Geological Survey Station.
A towering drilling rig stood on the dry, cracked sand, rotating nonstop and rumbling heavily.
A middle-aged worker in a red hard hat held a detector in both hands, analyzing the readings.
"W-What's going on here?!" His eyes widened in shock.
The numbers on the detector suddenly spiked, climbing at an insane rate.
Within a fifty-meter radius underground, some unknown energy was releasing terrifying shockwaves.
Realizing the danger, the worker jumped to his feet and shouted, "Everyone, run! Get away from the drilling rig!"
The other workers exchanged confused looks, but their expressions quickly changed. Like ants scattering from a disturbed nest, they bolted in all directions, fleeing as fast as they could beyond the range of the shockwaves.
Boom!
Deep cracks suddenly tore open in the ground around the drilling rig, jagged and alarming, spreading outward at frightening speed.
The entire survey station shook violently, as if the earth itself had flipped over.
The massive drilling rig plunged straight into the ground.
Within a few hundred meters, the surface collapsed completely. The deafening crash echoed like the end of the world.
Sand and stones flew everywhere as thick clouds of dust rolled through the air.
From a distant hillside, the workers stared in horror at the swirling haze.
Then, through the murky sandstorm, they saw it.
Within the blurred curtain of dust, a ghostly face formed from flames. Its eyes burned with vicious intent, its jagged fangs bared as it let out a shrill, ear-piercing scream.
"W-What… what is that thing?"
"Oh my God, did we dig up a demon?!"
"R-Run!"
"No. That's probably not a demon." The middle-aged worker narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the flaming ghost face in the distance.
Everyone's hearts skipped a beat. They swallowed hard, forcing down their fear as they looked again.
Gradually, the towering flames began to fade.
The savage flaming face dissolved into waves of scorching heat, dispersing into midair.
Thud.
An ancient ghost-face mask slipped down from above and landed on the yellow sand, kicking up a small puff of dust.
The middle-aged worker, cigarette hanging from his lips, stepped forward and picked up the mask, examining it carefully.
Its round, copper-bell-like eyes were set with translucent green lenses, giving it a strange, mythic look—like some fierce god of death from legend.
Two oversized golden ears extended from the forehead all the way down to the chin.
It felt icy cold and smooth to the touch.
The worker frowned.
"This might be some kind of ancient artifact. We should report this to the higher-ups."
...
A light drizzle fell, fine as silk.
An old, battered RV was parked by the roadside.
Rain slid down the windows in thin streams, blurring the view outside.
Everyone sat around the dining table, each with a bowl of green food in front of them.
That was today's lunch.
Ben picked up his spoon, scooped a large bite, and chewed. It crunched loudly.
"Mmm, this is really good!" His eyes lit up. "But Grandpa, what are these crunchy bits?"
Seeing Grandpa's mysterious smile, Lucian felt a chill run down his spine and decided not to start eating just yet.
Gwen took a small bite and couldn't help praising it. "Wow, this is delicious! Way better than fresh mealworms!"
"Grandpa, what exactly is this?" Lucian asked.
The bowl was full of bright green pieces. It smelled great, even had a spicy kick.
But what was it made of?
Grandpa Max's lips curled upward. "Heh, wild dung beetles. A rare delicacy from the wild! I searched around the campsite for ages to find them."
Ben's face turned green. His stomach lurched, and he immediately threw up.
Gwen wasn't far behind.
"Dung beetles? Grandpa, that's food?!" Ben groaned between heaves.
"I swear, I'm never eating Grandpa's cooking again," Gwen said miserably.
Lucian's mouth twitched.
Good thing he hadn't rushed to dig in. Otherwise, he'd be right there throwing up with them.
Suddenly, an electronic screen dropped down from above the Rustbucket.
On it appeared a ghostly mask.
Green eyes. Golden ears. Ancient patterns winding across its surface. It looked vicious, like something carved from a savage beast.
"Grandpa, what's that?" Ben asked.
Grandpa Max's expression turned serious. "That's the Mask of Ah Puch, from the ancient Maya civilization. It's the key to the most powerful and destructive ultimate weapon in human history."
"The Maya civilization? Didn't they disappear like Atlantis, lost to history?" Gwen asked.
"The Maya civilization may be gone, but what they left behind doesn't just crumble away," Lucian said calmly.
"Lucian's right." Grandpa Max nodded. "Through the Mask of Ah Puch, we can find the Sword of Ek Chuaj. The Plumbers have searched for decades and never managed to locate it."
"Now that it's finally surfaced, as a former Plumber, I have to retrieve it and hand it over to Plumber Headquarters. It can't fall into the wrong hands."
His gaze had never been more serious.
There was even a faint hint of killing intent in his eyes.
Ben and Gwen were stunned.
They had never seen Grandpa like this.
"Grandpa suddenly looks really scary," Ben whispered to Lucian.
"Yeah… it's kind of terrifying," Gwen murmured from the other side.
"I don't have time to fool around. We need to move fast, get that mask, and submit it to Plumber Headquarters," Grandpa Max said firmly.
"Alright, Grandpa. Let's go," Lucian replied without hesitation.
He understood how Grandpa felt.
As long as they found the Sword of Ek Chuaj, everything would be resolved.
Grandpa Max quickly took the driver's seat. "Buckle up. We're leaving now."
The others sat upright, not daring to waste time.
Gwen began searching on the computer. "Ek Chuaj was the war god of the ancient Maya civilization. Legend says he could destroy an entire city with a single swing of his sword."
"No way, is it really that powerful?" Ben blinked, then grinned. "Sounds like a certain ten-year-old hero could use a sword like that."
"Still not fast enough." Grandpa Max shook his head and pressed a hidden button.
The next second, engines deployed from the back of the Rustbucket, blasting out powerful flames and generating tremendous thrust.
The Rustbucket shot forward at full speed like a galloping horse, disappearing over the horizon in moments.
...
About half an hour later, the Rustbucket screeched to a halt near the geological survey station.
Grandpa Max raised his binoculars and observed for a while. "There are plenty of guards nearby. Ben, turn into XLR8 and knock them out."
Ben and Gwen froze, thinking they'd misheard.
Grandpa was actually telling Ben to transform into an Alien Hero and attack ordinary people?
Seeing their hesitation, Grandpa Max grew impatient. "I don't have time to explain. Hurry up. Otherwise, I'll handle it myself."
Two pistols hung at his waist.
Lucian let out a quiet sigh.
In the original storyline, Grandpa had been just as serious in this episode. That Mayan divine sword mattered too much. It concerned the fate of humanity.
Lucian stepped forward and pressed the Omnitrix.
"Ben, if you can't bring yourself to do it, let me."
Maybe the divine sword had already decayed like in the original story. But Lucian couldn't take that chance. This version of events had already shown differences. It wouldn't necessarily follow the original exactly.
Besides, Grandpa wouldn't give up until he saw the Sword of Ek Chuaj with his own eyes.
Lucian took a deep breath and pressed the Omnitrix.
Thud!
A white, ethereal figure materialized inside the Rustbucket, hovering silently in midair…