25 Chapter 23: Vilgax Gone

chapter 23: Vilgax Gone

The first time at the base, Ben's curiosity led him to inspect everything, constantly poking around. This behavior earned him a considerable amount of disdain from Gwen, even though she had only been there once, and for a short time. It took a considerable effort and some verbal exchanges before Ben refocused on his initial purpose.

Finally, the two groups met, Ben and Gwen received a warm welcome from Max, who greeted them with a strong embrace.

Through Max's shoulders, both Ben and Gwen noticed Kevin sitting on the ground, engrossed in his phone, paying no attention to their arrival.

Ben furrowed his brow, expressing his discomfort, "I still can't believe he's on our side."

"He's not on our side; for him, this is just a transaction," Gwen replied.

"You understand me too well, Kitten," Kevin, who was sitting quietly, suddenly spoke up.

"I'm not Kitten. Don't call me that," Gwen retorted sharply.

"That's exactly what a Kitten would say."

"Ugh," Gwen grumbled and turned away, deciding that arguing with a fool wasn't worth it.

Ben had already entered the training room, more concerned about Vilgax's condition than Kevin.

At this moment, Max also approached to inquire, "Any good news?"

Kevin tossed his phone to Max, saying, "See for yourself, too strong or too weak, none suitable for our requirements."

After a quick glance, Max sighed, "I guess today won't be the last time we meet him."

Kevin had intended to offer a few comforting words to the old man but found himself quietly drawn into the captivating scene unfolding in the training room.

Within the training room, Ben and Gwen stood on the ice, gazing down at the helpless and pitiable Warlord. Gwen took out the phone Kevin had gifted her and began recording, while Ben, in a taunting manner, playfully lifted his foot, repeatedly stomping down on the ice as if mockingly trampling on Vilgax's face.

"Watch out, Ben. You might accidentally set him free," Gwen teased with a playful smirk.

"The better, anyway, I haven't had a chance to kick his butt myself. But how could the ice block..." A crisp crack cut Ben off mid-sentence.

Both cousins looked down, only to find cracks forming inside the ice block. They resembled saplings constantly growing and branching until they covered the entire surface. Ben was somewhat stunned, looking at Gwen as if to ask, "Did i really do this?"

"Kids." Max burst into the room with a rocket backpack, grabbing both bewildered grandchildren before soaring upwards.

The ice sheet was now completely disrupted, ice shards flying everywhere. From above, all three could see the ice layer continuously shaking, vibrating, breaking apart, finally revealing the familiar figure, a blend of Cthulhu and Cyberpunk—Vilgax.

"Do you think you can stop me with... water?" His raspy, unpleasant voice echoed throughout the room. "Today is Tennyson's doomsday."

In the suspended silence, they could sense his anger, his violently suppressed intent. Yet, they were not afraid. Max loaded his gun, Ben transformed into Stinkfly, and Gwen levitated in mid-air, summoning an electric shield around her.

A major battle could erupt at any moment, tension hanging thick in the air. Unfortunately, Kevin felt bored; if victory wasn't achievable, what was the point of fighting? He raised the Null Void projector, aiming it at Vilgax's feet.

Kneeling down, Vilgax assumed a charging stance towards his opponents, but at this moment, his foothold disappeared. He fell, luckily his arms were long enough to claw into the surrounding ice layer, bringing his body to a halt. The pull from the null void portal remained strong, making it difficult for Vilgax to resist: "No, no, no, no, no, this is not the end, Tennyson. I will..."

Electric shocks, slime, and laser bullets rained down relentlessly, sending the pitiful alien to a new world.

----

"So, where are you planning to go now?"

"Not sure, maybe beyond space. After all, what's the point of having a spaceship if you're just going to stay on Earth? What about it? Can you bear to part with me?"

"That's right." Gwen replied gently, her voice soft, her eyes shining. Two fingers lightly touched each other, trying to create a cute appearance. "So I was thinking, if you really want to go far, we may not see each other for a long time. Should you leave all the Bezel charms to me, as a keepsake of our time together?"

Seeing Kevin about to say something, she preempted him: "You don't need to worry; I'll take good care of them. After all, this is evidence of our friendship!"

Facing the expectant eyes of the girl, Kevin also cracked a genuinely grateful smile. "No!"

Once again, Kevin found a way to rile up Gwen, and both instances occurred when she adopted an excessively "sincere" attitude toward him. Even Ben, her braindead cousin, struggled to incite her anger in the same manner. Without skipping a beat, she shifted her verbal assault toward Kevin.

Labeling him as greedy, shameless, destructive, lacking sophistication, and ignorant of pleasing a woman... The words of a 14-year-old girl towards Kevin were entirely non-threatening, but rather annoying. Finally, under Gwen's triumphant gaze, Kevin had to bow his head in defeat.

Looking at the new pictures sent, Gwen's heart swelled with curiosity. Fortunately, Kevin offered an explanation: "Having the entire Bezel set is impossible. Considering your assistance in the battle against Hex, I can let you choose one charm and rent two more for you. I've sent three types of magic to your phone. If you can fully control them within a week and are willing to use them as assets, I'll extend your usage time for the other two charms and even throw in an additional one for rent. What do you say, is it a deal?"

"Agreed," Gwen said, reaching out to shake Kevin's hand, sealing the deal.

Regarding her choice, Gwen opted for the Charm of Telekinesis over the Charm of Luck. After all, relying on mental power was more versatile than depending on luck. Moreover, compared to other charms, mental power was less likely to cause harm to people and property nearby. Kevin, on the other hand, decided to rent both the Charm of Luck and the Charm of Electrical Manipulation, ensuring Gwen's safety.

Since both the Rust Bucket and Vilgax's ship needed repairs, the four of them shared dinner by the campfire until late into the night. During this time, Ben's attitude toward Kevin showed a slight shift. Though still cautious and occasionally confrontational, Ben didn't seem to harbor as many hostile intentions. Kevin, however, failed to notice the subtle change in Ben's demeanor.

The next morning, the Chimera Hammer was gone, and the Rust Bucket was ready to roll. Inside the vehicle, the atmosphere carried a hint of seriousness. Gwen and Ben, after a night's rest, were now ready to confront Max and unveil the truth they wanted to know from him