A wave of searing pain tore through her body, flooding every cell.
Rojo screamed, clutching her head as she slammed it against the hard ground over and over. It felt like her skull was about to burst.
At the same time, her body began to change in horrifying ways.
Her once pale skin turned a deep, blood-red. A red film crept across her eyes, and sharp iron claws burst from her fingertips, gleaming with a cold metallic light. From her shoulders, twin scarlet energy lenses emerged, pulsing faintly with a menacing glow.
"What... what's happening to me? Have I turned into a monster?" Rojo stared in shock at her claws.
The agonizing pain that had overwhelmed her moments ago suddenly faded like a receding tide—replaced by a rushing, intoxicating surge of power.
"Can you hear me, Earthling?"
A deep, gravelly voice boomed in her mind.
"Who are you?" Rojo gasped, looking wildly around.
"No questions!" The sharp tone sent a shiver down her spine.
Her surroundings blurred. Suddenly, she felt as if she were floating in the vast emptiness of space.
Before her loomed an enormous head—octopus-like, its skin a sickly green and its features twisted and grotesque. The creature's cold eyes fixed on her with predatory focus.
"Listen carefully," Vilgax said slowly. "You now possess power beyond anything you can imagine. But you don't yet know how to wield it... unless I teach you."
"Who are you? Why are you in my head?" Rojo demanded.
"That's not something you need to know. Just do as I command."
"Who do you think you are?" Rojo snapped. "I only listen to myself!"
The words had barely left her mouth when agony exploded in her skull once more. The pain was so intense she let out a broken cry.
Vilgax's eyes narrowed. "You should be grateful you still have value. Obey me—or face annihilation. Choose wisely."
Rojo froze, trembling, before finally lowering her head in silence.
...
The highway was a war zone, shattered and burning.
Snare-Oh hovered in midair, his bandages whipping in the wind before he dropped steadily in front of a towering robot.
"Target acquired!" The robot's eyes flashed crimson. It raised its claw and fired a beam of searing red energy.
BOOM!
The laser struck the ground with explosive force. Red light flooded the scene, and the resulting shockwave sent cars flying like toys, crashing and tumbling in every direction.
Dust and debris filled the air.
The giant robot's scanners swept back and forth, searching for its target.
It never noticed the white bandages silently creeping up from beneath the dust, wrapping around its massive legs and climbing higher.
Within seconds, the bandages reached its head—and from them, Snare-Oh emerged, his form solidifying atop the mechanical titan.
His eyes glowed an eerie green. With a flick of his hands, two powerful bands of writhing cloth shot forward, spearing into the robot's eyes and shredding its inner mechanisms.
The robot screeched, claws scraping into its own face as it tried desperately to rip the bandages out.
But Snare-Oh's bindings had already burrowed deep into its central core, tearing through countless circuits and delicate components. Its movements became erratic, slowing rapidly.
Zzzzt!
A surge of electricity crackled through its frame before it froze, then collapsed with a thunderous crash. The impact crushed several cars beneath it, scattering metal fragments and debris in every direction.
Snare-Oh extended a bandage toward a nearby tree, pulled tight, and swung gracefully onto a branch. The motion was fluid, effortless.
Turning his gaze toward the other side of the battlefield, he saw XLR8 still locked in combat with the second giant robot.
But things weren't looking good.
XLR8's speed was unmatched—but his attacks lacked the power to inflict any real damage.
"What a lump of iron!"
XLR8 unleashed a rapid barrage of kicks, striking the giant robot's head in a blur of motion. Sparks flew, but all he managed to leave were shallow dents across its metal surface.
The robot raised one massive claw, swiping upward to grab him—but XLR8 easily evaded the strike, flashing down to the ground as a streak of blue light.
"Weirdo robot, try this on for size!"
Grinning, XLR8 kicked off the ground, sprinting in circles around the massive machine. His speed whipped up a roaring vortex of wind, forming a towering blue tornado that surrounded the robot.
Yet, no matter how fast he spun, the colossal machine refused to budge. It stood unmoved on the highway like a steel tower.
This thing was just too heavy...
Seeing this, Snare-Oh stepped forward.
"Target acquired!" The robot's glowing eyes locked onto him. It raised a palm, and a thick beam of crimson energy burst forth—roaring toward Snare-Oh like a raging dragon of light.
Snare-Oh caught hold of a nearby lamppost, pulled tight, and used the momentum to swing to the opposite side, narrowly avoiding the deadly blast.
"Cuz, you done over there?" XLR8 flickered beside Snare-Oh, pulling back his mask.
"Mhm." Snare-Oh nodded, his gaze still fixed on the massive robot ahead.
XLR8's eyes widened in disbelief. That huge mechanical monster—taken down in just a couple of moves?
Cuz, you're way too strong... The thought sent a spark of determination burning through him. He wanted to grow stronger—fast.
Meanwhile, the giant robot, still locked onto the Omnitrix's signal, moved forward. Its heavy, spider-like legs struck the ground with booming steps, shaking the highway. Each spear-like limb punched deep holes into the pavement, radiating a terrifying aura of raw power.
Snare-Oh extended his bandages, wrapping them around the robot's legs like crashing waves before swinging himself upward, aiming to reach its head.
The robot's eyes flared with red light, firing a blast directly at his chest in an attempt to vaporize him on the spot.
But Snare-Oh's glowing eyes narrowed. With a thought, he parted the bandages across his chest, revealing a massive hollow cavity that spanned nearly his entire torso.
This was Snare-Oh's unique ability—not only did he possess near-limitless resilience, but he could reshape his body at will to evade attacks. Aside from his eyes, every part of him was made of bandages.
In an instant, the searing laser tore through his hollow chest, missing any vital core before slamming into the greenbelt behind him. The blast detonated in a thunderous explosion, scattering leaves and dirt like a violent storm.
Before the smoke cleared, Snare-Oh's chest had already reformed. He lashed out a mass of white bandages, wrapping them tightly around the robot's neck, then yanked hard.
A powerful force surged through the giant's frame. Its legs scraped against the pavement as it lost balance, and with a deafening crash, the massive robot was ripped off its feet and slammed to the ground.
...
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