Ben froze for a moment before slowly turning his head.
Instantly, his pupils shrank sharply. He let out a startled cry and stumbled backward, crashing onto the supermarket floor with a loud thud.
What a terrifying ghost.
Its body floated in midair, skin pale as death and riddled with dark cracks, the form nearly torn apart. On its ghastly face was a jagged fissure, and within it a single purple eye slowly shifted, its eerie gaze fixed unblinkingly on Ben, glowing with a strange light.
Seeing Ben trembling on the floor, Ghostfreak raised a finger to where its mouth should have been. "Shhh... don't be afraid. It's me~"
"Who are you? Don't hurt me!" Ben cried, covering his eyes, unable to look directly at the ghostly figure.
"Do you still want the Golden Sumo Card~?" Ghostfreak said in a low, haunting tone.
Ben froze. Then he lifted his head, eyes wide with disbelief. "Cuz? Is that you?"
"Who else would it be~" Ghostfreak rasped, his purple eye glinting faintly.
Lucian didn't mean to sound like that, but this was Ghostfreak's natural voice—hoarse, echoing, and impossible to change. Even he felt uneasy in this form, as though another presence lurked deep within him... something waiting to wake.
Knowing his transformation time was limited, Ghostfreak faded into mist, slipping into the shelves of Sumo Slammers Cereal to search for the bag containing the Golden Card.
It was far more efficient than using Grey Matter—no need to tear open every package or make a mess.
Ghostfreak, an Ectonurite, was a ghostlike alien born of darkness—capable of turning invisible or phasing through solid matter like vapor.
Within moments, Ghostfreak found the bag with the Sumo Slammers Gold Card and handed it to Ben. "Pay for it later," he said.
Ben hugged the cereal box tightly, eyes sparkling with joy. "Oh yeah! This is awesome! Thanks, Cuz! You're the best!"
Ghostfreak chuckled twice, though the sound came out low and unsettling.
Just then, Grandpa Max and Gwen walked over.
"Ben, it's time to go," Grandpa said, smiling as he approached with a big jar of bugs in hand.
Gwen carried a bag of clothes, her cheeks slightly flushed and her expression cheerful.
"Grandpa~" Ghostfreak waved.
Grandpa froze, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. "Lucian?" he asked carefully.
"It's me~" Ghostfreak nodded.
Grandpa Max gave a wry smile and shook his head. His grandson's watch really was incredible—it could turn him into anything, even a ghost.
"Grandpa, let's hurry back!" Ben said eagerly, clutching the cereal box. He could barely contain his excitement, desperate to tear it open and see the Golden Card inside.
BOOM!
Suddenly, the wall beside them exploded outward as a massive shadow crashed through, shaking the entire supermarket.
Before them loomed a monstrous frog the size of a small hill. Its blood-red eyes gleamed menacingly, and its sickly green skin was covered in grotesque bumps. With every step, its powerful, muscular legs drove deep craters into the ground.
"Come on, let's head to the electronics section!"
A white-haired man rode atop a massive, mutated frog, laughing maniacally. "Once I find the final component, I'll complete my Dead Cell Reanimation Project! Then I'll transform this entire city into a prehistoric metropolis! No one can stop me—Dr. Animo!"
Whoosh!
The other customers screamed and scattered in panic, fleeing like a disturbed colony of ants. Terror filled the air as they scrambled toward the exits. None of them had ever seen such a monstrous frog—it looked nothing like any creature from Earth.
Moments later, two security guards rushed over, ready to deal with the commotion. But the instant they laid eyes on the giant frog, their courage melted away. Legs trembling, they froze in place, too terrified to move.
Grandpa Max stepped protectively in front of Ben and Gwen, backing away as he frowned deeply. He hadn't expected a simple shopping trip to turn into this kind of nightmare.
"Grandpa, take them and go. I'll handle this~"
Ghostfreak's voice echoed as his form blurred into a streak of shadow, gliding straight toward the giant frog.
Seeing that staying would only put them in danger, Grandpa Max immediately turned to lead the others away.
But Ben yanked free from his grasp and sprinted after Ghostfreak, eager to see his cousin in action.
"Ben!" Grandpa shouted.
But Ben didn't even glance back. He wasn't the least bit worried about his own safety—he just wanted to watch his cousin take down the monster.
"Gwen, head back to the Rustbucket. I'll go get him," Grandpa said, wiping the sweat from his brow before taking a steadying breath and running back into the mall.
"Oh my gosh, that clueless cousin…" Gwen groaned, shaking her head as she hurried after him.
Thud!
The mutated giant frog landed heavily near the electronics section, its massive tongue whipping out to snatch up piles of electronic components, swallowing them whole.
"Hahahaha! With this, I can resurrect the dead! Let's see who can stop me now!" Dr. Animo shouted with unhinged laughter.
"Resurrect the dead, huh? Sounds interesting~"
A chilling whisper brushed against Dr. Animo's ear, sending a shiver racing down his spine.
He spun around—only to find no one there.
In the next instant, Ghostfreak materialized in front of him, a pale spectral claw reaching for the DNA Transmodulator strapped to his head. Destroying that device would instantly reverse the mutations, restoring the animals to their original forms.
"Ribbit!"
Startled, the massive frog kicked off the ground with tremendous force, leaping away and smashing through shelves, sending debris flying across the aisle.
"Not bad" Ghostfreak's violet eyes gleamed as he fixed his eerie gaze on the creature. "Didn't think you'd be that quick, you big dumb frog. Guess I underestimated you"
"No matter what you are, you won't stop me!"
Dr. Animo roared and activated the DNA Transmodulator, pointing it toward the pet section nearby.
Zzzzt!
Several crimson beams burst forth, striking the small animals caged within.
A white parrot caught in the light grew rapidly, its body expanding until it became a monstrous bird. With a screech, it took to the air, flapping its wings so violently that a gale tore through the store.
A tiny yellow hamster swelled to the size of a bear, its once-soft fur turning into sharp metallic spines. Its teeth gleamed white and razor-edged, glowing faintly with a cold light as it hissed menacingly, eyes burning red.
It let out a shrill, bloodcurdling scream, glaring straight at Ghostfreak.
Another cage burst open—a green snake slithered out, its body now as thick as a barrel and stretching over ten meters long. Scales glistened under the fluorescent lights as it flicked its tongue and stared coldly at the ghostly figure.
All three mutated beasts locked onto Ghostfreak, ready to strike...