BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!
Wildmutt aimed at the three plasticine-like monsters on the ground. One shot, then another, completely obliterating them until nothing remained but scattered debris. Only then did he retract his massive claws with satisfaction.
Even the shapeshifters with their terrifying regenerative abilities could only slowly reform into their humanoid shapes after such devastating attacks.
"Sorry... I think I'm about to vomit!" Ben called out weakly.
Wildmutt had been jumping and maneuvering so violently that Ben's stomach couldn't handle the motion. It was more intense than any roller coaster, and the nausea was overwhelming!
A low, apologetic growl rumbled from Wildmutt's throat, he couldn't speak in this form, but the regret in his tone was unmistakable. Then his posture shifted, becoming tense and focused as he bounded forward with renewed determination, deeper into the underground passage.
Onward, into the depths!
Along the way, he encountered more straggling alien monsters. All of them had been left behind during the initial assault, but Wildmutt dispatched them with lightning speed and his razor-sharp claws, wasting no time whatsoever!
Meanwhile, on the surface...
Countless shapeshifters climbed to the rooftops after discovering the destroyed alarm clock lying there. They stood frozen in place, completely dumbfounded.
What happened here?
They remained motionless for several long moments before receiving new orders from their master. Their base camp had been infiltrated!
"Return immediately! those despicable humans have attacked our headquarters!"
"We cannot allow them to discover our base..."
"The spaceship is there as well. We can't let them destroy it..."
A massive wave of shapeshifters began running back toward the alley entrance, like a tide of corpses surging in reverse!
"This... this is a UFO?!"
When the sloped tunnel finally leveled out and light began to appear ahead, Wildmutt discovered the nest at last!
WHOOSH!
He leaped through the opening with Ben and Gwen still clinging to his back!
The first thing that appeared before them was an enormous UFO parked in the underground cavern, looking impossibly mysterious in the dim light!!
Ben let out a gasp of amazement. This was the first time he'd seen a real UFO with his own eyes!!
"So UFOs really do exist... I always thought they were just science fiction."
Gwen was equally shocked by the magnificent sight.
No matter how realistic special effects might be in movies, they could never compare to the visceral impact of seeing an actual alien spacecraft right in front of you!
"Biu~~"
Wildmutt's form suddenly radiated bursts of green light as he reverted to human form.
Asher helped Ben and Gwen dismount, then patted Ben on the shoulder and pointed toward something next to the UFO that looked like dozens of oversized insect eggs. "Look over there! Don't focus on the spaceship."
The two of them followed his gesture, and their scalps immediately went numb!!
This place would be absolute hell for anyone with trypophobia!
Beside the UFO stood rows upon rows of large egg-like containers, dozens of rows, with dozens of pods in each row. The green translucent pods contained not aliens...
But human beings!!
The most recent pod held Max, suspended in a state of peaceful sleep!
"It looks like the shapeshifters captured all the humans underground, placed them in these special containers, copied their memories and personalities, and then sent the alien duplicates to live in this town instead of them!" Asher pieced together the horrifying truth as he surveyed the scene.
This method was far superior to Vilgax's strategy of conquest through brute force. These aliens could slowly devour the entire Earth from within, replacing humanity one person at a time! And once established, their infiltration would be permanent!
"Let's rescue Grandpa!!" Ben said urgently.
"Right! Let's go!"
Asher nodded without hesitation, and the three of them ran toward the pod container holding Max!
"How do we open it?" Ben asked, scratching his head in confusion as he examined the smooth surface.
"Let me try!"
Asher took a deep breath and grasped the surface of the pod with both palms. His fingers easily sank into it, as if pulling at soft, malleable glue!
He leaned back with all his strength, and the green membrane stretched like taffy!
Until, BANG!
Asher staggered backward several steps as the front half of the container tore away and fell to the ground, releasing a large cloud of oxygen!
Max tumbled out onto the cavern floor!
His consciousness was clear. He immediately sat up, touched his head, and his eyes gradually brightened. "I knew... you'd definitely come to help me."
"It's not just you, Grandpa. We need to rescue everyone else!" Asher turned his gaze toward the surrounding pods and spoke with determination.
Max, Gwen, and Ben exchanged glances before nodding in unison. Each of them moved to a different container, grabbed hold of the membrane, and began pulling, imitating Asher's technique!
"I advise you not to do this!"
"You found the spaceship. You can't leave now!"
"Surrender peacefully. You won't die here. But if you resist, you'll all have to die!!"
At that moment!
Several shapeshifter monsters who had been flattened by Wildmutt earlier had fully regenerated and walked in from the entrance. Their faces held expressions of undeniable threat as they issued cold warnings to Asher and his family!