The Rustbucket sped forward, reaching the San Francisco Bridge in just a few minutes.
Everyone jumped out of the vehicle one after another, but all they could see atop the bridge tower was a massive crystal wall riddled with bullet marks. There was no need to guess. Diamondhead was inside.
"Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to approach!" a soldier barked, stepping in front of them.
"This hero is just trying to help—"
Ben was burning with impatience and about to argue when Grandpa Max grabbed him and pulled him back.
They returned to the Rustbucket, reversed a short distance, and stopped again.
Inside the vehicle, Ben clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
"No way. I have to get up to the bridge tower now. I'm not letting Kevin keep running wild."
Lucian nodded and turned to Grandpa Max.
"Grandpa, it's too dangerous up ahead. You and Gwen stay here. Ben and I will handle Kevin."
"No, I'm coming too!" Gwen immediately protested. She had powers. She could help.
"Gwen, don't mess around. Listen to your cousin," Grandpa Max said sternly.
His expression was heavy. A battle on this level was no joke. One wrong move could cost a life.
"…Fine. But you'd better be careful." Gwen lowered her head, completely deflated.
To avoid exposing their identities, Lucian and Ben transformed directly inside the Rustbucket.
"Oh man, I was gonna turn into Four Arms~"
Ghostfreak's voice came out hoarse and raspy. Purple pupils glowed as a chilling aura spread outward.
He had clearly selected Four Arms, but for some reason, he transformed straight into Ghostfreak instead.
This Ghostfreak was Ben. Lucian's Ghostfreak had already escaped from the watch, leaving his transformation interface completely blank and unusable.
Beside Ghostfreak stood a slender figure.
Clad in a blue robe, its eyes gleamed brightly. With every breath, wisps of icy mist spilled out. The instant it appeared, the surrounding temperature dropped several degrees.
Big Chill.
"Cool! It's this alien hero again!" Gwen shouted excitedly, staring at Big Chill.
"Let's go, Ben," Big Chill said calmly.
Big Chill phased into a blue afterimage, passing straight through the car door. Cold energy rolled off his body as he flew directly toward the crystal wall.
He could switch aliens twice now, but the time limit was still there. He had to finish this fast.
"Got it~" Ghostfreak replied, vanishing into nothingness.
...
High atop the bridge tower, Lieutenant Steel had been beaten until his face was swollen and bruised. He tried to stand several times, only to be slammed back down every time.
"I thought you were something impressive," Diamondhead sneered. "Turns out this is all you've got?"
He stepped on Lieutenant Steel's back and ground his foot down hard, deliberately humiliating him. If he weren't so bored and looking for entertainment, he would have cut him down long ago.
"Damn it…" Lieutenant Steel swung his dagger with all his strength, slashing at Diamondhead's leg.
Sparks flew. That was all.
Against ordinary people, Diamondhead was a walking crystal juggernaut. Completely indestructible, and devastatingly lethal.
Rat-a-tat-tat!
Outside the crystal wall, laser fire continued to roar. The entire bridge tower trembled faintly.
Crimson laser beams slammed into the crystal wall nonstop, carving dense cracks into it. It looked like it was about to shatter.
"It's working! Increase firepower!" a soldier below shouted in excitement.
But the hope that had just ignited was instantly extinguished.
On the red bridge tower, Diamondhead looked at the nearly shattered crystal wall and let out a cold laugh.
"Trying to save him? Not a chance."
With a casual wave of his hand, the cracked crystal wall repaired itself, once again glowing with a tough, eerie green sheen.
Lieutenant Steel's eyes dulled. He knew he was finished.
He collapsed on the ground, no longer resisting, quietly waiting for death.
"Tch. Boring," Diamondhead scoffed, raising his blade-shaped arm to strike.
Suddenly, a piercing cold swept over him, instantly engulfing his body.
Crack… crack…
Diamondhead's expression changed drastically. He tried to break free, but it was already too late.
His crystal body froze at a visible speed, locked in the middle of his attack. In the blink of an eye, he became a towering, translucent ice sculpture.
A blue phantom then rose from below the bridge tower.
"Y-you…" Lieutenant Steel stared in shock. "Who are you?"
"Calm down. We're not enemies," Big Chill said flatly. "Move aside first. Don't get caught in the fight."
"…Alright." Lieutenant Steel hesitated, then nodded.
He crawled to the corner of the bridge tower and turned his head, watching Big Chill closely.
Big Chill raised his palm and aimed at Diamondhead. Cold air swirled around him, gradually condensing into countless ice spears.
Crack… crack…
The sound of ice shattering rang out. Diamondhead roared and flexed violently, shattering the ice encasing him and breaking free.
"You again… Lucian—" Diamondhead started to curse, but swallowed the words halfway.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Bone-chilling ice spears launched like a storm of arrows, merging into a terrifying blue tempest. Carrying immense force, they slammed straight into Diamondhead.
Explosions rang out one after another as Diamondhead was driven backward step by step. Sharp ice spears pierced his body, riddling him with holes and cracking his crystal form.
Emerald crystal fragments scattered everywhere, piling up across the ground.
"That alien… is terrifying," Lieutenant Steel muttered, stunned.
He had expected at best a stalemate. He never imagined Diamondhead would be overwhelmed so completely.
In truth, Big Chill's strength also came from surprise. Combined with the System's enhancements, his control over cold had reached a new level, even allowing him to transform into plants and animals.
Before long, the ice spear storm faded.
Diamondhead stood unsteadily, his entire body covered in wounds. His arms and legs were filled with deep gashes and puncture holes.
He shook violently, scattering the broken fragments from his body, then focused his will and rapidly regrew fresh crystal.
Big Chill flapped his wings, clenched his blue claws, and unleashed a terrifying burst of freezing power, punching straight toward Diamondhead.
"Don't think I'm scared of you! No one can defeat me, Kevin Levin!"
Diamondhead turned both arms into razor-sharp spikes and crossed them, slashing viciously at the incoming Big Chill.
Just as the spikes were about to pierce him, Big Chill's body blurred and phased into a blue humanoid silhouette, passing straight through the crystal blades.
"What?!" Diamondhead's eyes widened in shock. Only then did he remember this infuriating ability.
Frost rapidly spread across the spikes Big Chill had passed through, freezing them solid.
At this rate, Diamondhead would turn into an ice statue again.
Gritting his teeth, Kevin raised his other arm and severed it instantly, letting it crash to the ground.
He knew he couldn't beat Lucian head-on. His plan was to switch to other alien forms and wear him down with endless abilities.
Suddenly, a chilling presence surged up from beneath his feet.
Diamondhead's massive body stiffened. The sensation was far too familiar.
He looked down.
Two pale ghostly hands shot up through the red bridge tower and grabbed his legs.
"Hehehe, got you~" Ghostfreak popped his head out, laughing hoarsely.
"Ghostfreak?" Diamondhead froze, then spotted the Omnitrix. "So it's you, Ben Tennyson."
Seizing the opening, Big Chill took a deep breath and expelled a massive wave of freezing air that surged forward like a tidal wave.
Diamondhead roared in fury as his body began to swell rapidly…
...
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