"No!"
As Grandpa Max was about to be struck, Iceblast thrust his palms downward, unleashing a surge of icy pillars that shot out like arrows loosed from a bow.
But it was already too late.
In the blink of an eye, a blue figure flickered in front of Grandpa Max, extending frozen hands to catch the sharp scythe.
"Lucian..." Grandpa Max looked at Big Chill's back, his heart a swirl of emotions.
"Grandpa, run!" Big Chill turned his head, his arms trembling uncontrollably.
The Mantis Man's strength was beyond anything he had imagined. Without a power-type Alien Hero, a head-on fight was impossible.
Grandpa Max knew staying would only get in the way. He immediately turned and sprinted out of the combat zone.
Big Chill's frozen palms released a biting chill that spread rapidly, crawling up the Mantis Man's scythe.
The Mantis Man's eyes widened in shock as he tried to yank his hands free.
Boom!
A shadowy figure came rushing in from the side, wrapped in a freezing aura, and slammed hard into the Mantis Man, sending him flying.
"Don't you dare hurt my grandfather!"
Iceblast grabbed the Mantis Man by the neck with one hand and threw a barrage of solid ice punches with the other. His fists struck like a raging storm, hammering the opponent's face again and again.
Perhaps driven by rage, Iceblast's power spiked dramatically. He smashed through the dense swarm of mantises, their green fluids splattering as he pounded the Insectoid's true body.
Boom!
The two fighters were sent hurtling sideways, crashing into a stone wall and kicking up a cloud of dust.
Big Chill spread his massive wings, whipping up a frigid gust that scattered the haze, revealing the scene within.
The once-dominant Iceblast now lay flat on the ground, pinned beneath the Mantis Man's foot, completely unable to move.
"You little brat... you almost had me," the Mantis Man said coldly. Most of the mantis armor covering his body had been destroyed by Iceblast's furious assault.
Big Chill dissolved into his ghostly form and darted forward, gliding like a phantom of ice and snow. In a flash, he was upon the Mantis Man.
The mantis swung his glowing blue scythe in a wide arc, trying to cleave his foe in two.
To his shock, Big Chill passed straight through the blade and sank directly into his body.
Crack... crack...
A chilling frost spread from within, freezing the Mantis Man from the inside out. The ice solidified at a terrifying speed, covering him completely.
Even as the remaining mantises on his body clawed and bit frantically, they couldn't outpace the freezing. In moments, the Insectoid was trapped within a thick shell of ice—frozen solid like a statue.
Big Chill had originally planned to switch into Cannonbolt and finish the job with a crushing blow, but he had already transformed once and couldn't switch again.
Looking at the frozen Insectoid, Big Chill kicked the ice statue hard, sending it hurtling across the street where it shattered against the pavement.
He then grabbed Iceblast and flew over the ruined ground, landing before Grandpa Max and Gwen.
"Don't worry about me! I still have three hundred rounds left with that bug freak!" Iceblast shouted, clenching his fists angrily.
Boom!
A burst of red light flared from his body, and Heatblast reverted back into Ben's human form.
"Hey, doofus hero, go on then," Gwen said, arms crossed.
Ben blinked at his hands. "Guess it's still not time yet."
"Ben, you'd better thank Lucian. If it weren't for him, you'd be in serious trouble," Grandpa Max said, still shaken. He turned toward Big Chill. "And earlier—he saved me too."
"Thanks, Cuz," Ben said, uncharacteristically serious.
"We're family. No need to thank me," Big Chill replied, waving him off before turning to face the slowly approaching Insectoid. "I'll handle him. Stay back."
"Cuz, I can help!" Gwen said quickly. She wanted to prove herself—to show her Cuz she could stand beside him.
"Your magic isn't strong enough to hurt that thing," Big Chill said hoarsely, shaking his head. "Listen to me. Good kids know when to obey."
Gwen's face flushed bright red, burning like a ripe tomato.
By then, Big Chill had already charged forward.
The savage Mantis Man had shattered the ice encasing him, his face twisted with fury. He summoned a massive swarm of locusts to cover his body.
The golden tide churned violently, biting and tearing at the remaining mantises on his body in a blood-soaked frenzy.
"Eat up, eat up! Replenish your energy!" the Insectoid chuckled darkly.
Before long, the Insectoid shed his green robes, replaced by gleaming golden armor.
A suit of Locust Armor covered him!
Big Chill let out a cold snort, exhaling icy mist from his palms as two razor-sharp ice spears formed within them. With a swift motion, he hurled them with fierce force straight at his opponent.
The Insectoid shot out both hands, seizing the spears with lightning speed. With a powerful squeeze, he crushed them to pieces.
He then kicked off with both legs, clenching fists the size of sandbags as he roared and charged forward.
Big Chill released another burst of freezing air, forming a smooth layer of ice beneath the Locust Man's advancing foot.
Caught off guard, the enraged Locust Insectoid stepped directly onto the slick surface. With a loud crash, he lost his footing and fell awkwardly to the ground.
"Cuz is so awesome! He can do anything!" Gwen cheered excitedly.
"Damn it! That's just bullying!" the Locust Insectoid snarled. Rolling over like a carp, he quickly sprang back to his feet.
He raised his left hand, trying to summon more insects for support.
...
The surroundings fell into utter silence. Every insect within a kilometer had died in the fierce battle, leaving only the ones still clinging to the Insectoid's body.
"You're all alone now," Big Chill said coldly. His wings flared wide as he soared into the sky.
"Even without other insects, I'm not afraid of you! Die!"
The Locust Insectoid pointed forward, unleashing a terrifying wave of insects. The swarm surged upward, brimming with murderous intent, rushing toward Big Chill above.
Big Chill exhaled a frigid blast, freezing the locusts in midair. At once, his body lit with a blue glow as cold energy gathered and churned between his palms.
This chill was unlike before—alive, pulsing with power.
Within moments, a massive ice serpent took form before him.
Its eyes gleamed with intelligence, tongue flickering as it slithered forward. Under Big Chill's command, the colossal serpent coiled its immense body, wrapping around the stunned Insectoid.
"Wh-what is this thing?!" the Locust Insectoid screamed.
"Constrict!"
At Big Chill's command, the ferocious serpent tightened its coils, crushing the Locust Insectoid in an unrelenting grip. The pressure was unbearable; he could barely breathe through the pain.
But it wasn't over. Big Chill gathered more freezing energy and shaped it again—this time into a towering ice rhinoceros.
"Go."
The ice-forged rhino let out a thunderous roar. With its long, razor-sharp horn lowered, it charged forward on massive limbs, carrying unstoppable force as it slammed into the bound Insectoid.
"No!" The Insectoid thrashed wildly, but the serpent held him fast. He couldn't move an inch.
Boom!
A deafening explosion rang out as the Insectoid's frail body was ripped apart by the ice rhino's sheer power, scattering into countless frozen fragments.
Broken insect remains flew in all directions, splattering across the scorching ground.
When it was over, Big Chill descended quietly. Cloaked in blue, he walked away without looking back.
"I never expected the enhanced Big Chill to be this powerful..." Lucian thought to himself.
[Ding~ Successfully defeated the Insectoid Monster]
[Obtained a Random Powerful Alien Hero Chest]
[Can be opened anytime]
...
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