Chapter 218: Dr. Animo, You Are In Trouble
After learning of Verdona's true identity, Pierce immediately stepped aside, no longer daring to block the way. Grandpa Max shot the young man multiple scathing glares, silently scolding him for the betrayal. However, the most pressing matter at hand was preserving his own life.
"Now hold on, Verdona, please let me explain first." Grandpa Max raised his hands in a placating gesture. As soon as the words left his mouth, he launched into a desperate barrage of excuses. "Actually, this is all a massive misunderstanding. They and I are just friends. Nothing more!"
Klein stood off to the side, genuinely admiring his grandfather's ability to spout such blatant nonsense with an entirely straight face.
No matter how hard Grandpa Max tried to prove his innocence or weave a believable narrative, Verdona simply crossed her arms and offered a dark, chilling chuckle. "Hehe..."
Seeing the sheer murderous aura radiating from the Anodite, Klein felt a bit helpless. He sighed and offered his best advice. "Grandpa, why don't you just let Grandma beat you up and get it over with?"
Grandpa Max stared at the boy in utter disbelief. 'My dear grandson, are those the words of a human being? You want your grandmother to beat me up? Will I even survive that?' He highly doubted his old bones could withstand the wrath of an enraged energy being.
"Don't worry, Grandpa," Klein added with a reassuring pat on the older man's shoulder. "With me watching, I will make sure you do not die."
"...Is there really no other way?" Grandpa Max asked, still struggling to find an escape route.
"I am out of ideas." Klein shrugged. It was a tough spot for him too. One was his grandfather, the other was his grandmother. Intervening too much would just draw her ire onto him. All he could realistically do was ensure Grandpa Max remained breathing.
Reading the absolute finality in Klein's expression, Grandpa Max knew his fate was sealed. He let out a long, defeated sigh. His shoulders slumped as he gave up the pointless struggle.
Seeing her husband pushed forward by both his own grandson and Pierce, Verdona offered a sweet, dangerous smile. "What? Not planning to run anymore?"
'If I could run, would I still be standing here?' Grandpa Max kept his mouth shut, looking exactly like a man bravely marching toward the executioner's block.
Two hours later.
Grandpa Max sat around a makeshift table, the hood of his jacket pulled low over his head to conceal the fresh, colorful bruises decorating his face. He was currently discussing the tactical plan to eliminate Dr. Animo with Pierce, Helen, and Manny. Since his own residence had just been reduced to smoking rubble by Verdona's explosive temper, they had relocated to Pierce's hideout.
Staring at the glowing holographic projection of the enemy castle, Grandpa Max analyzed Dr. Animo's stronghold with a sudden, intense enthusiasm, clearly trying to distract himself from his physical pain. Previously, they had avoided a direct assault because they lacked the firepower to challenge the newly strengthened villain. But now? With his overpowered grandson in the mix, Dr. Animo was practically a non-issue.
While the group huddled over the projection, Verdona lounged gracefully on a nearby sofa. Having thoroughly vented her centuries of pent-up frustration on her husband's face, her tone was now incredibly soft and gentle. "Mark, dear, how about I help you get rid of that annoying little doctor? Then, after we wrap things up here, you can come back to Anodyne with me. Doesn't that sound nice?"
Grandpa Max simply rolled his eyes under his hood and completely ignored the offer. As a legendary Plumber who had survived countless galactic conflicts, he was well aware of Verdona's little schemes. Anodites were beings of pure energy with unimaginably long lifespans. To her, the passage of time meant nothing. But he was a mortal Earthling. If he were twenty years younger, he might have entertained the idea of running off into the cosmos with her. Now, he just wanted to retire in peace.
Choosing to rely on his invincible grandson instead of his terrifying wife, Grandpa Max finished assigning the infiltration routes. He turned his gaze toward Klein, remaining silent for a long moment before issuing a stern reminder. "Just do not kill Dr. Animo."
That single sentence sent a shockwave through Pierce, Helen, and Manny. In their minds, the Null Void King was an unstoppable tyrant. Yet, hearing their respected leader speak so casually about sparing the tyrant's life meant he genuinely believed Klein could effortlessly crush him. Helen and Manny exchanged a wide-eyed glance, suddenly recalling how the Null Void King had fled in absolute terror earlier. The pieces finally clicked into place.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the dimension.
Deep within the Null Void King's imposing castle, Dr. Animo paced nervously in his hulking, muscular form. He stood before a colossal piece of machinery. The apex of the device featured a massive, constantly rotating drill bit, designed to pierce the very fabric of the dimension.
This was the Quadrant Drill. Given enough raw power, it could tear a massive rift between two dimensional quadrants, creating an escape route. To fuel this desperate endeavor, Dr. Animo had commanded his pack of Vulpimancers to enslave the local populace, forcing them to mine Extreme Gold around the clock.
Originally, Dr. Animo had been in no rush to complete this grand project. He had practically conquered the entire Null Void, ruling as its undisputed king. But the sudden, horrifying appearance of Klein had shattered his delusions of grandeur. Panic gnawed at his mind. He needed to escape this wretched wasteland immediately.
Faster. He needed to go faster.
Dr. Animo had zero confidence in his ability to survive another encounter with that monstrous teenager. Defeating him? That was a laughable fantasy. Once that kid transformed into Way Big and fired a cosmic ray directly into his face, all the muscle in the world would not save him. His current strength was tied to the castle's power grid, and he knew Klein would not hesitate to vaporize the entire fortress with him inside it.
Shaking his head vigorously to clear the terrifying mental image of his own disintegration, Dr. Animo roared at the snarling Vulpimancers. "Do not just stand there being lazy! Work harder! Increase the power output to the drill and throw every last crate of Extreme Gold into the furnace!"
What the frantic doctor failed to realize was that his doom had already arrived.
On a floating meteorite just outside the castle's perimeter, Grandpa Max and his strike team crouched behind a ridge, locking their sights on the fortress.
"Is everyone ready? We proceed exactly as planned," Grandpa Max whispered, giving the group one final look.
Manny, whose brain was still struggling to process the sheer absurdity of the situation, blinked his eyes. "Uh... can I confirm that plan one more time?"
Klein sighed, feeling a deep sense of exasperation. "Are you an idiot? What part of this do you not understand? Simply put: we rush in, beat up every hostile creature inside, and then drag Dr. Animo out by his neck. It is literally that simple."
'It is precisely because it is that simple that I am confused!' Manny screamed internally, desperately wanting to complain about the absolute lack of tactical finesse. Ever since Klein had arrived, their cautious, calculating leader had undergone a massive personality shift. The complex infiltration plans had devolved into shouting a battle cry and kicking down the front door.
But complaining would not change anything. They were already at the enemy's doorstep. Shaking his head to clear his lingering doubts, Manny drew a heavy blaster pistol in each of his four hands, giving a firm nod to signal his readiness.
"In that case..." Grandpa Max stood up tall, his eyes locking onto the distant castle with unwavering determination. He cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Dr. Animo! Come out and surrender! You are busted!"
The moment the shout echoed across the barren landscape, Pierce, Helen, and Manny launched themselves off the meteorite, raining blaster fire down upon the Vulpimancers guarding the main gates.
Klein did not waste a single second. He raised his right arm, the dial of the Another Omnitrix springing to life. "Grandpa, I am heading in too."
Grandpa Max nodded solemnly over the sounds of laser fire. "Remember, capture him alive."
Klein offered a casual wave. A blinding flash of azure light engulfed his body, illuminating the dark void. As the light faded, the spectral, moth-like figure of Big Chill took to the sky, leaving a trail of freezing mist in his wake as he glided silently toward the heart of the castle.
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me!
Want to read ahead on our official home, or unlock 50 advanced chapters to feed your addiction? Help keep this shameless translator alive here:
🌐 Read on our site: Search for Elysian Reads on Google or Check the link in my Webnovel Profile bio!
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters & Ad-Free): Search AkarinTL on Patreon
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]