"That…"
A soft voice called out to Errorblast.
The snake-haired woman's pale face was full of fear and pity as she spoke humbly.
"These people's emotions have been taken away by Zombozo's clown machine. If we destroy it, we can save them!"
Errorblast turned to look at the Frightwig-like woman, about to ask, Why are you telling me this?
But she quickly continued in the same humble tone,
"Please… don't kill us…"
"Yeah, yeah!" Acid Breath beside her nodded desperately.
Thumbskull was still unconscious—his fingers twitching slightly, as if reacting to the chaos around them.
The three of them were trembling in terror.
Errorblast's mouth twitched slightly, and he sighed.
"Fine, fine. But can you untie me? It's too tight…" The snake-haired woman raised her head, her messy snake locks swaying as she tried to look pitiful. "Please?"
"Get lost! Don't push your luck!" Errorblast barked, refusing instantly.
The woman froze, then quickly nodded in obedience.
With a flash, Errorblast moved again, appearing beside Ben.
He grabbed Ben's wrist, opened the Omnitrix, and selected Ghostfreak!
A green flash burst out—and the ghostly alien emerged, blinking in confusion.
It only took a few seconds for Ghostfreak to regain focus. "What happened?"
Errorblast quickly explained everything and said firmly, "I'll handle the clown. You stay here."
"Leave it to me!" Ghostfreak said confidently, puffing out his chest.
"This ghost… he's incredible," whispered Acid Breath in awe.
"He can disable the Joker Machine just like that…"
Errorblast didn't stay to hear the rest.
With another flash, he vanished at high speed.
The clown house had turned into a blazing inferno.
Ethen stopped outside, raising the Error Table screen expectantly.
"Error Table, who do you recommend I use to deal with Zombozo's second stage?"
Click.
The screen popped up, showing Error X.
Ethen went silent.
"…You've gotta be kidding me."
Click.
He manually rotated the screen to Big Chill instead.
A flash of eerie blue light enveloped him—his body transformed into the spectral, ice-winged alien.
Cold mist spread from his form, freezing the flames in his path.
Big Chill glided effortlessly through the burning debris, reaching the stage and spotting a huge pit below.
His wings folded into his cloak as he dove down through the passage.
Along the way, he dodged traps—a spray of cold darts, a clown alarm clock, hidden lasers.
Each time, the Error Table flashed a warning, allowing him to avoid every danger with precision.
It felt just like having Observation Haki activated.
Finally, Big Chill phased through the last wall and emerged into a vast underground laboratory bathed in red light.
At its center stood a grotesque machine glowing crimson—the Clown Machine.
A thick tube connected it directly to Zombozo.
"You forced me to do this!" Zombozo snarled, pulling a controller from his pocket and slamming the button.
The tube convulsed, channeling energy into his body.
His muscles bulged. His clothes tore.
Dozens of twisted faces formed all over his skin, each showing a different emotion—joy, rage, sorrow, madness.
He had become a living Thousand-Faced Demon.
Mission Triggered: "The Clown Zombozo – Second Stage: The Thousand-Faced Demon."
Objective: Defeat Zombozo and recover everyone's emotional energy!
Reward: 30 Points.
Big Chill nodded slightly, his tone calm.
"Not bad. I'll admit, you look powerful."
"Who needs your approval, freak?!" Zombozo roared.
All the faces on his arms howled with fury, and he threw a punch that shook the lab.
The blow rushed toward Big Chill—but the Error Table made the call.
In an instant, Big Chill vanished—replaced by a towering Humungousaur, pitch-black and radiating raw power.
The Humungousaur caught Zombozo's punch head-on.
"What—?!" Zombozo's eyes widened.
The Error Humungousaur's muscles surged, matching Zombozo's size and strength.
"Strength contest?" The massive Humungousaur grinned. "That's my specialty!"
With a thunderous roar, he spun and hurled Zombozo over his shoulder—sending the villain crashing into the far wall.
"Damn it…!" Zombozo coughed blood, glaring with wild fury.
Dozens of faces on his arms fired blasts of energy like arrows, striking the Rex from all directions.
"Let's see you defend against this!"
A red flash answered him.
The Error Eyeguy appeared—his body covered in countless eyes, each firing precise laser beams that struck Zombozo directly.
The beams intensified, exploding across Zombozo's body.
"Ugh—! I'll kill you!" Zombozo screamed, unleashing a storm of emotional energy.
Then, the form shifted again—into Error Ampfibian.
The electric alien's tendrils crackled with blue lightning as he absorbed Zombozo's attack completely.
"Thanks for the charge," Ampfibian smirked.
"Now—take it back!"
He released a massive electric surge that blasted Zombozo off his feet.
The villain barely stood before Ethen switched again—turning into XLR8, who blitzed him with blinding speed.
Zombozo swung the clown machine like a weapon, but Ethen transformed into Diamondhead, smashing it apart with one swing.
For the next eight minutes, Zombozo experienced pure despair.
Every time he attacked, Ethen transformed into a new alien—the perfect counter each time.
Punch after punch, blast after blast, until Zombozo was completely drained and broken.
The clown machine lay in ruins.
Zombozo fell to the floor, trembling and laughing weakly through tears.
"Ha… haha… you monster… just finish it already… How can someone this cruel… still be human?"
Ethen, in his Errorblast form, lowered his claws and sighed.
"Honestly… you're not bad. You're the first opponent who's managed to last eight minutes against me."
He smiled faintly.
"Well, almost seriously."
Mission Complete.
Reward: 30 Points.
Errorblast reached out, grabbed Zombozo, and carried him out of the collapsing base.
Later, Zombozo and his three surviving subordinates were arrested and taken away by police.
The townspeople gradually recovered—laughing and crying with relief.
Max watched from a distance and exhaled deeply.
"Ethen held back this time. No casualties. That's… good."
Still, before being taken away, Zombozo and his gang had looked back at Ethen with eyes full of madness.
That night, everyone stayed at a small-town inn, finally able to rest in peace.