, but his fists were red and throbbing with pain!
"This bald freak is pretty rude!" Ben retracted his fist, then turned toward Frightwig and Acid Breath, his voice confident and eager. "You two, who's next?!"