Chapter 81: Jingle Star, the Toy Giant
A blinding flash of dark blue light illuminated the area as the towering form of Humungousaur dissolved, shrinking back down into Klein's human figure.
Klein dusted off his jacket and glanced over at Mr. Jingles. The eccentric elf was currently bawling his eyes out, clinging to the illusion of his beloved holiday icon. 'His obsession with Grandpa is honestly terrifying,' Klein sighed inwardly, shaking his head at the sheer absurdity of the situation.
Pivoting on his heel, Klein shot a teasing smirk at Max. "Don't worry, Grandpa. Your secret is safe with me. I won't breathe a word of this to Grandma."
Max's eye twitched violently. The older man crossed his arms, his face flushing a deep shade of red. "No matter what is going through that head of yours, things are absolutely not what you are imagining!"
"Yes, yes, whatever you say, oh great Saint Nick," Klein replied, his tone dripping with dry sarcasm. He waved a dismissive hand. "I don't buy a single word of your nonsense, you old romantic. Don't I know you well enough by now?"
Max opened his mouth to deliver a stern reprimand, but a deafening mechanical groan echoed from behind him, cutting him off completely. The entire group whipped their heads toward the source of the commotion. The massive, decorative star that had been sputtering and short-circuiting just moments ago was now pulsing with a blinding, erratic brilliance.
"The Jingle Star!" Ezekiel gasped, his eyes widening in absolute horror as he stared at the glowing anomaly.
'The Jingle Star?'Klein raised an eyebrow, his mind immediately drifting to the gutter.'Who in their right mind came up with a name that sounds like a euphemism for a crotch? That is just asking for trouble.'Even though the Jingle Star was radiating a dense, magical energy that clearly marked it as a rare artifact, Klein felt absolutely zero desire to claim it. If he actually took the thing, he would have to explain the name to people. Just the thought of someone asking him to pull out his'Jingle Star' was enough to make him want to die of secondhand embarrassment.
The glowing star slowly levitated higher into the air, acting like a massive magnetic core. All around the village, discarded toys, broken nutcrackers, and shattered plastic dolls began to tremble. They swarmed toward the floating light, snapping together in a chaotic storm of plastic and wood. Within seconds, the debris fused into a colossal, patchwork toy giant that towered over fifty meters tall.
The monstrosity shifted its massive weight, its glowing eyes locking directly onto Klein. Clearly, the magical construct remembered exactly who had smashed it to pieces just a few minutes prior. Without a second of hesitation, the giant raised its massive right foot and brought it stomping down toward Klein's head.
"You think being tall makes you special?" Klein muttered, not even bothering to look up as the shadow of the massive foot engulfed him. With a calm, practiced motion, he slapped the faceplate of the Another Omnitrix.
A pillar of dark blue energy erupted from the ground, completely swallowing Klein. In the blink of an eye, the towering, cosmic form of Way Big materialized. The colossal alien hero didn't even flinch. He simply clenched his right hand into a massive fist and thrust it straight up into the air, keeping his left arm tucked defensively against his chest as he rose to his full, staggering height.
Way Big's fist collided with the descending foot of the toy giant. The impact echoed like a bomb going off. The giant's entire right leg was instantly blown apart, shattering back into a rain of individual toys and splintered wood. Losing its balance, the fifty-meter monstrosity toppled backward, crashing into the snow-covered ground with an earth-shaking thud.
The victory was short-lived. Almost immediately, the scattered toys on the ground began to twitch and vibrate. Like a swarm of mechanical insects, they crawled over each other, rushing back to the stump of the giant's leg and rapidly rebuilding the missing limb. In a matter of seconds, the toy giant hauled itself back onto its feet, completely restored.
Way Big didn't waste time. He stepped forward and threw a devastating straight punch, driving his fist directly through the toy giant's head. Plastic and gears exploded outward in a shower of debris. Klein had aimed for the head, remembering that the Jingle Star had originally been lodged there.
He pulled his fist back, his glowing eyes scanning the wreckage. 'Not here?'
Before the thought could even fully form, the headless neck of the giant bubbled with new toys, rapidly reconstructing its face. Retaliating instantly, the toy giant swung a massive, clunky fist right into Way Big's chest.
The attack landed with a dull thud. Way Big didn't even budge a single inch. Instead, the sheer density of the cosmic giant's armor caused the toy giant's entire arm to splinter and shatter upon impact, reducing its hand to a pile of broken plastic.
Way Big let out a dry scoff. He straightened his right arm, flattening his hand into a rigid blade. With a swift, brutal downward chop, he cleaved the toy giant straight down the middle. The monstrosity split into two perfectly even halves, collapsing into twin mountains of junk.
Klein searched the wreckage intently, but there was still no glowing light. No trace of the Jingle Star. And just like before, the two halves began to magnetically pull toward each other, stitching the giant back together in record time.
Max watched the relentless regeneration from the sidelines, his brow furrowed in deep thought. "The Jingle Star must be capable of moving freely throughout the giant's body," he deduced aloud. "Combined with that ridiculous recovery speed, Klein is going to have a hard time putting it down for good."
Seeing his cousin stuck in a loop, Ben decided it was time to intervene. 'He needs help!'
Wildmutt let out a pair of aggressive, guttural roars before charging headlong into the fray. The orange, eyeless beast leaped high into the air, latching his sharp claws directly onto the toy giant's torso. With frantic, tearing motions, Wildmutt burrowed his way deep into the shifting mass of toys, sniffing and scrambling as he searched for the hidden core.
Gwen wasn't about to just stand by and watch either. Her hands flared with bright pink mana as she continuously hurled blasts of Anodite energy at the giant. Each strike blasted away chunks of the creature's outer shell, trying to expose the elusive Jingle Star hidden within.
Max, meanwhile, grabbed Mr. Jingles by the collar of his ridiculous elf tunic. "Quick! Tell me how to shut that thing down!"
Mr. Jingles blinked, snapping out of his daze as he stared up at the towering monster. "Confound it all! The Jingle Star can be used to build a giant death machine? Why didn't anyone tell me this before?!"
A sly, desperate glint suddenly sparked in the elf's eyes. He forced a wide, sycophantic smile. "Hehe... well, Santa Claus, if you simply promise to stay here and lead us, I will gladly make the Jingle Star stop right this instant!"
In reality, Mr. Jingles had absolutely no clue how to stop the rampaging toy golem. But this was a heaven-sent opportunity! If he could just trick Max into agreeing, maybe the old man would actually stick around to be their permanent Santa!
Max stared at him, his expression completely deadpan. "...You are lying through your teeth, aren't you."
Max was a seasoned Plumber and an old hand at dealing with intergalactic con artists. He could tell at a single glance that the eccentric elf was completely full of it.
Disgusted, Max turned on his heel to walk away. Panic flashed across Mr. Jingles' face, and he immediately threw himself onto the snowy ground, wrapping his arms tightly around Max's leg in a desperate hug.
"Don't go! Please, Santa Claus! I swear on my pointy ears, I really do know how to make it stop!"
Despite the elf's pathetic wailing, Max completely ignored him. He tried to shake his leg free, but Mr. Jingles was clamped on like a terrified barnacle. Sighing in sheer exasperation, Max simply kept walking, dragging the wailing elf through the snow with every heavy step.
"Don't leave us, Santa Claus!" Mr. Jingles sobbed, looking straight up from his position on the ground. From his unfortunate angle, the elf was suddenly confronted with a very up-close and personal view of Max's lower half. He blinked, momentarily distracted from his tears. 'Wow... Santa is packing.'
Back on the battlefield, things were getting messy. Wildmutt was tearing through the interior of the toy giant, but he still had not located the Jingle Star. Unfortunately, the Jingle Star had definitely located him. The magical core shifted its internal structure, commanding the surrounding toys to compress inward, attempting to crush the Vulpimancer to death.
Sensing the shifting pressure, Wildmutt frantically tried to dig his way back out. He scrambled toward the surface, but the shifting gears and plastic blocks clamped down hard around his torso, trapping him completely. Only his large, furry head managed to pop out of the giant's exterior armor.
"Roar! Rrraargh! Grrr..." Wildmutt thrashed wildly, his jaws snapping at the air as he struggled to pull himself free.
To the onlookers below, the visual was incredibly unfortunate. Because Wildmutt had managed to poke his head out right at the exact location of the toy giant's rear end, combined with his bright orange fur... the entire scene looked horribly, undeniably wrong. It looked exactly like a massive, furry hemorrhoid.
Gwen slapped a hand over her face, groaning into her palm. "Oh my god, Dweeb... really?"
Way Big looked down at the trapped Vulpimancer and let out a heavy sigh. Reaching up, he slapped the glowing faceplate of the Another Omnitrix resting on his chest.
"Gravattack!"
The dark blue light washed over the colossal figure, rapidly shrinking him down. In his place stood a four-meter-tall, rocky alien. He possessed a wide, crab-like head, massive arms that were significantly thicker than his stubby legs, and a body covered in dense, reddish-brown stone plates. At the center of his waist, a molten red core pulsed with intense gravitational energy.
Gravattack raised his massive, rocky hands. Glowing blue orbs of gravitational force ignited in his palms. He aimed the concentrated fields directly at the toy giant. Instantly, the intense shift in gravity ripped the monstrosity's structural integrity to shreds. The giant began to violently fall apart, breaking down into countless individual toys that floated helplessly through the air, orbiting around Gravattack like a ring of colorful asteroids.
Caught in the anti-gravity field, Wildmutt was finally yanked free from his humiliating prison and gently lowered back down to the snowy ground. As the massive outer shell of the toy giant completely disintegrated into a floating debris field, the glowing core was finally left exposed, hovering defenselessly in the center of the chaos.
"Gwen! Now!" Gravattack's deep, rumbling voice echoed across the clearing.
Hearing her cue, Gwen didn't hesitate. She thrust both hands forward, her eyes glowing with raw mana. Instead of her usual pink energy, she channeled a volatile burst of lightning magic. A jagged, blindingly bright yellow thunderbolt tore through the air, striking the exposed Jingle Star dead center.
Boom!
A deafening explosion rocked the village as the magical artifact shattered into a million sparkling fragments, fading into nothingness.
"No!" Mr. Jingles shrieked, his hands flying to his head as he stared at the sparkling dust in absolute disbelief.
With the destruction of their power source, the floating debris field instantly lost its magical animation, reverting back into ordinary, lifeless toys. Gravattack clenched his fists, cutting off the anti-gravity field. A massive rain of plastic, wood, and metal crashed down onto the snow in a chaotic, clattering heap.
A flash of dark blue light swept over Gravattack, returning Klein to his human form. A second later, a brilliant red light flared nearby as Wildmutt timed out, leaving Ben sitting in the snow.
Ben immediately reached up to touch his head. His fingers brushed against long, pointed tips. He scowled, glaring daggers at the wailing elf leader. "Hey! Why are my ears still pointy?! Why haven't we changed back?!"
Gwen felt her own ears, a wave of genuine anxiety washing over her face. "He's right. How do we break the curse?!"
Mr. Jingles sniffled, wiping his runny nose on his sleeve as he offered a pathetic, sad explanation. "Because the magic is broken! Right now, no one out there can feel the true joy of Christmas! If you ever want to change back to normal, you have to stay here and help me make toys! We have to make more perfect toys to spread the cheer!"
'Damn it, you little gremlin. You honestly think you can force me into a sweatshop to build toys?'Klein's eyes narrowed dangerously.'Watch me turn you into a chew toy.'
Cracking his knuckles, Klein aggressively rolled up his sleeves. He took a menacing step forward, fully intending to slap the absolute nonsense out of the delusional elf until he sobered up.
Before Klein could deliver some much-needed physical therapy, Max stepped in, placing a firm, restraining hand on his grandson's shoulder. Max then turned his warm, steady gaze toward Mr. Jingles.
"The true joy of Christmas doesn't come from the toys themselves," Max said softly, his voice carrying a gentle wisdom. "It comes from the act of selfless giving. Isn't that right, kids?"
"Yeah, sure, but if you give me a giant rampaging toy monster..." Ben started to complain, his snarky attitude flaring up.
Thwack!
"Ow!" Ben yelped, rubbing his forehead where Klein had just ruthlessly flicked him to shut him up.
Gwen stepped forward, her expression softening as she looked at the eccentric leader. "Mr. Jingles, the most important part of Christmas is family. Look around you. Look at all these children." She gestured widely toward the crowd of transformed elves huddled in the snow. "They were forced to leave their families behind during the holiday season. They need to go home."
Mr. Jingles lowered his head, his pointed ears drooping as he pondered her words. "I... I understand. But the magic requires a catalyst. If the toys aren't delivered and people don't feel the Christmas spirit, the curse simply cannot be lifted. And even if I wanted to send the toys out right now... the reindeer can't fly anymore. Their magic was tied to the Jingle Star, and it's gone."
Ben suddenly puffed out his chest, a confident, arrogant smirk spreading across his face. "Please. With Stinkfly on the job, who needs a bunch of dumb reindeer anyway?!"
...
A few minutes later, the plan was in motion.
Ben had transformed into Stinkfly, his massive insectoid wings buzzing loudly in the cold night air. Hitched behind him via a series of sturdy leather harnesses was a sleek, red sleigh that looked suspiciously like a modified convertible sports car. Sitting comfortably inside the sleigh was a massive, overflowing sack of toys, along with Max, Klein, and Gwen.
Klein leaned back against the plush leather seats, casually admiring the scenery as they took to the sky. The night air was crisp and biting, but the view was spectacular. A massive, brilliant full moon hung clearly in the starry sky, casting a silver glow over the clouds below.
Klein had absolutely zero intention of snatching the exhausting, sleigh-pulling job away from Ben. Since the Dweeb had so eagerly volunteered himself for manual labor, Klein felt it was his duty as a supportive older cousin to sit back, relax, and let him do all the heavy lifting. He certainly wasn't going to compete for the privilege of acting like a pack mule.
He wasn't sure if there was some sort of lingering holiday magic infused into the sleigh itself, but Stinkfly was flying like a creature possessed. The giant bug looked like he was pumped full of adrenaline, drool flying from his mandibles as he flapped his wings with terrifying might. Their cruising speed was absolutely absurd, tearing through the atmosphere far faster than Stinkfly's usual limits.
In what felt like record time, they zipped across the globe, dropping down chimneys and sneaking through windows. Thanks to the bizarre magical speed boost, children all over the world found perfectly crafted toys waiting for them.
'He can actually fly for this long without timing out?'Klein mused, watching the bug's relentless pace.'Whatever magic is fueling him right now is seriously potent.'
As Klein continued to silently critique his cousin's flight patterns, a sudden realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
Wait a minute. It was the middle of summer vacation. It wasn't even close to Christmas right now. Why were they delivering presents in July?
Pushing the logic of the situation to the back of his mind, Klein watched as they finally circled back to the snowy village. The moment the sleigh touched down in the center of the Christmas Resort, the grand clock tower chimed. It was exactly midnight.
As the deep, resonant tolls of the bell echoed through the valley, the very fabric of the Christmas Resort began to warp. The snow, the wooden cabins, and the towering pine trees all shimmered, turning translucent and illusory.
Like a mirage fading in the desert, the ancient, frozen village melted away, rapidly replaced by a completely different reality. The dark, snowy night vanished, replaced by a bright, warm sun hanging high in a clear blue sky. The isolated cabins were replaced by modern brick buildings, paved roads, and bustling sidewalks. The cursed elves were gone, replaced by normal children roller-skating and playing in the summer heat, while adults casually walked by with shopping bags.
The frozen-in-time Christmas Resort had smoothly transformed back into a normal, modern-day town.
Ben and Gwen immediately reached for their heads. Their fingers brushed against normal, rounded ears. The curse was broken. They had finally changed back!
Max let out a deep breath of relief, gathering his grandchildren close as he surveyed the bustling town square.
Ben's eyes lit up as he spotted a familiar piece of equipment sitting near a storefront. "Hey, look! A snow machine! The town is totally back to normal!"
"I wouldn't say it's completely normal, little friend," a warm, raspy voice chuckled from behind them. "This town is a very special place. In fact, I've been coming here every single year to celebrate Christmas since 1932."
The group turned to see an elderly man walking toward them, flanked by three energetic children.
One of the kids tugged eagerly on the old man's sleeve. "Grandpa Ezekiel, can we go to the chocolate fountain now?"
Ezekiel smiled down at them, his eyes crinkling with warmth. "Go on ahead, kids. Run along. I'll be right there."
As the three children sprinted off toward the candy shop, Ezekiel paused. He looked directly at Klein, Max, and the kids, offering them a slow, knowing wink before turning to follow his grandchildren. It was clear that, despite the curse breaking, the old man still remembered exactly what had happened.
"Time magic is weird," Klein muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Because we broke the curse in the past, Ezekiel was never permanently trapped here as an elf. He got to grow old."
Ben tilted his head, a curious frown on his face. "Wait, then what about Mr. Jingles?"
Klein shrugged, his tone completely calm and pragmatic. "He's probably long gone by now, Dweeb. Think about it. He was already an old man back in 1932. Nature took its course."
Max wandered over to a weathered bronze plaque mounted on a large stone monument in the center of the square. He brushed a layer of dust off the metal and read the inscription aloud.
"Christmas Resort. Founder: Thomas Jingles. Founded in 1928. The true spirit of Christmas comes from our selfless giving."
Ben crossed his arms, squinting at the plaque. "Huh. I feel like I've heard that exact phrase somewhere before."
Klein smirked, leaning casually against the stone monument. "No need to rack your brain, Dweeb. It's the exact same cheesy line Grandpa used to woo his old elf sweetheart."
Max's face instantly flushed a brilliant shade of crimson. "Hey! It was absolutely not like that! Get back here, you little punk!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Laughter echoed through the sunny town square as Klein casually dodged his grandfather's grasping hands, bringing an end to the most bizarre summer Christmas they had ever experienced.
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/AkarinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/AkarinTL
🔗 All My Links: linktr[.]ee/AkarinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]