Facing the raging Four Arms, XLR8 quickly improvised—he grabbed a handful of coins nearby and flung them straight at his opponent.
Clatter!
The gleaming coins spun at high speed, becoming razor-sharp as they tore through the air, carrying a terrifying kinetic force toward Four Arms.
"Ben Tennyson, you idiot! Copying my move? Hahaha!"
Four Arms' expression twisted into madness, showing no fear of the incoming attack.
He spread his blood-red arms wide and clapped them together with a thunderous boom, unleashing a violent shockwave. The deadly coins froze midair under the immense pressure, letting out faint metallic cries before losing all momentum and raining down with dull clinks.
"Oh, crap." XLR8's face fell.
If he'd known his opponent was Kevin, he never would've chosen XLR8. He'd have gone with something brute-force, like Four Arms himself—or even Diamondhead. As for the four new Alien Heroes, he was still too unfamiliar with them. They weren't nearly enough to take on Kevin.
Four Arms cracked his knuckles, glaring viciously as he advanced step by step.
"Ben Tennyson, it's time to end this!"
He stomped down, shattering the stone beneath his feet, and threw a massive punch at XLR8.
In a flash, XLR8 dodged aside, reappearing behind him.
Tap tap tap!
He leapt up and unleashed a flurry of rapid kicks against Four Arms' broad back, the strikes landing with heavy, muffled thuds.
"Ben Tennyson, are you tickling me?"
Four Arms sneered, then spun around and smacked XLR8 away with a single swing.
Bang!
XLR8's slender body shot through the air like a kite with its string cut, crashing hard into the bridge and snapping its supports. Shimmering coins scattered everywhere, clinking across the cold ground.
"Damn it..." XLR8 gritted his teeth, forcing himself up through the pain.
Just as he prepared to counterattack, the Omnitrix on his chest began to blink. A burst of red light engulfed him—and he reverted to Ben.
"Ugh, this stupid watch! Where did you even come from?!" Ben groaned, staring at his hands in frustration.
"Hahaha! Luck's on my side! You're finished, loser!"
Four Arms' face contorted with fury as he charged forward like a wild beast, ready to tear Ben apart.
"I'm so screwed..." Ben's face went pale as he turned and bolted in the opposite direction.
But there was no escaping Four Arms' speed. In just a few strides, he was upon him.
Just as Four Arms' massive claws were about to grab Ben, a chilling gust erupted, slamming straight into his face.
"What the—?!"
Four Arms raised an arm to block the strange blast.
Crack!
Glittering ice spread rapidly across his body, wrapping around him like a living curse. Within seconds, Four Arms was encased in solid ice, frozen into a massive sculpture that gleamed under the light.
Ben turned toward the source, his eyes lighting up with relief.
"Cuz! You're my absolute hero!" he couldn't help but cheer.
At some point, the Big Chill had already risen into the air. Each flap of its blue wings swept out a chill, like an ethereal being from a frozen realm.
"Such a beautiful Alien Hero..." Gwen murmured, gazing up at the Big Chill in awe.
Though this wasn't her first encounter with the Big Chill, she still couldn't contain her excitement.
The Big Chill flapped its wings, scooping up the jubilant Ben and carrying him to Grandpa Max's side.
"Gwen, you possess Water Magic. Take care of Grandpa and Ben. I'll handle Kevin," Big Chill said in a hoarse voice, its golden eyes glinting faintly.
"I can help Lucian!" Gwen blurted out, her expression anxious.
"No, your magic won't harm Kevin," Big Chill shook its head, then turned and departed.
Grandpa Max looked at his dejected granddaughter and comforted her, "Gwen, don't be discouraged. Your cousin didn't let you join the fight because he was afraid you'd get hurt. You must understand Lucian's good intentions."
At these words, the gloom in Gwen's eyes instantly brightened.
So that's why! Her Cuz was afraid Kevin would hurt her, so he wouldn't let her help!
How thoughtful...
Seeing Gwen's increasingly dreamy expression, Grandpa Max began to regret his earlier words.
He cleared his throat softly, then led Ben and Gwen to hide in a corner of the mint, watching the battle between the Big Chill and the Four Arms with bated breath.
By now, the Four Arms had already broken free from the ice's grip, becoming utterly frenzied as it savagely attacked the Big Chill.
"Ben Tennyson's cousin, you're going to interfere too?"
Four Arms swung his fists, creating powerful gusts of wind.
"Yes. So what?" the Big Chill replied indifferently, effortlessly evading the terrifying blows.
Its sky-blue wings soared through the air, periodically expelling icy breath that frustrated Four Arms into near-madness.
Though the Four Arms possessed astonishing leaping power, whenever he neared the Big Chill, the latter would instantly transform into a phantom form. This not only evaded the brute's fists but also allowed the Big Chill to form a layer of frost, drastically slowing the Four Arms' speed.
"Oh man, Cuz is totally awesome!" Ben jumped up excitedly. "Go beat the crap out of that loser Kevin! Teach him a lesson so he knows messing with Ben Tennyson isn't smart!"
Gwen looked embarrassed. "If it weren't for Cuz stepping in, you'd be in real trouble, you doofus."
"Hey, I remember an old saying: 'Riding someone else's strength.' That fits Ben's situation perfectly right now," Grandpa Max chuckled.
...
The spacious mint was already a complete mess.
The floor was covered in fine cracks, littered with countless silver coins—some shattered into fragments, others broken and incomplete, and still others frozen solid, reflecting a faint, icy glint.
"Lucian, is it?" The Four Arms, covered in wounds, his eyes nearly spitting flames, roared furiously, "Don't think that just because you beat me last time, you can do it again! If that old ghost hadn't controlled my body, I would have killed you then and there!"
He still vividly remembered the scene in New York's plaza, his body being mercilessly pounded by the Humungousaur.
Though possessed by Ghostfreak, he'd witnessed every blow—powerless to regain control, forced to endure each strike landing on his own body.
The blows landed on Kevin's body, but the pain was in Kevin's heart. Ghostfreak, that old bastard, had suffered almost no damage.
Right! Ghostfreak!
He'd absorbed the energy from Ben's watch, granting him the ability to transform into other aliens. Why not become Ghostfreak?
This thought gradually calmed the Four Arms. Earlier, Lucian' provocation had enraged him so much he'd forgotten to shift into another alien form. His hatred for him was no less intense than his hatred for Ben.
After barely fending off the Big Chill's icy spear, the Four Arms clenched his fists as his head transformed rapidly.
Shifting between Diamondhead, Stinkfly, and Upgrade, his expression contorted in agony—as if a million ants were gnawing at him.
Clang!
Big Chill's gaze sharpened as it expelled bone-chilling cold breath from its mouth, enveloping Kevin below.
Yet the next instant, this surging attack missed its mark.
Four Arms' massive form had vanished, replaced by a sinister white shadow.
"Lucian, you're in for a world of trouble."
The Ghostfreak voice was hoarse, its single purple eye glaring, its skin a terrifying pallor...