Time was running out.
After rescuing everyone in less than two minutes, Heatblast quickly returned to the rooftop.
He raised his arms and slowly drew his palms inward.
The blazing ring of fire surrounding the building began shrinking, the flames flowing back toward him like obedient serpents.
One by one, the fires he had created were reabsorbed into his body.
Down below, the rescued residents were excitedly describing what had happened inside.
"There was a guy made of fire!"
"He carried us out like it was nothing!"
The firefighters listened with doubtful expressions. A man completely engulfed in flames? It sounded impossible.
Heatblast glanced down and saw the fire trucks arriving, sirens wailing.
"Good. They've got it from here," he muttered. "Now it's time to deal with those criminals."
With a burst of flame from his feet—
Boom!
He shot into the sky like a blazing comet.
"What was that?!"
"There really is someone on fire!"
By the time the crowd reacted, he had already disappeared into the distance.
As he flew, Aiden couldn't help thinking:
This city is turning into Gotham… and not the good kind. Robberies everywhere. Now aliens, too.
His flying speed couldn't compare to XLR8's ground velocity, but it was more than enough to catch up to a truck.
Soon, he spotted it—a large vehicle speeding across an overpass.
Two robbers sat in the driver's cabin. Two more were recklessly hanging outside the doors, strapped in with seatbelts and gripping rifles.
Ding!
A familiar system notification echoed in his mind.
[Sign-in target detected: Robbers who looted civilians and committed arson. Defeat them to complete the sign-in.]
A faint thrill ran through him.
"Alright," Heatblast said coolly. "Let's enforce the law."
He raised one finger and aimed at the truck's rear tire.
Fire Blast!
Bang!
A concentrated firebolt shot forward like a flaming bullet. It pierced the tire instantly, exploding it and scorching the pavement beneath.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three more precise shots followed.
All four tires were destroyed.
"Whoa—what happened?!"
"Did we hit something?!"
The truck began swerving violently. The robbers panicked, slamming on the brakes. After skidding nearly a hundred meters, the vehicle finally screeched to a stop at the roadside.
Enraged, the four men jumped out with their rifles and scanned the area.
"Who popped our tires?!"
"If you've got guts, show yourself!"
They expected some meddling civilian.
Instead—
Thud.
A flaming figure landed in front of them.
It was an alien completely engulfed in fire.
"It was me," Heatblast said calmly. "Problem?"
The four robbers froze.
"What… what is that thing?!"
Their fingers trembled on the triggers.
"Who cares what it is!" one shouted desperately. "Anyone in our way dies!"
He pulled the trigger.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bullets rained toward Heatblast.
"Fire Blast!"
With rapid flicks of his fingers, Heatblast launched streams of superheated fire. The bullets melted midair, liquefying before they could reach him.
Then—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Explosions erupted at the robbers' feet. The asphalt cracked, forming smoking craters inches from their boots. Heat radiated upward, searing their skin.
If those blasts had hit directly…
They didn't dare imagine it.
"I aimed beside you on purpose," Heatblast said coldly. His voice carried an icy calm that clashed with the raging flames surrounding him. "Drop your weapons. Now."
The robbers felt it.
This alien wasn't bluffing.
Clatter.
One rifle hit the ground.
Then another.
Within seconds, all four were kneeling with their hands raised.
"Smart choice."
Heatblast stepped forward and crushed the rifles underfoot. Flames engulfed the weapons, reducing them to molten scrap and ash.
Their last hope vanished in smoke.
With that, he ignited his jets again and shot back into the sky toward where Grandpa Max had parked the Rustbucket.
But halfway there—
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The Omnitrix symbol on his chest began flashing rapidly.
Three seconds.
Maybe four.
Then he would revert.
He was still dozens of meters above the ground.
Aiden's heart dropped.
"This is bad…"
At that exact moment—
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. Sign-in successful!]
The system's voice rang out like salvation.