Crackle!
Blazing crimson flames lashed like the tongues of a demon dragon, furiously striking against the soft water barrier, threatening to swallow it whole.
Gwen gritted her teeth, sweat beading on her forehead as she poured every bit of her magic into holding it back. Steam rose from the water's surface, devoured by the raging flames that were closing in fast—it wouldn't last much longer.
Hex chanted louder, his voice echoing as the fire grew even more intense. His magic far outclassed Gwen's; if not for water's natural advantage over fire, she would've already fallen.
"Such powerful magic..." Gwen's brows furrowed, her slender arms trembling as she struggled to keep the barrier stable.
Just as she was about to collapse, Big Chill arrived. With one mighty flap of his wings, an icy mist burst forth, instantly smothering the dragon-shaped blaze.
"Th-thanks... Cuz..." Gwen sighed in relief, her arms falling limp as exhaustion overtook her. Her eyes rolled back, and she crumpled to the ground, completely unconscious.
Big Chill caught her and swiftly dodged a stone spear hurled from behind. In a flash, he appeared in a corner of the museum.
At the same time, Upgrade, his systems fully recovered, stood up and carefully set Grandpa Max aside. He moved to stand beside Big Chill, both of them upright and steady as they faced the evil Hex.
Hex's expression was cold, his pitch-black eyes fixed on them.
"I've already claimed the Archamada Book of Spells," he said icily. "Once I master it, I'll unlock the full power of the Keystone of Bezel."
"When that time comes, I'll return to finish you both."
With that, the runes on Hex's talisman glowed, lifting him into the air as he turned toward the window.
Upgrade's eyes flared, firing a fierce green laser that roared toward him.
Thud!
In an instant, a violet shield flared behind Hex, easily deflecting the blast. Without slowing, he continued to soar away.
Clatter!
Big Chill launched a ranged attack, freezing the open window into a solid curtain of blue ice that shimmered like a frozen waterfall, cutting off Hex's escape.
Hex raised his gray wand. From its bird-beak tip shot dozens of fiery needles—thin, fast, and deadly—aimed at both of them.
"Oh, great..."
Upgrade glanced around quickly, then melted into a pool of metallic liquid, merging with a nearby suit of paladin armor. He fired sweeping green lasers to block the storm of fire needles.
Big Chill, unfazed, shifted into his phantom form, letting the flames pass harmlessly through him as he surged forward, wrapped in an aura of biting cold.
Hex's lips curved slightly, as if expecting this.
"Beiti Diska!" he chanted. The charms on his chest burst into radiant golden light.
BOOM!
The ground beneath the museum trembled violently as five towering stone golems erupted from below! Each stood five meters tall, eyes glowing crimson, jagged fangs bared, their pitch-black bodies swirling with thick, sinister magic.
The moment they appeared, they let out deafening roars, smashing the floor beneath them as they charged straight toward Grandpa Max and Gwen in the corner.
"Ben, hold them off..." Big Chill turned his head.
But before he could finish, the Omnitrix on Upgrade's body began to flicker. A blinding red light erupted, and he reverted to Ben's original form.
"Oh, man, this is so uncool!" Ben looked down at the Omnitrix trapped in the red screen. "You lousy watch, what planet are you even from?"
Seeing Ben restored, Big Chill's heart sank. He turned to face Hex.
Hex let out a cold snort, a smug smile curling his lips.
"Whether to chase me or save them—that's your call."
With those words, Hex shattered the frozen window and flew out without looking back.
[Ding~ Alien Hacker Mission Triggered]
[Rescue the dying Grandpa Max and Gwen to obtain a random enhancement effect]
"How despicable," Big Chill growled hoarsely, turning to charge at the ferocious stone golems.
Meanwhile, in a corner, Grandpa Max scooped up Gwen and tried to flee, but five stone golems surrounded him, blocking every path.
Though he had plenty of combat experience, he was just an ordinary man without weapons. Faced with these supernatural creatures, he could do nothing.
"Grandpa!"
Ben, now back to normal, showed no fear even against these massive magical beings. He grabbed a sword from the ground and swung it with all his strength at one of their legs.
Clang!
The blade, though seemingly sharp, only struck sparks off the stone golem's body, leaving no mark.
One of the golems swung its enormous, rock-solid fist down toward Grandpa Max like a collapsing mountain.
Grandpa Max, holding the unconscious Gwen, quickly rolled aside, narrowly escaping the blow.
BOOM!
The golem's punch, carrying mountain-splitting force, smashed a gaping hole through the thick wall. Rubble flew and dust billowed through the air.
Seeing their target trying to flee, the five monstrous golems raised their arms high, power surging through them as they slammed down together with earth-shaking force.
Just as it seemed the two would be crushed, despair filled Grandpa Max's eyes.
After decades of battles across the galaxy... was this really how he would die—at the hands of these nobodies?
Ben kept slashing wildly, but the golems' stone bodies were too hard, their attack unstoppable.
At that critical moment, a blue phantom streaked past like a noble ice spirit, ghostly weaving through the golems' bodies.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Within seconds, the ferocious golems were frozen solid by the icy aura emanating from Big Chill, turning into five colossal ice sculptures. The scene was breathtaking.
But the golems' raw strength was immense. Their fists clenched as they struggled to break free from the ice.
Big Chill let out a cold snort, tapped the Omnitrix on his chest, and transformed into a rapidly spinning yellow metal sphere.
He dove straight down, carrying terrifying kinetic energy, crashing into the stone golems below like a blazing storm.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With explosive impact, the five golems were shattered to pieces by the spinning yellow sphere. Black stones and ice fragments scattered across the shattered ground.
After destroying the golems, the yellow sphere slowed its rotation, stopped, and stood upright—transforming into a chubby... giant fat bear?