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Chapter 2 – Flames of conflict

[Greetings, omniscient reader. To fully appreciate this omniversal war and the perspectives of the chosen Bens, we will provide you with essential information without revealing everything.]

[You may select which sections to read for a better understanding of the story. Feel free to skip any sections if you prefer.]

[Naturally, as you progress, you’ll find yourself needing to refer less frequently to the sections about the Prime Universe and these Bens’ universes.]

[In due course, other multiverses will be introduced.]

[Please note that the sections detailing the war’s origins and the fate of the prime universe are currently locked.]

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[Multiversal index — Ben 10 Multiverse]

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[Section : Earth (basic information)]

Earth in the early 21st century appears unremarkable at first glance. It is classified as a Level 2 civilization on the technological scale. Without external influence or contact with other civilizations, Earth is projected to advance to Level 3 within 50 to 100 years. (For reference, achieving interstellar travel capabilities would mark Earth’s transition to Level 3, with Level 4 not far behind.)

The general population remains unaware of extraterrestrial life. However, select groups of humans possess this knowledge, notably the Plumbers and the Forever Knights. These secret organizations have access to advanced technologies far beyond Earth’s current level, making them potential threats to global security.

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[Section : The Omnitrix (Introduction)]

After witnessing the devastating consequences of his previous invention, the Ascalon sword, being used for war, Azmuth was determined to create a device that would unite all species. His vision was to develop a tool that would transform its wearer into a universal ambassador for peace.

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[Section : The Omnitrix (Basic information)]

The Omnitrix is a highly coveted device throughout the universe. Rumors circulate that its creator, Azmuth, has achieved the incredible feat of storing the DNA and other signatures of every known life form within it.

While this claim, made by one of Azmuth’s assistants, is not true, there are certain facts about the Omnitrix that are widely acknowledged:

* Azmuth has successfully incorporated a vast array of signatures into the Omnitrix, including those of rare and extinct species.

* The Omnitrix grants its user the ability to transform into various alien species.

However, the Omnitrix’s uniqueness extends beyond its transformative capabilities. The device appears to utilize space technology that is unparalleled.

Questions naturally arise about the mechanics of these transformations. How can a being originally weighing 50 kilograms transform into a species that weighs several tons, or conversely, just a few grams? Moreover, how is it possible for a carbon-based life form to transform into a silicon-based one?

The most plausible explanation is that the Omnitrix utilizes a sophisticated dimensional storage system, capable of holding and manipulating vast amounts of matter. However, this may not be the complete picture. Some speculate that the watch might also tap into more abstract concepts, such as the soul. The exact workings of these transformations remain a mystery.

Not only is this stable dimensional storage technology unprecedented, but the sheer quantity of matter that the brilliant Azmuth might have incorporated into the watch for his ambitious quest for universal peace is enough to make even planetary rulers envious.

Some consider the Omnitrix to be one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. Others, however, remain indifferent to the device, as there is only one in existence. It is inconceivable to most that Azmuth would have included the DNA or life signature of a planetary threat or celestial within the Omnitrix; it’s a device for peace, no?

In addition, seldom can anyone claim to be able to copy Azmuth’s technology. Not even the second greatest genius (no official ranking, but it’s a recognized fact), Dr. Psychobos, can do it, but he claims he can do better.

Despite their disdain, none are against owning such a unique, valuable, and special device.

[Additional details.]

The Omnitrix is genetically linked to its host. Cutting off the host’s arm or killing him will make it impossible to obtain the watch, if not destroy it.

The Omnitrix has many more functions than the ability to transform, but that information is in the next section.

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[Exit]

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‘Think fast. A fire also started at the beginning of the saga — how did Ben Prime put it out?’ Heatblast scanned his surroundings, seeing nothing but fire.

‘He used a backfire (a controlled fire to deprive the wildfire of oxygen and stop it). But…’ Ben Prime had relied on his grandfather’s guidance to strategically place his flames. However, this time, the fire had spread even more, and this Ben wasn’t sure if the absurd physics laws of the prime universe applied here, so he might only make things worse.

He paused, realizing he had about twenty minutes before the Omnitrix timed out—twenty minutes to fix the fire he had inadvertently started. A moment of thoughtful consideration passed, and then a confident smile spread across his face—or at least, the expression that passed for a smile on his rocky, volcanic visage. The only noticeable difference was his lava-filled mouth, which opened slightly more.

‘I have a foolproof plan.’ He lowered his gaze to his burning, rock-covered torso, where the Omnitrix’s dial ‘(〉〈)’ was visible.

‘So, I just need to press it and decide if I want to switch aliens or turn back into a human?’ He slammed his burning hand onto the dial. A green light engulfed the area.

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Gwen Tennyson knew she wasn’t having a good day. She had just found out yesterday that she would be going on a road trip with her grandfather and her cousin, Ben. No amount of pleading could change her parents’ minds; their decision was final.

It wasn’t that Gwen hated her grandfather, but what was the point of a road trip if it took up her entire summer holiday, which she had been eagerly anticipating for almost a year? She didn’t hate Ben either, but that didn’t mean she liked him. The prospect of living in close quarters with him in a cramped vehicle was far from appealing. At least he was just annoying and wouldn’t do anything too outrageous.

Their first stop was a forest campsite near their city. As Gwen looked out from the windows of the Rust Bucket (their RV, motor home), she noticed a fire starting outside. Simultaneously, a ball of light appeared out of thin air and entered her head.

‘…’

In a flash, several hours passed for her, yet no time had actually elapsed. Her entire demeanor changed. She raised her hand, and a faint blue light emanated from it.

‘This wasn’t a dream.’ She paused.

‘How the f*ck Ben could be considered like a main character!? And why would I develop romantic feelings toward a nutcase who tried to kill us several times?!’ The cursing was uncharacteristic of her, but it was the only way she knew to express her frustration. Something that her parents would be ashamed of.

She slowly calmed down. ‘This is not the future but an alternative world.’

Gwen tried to control the energy but could only manage to emit it.

‘I’m as useful now as a flashlight… assuming it’s low in battery.’ She chuckled.

‘One of my priorities should be to figure out my origin. There are too many inconsistencies in this saga, and it’s better to be clear about that, especially since this assistant told me to figure it out by myself. Also, I need to understand what magic is and its rules.’ Magic… what was magic? The saga masterfully answered with ‘it’s a plot device’. Trying to find logic behind it was akin to determine whether or not a soup is a drink or a dish—impossible.

‘…Freedom …Restriction. Do I make a choice… or not?’ At the end, she could abstain from making a choice. ‘Is freedom even worth it? In the end, the prime universe is just a scripted story, not some hellish reality. If it guarantees the safety of my family, my friends, and the world, then…’

As Gwen lost herself in thought, she didn’t notice her Grandfather Max standing behind her, staring at her as if she had transformed into a ghost.

‘HOW?! Why now?! My sons didn’t awaken her bloodline, so why Gwen did, and why now?!’

Since the beginning of the day, nothing had gone according to Max Tennyson’s plans. He wanted to leave his old life behind and create memorable experiences with his two grandchildren, each from one of his sons. A part of him wished to make up for the time he had missed with his sons by building a stronger connection with his grandchildren.

However, things took an unexpected turn. Firstly, he discovered that his granddaughter, Gwen, hadn’t volunteered for this trip; it was her mother who had forced her to come along. Max couldn’t help but wonder if a meaningful relationship could be forged under such circumstances.

Then there was Ben, his grandson. It was unclear whether Ben truly appreciated his grandfather’s presence or simply saw him as a refuge from his slightly overbearing parents. As Ben left for the forest, Max noticed a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, a silent question lingering—was it a mistake to go traveling with him? Despite this, Max longed to forge a deeper bond with his grandson during this trip.

And finally, Max couldn’t help but take his Rust Bucket instead of a normal motor home for the trip. With the push of a button, this vehicle was able to become a more dangerous contraption than a tank.

How could he throw away his past when he was living with it all the time?

And now he was seeing magic, something that he wished to forget like his wife… no she wasn’t his wife since they weren’t married to begin with.

He turned his head and looked through the windows, surprised as he noticed.

“There is wildfire!” He rushed somewhere at the RV to take two fire extinguishers he kept just in case.

Gwen, unsure of what to make of the situation, accepted one of the extinguishers from her grandfather. She knew that beneath his casual demeanor, he possessed a sharpness that surpassed her parents’. She glanced at the burning forest and asked, “You don’t expect us to put out the entire fire, do you?”

“No!” Max replied, his tone urgent. “Your cousin Ben went into the forest. We have to find him!” Without another word, he exited the RV. “What are you waiting for?!”

“Y-yes,” she responded, following him. ‘Ben isn’t in danger since he was the moron who started the fire to begin with. …Grandpa doesn’t seem to know about the omniversal war, but there is no doubt that Ben is a participant.’

She assisted her grandfather in putting out the fire on their path. Somehow, Max could tell that his granddaughter wasn’t giving her all. ‘Is their relationship really that bad?!’

“BEN!” They both shouted the same name frequently (Gwen with less conviction).

After several minutes of aimlessly making their way through the forest, Ben suddenly appeared behind them.

“Where did you come from?!” asked his grandfather, cutting Ben off before he could answer. “No, never mind, it’s not important. Let’s go!”

The three quickly made their way out of the forest.

‘I noticed an unnatural and roughly made line of barrenness to the east. If this line outlines the forest fire, then the fire won’t spread further, only consuming everything within the outline. It’s better than nothing, but who did this? This wasn’t natural, and… my eyes don’t lie; it seems too recent. Never mind, I have a pressing matter.’ Max pondered, then turned his head toward his grandson, Ben.

He asked, “Did you start the fire?”

After a moment’s pause, Ben replied, “Yes.”

Max was taken aback, not just by the admission but also by Ben’s nonchalant attitude. “And you’re not even trying to lie about it?”

“…Yeah.” Ben scratched his head with the hand holding the Omnitrix.

Suddenly, Max’s focus shifted as he noticed the device on Ben’s wrist. “Where did you get that watch?” he asked, his voice now carrying an authoritative weight.

“Let’s discuss this inside the Rust Bucket.” Ben suggested, without elaborating further. ‘I trust Grandpa; I don’t need some series to tell me that.’

He turned his head toward his cousin, Gwen. Nothing was unusual about her expression except annoyance. ‘Is she a participant or not? Anyway, I need to understand how magic works and its limitations, in case magic users come after me. Assuming, of course, that magic exists in my universe.’

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A day had passed since the wildfire, and Ben read in the news that the campsite had been closed off. However, it wasn’t due to the forest fire but mainly because of the large amount of plastic left behind by visitors, which burned and released toxic fumes over a wide area. Measures were being implemented to restore the forest.

‘Is it too much to ask for people to dispose of their waste properly?’ Ben thought as he put his phone back in his pocket.

Since he told everything to his grandfather, the latter had been driving the RV for hours, heading toward Mt. Rushmore, a journey that would take a few days.

Nothing noteworthy happened.

The journey was uneventful. Ben turned to his cousin, Gwen, and asked, “Are you sure that—?”

“Are you sick, doofus? I have no idea what you’re talking about, so stop asking!” She snapped, not looking up from her laptop.

Ben pondered. ‘Grandpa isn’t a participant, and Gwen isn’t either. For Max, I understand; he is beyond experienced but way past his prime and doesn’t have any powers. But Gwen? Maybe magic doesn’t exist.’

His train of thought was interrupted when a yawn was heard, soon the Rust Bucket stopped in a parking place.

“It’s already one o’clock in the morning, time to go to bed, but I have a feeling you’re old enough to know better.” Max stood up and stretched his arms. ‘I wonder why Gwen doesn’t want to say anything to Ben and me. She clearly has magic, but I’m going to respect her decision.’

About twenty minutes after the lights in the vehicle went off, a shadow exited. Conveniently, there was a forest nearby.

‘Time to discover a new transformation.’ The sooner he mastered the Omnitrix, the safer he would be… Or so he told himself. The real reason was that he had become addicted to the device after only two transformations. It wasn’t just about transforming; it felt like he was becoming these aliens, like unlocking a part of himself he never knew was missing. It was one of the reasons for the euphoria he felt when he turned into Heatblast and started burning the forest without a care in the world.

With a press, the lid of the watch went up. He turned it until a silhouette not present in the Saga was showcased; it was his alien number 4. At first glance, it seemed like an oversized spider.

‘Let’s hope his—my power won’t be the obvious web thrower, at least not only that.’ Ben thought, his heart racing with anticipation. As he was about to slam his hand on the watch, a hand grabbed his raised hand, stopping him abruptly. The grip was firm and unyielding.

“The second after I exited my mindscape, I tracked you, kid. The Omnitrix is mine, and I will be the OMNIVERSE CHAMPION!” The voice was harsh and filled with determination.

“What the—” The crackling sound of electricity filled the air as a taser came into view. Before it could reach Ben, he turned his wrist and slammed it against a nearby tree. A brilliant green light engulfed the surroundings.

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Transformation sequence — Duration: 0.00 seconds

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His fingers suddenly turned sharper before his arms and legs detached into several spider-like legs. His back arched as additional legs sprouted, giving him a total of thirty legs. Soon his back glowed green.

The skin on his torso darkened and hardened, forming a shiny exoskeleton.

On his face, green eyes multiplied, spreading across it, giving him a panoramic view of his surroundings. His mouth elongated into a sharp shape, perfect for grasping and tearing. His torso elongated and split into two distinct sections.

From underneath his exoskeleton, thick black hairs sprung from all over his body, hiding his shiny protection but barely concealing the green light from his back.

As the transformation completed, he stood on his numerous legs, his body expanding to the size of a car (human standard). The once human-sized figure now loomed over his surroundings, a colossal alien spider. Each of his thirty legs was as thick as a tree trunk, capable of crushing anything in its path, they were three meters long. His car-sized body cast an ominous shadow, the green glow from his back illuminating the area like an eerie beacon, his addition the Omnitrix dial was there.

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The green light vanished. The car-sized spider, a towering form of three meters high, cast an ominous shadow. The green glow from its back bathed the area in an unsettling, eerie light. All the eyes of the spider alien converged on an individual, no longer a shadow in the night, yet he remained unfazed.

‘Him? He’s a participant?! He barely features in the saga; he only appeared in three episodes!’ On the outside, nothing changed about the supernatural countenance of the giant spider.

“Let me guess, you are surprised that I’m considered worthy, Ten Bennyson? It seems you’re just as arrogant as your counterpart.”

Ben pondered before ignoring the point (despite it being spot on) and said in a raspy and seemingly synthetic voice, surprising even himself. “Except if you choose the restriction path, we have no reason to fight each other, Captain Nemesis. Everything that happened in the Saga stays in it. This is our universe.

“I chose the freedom path. Except that there’s only going to be one hero, me!” The man in an orange power armor screamed.

"...You are already my hero, Carl.” Ben said. Despite his strange voice, the sincerity behind these words was undeniable. “And you are a hero for many. Nothing will change, so please, just stop.”

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[Multiversal index — Ben 10 Multiverse]

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[Section : Captain Nemesis history (Identical to both Prime and the current universe)]

Years ago, the robots from Dimension 12 attempted an invasion. Bellwood, Ben’s hometown, bore the burden of their assault. These robots are colossal, standing 4 to 50 meters tall with long, clawed arms that can transform into saws, slicing through buildings. They also possess the ability to shoot lasers from their eyes.

While the attacks were impressive, the robots’ primary objective was to build a portal to invade other dimensions, not to kill immediately. Their focus on constructing the portal rather than pursuing fleeing civilians kept the death toll in the hundreds instead of the millions.

Before the army could respond to the threat, one man did: Carl Nesmith, who became known as Captain Nemesis. Thanks to the fortune he inherited from his parents and a childhood friend, he acquired a power suit that gave him abilities like flight, super speed, enhanced strength, overheat, and energy blasts. The most iconic part being the yellow “N” logo in a black round on his torso.

In one day, not only did he single-handedly destroy hundreds of these robots, but he also had the courage to jump into the portal they were upgrading in order to plant a virus in their server. (It had been determined that although they could operate offline, they were linked to a data server).

By coming back alive, leaving bombs behind to destroy the portal in addition to corrupting their database, Carl had become a living legend.

However, this event began to affect his ego to the point where he forgot his desire to protect people. Or maybe that was never the case.

Since that day, he only stopped staged crime, drowning his ego to feel the same sensation of victory and glory, being addicted to it.

He is now approaching forty.

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[Section : Captain Nemesis abridged (Prime universe)

The identity of prime Ben was leaked, and he became a world-known celebrity and hero. It infuriated Carl to no end, especially since it seemed that Ben was also a universe-known celebrity and hero. In the end, Carl kidnapped Ben’s girlfriend and tried to kill him.

He failed and was remembered as a villain. He only reappeared in two other episodes: one as the main villain, another with some minor villain. If this wasn’t clear, he is also a minor time villain. At least, in the saga.

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[Exit]

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“Can’t we just talk to each other, like civilized people?” One of the legs of the spider creature lifted and tried to reach his back, more precisely his dial. Talking in this monster-like appearance wasn’t ideal. ‘Spider-beast? No, I’ll give it a name when I’m clear about its powers.’

Carl paused. Did he actually spend millions to pay hackers in order to track down a child to hurt him? (A teenager, but for him, it was the same.) A child calling him his hero? He waited some instants before the awaited shame… didn’t arrive.

“No.” He fired off a blast. At this distance and due to his huge size, there was no chance of missing. ‘That’s it! I will take the Omnitrix from his dead body.’

In less than a second, Ben’s spider legs contracted, and he leaped several dozen meters into the air, his gigantic spider shadow covering the surrounding area. The blast struck a tree, igniting a wildfire.

‘So that’s why I felt so light. Despite my size, I don’t feel sluggish at all.’ He wasn’t flying, but gliding. Ten of his legs secreted a sticky substance and folded like insect wings. The air resistance against the sticky fabric slowed his descent. All his eyes remained fixed on Carl. ‘I was looking forward to a fight, but not on this occasion. I hoped he would be one of the differences from the Saga.’

“HAH! You can’t dodge in mid-air.” Nemesis fired another blast.

“Is that a challenge?” Without the slightest problem, he performed a spinning maneuver worthy of the greatest aircraft pilots. “Dodged~”

Carl seemingly saw red, then began firing continuously, and Ben continuously dodged as he approached him.

The spider thought, ‘I don’t know about power, but I’m far less experienced than him. Making him angry is the only solution to increase my chances. I’ll attack him with my legs when I reach him.’

Suddenly, a smile etched on the face of Carl. His orange armor suddenly glowed red, a sign it began to overheat. The surroundings slowly turned into an oven.

“Oh, you’re approaching me? Then come closer. I’ve always wanted to try exotic dishes like grilled spiders.” He wasn’t infuriated, or at the very least, the armored man didn’t let anger control him.

“!” In seconds as he was getting closer, the spider-creature was becoming darker and crispier. ‘Give me a break!’

Ben could maneuver to dodge the fired blasts but not quickly change his general direction. In several seconds, the dish would be ready to be eaten on site!

’No! I can!’ Despite his natural instinct not answering him what to do like before, he had an inspiration from birds. Soon, he pushed forward with his improvised leg-wings, stopping his momentum and making him recoil. The spider harmlessly fell on the ground; despite his large size, no noticeable noise was heard.

‘It’s time to see what I can do.’ The back of the spider suddenly turned greener; the natural instinct of the alien instinctively answered him. ‘Interesting.’

They both faced each other; one couldn’t hit the other, and the other only dodged. However, that’s what Ben thought.

“It’s time to wrap things up. I guess I became lazy with only using the laser.” Carl wasn’t a great fighter, nor did he have any certificates, but he did know how to fight. Also, his armor amplified his physique. He launched forward, surpassing a peak Olympian, crisping every tree on his path in a matter of seconds.

The spider leaped skyward just as Carl approached, narrowly escaping; seconds too late, and Ben would already be dead.

“I can jump too! Shall I join you?” As Carl was readying to jump and get rid of his enemy Ten Bennyson, the world around him changed before he could.

“What—” A powerful, sharp spider leg joined his torso, cracking that part of his armor before the leg turned black and evaporated.

Dazed and for no apparent reason in free fall, Carl barely had time to think. ’My torso is damaged; I need to deactivate my overheat before I die toasted in the next seconds. Why won’t this kid just let me kill him?!’ He landed on his feet with a loud thump, the impact of the fall cushioned by his armor which was no longer glowing red.

“WHERE ARE YOU?! Ten Bennyson!” He looked around, seeing only ashes and burning trees, their light making it difficult to notice the glowing green back of the spider which should be easily noticeable in the night. ‘AND WHAT H—?!’

“Behind you.” A familiar raspy and synthetic voice sounded behind him; a shadow would have been cast upon Nemesis if it wasn’t for the wildfire. Despite not knowing how the spider appeared, Carl charged his blast while not moving his arm. Ben continued, “Really, can’t we just talk this through?”

Before Captain Nemesis could turn, Ben unleashed a flurry of strikes with twenty-five legs, keeping four on the ground for stability. The repeated impacts shattered Nemesis’s armor, sending pieces flying. Three spider legs struck Captain Nemesis’s charged arm, triggering an explosion that obliterated the limb. The blast’s intense heat instantly cauterized Nemesis’s wound where his arm had been. However, the explosion also vaporized three of Ben’s spider legs, reducing them to black dust. Despite the loss of his own limbs and the searing pain assaulting his brain, Ben persisted in his relentless flood of blows.

Ben paused for a brief moment before delivering a final, devastating blow to the “Nemesis” logo. The impact completely shattered the torso armor, sending the battered armless man in his black bodysuit soaring upwards. The spider leaped after him.

“You…” Carl Nesmith managed to utter before losing consciousness. A sharp leg pierced through his blackbody suit at the shoulder, lifting him, as the spider glided to the ground. Ben unceremoniously dropped Nemesis to the ground like a ragdoll; while he didn’t want to kill, he couldn’t bring himself to care about the well-being of his former idol.

He was glad the saga had disgusted him with the notion of ‘superheroes.’ He was willing to help, but there were limits, and becoming a celebrity seemed like a death sentence—a life of fighting more people like Nemesis and losing all privacy.

‘Never meet your heroes… Anyway, what do I call this alien? Let’s go with Webwarp!’

[Database updated] The AI sounded in his head.

4 Webwarp A car-sized (by human standards) spider with thirty legs, each three meters long and as thick as tree trunks. It can produce normal web, but only efficiently enough for small structures and using it to glide.

The back part of its body produces a glowing green substance, web-like material that seems like more efficient web since it can be shot. However, it is really fragile; the web produced can only be used to make a web portal. If there are more than two warps, then the destination is random unless the user actively wills against it. The glowing green back on this alien is mainly here to make these glowing webs less noticeable.

[I must say, already thinking about making a portal-web mid-air is interesting. It won’t stay there up in the air but it won’t directly fall to the ground. The same goes for using your brain instead of only the alien instinct when maneuvering mid-air.]

[However… why forfeit your arms and legs? Why choose to become a soon-to-be quadruple amputee in your human form?]

Webwarp paused; he would have looked at his Omnitrix dial if his current transformation could permit that. ‘…wait, what?!’

[If you wonder, the Omnitrix will be attached to your neck if you turn back to human. With enough training, you should be able to use it with your chin or a customized stick with your teeth.]

Ben shuddered, quickly trying to erase the disturbing image from his mind.

“But it was just four legs, not thirty! Surely I’d only lose some fingers in my human form… right?! ARE YOU JOKING?!” He exclaimed, momentarily forgetting that the AI could read his thoughts.

[No.] The AI’s response was blunt, leaving no room for doubt.

“Really?!”

[Really. Unfortunately, the life equation doesn’t work that way. However, let’s grant you the following tweak since you just survived your first assassination attempt. Although it started as a kidnapping, it escalated so quickly that we might as well consider it an assassination attempt. And you’ll obviously suffer from more in the future, and far more planned ones.]

[Tweak unlocked — Switch between life equation connection mode and basic mode.]

[Don’t ask for details about how it works exactly. This tweak will allow you to transform into an alien that can regenerate itself. With the equation turned on, you won’t regenerate because it’s as if you never had the body part to begin with. To use this ability, just think ‘deactivate life equation’ in your mind when transforming into an alien.]

[I expect greater achievements from you, so don’t expect to hear from me for a long time. Especially with your new tweak.]

‘How long?’ The AI didn’t respond. ‘Anyway—’

[One more thing: in human form maintain the button of the Omnitrix when you have time (I recommend doing it soon). You will access the current operating system functions and software.]

‘Couldn’t you have mentioned that earlier?’ Again, the AI remained silent. ‘Operating system? Everything’s sounding less dreamy lately, to be honest.’

One of Webwarp’s legs struggled to reach his back. With difficulty, he finally managed to touch his dial. A green light engulfed him and his surroundings.

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Another shadow left the Rust Bucket.

“Finally, I can practice in peace…” Gwen’s words trailed off as she noticed a wildfire in the distance.

‘No, he wouldn’t.’

Quietly, she returned to the RV and made her way to the back, climbing up to the top bed where her cousin slept. She removed the bedcover, revealing several pillows arranged to give the impression that he was still there.

“IS HE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE?!” Her shout jolted her grandfather awake, causing him to instinctively spring into a fighting stance, ready to face any threat. Slowly, he regained his senses and looked at his granddaughter, perplexed by her outburst.