"Earthling, let's see how arrogant you are now!"
Covered in wounds, Vilgax strode toward Grey Matter, towering over him like a mountain as he looked down, studying the tiny alien as if he were nothing more than an insect.
Facing the monstrous figure before him, Grey Matter didn't hesitate—he turned and ran.
Come on, Grey Matter wasn't made for combat; he was a thinker, not a fighter.
But this was the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Aside from the endless expanse of gray-white statues, there was nowhere to hide.
He hadn't gone far before Vilgax caught up in a single step, his massive shadow engulfing Grey Matter completely.
Vilgax brought his fist down with crushing force, shattering the hard stone beneath them. Though Grey Matter barely dodged the blow, the shockwave sent him flying backward through a storm of debris.
He slammed into a stone wall, pain surging through his tiny body—it felt like every bone he had was breaking apart.
In the next instant, Vilgax lunged forward. His huge, clawed hand stretched out like a steel cage, blocking out the light as it reached for the wounded alien.
The massive hand grew larger and larger in Grey Matter's terrified gaze.
Come on!
Transform—quick!
Just as Vilgax's claws were about to close, a flash of green streaked past, snatching Grey Matter from his grip.
Everything spun. Grey Matter suddenly found himself soaring through the air—then a putrid stench hit him, so strong it nearly made him gag. It smelled like something rotten that had been fermenting for decades.
"Hey, Cuz! It's me!" Stinkfly shouted, flapping his sharp wings as he sped through the sky.
"Ben Tennyson!" Vilgax roared, enraged. He'd been seconds away from catching Grey Matter.
Stinkfly carried Grey Matter to a distant statue and gently set him down.
"Cuz, stay here and rest. It's my turn to take that freak down."
Before Grey Matter could reply, Stinkfly turned sharply and soared back toward Vilgax, leaving a foul-smelling trail in his wake.
Grey Matter sat where he was, wincing. He couldn't fight anyway—this was Ben's turn now. And with the Energy Pulse active, Ben's transformations would likely keep shifting at random.
Vilgax crouched, muscles coiling tight, and then leapt like a living missile. His body shot into the air with explosive power as he reached out to grab his opponent.
But Stinkfly banked to the side in time, narrowly avoiding the grab. From the insect eyes on either side of his head, jets of sticky green slime burst forth.
Splat!
Vilgax, just as he landed, couldn't dodge in time. The slime struck him squarely, coating his entire body and pinning him to the ground in a disgusting mess.
"Hey, squid-face! That all you've got?" Stinkfly called with a grin, circling above him.
Vilgax growled furiously, muscles bulging as he ripped himself free from the sticky sludge. Flinging off the goo, he crouched low, then launched himself skyward again, determined to crush that stinking bug.
Zzzzt!
A surge of green energy flickered across Stinkfly's body, transforming him midair into XLR8, who dropped swiftly toward the ground.
Vilgax's strike missed, his massive fist clenching as he dove after the speeding alien. With a thunderous roar, he crashed downward, his punch carrying the power of a meteor.
Whoosh!
XLR8 became a streak of blue light, darting away at lightning speed and narrowly escaping the fatal blow.
Boom!
Vilgax's fist smashed into the mountain with explosive force, shattering half of a stone statue. Dust and shattered rock rained down the slopes below.
But Vilgax didn't relent. He charged after XLR8, swinging his fists again and again in a furious barrage. Yet every single punch hit nothing but air—the blue blur was always a step ahead, untouchable.
"Is that all you've got, loser?" XLR8, confident of victory, took the initiative to strike.
Dodging a heavy punch, he blurred forward, instantly appearing in front of Vilgax. In a flash of motion, his claws shot out like lightning, reaching straight for his opponent.
A cold gleam flickered in Vilgax's eyes. Spotting an opening, he thrust out his massive hand and clamped down hard on XLR8's wrist.
With a thunderous impact, he slammed the alien into the stone floor, shattering it into jagged fragments.
Vilgax moved to finish the job—but before he could strike again, XLR8's body flickered with light, rapidly shifting into another form.
"Damn it!" Vilgax's punch came down hard, but hit only empty air.
In the cracked pit below, Ghostfreak covered his eyes, his translucent form flickering faintly. The huge iron fist passed straight through his chest without leaving a mark.
"Sometimes," Ghostfreak rasped, voice low and mocking, "I just love this little broken watch~." He drifted backward, ignoring Vilgax's furious glare.
"Ectonurite! Damn you!" Vilgax roared, frustrated. Against this kind of alien, his attacks were useless.
Ghostfreak's form suddenly crackled with energy, transforming into the towering Diamondhead.
"You stinking squid—you're in big trouble now!"
Diamondhead raised his hand, reshaping it into a cluster of sharp crystalline spikes. With a loud crack, a storm of glittering crystal shards shot forward, carried by a roaring gust, hurtling straight toward Vilgax.
"Useless brat." Vilgax raised his thick forearm in front of him to block.
Clang! Clang!
The crystalline spikes, sharp enough to cut through steel, shattered on impact, breaking into glittering fragments that scattered through the air like glass.
At the same moment, Diamondhead surged forward with long, powerful strides. His hands reformed into twin crystal lances, gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight.
He struck with full force, driving the spikes into Vilgax's leg—but it was like an egg hitting stone. The lances shattered instantly into shards at his feet.
"Oh, bummer~" Diamondhead sighed, glancing down at his broken arm. "Kinda saw that coming."
"Let's see what else you've got!" Vilgax bellowed, grabbing Diamondhead by the head and slamming him into the ground with brutal force.
Cracks spread across Diamondhead's body like fractures in glass, leaving him sprawled on the ground, barely able to move.
"It's over, Ben Tennyson!" Vilgax raised his fist, ready to crush him once and for all.
But before he could strike, heavy footsteps echoed from nearby. The ground trembled as something massive approached.
Vilgax turned sharply—and froze.
"Not a chance!" Humungousaur shouted, crossing his arms before slamming his entire body forward in a devastating collision.
The sheer force of the impact sent Vilgax crashing into a nearby statue, embedding him deep within the stone.
After setting Diamondhead safely aside, Humungousaur turned back toward Vilgax and charged again.
BOOM!
A massive figure burst out from the shattered statue, its momentum colliding head-on with Humungousaur's.
The impact shook the mountain. A shockwave rippled outward, scattering flocks of birds into the sky and sending animals fleeing in terror. It was as if two colossal beasts were clashing for dominance.
Vilgax seized Humungousaur's hand, their grips locking in a crushing contest of strength. The ground beneath them cracked and split under the pressure.
"Interesting," Vilgax growled, a cruel grin curling across his face. "Finally, someone who can go toe-to-toe with me..."