Kuri's Manor, Bellwood
"I'm telling you, I had a horrible vision," Kuri said, pacing anxiously across the room. "Vilgax is sending an assassin from Kinmoku-sei named Shax. He's coming to kill you, Ben."
Ben leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. "Vilgax? Again? Seriously, does that guy ever take a break?"
"Is your 'horrible vision' worse than this?" Kevin interrupted, flipping on the TV with a smirk.
The screen showed a viral video montage of Ben's aliens in action: Wildmutt snarling, Swampfire spraying fire, Brainstorm summoning lightning, and so on. The video finally ended with an image of Ben himself transforming back from Humungousaur in the middle of a city street.
A bold headline scrolled across the bottom: "Teen Hero Ben Tennyson: The Alien-Busting Superstar?"
Ben groaned and dropped his face into his hands.
"Ha!" Reiko laughed, pointing at the screen. "You are so busted!"
"It's not that bad," Ben muttered. "Better than being dea—"
A sudden, howling wind blasted through the house, cutting him off mid-sentence. Papers flew, furniture toppled, and the front door splintered as a gray-skinned humanoid Yokai stepped through. His black cloak billowed around him as he surveyed the room with glowing red eyes.
Xxx
"Who the hell is that?" Kevin demanded, already absorbing the nearest metal table into his skin for protection.
"The End," Shax said in a deep, chilling voice. He raised an arm, and with a flick of his wrist, sent a shockwave of wind hurling through the room.
"Kuri, Reiko—transform!" Ben shouted.
In a blur, Kuri and Reiko leaped into action. Kuri's body shimmered as she transformed into the Lotis Priestess, her outfit a blend of a traditional miko's robes and an elaborate Mardi Gras mask glowing with mystical energy. Reiko donned her Kitsune form: fox ears, a long tail, and a sleek blue kimono paired with a Kaito-style mask.
Kevin charged at Shax, swinging his table-reinforced fists, while Ben slapped the Omnitrix. A flash of green light erupted, and he transformed into Big Chill, his icy wings spreading wide.
Shax didn't wait. He swept his hand, and a cyclone of wind slammed into Kuri and Reiko, throwing them through the wall.
Xxx
Kuri hit the ground hard, gasping as she felt a sharp pain in her side. She looked down and saw it—a jagged piece of debris had impaled her. Reiko, slightly luckier, stood shakily, her Kitsune powers already beginning to heal her.
"Kuri!" Ben yelled, his icy form rushing toward her, but Shax wasn't finished.
The assassin sent another gale-force blast at Kevin and Big Chill, throwing them through the opposite wall. Kevin managed to land unscathed thanks to his absorbed table armor, and Big Chill turned intangible, narrowly avoiding harm.
Reiko growled, standing defiantly. She traced a glowing rune into the air with her fingers. "JE-TA!" she shouted, unleashing an explosion of energy that sent Shax staggering backward in a flash of light.
But it wasn't enough. Shax stood tall again, his eyes narrowing as he prepared another attack.
Xxx
Ben transformed back, panting heavily. His watch was in recharge mode, the Omnitrix useless for now. He ran to Kuri's side, panic filling his eyes as he saw the blood pooling beneath her.
"Kuri, don't move! Kevin, get the car started!" Ben barked.
Kevin hesitated, glancing out the window. "We can't. Paparazzi are all over the place. We'll never get out of here!"
Kuri weakly lifted her hand, trying to trace a shimmering rune in the air. "I… maybe I can shimmer us…"
"No! Don't try to speak!" Ben said, grabbing her hand. "Damn watch! I need it to work! Just hang on!"
Xxx
Reiko stormed outside, her Kitsune tail bristling with rage. The paparazzi had crowded the street, cameras flashing as they jostled for a better shot.
"GET OUT OF HERE!" Reiko bellowed, her voice filled with raw, furious energy. She traced another rune in the air, and trash cans began exploding one by one in fiery bursts.
"MY! SISTER! IS! HURT!" she screamed, punctuating each word with another explosion. The crowd scattered, retreating in fear.
Reiko stormed back inside, her eyes blazing. "Let's go!" she hissed, climbing into the car with Kevin as Ben gently carried Kuri into the back seat.
Xxx
As the car sped down the street, Kuri leaned weakly against Ben. "Ben… there's something you need to know…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Don't talk. Save your strength," Ben said, holding her hand tightly.
"No… listen. You and I… we're connected. The vision… the Ultimate Power… it's us," Kuri said, her breath hitching.
Ben froze, her words echoing in his mind. The Ultimate Power? What did that mean? He didn't know, but one thing was clear—this summer was about to get a lot more dangerous.