The arcade's ambient noise, beeping games, excited shouts, electronic music, created a chaotic symphony that should have drowned out everything else. But Asher's heightened awareness caught the unmistakable sounds of escalating violence.
His hand shot out, fingers wrapping around Ben's wrist just as his cousin's hand dove into his pocket. The grip was gentle but firm, enough to make Ben pause and remember their surroundings.
The crowded arcade. Dozens of witnesses. Cameras, probably.
Ben's eyes met Asher's, understanding dawning across his face. His fingers released their grip on the concealed Air gun.
"Don't worry," Asher whispered, releasing Ben's wrist and raising a finger to his lips. His voice carried absolute certainty. "I won't let this slide."
Yes, Kevin was currently a petty thief and troublemaker. But that didn't mean Asher would stand by while another group of criminals brutalized him.
To put it simply: both Kevin and these thugs needed to be taught a lesson. It was just a matter of priority.
"Asher, be careful," Gwen urged, her voice tight with concern as she glanced around nervously. "There are so many people here."
"Don't worry, Gwen."
Asher nodded slightly, scanning the arcade with practiced casualness. Everyone's attention remained fixed on the confrontation, the thugs, their victim, the spectacle of violence. Perfect.
He slipped behind a massive arcade cabinet, using its bulk to shield himself from view. His fingers found the Omnitrix's dial, twisting it until the familiar blue-and-black silhouette appeared on the display.
XLR8.
Overall, this transformation was the most suitable for the situation at hand, fast enough to handle multiple opponents before anyone could properly react.
Click!
He slammed his palm down on the dial.
WHOOOM!
The transformation sound effect echoed briefly, accompanied by brilliant green light. Most people didn't even notice, assuming it was just another game's sound effects. Only Gwen and Ben looked back with anticipation gleaming in their eyes.
XLR8 slowly emerged from behind the arcade cabinet.
Whoosh.
His blue face bore distinctive black lightning-pattern markings beneath the protective visor. His expression was calculating. "Ben, Gwen, stay alert. Don't get caught in the crossfire."
"XLR8 is definitely the coolest alien," Ben said admiringly, hands thrust casually into his pockets as he watched his transformed cousin.
Whirrrr.
The wheels on XLR8's feet spun gently. Ben and Gwen felt a sudden gust of wind, and XLR8 vanished from their sight in an instant!
He reappeared directly in the gaming section more than thirty feet away, positioned perfectly between Kevin and his attackers.
"What was that sound?"
"What the hell is that??"
The thugs heard the noise beside them and whipped around, suddenly confronted by XLR8 standing in the aisle between machines.
Those cold eyes. That icy demeanor. The unmistakably alien appearance, it made them shudder involuntarily.
"Calm down! This guy's obviously just a cosplayer!" One of the thugs forced false confidence into his voice, trying to convince himself as much as the others.
Hearing this explanation, the other thugs latched onto the idea. None of them wanted to believe in actual aliens. Their fear quickly transformed into anger.
"You dress up like a freak and think you're gonna intimidate us?"
"I bet you were watching this whole time, weren't you? Planning to be a hero? After we teach him a lesson, you're dead!"
XLR8 listened to their threats with barely concealed amusement. He wiped his nose dismissively, speaking with complete calm, "Why don't all of you come at me together? I'm in a hurry here. Don't waste my time."
Those arrogant, provocative words immediately made the thugs' faces twist with rage, veins bulging on their foreheads.
"In this arcade, nobody talks to us like that!"
"You have a death wish!"
"Kevin, you freak, stay right there and don't move! We'll deal with this cosplay clown first, then finish with you!"
The gang clenched their fists, anger radiating from every pore as they advanced on XLR8.
"Hey, watch yourself!" Kevin called out, seeming to view XLR8 as a fellow victim, someone who was suffering alongside him. His warning carried genuine concern.
However.
The moment Kevin finished speaking,
VRRRRRMM!
XLR8 vanished from his position instantly!
Then,
WHUMP!
The thug closest to where XLR8 had been standing suddenly doubled over, his stomach concave as though struck by an invisible fist. His eyes bulged grotesquely, and he collapsed, clutching his abdomen.
The second. The third.
Each thug was struck by what seemed like phantom blows in rapid succession. Within the span of a single heartbeat, they had all fallen to the ground, wailing and rolling around while holding their battered stomachs or swollen faces!
XLR8 now stood directly in front of Kevin.
Behind him, the entire gang lay on the ground, crying out in pain!
Kevin stared at XLR8's slender figure in complete astonishment, unable to process what had just happened. Everyone had been taken down before he could even blink!
"Whoa, amazing!"
"Who is that guy?"
"Did you see how fast he moved? That's... that's faster than any Olympic sprinter, right?"
The onlookers erupted in surprised murmurs, all eyes focused on XLR8.
Fortunately, this wasn't the era of viral videos and smartphone cameras, otherwise XLR8 would definitely become an internet sensation.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Kevin responded after his shock faded, thanking XLR8 profusely. Deep admiration rose in his heart like a tide.
This kind of overwhelming power, this ruthless efficiency, this was the type of person he should look up to!
He wanted to become as powerful as XLR8!
Then...
He would take revenge on everyone who had ever bullied him.
Kevin's eyes flickered with dark, twisted emotions.
But XLR8 simply turned around, fixing Kevin with a cold stare. Without a word of response, he strode directly toward one of the fallen thugs.
Whirr.
He reached down with his clawed hand, grabbing the punk's collar and lifting him effortlessly. His expression remained frigidly cold, his eyes flashing with barely restrained menace. "You guys, how long have you been doing this? Robbing people for money?"
"We... we..." The thug stammered, staring up at XLR8's alien features. His pupils contracted with pure terror, words refusing to form.
"We've only grabbed a few thousand dollars!" another thug lying on the ground blurted out quickly, desperate to appease this terrifying figure.
"Good. Hand it all over to me. Right now, that money doesn't belong to you anymore. Consider it confiscated stolen funds." XLR8's tone left no room for argument.
"What??" One punk's jaw dropped. "You're just stealing it yourself!"
"I'm robbing the robbers," XLR8 corrected icily. "Don't waste my time arguing."
His eyes intensified with even more threatening energy, and the temperature around them seemed to drop several degrees. An icy wind cut through the warm arcade air, making the thugs shiver uncontrollably.
They hurriedly pulled out crumpled bills and handed the entire stash to XLR8, their hands trembling.
XLR8 accepted the money without hesitation. Finally, he glared at the thugs with terrifying intensity. "If I ever catch you doing this again, just once more, you're dead. Understand?"
His sharp claws, comparable to Wolverine's, extended fully. Three blade-like talons gleamed coldly in the arcade's fluorescent lighting, reflecting the thugs' terrified faces.
They sat frozen, faces pale as death, not daring to utter a single word.
Drip. Drip.
The thug XLR8 had been holding suddenly had a dark stain spreading across his pants.
He'd literally been scared into wetting himself.
"I'm leaving. For your own sake, don't cause any more trouble." XLR8 released the urine-soaked punk with obvious disgust and, vroom, vanished!
He had appeared suddenly. He left just as abruptly. Coming and going without a trace.
This was XLR8.
He left behind only the traumatized thugs, who no longer dared to even think about committing crimes again.
Meanwhile, Kevin's expression transformed into one of extreme admiration. He clenched his fists tightly, a dangerous determination burning in his eyes. "One day, I'll be as strong as you! Then I can do whatever I want to whoever I want!"
His thirst for power had become desperate, all-consuming.
Since he was young, Kevin had been bullied, rejected, and beaten because of his abilities. The world had taught him one clear lesson: power was everything. With enough power, he could take revenge on everyone who'd ever wronged him.
That twisted logic had taken root in his heart, growing like poisonous thorns.
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