Stepping into the emergency escape pod, Lucian started setting the coordinates. Luckily, the controls weren't too complicated, and he quickly found the Solar System.
The Solar System's eight planets were Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Pluto used to be the ninth, but it was later removed from the list.
On the blue holographic display, Lucian reached out and tapped Earth's projection, selected the precise coordinates, and confirmed.
"Emergency escape pod activated. Ejection in three minutes," a cold mechanical voice announced.
"Hehe~ We're finally going back. I miss Grandpa and everyone," Ghostfreak said with a grin.
Beep!
The next moment, the Omnitrix on Ghostfreak flickered, bursting with crimson light as he reverted to Ben.
"Bye, Big Brother!"
The white-haired loli stood outside the escape pod, waving at Lucian.
"Goodbye." Lucian smiled faintly, but a quiet loneliness settled in his chest.
This farewell might mean they'd never see each other again.
Sometimes you've already said goodbye for the last time, and you just don't realize it yet.
After that, the white-haired girl climbed into another escape pod and returned to her own planet.
Just as Lucian finally let out a breath, Yenji showed up again. She stormed into the pod and hugged him tight.
"Oh wow, little brother, trying to sneak off without a word?" Yenji giggled, teasing him with her claws. "I've decided. I'm coming back to Earth with you. Then we can live a shameless, scandalous life together… hehe. And we'll have a whole litter of little foxes…"
"I… can't move…" Lucian's face flushed red as his breathing turned strained.
"Oh, come on! Let go of my Cuz!" Ben protested, reaching up to grab Yenji's hand.
With one arm still wrapped around Lucian, Yenji reached out with the other and pinched Ben up by the scruff, laughing loudly. "So you're the little brother-in-law. My apologies, my apologies. Until this ship reaches Earth, I'll be the one protecting you two."
"Heh. That's not happening."
A cold voice came from outside the door.
Lucian turned, his expression hardening immediately.
It was Kevin.
Kevin 11 looked vicious, his face twisted and savage. Wings spread from his back, his body packed with bulging muscle. One hand had become a diamond spike, the other a massive flaming palm as he strode in.
"Kevin, we just fought together and took down Slix Vigma. You seriously forgot already?" Ben demanded.
Kevin let out a chilly laugh. "Ben Tennyson, all I know is you're the reason I became a freak. As for teaming up against Slix Vigma, that was only because you wanted off this ship too!"
"So you're really going to attack us?" Lucian said, his voice turning icy as his fist tightened.
If Kevin made a move, Lucian wouldn't hesitate to trigger the Omnitrix's protective function and blast him into outer space.
But it was risky. Kevin had already experienced that protective feature once, so he'd be extremely cautious. He wouldn't let his attacks land anywhere near the Omnitrix.
"So what if I am?" Kevin 11 snarled. "Today I'm killing you two idiots and finally settling my score!"
Kevin 11 loomed over them like a demon, huge enough to cast them both into shadow.
"Kevin… you're the worst." Ben clenched his teeth, heart heavy. "I really thought we could go back to how things used to be…"
He wanted to make up with Kevin too, but Kevin's actions, again and again, had left him cold and disappointed to the core.
Lucian's mind raced as he stared down the advancing Kevin, searching for a way out.
Right now, it felt like the only option was to trigger the Omnitrix's protective function and force the cooldown to end early.
But if he tried, Kevin—already on guard—might rip him apart before he could activate it.
For a moment, Lucian was stuck, unable to commit either way…
Just then, a faint, alluring fragrance drifted in, and someone stepped in front of Lucian.
Yenji, the fox-woman in the tight red dress, showed no fear at all. She lifted a slender arm, planted herself between Lucian and Kevin, and guarded him firmly.
"Don't you dare bully him," Yenji said, clearly angry.
"Oh my god… a hero saving a damsel… no, wait, a damsel saving the hero!" Ben's eyes went wide as he stared blankly at Yenji's back.
Lucian's heart sank.
He had assumed Yenji would panic and run the moment she saw Kevin. He never expected her to…
"Hmph. Looking for death!" Kevin 11 snapped.
He raised his hand, and a roaring jet of flame erupted, blistering hot, blasting straight toward Yenji's striking face.
Whoosh!
Yenji became a dazzling red streak, moving with incredible speed. In a blink, she flashed right in front of Kevin.
"You dare hurt my fiancé?" Yenji spat. "You're the one looking for death!"
Her vivid red claws slashed out, carrying a shrieking gust of wind as they struck Kevin's neck in a lightning-fast blur, carving several deep, bloody gashes.
"Roar!"
Kevin bellowed, furious beyond words. He grabbed Yenji by the leg, slammed her hard into the ground, then heaved and threw her to the back of the escape pod.
Lucian rushed over to check her condition.
Yenji was nothing like her earlier flirtatious self now. Her face was pale, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth, her breathing so faint it was barely there.
"I… I'm dying…" she murmured, forcing a smile even now. "Quick, kiss me. I need a handsome guy's true love kiss to come back to life…"
Even at a time like this, she was still trying to tease Lucian.
Lucian clenched his fist and looked up, glaring at Kevin 11's cruel grin.
"What, you want to avenge her?" Kevin 11 mocked, laughing loudly. "Go on, then. I'd like to see who's left to help you now!"
The moment he finished, a deep, thunderous voice boomed from behind.
"And me!"