Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Countless razor-sharp spikes, glinting with a pale green light, shot from Diamondhead's arms, tearing through the darkness like a violent storm as they struck the robot's head.
A harsh metallic clang echoed through the air as the giant robot's head was riddled with countless green spikes, turning it into a honeycomb. Then, with a deafening explosion, it burst apart.
Boom!
In the next moment, the colossal robot's entire body shattered into fragments, scattering across the green mountains. Thick smoke rolled out as the wreckage rained down, covering the ground.
"No!"
Onboard the spaceship, Vilgax's projected image flickered and cut out, turning to static.
"Damned Earthlings!" Vilgax roared, his tentacles twitching with fury. "Omnitrix, I will reclaim you! Such a powerful alien weapon belongs only to me—Vilgax!"
...
Meanwhile, after taking down the giant robot, a notification sounded in Diamondhead's mind.
[Ding~ Giant Robot successfully eliminated]
[Gained enhancement: Crystal hardness increased by 10%, control enhanced. Can now transform crystal into various weapons]
As the mechanical voice faded, a brilliant white light burst from Diamondhead's towering body. His aura surged, his crystalline form becoming denser and more resilient.
Lucian immediately felt his control over the crystal power strengthen. What once required focus to form a spike could now be done instantly.
He clenched his hand mid-air, summoning a green longsword that gleamed with a sharp chill. With a flick of his wrist, it morphed into a powerful halberd.
At that moment, the crowd of onlookers surged forward like a tidal wave.
"Holy crap, Diamond Head, you're incredible! That giant robot was no match for you!"
"You're amazing, Diamond Bro! Come stay at my place tonight—my house is huge~" a beautiful blonde girl said sweetly.
"No way, he should come to my house!" a Chinese-American girl retorted.
"Back off! I'm drinking with Diamond Bro tonight—no one's stopping me!"
"Amazing alien! Be my bodyguard—ten million a month!" a bald middle-aged businessman said earnestly.
...
Within minutes, Diamondhead was surrounded. Several stunning women pressed close, trying to touch his crystalline body and win his attention.
But Lucian, in this form, was entirely unresponsive—just a solid stone figure.
Some fans even asked for his autograph. When they got it, they clutched it like a treasure and ran off in delight.
"This kid's really popular," Grandpa Max said with a pleased smile as he watched from a distance.
Ben grinned wide. "My cousin's so cool! Once summer ends, I'm getting him to help me teach those bullies a lesson."
"Don't touch my cousin!"
Gwen squeezed through the crowd, trying to pull away the overly enthusiastic girls, but there were too many, and she was quickly swallowed up by the mass of people.
Beep... beep... beep...
Just then, the Omnitrix on Diamondhead's chest flashed red.
Transformation time was almost up!
Realizing this, Lucian leapt high into the air, breaking free from the crowd.
The girls tried to chase after him, but Diamondhead casually created a green wall to block their way, then leapt away in quick succession, disappearing into the dark forest.
In the shadows, a flash of red light burst out—then vanished in an instant.
"Ugh, I almost lost my innocence just now." Lucian shook his head and sighed.
The images of those stunningly beautiful women still lingered in his mind, hard to shake off. At that moment, the Omnitrix screen had turned red, indicating it was recharging—he wouldn't be able to transform again anytime soon.
Before long, Lucian reunited with Ben, Gwen, and Grandpa Max. The four climbed back into the Rustbucket and continued their journey.
"Lucian, you really shone today. That robot wasn't easy to deal with, but you took it down in just a few moves," Grandpa Max praised as he drove.
"No big deal," Lucian said with a casual wave and a grin.
"Cousin, are you hurt?" Gwen asked worriedly.
Although Diamondhead had defeated the robot, that midair strike had landed directly on Lucian. It looked painful enough just watching—it must've hurt even more to take it head-on.
"I'm fine. Diamondhead can regenerate and reassemble its body. That kind of injury's nothing—it heals in seconds," Lucian replied.
Just then, Ben leaned closer.
"Cuz, I didn't know you could turn into other aliens! Can you transform into more kinds?"
"It should be possible," Lucian said, pretending to think it over. "We'll have to try it and see."
"Oh yeah! That's so cool! Cuz, can I borrow it? I wanna turn into an alien too—beat up monsters and save the world!" Ben said excitedly.
"It's possible, but I can't take the watch off," Lucian said helplessly.
It was true—the Omnitrix, once bonded to a host, was nearly impossible to remove. Only advanced alien technology could separate it.
Ben didn't believe it at first. He fiddled with the device repeatedly before finally admitting defeat.
"Ben, don't mess with it," Grandpa Max said with a laugh. "You won't be able to take it off."
Gwen blinked, curious. "Grandpa, do you know what this watch really is?"
"Uh... no," Grandpa Max said awkwardly. "I just meant if Lucian can't take it off, there's no way you can either. Heh heh heh..."
Lucian smiled but didn't comment. He already knew who Grandpa Max really was.
"By the way, Lucian," Grandpa Max asked curiously, "where did you get that watch?"
"In the forest where we were camping," Lucian said. "A metal sphere fell from the sky, and inside it was this strange watch. I just happened to be nearby."
He recounted what had happened—but, of course, left out anything about the System.
After listening, Grandpa Max nodded slowly, deep in thought...
...
The next day.
In the city center, a residential area was engulfed in roaring flames. Screams and cries for help echoed all around as panicked crowds fled the blazing inferno, chaos spreading everywhere.
Inside one of the burning apartment buildings, a mother and her child were trapped, trembling with fear and helplessness.
"Mommy, are we going to die here?" the boy asked, clinging to her tightly.
The woman held her child close. "No, sweetheart. Just hold on a little longer. Someone will come to save us."
The fire spread rapidly, already licking at their feet. The entire room was consumed by flames, waves of heat distorting the air.
Panicked, the mother lifted her child above her head, trying to protect him from the burning heat. But the fire had already climbed up her legs, mercilessly devouring her frail body.
No matter how much the flames raged, she clenched her teeth and held her child high, shielding him from the inferno while enduring the searing pain herself.
"Mommy!" the little boy cried.
"Mommy's okay..." the woman gritted out, forcing a faint smile.
Sizzle!
A blue figure dashed along the wall, running effortlessly across it before bursting through the window. In one swift motion, it grabbed the mother and child and sped toward the nearby water park with astonishing speed...