The reason Big Chill had stopped Heatblast from pursuing Vilgax earlier was because he knew Grandpa Max had already activated the ship's self-destruct sequence to prevent Earth from being destroyed by Vilgax's cannon.
When he went to pick them up, Grandpa had said to wait a moment—he'd gone to the control console to trigger the self-destruct system before escaping the falling ship with Big Chill.
"What beautiful fireworks! They'd be even prettier at night!" Gwen gazed up at the sky, feeling a rush of relief after surviving the ordeal.
Of course, she had to thank Lucian for that. If he hadn't flown back to the space battleship in time, she and Grandpa Max would've been done for.
"Lucian," Grandpa turned toward Big Chill, "it's all thanks to you that we defeated Vilgax!"
Big Chill smiled faintly and said nothing.
"What about me, Grandpa?" Heatblast protested. He'd helped beat Vilgax too!
"Alright, alright, you're all heroes!" Grandpa Max laughed warmly. "Later, Grandpa will whip up a grand feast for you—absolutely top-notch, I promise, heh heh~"
"Oh, come on!" Heatblast grumbled, lowering his head.
Everyone burst into laughter, their joyful voices echoing across the valley.
...
A week later, the heavily damaged Rustbucket was finally repaired and back on the road.
Sitting inside, Lucian frowned slightly. "Didn't we leave the Rustbucket on Vilgax's ship back then?"
The situation had been chaotic. After Big Chill carried Grandpa and Gwen to safety, he'd flown straight away from the crashing battleship without taking the Rustbucket.
"Yeah, that's what I thought too," Gwen said, biting into a lollipop.
Ben, who was in the middle of playing Sumo Slammers, looked up with a smug grin. "Well, that was all thanks to our big hero right here!"
"That's right," Grandpa Max chuckled, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. "Our little hero saved the Rustbucket just in time."
It turned out that when the ship was crashing, Ben had transformed into Four Arms. He'd rushed inside, trying to rescue Grandpa and Gwen, but couldn't find them anywhere.
Figuring they'd already been saved by Lucian, he'd caught sight of the Rustbucket out of the corner of his eye. With sheer brute strength, he'd lifted it and carried it out of the wrecked battleship.
After all, it was Grandpa's pride and joy—it couldn't be left behind for Vilgax to steal.
Just as he made it out, Vilgax appeared, roaring furiously as he charged at him. Four Arms hurled the Rustbucket into the forest, ready to smash the "stinky squid" to pieces. But before he could, an energy pulse flashed across his body, turning him into Heatblast, and the two had immediately clashed.
What came next was the scene Big Chill had witnessed...
"Nice work, Ben." Lucian gave him a thumbs-up, offering genuine praise.
"Good job, doofus," Gwen said casually, though her eyes softened.
"Awesome! Total one-shot! I'm the best!" Ben cheered, eyes glued to his game.
Lucian could only shake his head with a faint smile. He closed his eyes, recalling the battle against Vilgax.
Fighting such a powerful enemy had given him something truly valuable—his combat skills, reflexes, and instincts had all grown sharper than ever.
"Grandpa, you mentioned before that you belong to the Plumbers. What kind of organization is that exactly?" Gwen suddenly asked.
At that, Ben's ears immediately perked up—this was about his heroic future, after all.
"The Plumbers," Grandpa Max explained patiently, "you can think of it as an interstellar police force. We're responsible for expelling all sorts of alien criminals and handling strange civilian cases, supernatural events, and other unstable factors. We like to call ourselves 'Plumbers,' but officially, we don't exist. Our work isn't public knowledge."
"Cool! You're like a real hero!" Ben set down his game controller, listening with rapt attention.
"My days as a big hero are long gone," Grandpa said with a bitter smile, eyes distant as if recalling old memories. "Being a hero... isn't as glorious as it sounds."
"Grandpa used to be a hero, and now I'm a hero too! That means I'm carrying on the family legacy!" Ben laughed proudly.
"I appreciate that you think so, Ben," Grandpa Max said, keeping his hands steady on the wheel, eyes focused ahead. "But I don't want you joining. It's too dangerous."
During his years with the Plumbers, he'd faced countless deadly situations. Surviving them all still felt like a miracle. Now that he was retired, all he wanted was to spend his remaining years peacefully with his family.
"Why, Grandpa? Being a hero is awesome!" Ben frowned, puzzled.
What kid didn't dream of being a hero—someone admired by everyone, who could change the world with just a flick of the wrist?
Lucian sat quietly beside them. He didn't say a word, but he understood how Ben felt. After all, Ben was only ten years old, right in that age where dreams of heroism burned brightest.
But only those who'd lived through it could understand the exhaustion, numbness, and crushing weight that came with being a hero.
"Ben, you'll understand one day," Grandpa said gently, leaving it at that.
...
Ten o'clock at night. The moon hung bright in a star-scattered sky, its pale light shimmering across the quiet highway.
The Rustbucket sped along, searching for a place to rest for the night before continuing the journey. Gwen was tapping away on her computer, while Ben and Lucian were absorbed in a video game.
It was Lucian's first time playing Sumo Slammers. He picked Ishiyama, teamed up with Ben, and together they powered through the stages, finally defeating the evil Kenko and taking first place.
"Oh, come on! I'm not even in first place?!" Ben pouted, glaring at the screen.
Lucian's score towered far above his.
"Keep trying," Lucian laughed, patting Ben's shoulder.
"Ben, that's enough for tonight. It's late—go get some sleep," Grandpa called from the front.
Just then, the radio crackled to life with a news broadcast.
"Breaking news: a strange creature has been sighted at a private villa on the outskirts of town. Reports say it's extremely violent and destructive. Local police have already been dispatched to investigate..."
Ben's eyes lit up instantly. "Awesome! Time for the big hero to make his entrance!"
"It's not far from here," Grandpa said, stepping on the gas. "Let's go take a look."
...
About ten minutes later, the Rustbucket arrived at the scene.
In the suburbs stood a luxurious villa surrounded by tall trees. Police cars lined the entrance, red and blue lights flashing. The vehicles were empty—the officers had already gone inside to deal with the creature.
The group got out of the Rustbucket, quietly considering how to sneak past the authorities and get inside.
Whoosh!
A dark figure suddenly flew out of the villa and crashed hard onto a police car.
Lucian stared—an injured middle-aged man lay sprawled across the hood. He was wearing a police uniform, blood trickling down his forehead, eyes filled with raw terror.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Dozens more officers were flung out one after another, tumbling across the ground.
"Monster... monster!!"
"Fall back!!"
"Requesting backup at headquarters!!"
Their faces were pale with fear, some bleeding, others bruised. They scrambled into their cars, slammed on the gas, and sped away in a frenzy, leaving behind thick clouds of exhaust that made the air sting.
"Well, looks like we've got a clear path now," Lucian said with a shrug.
"We'd better be careful. Whatever's inside isn't something to take lightly," Grandpa warned, his tone serious.
"Relax, Grandpa! The big hero's here—what could possibly go wrong?"
Ben puffed up his chest, full of confidence.
He raised his wrist and pressed down on the Omnitrix. A flash of emerald light burst forth.
Thud!
His slender frame shifted—ashen skin, sharp fangs, and a glowing green lantern fixed atop his head.
Ripjaws!