What happened was a source of uneasiness for Reed. "Grandmaster, Ronan is augmenting himself! Surely you'd -"

"Silence, human. I alone decide the rules of this contest!" The Elder simply watched Ben receive a thunderous blow to the chest. It could be said that Ronan was displaying clear symptoms of resentment.

But the man made of orange rock took the attack with tolerable ease, "You wanna make this more interestin'? Fine by me!" Ben body slammed his opponent with brute force & delivered a series of punches. The Accuser cackled, though, & swept him upward in a single clean uppercut. He dangerously neared the slippery edge of the games board, feeling reliance on nothing apart from pure chance to pull him back into the game terrain. The luck he had didn't breach its promise.

Not to say that Diablo's combat skills were inexorable, but the Grandmaster didn't lift a finger regarding the alchemist putting on his 'magic show' to tackle Leopard X. It wasn't mentioned but Grandmaster allowed him only one set of four chalices in this match. Ozai thought positive - it'd be fun using his beloved weapon, the pericycle again at last after his suit's tedious repair works just to get that ability to function. Whipping up the deadly power of the Air potion, Diablo conjured up a feisty little twister in an attempt to catch his competitor off balance. In timing that held brilliancy - especially since Ozai was closer to snowy old age than anyone else in the Contest - he cartwheeled sideways. Out of the blue, a forgotten pain seared one of his shoulders at the joint.

He hadn't used his laser beams on the alchemist yet; thus he fired at the Air potion chalice to split it in half. Diablo was too cross to speak. & too fast in addition. Water was actually quite dangerous when utilized by him because it could slice hard objects if the move as executed with precision & speed. Ozai hobbled a little, slowed by the sharp sensation in his shoulder. His vision was blurring.

Next Ben lurched forward at top speed, only to fall on his chin after being flipped over. Another big shove sent him sliding across the board, yet he ran as though he was untamable. The Kree packed one more punch of seismic proportions. Although…in Ronan's act of bulging up (not to mention his pursuit of accomplishments for his 'golden glory') he missed out on attention to his clumsiness that would result. "Muscles ain't everything, sunshine!" teased Ben after tripping him up.

"AGAIN!" The giant heavy beam coming from a distant Kree warship rained down on Ronan a second time. It produced the same effect - lending considerable size to him.

"Ben…" Reed panicked. His best buddy clenched his jaw, "Awww, CRUD…"

There was a noise like a split-second earthquake. "Ben, get up! Get outta there!" shrieked Johnny. They'd all shut their eyes to avoid seeing Ben pancaked.

"Dad! Lend Ben a hand!" Azula alerted.

Ozai looked up to her, but was preoccupied with the returning pain of a major shoulder injury from years past. He hadn't made out a syllable of what she'd said. Suddenly an invisible blade cut at his helmet's base. & slit it off! He fell on his back, squinting with the impact. Diablo bleakly laughed, caressing his precious Potion of Water chalice.

Azula freaked, "No, you don't!"

"Not Dr. O too!" said Johnny.

"No! I've saved the best to last, Jonathan!" barked Ozai. The rest had left out his armour's innermost surprise … "YAHHHHHHH!" roared Leopard X, just as the alchemist unleashed the fiery beast contained in the Fire chalice. Its power diminished greatly the moment it was in contact with the blue-green ring of the pericycle. The blast burned at Diablo with such ferocity, & left him in a perplexed state. He was conked out.

Reed had taken time to notice but shifted back to Ben's battle, "Grandmaster, stop it please! Let me take Ben's place." Such was the burden on Mister Fantastic's shoulders. "BEN! Yield. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it! Just stop this - stay down!"

More blows from the opposing team coming down on Ben's rocky build. Someone slashed at Ronan's ripped back, cutting into his blue skin. He writhed like an animal in agony would & dragged Ozai off violently. The Thing could barely take or repel the ill-natured beating. To his teammates' horror, his rocky coat now had cracks in a few places. "STAY DOWN!" bellowed a ballooned Ronan, who smashed him into the game board surface, literally.

The assumption that the horrible hunk of a supersized Kree that he'd already triumphed engrossed him, "You've lost. It's OVER! There's nothing you can do to save your friends!" The other members of the FF in particular prepared for an irretrievable loss. Ronan was already cheerfully optimistic, stomping toward the Grandmaster to make his wish. He'd picked up a drained Leopard X & was bent on constricting him in his massive palm. Ozai was heard choking with the force - monster fingers pressing his armour, & armour pressing onto his body.

With helmet stripped off he could not use any lasers. & the pericycle needed time to recharge. & the tail attack…well, it was useless at this point in time. Sweat poured out starting from his forehead & temples.

"Not gonna happen.."

Ronan whirled 180 degrees, finding the presence of that voice far from serviceable. Ben pulled himself up with his leftover strength. Grandmaster prevented Ronan from harming him further, just for the moment.

"Is that your final decision?"

"Yeah. Do your worst, Ronan," said Ben.

It was all wretched suspense. The Accuser cackled in echoes before launching a wild fist to finish off the underdog. Or so he thought. Crying out in a war cry fashion, then hit whatever came at him with both pairs of stone knuckles. All he saw was pitch black for a while after.

Then: he stared at his human self. Flexed his fleshy fingers. Reed didn't have to blow up his lab to achieve this.

"Ben Grimm of Earth: you are victorious! Your team wins the Contest of Champions!" In Grandmaster's palm, wrapped in a bubble & reverted to his original form, Ronan fought, "NO! I - I was CLEARLY WINNING!" Still, the Elder's judgment could not err.

"But you requested fair & honourable combat! In all my travels across the universe, never have I found someone with such honour & spirit!

"Ben Grimm is a true champion. Say the word & your greatest desire to be human again will be yours."

A tug-of-war raged in Ben's mind for a while. Facial muscles tensed up, Ben finally released himself from the worst kind of selfish guilt, "Nice try, pal. This is my wish: you're gonna free everyone you've ever taken - starting with my friends." He wanted to show he was boss when it came to that choice. "No one should ever play your games."

"Very well, human. Your wish is granted." Grandmaster's countenance looked displeased. The adrenaline ended with his final speech, "Know this, champions. The contest will continue, & one day I will call on you again." The game board, Grandmaster & everyone else but Ozai & himself seemed to melt into space.

"Just don't call collect," Ben lastly warned the Elder before fading.

Ozai was left in the blanket of silence.

"Leopard X, I see you have something of great importance on your mind."

"Yes, Grandmaster."

"Then what wish should the Elders grant you?"

"That nothing would separate my daughter & I from helping the Fantastic Four. To be there for them & with them no matter what the case." Outwardly it was a wish - inwardly it was a prayer. One of the most fervent of prayers he'd made in ages.

"Your wish has been granted."