When the Krakken slowly descended back to the lake's depths, Asher finished explaining the entire situation to Max, Ben, and Gwen, including how he had returned the stolen eggs to the ancient creature. Of course, he couldn't mention the sign-in system that had guided him through the adventure.
Even if he tried to explain it, there was almost no chance they would believe him. After all, such a system was too incredible to comprehend. If the Omnitrix was overpowered, then the sign-in system was the ultimate cheat code, dedicated to solving every challenge.
"So what they stole were the Krakken's eggs! No wonder she was so furious," Ben said, his expression showing sudden understanding.
"The Krakken only attacked those people to get her children back. She was completely justified," Gwen added with obvious approval, her voice carrying sympathy for the ancient mother.
"That's exactly why I helped her deal with Melville's gang. Of course, this matter is far from over. Once we reach shore, we'll notify the local police and have them all arrested," Asher said with firm resolve, crossing his arms decisively.
Prison was their proper destination.
"Asher did the right thing. He didn't take sides, he simply chose the most righteous course of action," Max said, feeling even more pride in his grandson's moral compass.
"Unfortunately, my transformation time is limited. I had to prioritize retrieving the Krakken eggs first, otherwise I would have focused on rescuing people," Asher explained with a hint of regret in his voice.
However, his choice to secure the eggs had indirectly guaranteed Captain Shaw's safety. Without the stolen eggs as leverage, Captain Shaw posed no threat to Melville's operation. The poacher would have no reason to harm a harmless old fisherman, at worst, he might receive some harsh words.
"Come on, let's get to shore quickly," Max announced, starting the boat's engine and steering their vessel toward the dock like a man on a mission.
Meanwhile...
Jonah Melville and several of his men, now wearing military-grade combat gear, hefted rocket launchers onto their shoulders. The weapons were loaded with live ammunition, displaying their most devastating firepower, enough destructive capability to conquer a small nation!
The group radiated murderous intent, their expressions showing they had completely lost their sanity!
"I will NOT let them escape!" Melville snarled, his eyes blazing with homicidal fury. This time he was armed with a rocket launcher, forget the lake monster, even if that tall speedster and the sharp-toothed fish creature both showed up, he wouldn't fear them!
Any monsters who dared stand in his way, regardless of their strange powers, would face only one fate:
Complete annihilation!
"Boss, what's our move?" one of his heavily armed subordinates asked, struggling under the weight of his rocket launcher as he turned slightly toward Melville.
"We're going to blast the entire lake bottom with rockets!" Melville declared. As the group's leader, he possessed the strongest physique, carrying his launcher with ease as he slowly adjusted the barrel to aim at the calm water's surface.
When he pulled the trigger...
BOOM!
The rocket launcher produced a deafening roar, the tremendous recoil making the entire weapon shake violently and forcing Melville's body to brace against the kickback!
With a furious shriek, the rocket traced a long tail of fire through the air before plunging into the lake, creating a thunderous explosion beneath the water's surface!
The lake water was blown apart instantly, countless gallons erupting skyward like a geyser before crashing down like heavy rainfall. The violent explosion generated extreme heat that ignited the surrounding air, creating thick smoke that covered the entire blast area!
The destructive power was terrifying!
Melville blew away the smoke rising from his launcher, his face twisted with savage satisfaction.
With this devastating weapon, he didn't need to fear any creature!
This was the power of human technology, something those monsters who relied on mere flesh and blood could never understand!
BOOM!
Sound travels through water and air at different speeds.
When Melville fired his rocket and bombed the lake, the explosive sound waves quickly spread outward from the blast epicenter in all directions!
Several seconds later...
Asher, Ben, and the others could hear the deafening explosion echoing across the water!
"He's using rocket launchers again!" Ben shouted in outrage.
"These criminals..." Gwen said through gritted teeth.
Both cousins reacted simultaneously, their hands clenching into fists. Despite their youth, they understood a fundamental truth: the most shameless villains among humans were often more despicable than any alien threat!
"Just as I expected, he never learns from his mistakes," Asher said coldly, cracking his knuckles with sharp click sounds as his expression filled with righteous anger!
Originally, he had wanted to teach Melville a lesson that would make the poacher think twice before acting recklessly, then let the police handle the arrest to avoid unnecessary transformation battles.
But this criminal was making the same mistakes over and over again!
If he hadn't been forced to prioritize saving the Krakken eggs due to his limited transformation time, there would have been no way he'd allow Melville's gang to escape justice!
A leopard cannot change its spots!
Although Melville's final desperate gambit was within his expectations, witnessing such blatant violence still made it impossible to suppress his emotions!
"This time, I'm going to give you an unforgettable lesson that no legal system could ever provide," Asher declared, looking down at the Omnitrix with steely determination. For the first time, a trace of genuine killing intent flickered in his eyes!