As Goop carefully carried the frail children out of the damp dungeon, his gelatinous form cradled them with surprising gentleness.
Their tiny bodies trembled, their eyes wide with fear and confusion.
Some flinched at his touch, expecting pain, while others were too weak to react at all.
The cold air of the night brushed against their pale skin, sending shivers down their spines.
Flash~
Once outside, Ben shifted back to his human form in a flash of green light.
"____"
"____"
The children gasped, their fear momentarily forgotten as they stared at him in shock.
"You're...not a monster?"
one of the older kids whispered, his voice hoarse.
Ben knelt down, meeting the child's wary gaze.
"No. We're here to help you,"
he said softly.
"You're safe now."
One of the royal guards, a man with short blue hair and a calm demeanor, stepped forward.
His grimoire floated beside him, pages flipping rapidly.
"Water Magic: Healing Stream."
A soft, glowing blue aura surrounded his hands as streams of water formed mid-air.
The water shimmered with a soothing glow before cascading gently over the children, washing away grime and slowly healing their wounds.
Cuts closed, bruises faded, and the weakest among them began to regain some strength.
Tears welled up in a few children's eyes.
Some sobbed openly, while others clung to each other, finally allowing themselves to believe that their nightmare was over.
As Ben and the royal guards reassured them, Rook dragged the bound gang leader forward, tossing him to the ground.
Thud~
The man winced as his injured arm throbbed, sweat dripping down his scarred face.
He glanced at the dead bodies of his men before glaring at Ben and the others.
Ben crossed his arms.
"Why were you here? If you were just some bandits looking for easy money, why go after an orphanage?"
His voice was calm, but there was an underlying edge of authority.
"____"
The thug hesitated, his eyes darting between them.
"Speak,"
Rook ordered, his tone cold.
Tch~
The man clicked his tongue.
"Tch. You think we're just some lowlife thieves? You have no idea who you're messing with."
Ben raised an eyebrow.
"Enlighten me."
The thug spat on the ground before letting out a bitter chuckle.
Spit~ Chuckle~
The thug leader spat blood onto the dirt and let out a bitter laugh.
"We weren't here to take the kids. We were here to clean up loose ends,"
he admitted, his tone dripping with cruel satisfaction.
"You see, this orphanage was supposed to disappear in a week—right after the kingdom's funds arrived."
Some of the children gasped, clutching onto each other as the weight of his words settled in.
"____"
"____"
"The Valderic Trading House runs things here,"
the thug continued.
"They've been siphoning off the kingdom's funds meant for this orphanage for years. It was supposed to be an easy scheme—the kingdom sends money, we take most of it, and the kids get scraps. Simple, right?"
Ben's face turned grim, but he let the thug keep talking.
"But then the old caretaker became a problem,"
the thug sneered.
Sneer~
"The idiot started asking questions—about where the money was really going. We couldn't have that."
"So, we took care of him on his way back from the Red Pass. Stabbed him, threw his body off a cliff, and I took his place.
"The villagers never questioned it when I told them the kingdom sent me."
A few of the older children trembled as they realized the truth.
The kind caretaker who had once protected them hadn't abandoned them—he had been murdered.
"And as for the rest?"
The thug let out a low chuckle.
"Keeping the orphanage running was just a front. We made sure enough kids survived to keep the funds flowing, but we couldn't keep up the act forever."
"Too many nosy villagers."
"Too many little mouths to feed."
"The Valderic family decided it was time to wrap things up."
"So, we planned an accident."
"A fire, maybe a collapse—something tragic but believable."
"No survivors. The money would still come, and we'd just claim the place was beyond repair."
A heavy silence filled the air.
"____"
"____"
Gulp~
The children stared at him, their small faces twisted in fear and grief.
Some clung to each other, their tears falling freely.
They had lived under the rule of a monster, unaware of just how deep the betrayal ran.
Ben inhaled deeply, controlling the rage bubbling within him.
His emerald eyes burned with cold fury as he took a step forward.
"You took their home, their caretaker, and their future… just to steal money?"
His voice was dangerously calm.
The thug grinned, still defiant.
"That's how the world works, boy. The strong take, and the weak—"
A swift kick to his jaw sent him sprawling onto the ground.
Blood splattered onto the dirt as he groaned in pain.
"Mind your tongue,"
one of the royal guards growled.
"You dare speak that way before His—"
Ben raised a hand, stopping him.
"Not now."
Rook cracked his knuckles.
"Your orders, Your Majesty?"
Ben's gaze never left the thug.
The man was still groaning on the ground, spitting blood and curses between ragged breaths.
"Rook,"
Ben said, his voice firm.
"Understood, Your Majesty."
Without hesitation, Rook stepped forward.
The thug barely had time to widen his eyes in realization before Rook's fist collided with his face.
Crack~
The sickening crack of bone echoed in the night air as the thug leader's body went limp, knocked out cold.
"Bind his hands and legs,"
Ben ordered.
"Tightly. I don't want him casting any spells."
Another royal guard moved swiftly, pulling out enchanted ropes that shimmered faintly under the dim light.
With practiced efficiency, he secured the thug's wrists and ankles, ensuring no amount of struggle would set him free.
One of the guards then knelt beside the unconscious man, as he searched for the thug's grimoire.
Within seconds, he took out a worn-out book from him.
"Found it,"
the guard announced.
Ben extended a hand, and the guard placed the grimoire in his grasp.
Shutter~
The moment Ben's fingers brushed against it, the book's magic resisted, trembling slightly as if refusing to accept anyone but its rightful owner.
But without its wielder conscious, the resistance was weak.
With a sharp glare, Ben let a thin layer of his own mana coat the book, suppressing its energy.
The grimoire stopped trembling, falling completely still.
"This won't be a problem anymore,"
Ben muttered before tossing it to another royal guard.
"Hold onto it. We're not giving him any chances."
Ben felt an invisible pulse in his mind.
[ Ding... ]
[ Mission Completed! ]
[ 🔹 Mission Name: Catch the Money Launderer (1/???) ]
[ 🔹 Completion Target: 65/65 ]
[ 🔹 Reward: 100 FP Points ]
[ Reward Being Issued... ]
[ Ding... ]
[ FP Bar: 117/500 ] → [ New Alien: ??? ]
[ Ding... ]
Ben's eyes flickered as the numbers shifted.
117 FP Points—a decent gain, but nowhere near enough for a new transformation.
Still, it was progress.
As Ben and Nebra approached the luxurious estate of the Valderic family, the torches lining the gates flickered under the cold night breeze.
Unlike the rest of the village, which was dark and quiet at this hour, the mansion was alive with movement.
Figures roamed the halls, their silhouettes passing behind grand, glass-paneled windows.
Laughter and the clinking of wine glasses echoed through the courtyard.
It was a den of indulgence built on the suffering of the people.
Then Ben's gaze locked onto the scene through an open window—the merchant family head forcing himself onto a young boy.
The child, barely in his teens, trembled in terror.
Ben's entire demeanor changed.
His jaw clenched, his fists tightened, and his eyes burned with fury.
"Rook, no mercy,"
Ben commanded, his voice cold and absolute.
"Take them all down. But leave the family head alive—I want him to confess."
"Understood, Your Majesty,"
Rook responded, his tone laced with venom.
Ben reached for his Omnitrix, his fingers pressing against its dial.
The neon green light pulsed under his touch as he scrolled through the options before settling on one.
Click.
A radiant emerald flash burst from the device, illuminating the night like a beacon.
The mansion's inhabitants turned in shock as Ben's form shifted and twisted, fire erupting from his body.
When the light faded, Heatblast stood in his place, flames flickering across his molten body.
The momentary silence was shattered as he raised both hands, launching twin torrents of fire at the mansion's entrance.
The heavy wooden doors burst into flames, crumbling under the heat as screams filled the air.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N):Thanks for reading the chapter!
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