"Get out of the way, you moron! You stepped on my hand!"
"Damn it! Who's the coward who lost their lunch on the floor? I just slipped in it!"
The convention hall was a nightmare of trapped bodies and jagged stone. The Golemlings had sealed every exit, turning the Mystic Arts Convention into a pressure cooker of panic. Some people were frozen in terror; others were simply trampling over their neighbors to escape.
Max took charge instantly. "I'll stabilize the crowd! You boys deal with the short-stacks! If they get too close... don't wait. Transform!" He didn't wait for a reply, diving into the thick of the panicked mob to act as a human shield.
"Ben," Tyler said, his voice flat as he walked toward the swarm of stone monsters guarding the main doors. "I'll pull their aggro. Keep the perimeter clear."
"Got it. I'm primed and ready," Ben replied, his face grim as the Omnitrix dial popped up, glowing a steady, cool green.
ROAR!
A Golemling screeched, launching its rocky bulk directly at Tyler. Tyler didn't flinch. He snatched a decorative longsword from a nearby display—a heavy, steel prop that was sharper than it looked. He swung it in a silver arc, catching the creature right in the knee joint.
CRACK!
Sparks flew as steel met enchanted stone. The monster stumbled but didn't break. Tyler used the momentum to parry the beast's weight, throwing it aside. He grabbed a prop shield with his free hand, slamming it into the face of a second monster.
He moved like a dervish, using a sturdy wooden staff in one hand and the sword in the other. He wasn't trying to kill them—not yet. He was keeping them occupied, herding them away from the civilians.
Most people fled through the opening he created, but a few stayed back to watch. Some girls watched with wide eyes, mesmerized by the "Superman" in their midst. Others, mostly guys, watched with jealous disdain.
"Please, I could do that. He's just swinging a stick."
"If I went up there, it'd be over in five seconds. This guy's a total amateur."
"ALL OF YOU, OUT! NOW!" Max's roar cut through their ego-tripping, and he physically shoved the loiterers toward the street.
BANG!
Ben decided he was done waiting. He slammed the dial, and in a flash of green light, Diamondhead appeared. "Alright, let's see which stone is harder!" He charged into the swarm like a crystalline wrecking ball.
Tyler retreated, catching his breath. He scanned the carnage, his eyes narrowing. "The Golemling that took the Keystone... it's not here. Did it slip away during the chaos?"
Then a cold realization hit him. Gwen. And the white-haired girl. Where were they?
"Let me go! You traitor!"
Inside the dim fire escape, Gwen was struggling against enchanted ropes that bound her to the stairwell railing.
Charmcaster stood over her, twirling two magic staffs with a predatory grace. Her purple eyes sparkled with malice. "Gwen, dear... don't be so naive. Trust is a luxury for people who aren't as powerful as us."
"I thought we were friends!" Gwen shouted, her heart hammering against her ribs. She was terrified, but she was also listening. Tyler, please tell me you're close...
"So noisy," Charmcaster sighed, looking genuinely annoyed. She searched her pockets, frowning when she realized she was empty-handed. "I don't have anything to gag you with. Oh well. I'll have to improvise."
She leaned down, pulling off a single white sock from her delicate foot. She held it up, a cruel smile on her lips, and began to move it toward Gwen's mouth. "Consider this a gift from the most talented sorceress you'll ever meet."
"NO!" Gwen shrieked, shaking her head frantically.
BANG!
The heavy steel door of the stairwell was kicked open with enough force to dent the frame. Charmcaster spun around, her staff glowing with violet light.
She saw an ordinary Asian boy standing in the doorway. He looked fit, sure, but he didn't look like a threat. And the red watch on his wrist? It looked like a plastic toy.
"Get out," Charmcaster commanded, her voice cold as ice.
CLICK!
The Carnitrix dial popped up. Tyler glanced at the screen: The Cosmic Horror (Way Big).
Too big for a stairwell.
Tyler manually rotated the dial to the silhouette of a raptor-like creature and slammed it down.
WHOOSH!
A blinding, bloody red light filled the narrow fire escape. Charmcaster tried to blast it away with a gust of magic wind, but as the light faded, her heart stopped.
The Velocity Wraith (XLR8) stood there. His face was a knot of pure, predatory rage. His fangs were bared, wet with a low, guttural hiss. His knife-like eyes were locked onto her.
Charmcaster's white hair stood on end. The casual arrogance of a dark sorceress vanished instantly.
"AHHHHHHHH!"
A piercing, high-pitched soprano scream echoed through the building. The "Powerful Witch" was gone; in her place was a terrified girl whose soul had practically left her body at the sight of a real monster.
"Damn it," Tyler growled, his eardrums ringing from the sheer volume of the shriek. Is every girl in this world born with a sonic cannon in her throat?
"MONSTER!" Charmcaster screamed again, frantically reaching into her pouch and throwing a handful of Golemling stones onto the floor.
[Ding! Host confronted Charmcaster and neutralized the Golemling swarm. Progress +1%]
[Template Mastery: 41/100]
New Transformation Log
The Velocity Wraith (XLR8 Variant)
Traits: A predatory, blue-and-black raptor-like entity with blade-like claws and a pointed visor. Its tail is heavily muscled for balance during high-speed maneuvers.
Ability: Kinetic Massacre. At top speeds, the Wraith doesn't just move; it becomes a biological projectile. Anything it strikes is subjected to thousands of pounds of kinetic force, often disintegrating on impact.
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