Against the clear blue sky, countless fiery orbs appeared, densely packed and blazing as they tore through Earth's atmosphere. Each carried immense kinetic force, roaring down toward the vast grasslands below.
Following close behind was a colossal interstellar warship. It swept past towering mountain ranges and came to a halt, hovering silently above a lush green valley.
Mountains encircled the area as raging winds howled through, whipping the grass below into a frantic dance.
BOOM!
A series of thunderous explosions erupted as the fiery orbs crashed into the plains. The ground quaked violently, mountains shuddered, and waves of flame surged skyward, filling the air with blistering heat. The once-lush meadow was instantly reduced to a burning wasteland, a crimson sea of fire spreading like a living inferno.
The fireballs that had fallen from the sky began to shift and morph, changing from spherical shapes into massive mechadroids. Their eyes glowed blood-red as they unfolded spider-like limbs and crawled out from the smoking craters.
Nearly twenty mechadroids locked onto the Rustbucket, their heavy steps echoing as they moved through the flames, slowly closing in to encircle the vehicle on the grassland highway.
Even worse, clusters of Spider Drones detached from their shoulders. Their heads glowed with crimson energy, emitting an eerie red pulse as they whirled through the air, darting toward the Rustbucket at frightening speed.
"What was bound to happen has finally come..." Grandpa Max sighed. It was clear that Vilgax had no intention of letting them reach their destination in peace.
The Rustbucket roared at full throttle, but the machines were faster. The gap between them shrank rapidly.
At this rate, capture was inevitable.
"We're finished... this time we're really in trouble," Ben said, eyes wide with panic.
"Grandpa, what do we do?!" Gwen's face turned pale at the sheer number of incoming robots.
"Hold on tight! We have to reach Mount Rushmore!" Grandpa Max gripped the steering wheel hard, his knuckles white with tension.
Lucian watched the Spider Drones closing in from behind, their cannons glowing as they charged up. He slammed his hand down on the Omnitrix, switching heroes. "There's no time, Grandpa! Take Ben and Gwen to Mount Rushmore first!"
"I'll stay and deal with them. I'll catch up soon."
"No, Lucian." Grandpa Max shook his head firmly. "Trust me—you don't want to go head-to-head with Vilgax."
As a veteran Plumber with years of experience, he knew better than anyone how terrifying Vilgax could be. After all these years, the alien warlord's power had only grown stronger.
"There's no other choice. If we don't fight back now, we'll be blown to pieces."
Lucian pressed the Omnitrix.
Thud!
A flash of eerie green light burst out as Four Arms emerged, flinging open the Rustbucket's door and leaping to the ground below.
The moment he landed, swarms of Spider Drones surrounded him, their sensors locking onto the Omnitrix on his chest. The towering mechadroids behind them shifted their aim, redirecting their cannons away from the Rustbucket and straight toward Four Arms.
"Omnitrix detected. Target locked."
"Omnitrix detected..."
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Spider Drones above opened fire, black barrels flaring as they unleashed a barrage of searing crimson lasers that rained down with blazing heat.
Four Arms kicked off the ground, dodging most of the attacks. With a tremendous leap, he charged through the barrage, smashing two robots apart with a single swing of his massive fists.
Grabbing the scorched wreckage, he hurled it with immense force, taking out several more Spider Drones. The battle raged fiercely amidst the burning plain.
Meanwhile, inside the speeding Rustbucket, Ben turned to see Four Arms surrounded and under heavy fire. He couldn't sit still any longer.
"I'm going to help my Cuz!" Ben's voice was firm, his eyes blazing with determination.
He was scared, but he couldn't abandon his Cuz to fight alone.
Before Grandpa Max could stop him, Ben slapped the Omnitrix, transforming into Heatblast. Flames erupted around him as he shot out of the Rustbucket, riding a blazing trail across the sky.
"Ben!" Grandpa shouted after him.
Gwen's face tightened with worry. Hearing the continuous explosions in the distance, she couldn't stay calm. Her chest tightened with fear for her Cuz's safety.
"Grandpa, we have to go back! We can't just leave them!" she said, finally gathering her courage.
Grandpa Max sighed heavily, slamming on the brakes. The Rustbucket screeched as it spun into a sharp turn, sparks flying across the asphalt before he gunned it back the way they came.
At this point, there was no way he could abandon Lucian and Ben. If Vilgax captured them, it would be too late for regrets.
...
Fierce flames raged across the land as thick smoke filled the air.
Four Arms stood alone, facing a swarm of massive mechadroids. His fists blurred through the air, each strike creating shockwaves that shattered the ground with deafening sonic booms.
Thanks to the system's enhancement, his strength had increased by twenty percent—a leap far beyond simple improvement.
Sizzle!
The mechadroids' crimson eyes flared as they gathered energy, firing a blazing scarlet beam straight toward Four Arms.
He moved in a flash, narrowly evading the blast, then clasped his hands together to form a single massive iron-red fist. Charging forward, he leapt like a cannonball and slammed his punch into the robot's chest.
BOOM!
The explosion tore a gaping hole through the mechadroid's torso. Sparks of short-circuited electricity danced wildly along the shattered metal, crackling and snapping.
It froze for a brief moment before collapsing backward into the blazing inferno. The crash sent a shockwave through the flames, fire surging skyward as ash scattered into the air.
Thud, thud, thud!
Heavy footsteps echoed from all directions. More mechadroids advanced, encircling Four Arms in a tightening ring.
They moved like fearless soldiers, relentless and unyielding—driven only by the instinct to destroy their target.
Above, the Spider Drones hovered into position. Crimson energy pulsed from their cores as they locked onto their target, preparing to strike in unison.
Four Arms's chest tightened. Even with his strength, the sheer number of enemies pressing in from all sides was overwhelming.
He stretched out a red, battle-scarred hand toward the Omnitrix on his chest, ready to switch forms.
Then, a sudden whooshing sound cut through the air from above.
"Hey! You bucket-of-bolts losers—ganging up on one guy? How about I show you what a real hero looks like!"
Heatblast soared overhead on his blazing cloud, streaks of flame trailing behind him.
He raised his arm and unleashed a rapid volley of fireballs, blasting apart several Spider Drones in an instant.
"Omnitrix detected. Target acquired."
"Omnitrix detected..."
Heatblast's arrival immediately drew the drones' attention. Their sensors locked onto the Omnitrix symbol glowing on Ben's chest, and they dove toward him at full speed.
"Come on then!" Heatblast roared, gathering a ball of fire in his palm before hurling it forward in a blinding blast...
...
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