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The next day
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The Rust Bucket, its engine purring with renewed vigor after the recent repairs, rolled to a stop at the foot of Mount Rushmore. The iconic presidential faces loomed above, their stony gazes keeping watch over the landscape.
Inside the RV, Ben and Gwen slowly stood up from their seats, stretching their limbs after the brisk journey. They peered out the windows, taking in the familiar sight of the national monument.
Somewhere within the vehicle’s nooks and crannies, the Galvan duo of Blukic and Driba could be heard bickering, their voices a constant backdrop.
Max, seated at the wheel, smiled at his grandchildren’s curiosity. The monument held a secret few were privy to.
Ben turned to his grandfather, “I’ve seen this in the show, but… how’d you guys pull off building a secret base inside a national monument?”
“Well, Ben, if I’m being honest, it started as some kind of bet after a few drinks. But years after, one of our members went rogue, and got all our bases raided in one go. We were left with this uncompromised place as our last hideout. Over time, we just kept digging deeper. Before we knew it, we had ourselves a proper base right under old Abe’s nose. Funny how things turn out, eh?”
Ben and Gwen exchanged incredulous glances, their eyes wide with disbelief.
“Uh… Did the government actually authorize this?” Ben raised his eyebrows.
Max snorted. “We didn’t even inform them. That’s the whole point of a secret base.”
The cousins’ mouths hung open in shock. While they couldn’t really bring themselves to care about long-dead historical figures, they were acutely aware of how many people viewed national monuments as sacred ground.
“Grandpa, that’s…” Gwen started, but words failed her.
“Anyway, it’s hidden in plain sight where no one would ever think to look, so in the end, it wasn’t a bad idea.”
Max reached for a panel near the steering wheel, filled with an array of seemingly normal radio buttons. With practiced ease, Max pressed a specific sequence, then left his thumb pressed against a volume button for five seconds.
Suddenly, the floor beneath them began to descend.
The unexpected motion caught them off guard. Ben tumbled to the floor with a yelp, while Gwen barely managed to grab onto a nearby seat, narrowly avoiding the same fate.
“A little warning next time, Grandpa.” Gwen said in an annoyed tone.
“Are we going down, or is the world going up and we think we’re going down?” Blukic’s voice piped up unexpectedly from somewhere in the RV. “So what happens if I walk with my hands?”
From his new position on the floor, Ben noticed the Galvan underneath the table, attempting to walk on his hands before promptly falling over.
“Blukic, what are you doing?” Ben asked, a mix of amusement and exasperation in his voice.
“Experimenting!” Blukic replied cheerfully, picking himself up. “If the world is going up, then walking on my hands should be easier, right?”
“Aren’t you and Driba supposed to be geniuses?” Ben asked honestly. If it wasn’t for them actually repairing the Rust Bucket in just 15 (long) minutes when they said it would take at least one hour, he would have thought they were incompetent.
Ben’s question clearly struck a chord with Blukic. The Galvan’s carefree, goofy demeanor faltered for a moment, and he let out a small sigh before answering.
“You know… after centuries of filling my brain with knowledge, I actually know almost all the right answers. And even when I don’t, I know how to figure them out with the most practical method. It’s just… boring. Incredibly boring.” Blukic’s voice took on a slightly irritated edge. “So, no matter what, I will let my lazy and creative part take control. I will still use my knowledge at the end, but the process is far more interesting. But since Galvans don’t do that, they just marked me as defective, and they didn’t bother to take Driba or me off this planet five years ago.”
Ben blinked, taken aback by this unexpected revelation, especially since their Prime counterparts were mostly comic relief. “What about Driba?”
“No, he’s just defective by Galvan standards, but I don’t care, he is my friend.” Blukic said nonchalantly but with a low voice.
“Well, I don’t have the context, but anyway, welcome to Earth (a little late).” Ben smiled as he extended his left fist.
The Galvan slowly paused as he looked at the Omnitrix on Ben’s wrist. ‘I wonder why Max asked us not to mention anything to his grandchildren.’
Hesitantly, Blukic made a fist with one of his small hands and bumped it against Ben’s fist. “Thanks.”
The entire Rust Bucket descended via a concealed elevator. The floor above immediately sealed their entrance. As they descended, the darkness gave way to a soft blue glow emanating from the walls.
“Welcome to the old main Plumber base of Earth.” Max announced as the lift halted in a vast, empty parking area with only a single parked car around. Corridors stretched endlessly in all directions.
Max chose a path, and everyone followed.
As they ventured deeper, the cousins’ excitement waned. Most cutting-edge gadgets were locked away in containers or private rooms. The novelty of force fields securing some devices quickly wore off, becoming more like a real-life photo filter than anything truly fascinating.
As they rounded a corner, they encountered a familiar face. Phil, a former colleague of Max’s, also in his sixties, was casually leaning against a wall. He wore a full grey plumber’s uniform covering his whole body except his head. Phil had his arms crossed and one leg retracted, which made Ben think he was trying to act cool. Like Max, Phil had grey hair due to age, but his was noticeably darker. He greeted their Grandpa warmly. Then, upon learning they were Max’s grandchildren, Phil turned to Ben and Gwen.
Ben tensed instinctively, memories of the ‘Prime’ universe’s villainous Phil flashing through his mind. Quickly, he pulled out his phone, checking recent news. Finding nothing suspicious, he relaxed slightly.
‘This isn’t the Prime universe.’ Ben reminded himself. ‘No reason to be hostile unless he goes for that certain dangerous device…’
In his cautious observation of Phil, Ben failed to notice Gwen mirroring his actions, her own suspicions carefully hidden.
Max continued with the Galvans, telling Gwen and Ben to keep touring. They continued separately.
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Some days passed, Ben grew bored and confused as he left another room of locked items and archives, only to find himself in yet another corridor. ‘Why are we even here?’ He wondered, yawning. ‘Let’s go back to the training room…’
Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded in the back of Ben’s neck. His vision blurred as he felt his body growing heavier, no longer able to support his weight. As consciousness slipped away, he caught a glimpse of his assailant’s face, an unreadable expression etched upon it.
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Gwen’s footsteps echoed through the empty corridors of the Plumber base, her boredom making her eyelid heavier as she decided to return to the Rust Bucket. Rounding a corner, she froze, her eyes widening at the unexpected sight before her.
“What are you doing, Grandpa?!” She exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and confusion.
Max stood there, Ben’s unconscious form draped over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. His expression was grim, a stark contrast to his usual jovial but serious demeanor.
“The whole thing about the Omniversal war and the Omnitrix is madness.” Max said, his voice low and serious. “Did you actually think I was going to let him… no, both of you be involved in that?”
Gwen’s mind raced, trying to process the situation. “What do you mean?”
Max’s eyes narrowed as he studied his granddaughter. “I’ve seen you use your energy, Gwen. It reminds me of Verdona, your grandmother. You’re also a participant, aren’t you? You wouldn’t have awakened her bloodline now if that wasn’t the case.”
Gwen remained silent, her lack of denial as good as an admission. After a moment, she asked, “What are you going to do?”
Max began walking forward, Gwen following close behind. Despite the situation, she wasn’t overly worried about Ben, trusting that their grandfather wouldn’t truly harm him.
“The universe is vast, Gwen.” Max began, his voice taking on a lecturing tone. “It’s filled with countless species… aliens, if you prefer. Even humans are aliens in the grand scheme of things.” He paused, letting his words sink in. “Most species out there share similarities with humans, including a lack of what we’d call superpowers. You follow?”
“I… think so.” Gwen replied hesitantly.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Then tell me.” Max continued, his voice growing more intense, “Why does each and every one of Ben’s alien forms have superpowers?”
The question caught Gwen off guard. She stumbled slightly, her mind racing to find an answer. She didn’t forget that Ben still hadn’t tried his tenth alien, but let’s be honest… it was going to have powers. “Because of the Omniversal war, right? Ben said the AI reset his aliens so he doesn’t copy his Prime counterpart actions…”
As the words left her mouth, Gwen’s eyes widened with realization. The 10 original aliens of Ben Prime all had superpowers too.
Max nodded grimly. “Whether it’s Azmuth and whoever is organizing this Omniversal war, they’ve prepared a weapon to be used. I won’t let that weapon stay near Ben. It’s a death trap, especially with the other participants involved.”
“I’ll ask one more time, Grandpa. What exactly are you planning to do?” Gwen’s brow furrowed, her mind racing to decipher her grandfather’s intentions.
“I’m going to participate in this war myself and put an end to this madness. By becoming the Omnitrix wielder.”
Gwen’s hand started to rise in objection, but she paused. Her fingers moved to her chin as she reconsidered. On second thought, it wasn’t such a bad idea.
Ben had become incredibly proficient with the Omnitrix in less than a week. He even surpassed his prime counterpart… though that wasn’t a difficult feat by itself. Yet, her grandfather’s decades of experience dealing with aliens could be a game-changer. Max as the Omnitrix wielder could potentially outperform Ben. The more Gwen considered it, the more sense it made.
A small part of her acknowledged that Ben would be devastated to lose the Omnitrix. But as long as he wasn’t physically harmed, she found it hard to care deeply. They were essentially strangers who happened to share blood. Not friends.
“And Gwen, stop your magic practice. You can opt out of this entirely. Freedom? Restriction? Both options are too vague to die for, based on what Ben told me. I won’t let either of you die for this!” Max paused, a new thought occurring. “Unless Ben misunderstood the assistant’s explanation?”
“No. We know freedom wins, it’s total freedom. But the restriction explanation I got was less biased and… more complete.”
“Complete how?” Max pressed.
“If Restriction wins, surviving Restriction participants in their own Multiverse will experience two main effects. First, their luck will be maximized. Second, their will shall gradually reshape reality.
However, there’s a catch. Conflicting wills cannot coexist. The assistant implied that to avoid contradictions in how reality is reshaped, I should remove other Restriction participants whose goals oppose mine after Restriction’s victory.
In essence, if I choose Restriction and we win, I was indirectly advised to kill off rival Restriction participants whose interests clash with my own. This ensures there won’t be any contradictions in how reality is altered.”
Max’s eyes widened. “This is utter madness… So, you chose restriction?”
“No. I’ve chosen neither for now.” Gwen’s voice remained flat. “But the prospect of nothing bad happening to us… isn’t terrible.”
“That would require you to kill. Which I won’t allow.” Max’s tone hardened as he strode forward, carrying Ben. “I won’t let you participate in this madness.” His mind raced, wondering why the explanations given to Ben and Gwen differed.
Gwen followed, ignoring her grandfather’s words. Her mind raced with questions, but one in particular stood out.
“Now that I don’t have to pretend anymore, I wonder about something.” She mused aloud.
Max turned slightly. “What’s that?”
“You didn’t watch the saga, so you wouldn’t know. It showed the Omnitrix was originally meant for Max Prime. Ben Prime could use it due to related DNA.” Gwen explained. “Our universe differs from Prime, but I wondered… if that applies here, why would Azmuth give you a weapon, as you claim?”
Max froze mid-step. Gwen couldn’t see his face, but she felt an overwhelming sense of dread emanating from him. He hurried forward.
“Oh… I-I see. It’s… strange indeed.” He stuttered, his voice uncharacteristically shaky.
“Grandpa? Do you know Azmuth?” Gwen pressed. The saga had never been consistent about whether Max and Azmuth knew each other beforehand. Additionally, this wasn’t their universe, so she hadn’t expected a reaction.
Max remained silent. He entered a room with two seats and various machines. Blukic and Driba waited inside. Gwen followed.
The room was larger than most of the others they had seen. It featured stark white walls and bright fluorescent lighting, giving the space a clinical feel.
In the center of the room, two high-tech looking chairs were positioned, each equipped with its own set of machinery. One chair had a device meant to cover the occupant’s arm, while the other had a contraption designed to fit over one’s head.
Monitors, control panels, and blinking lights adorned the walls, adding to the room’s futuristic atmosphere.
“Come in. I’ll explain everything.” Max stood near the entrance after placing Ben on a chair with the machine meant to cover his arm. He gestured for Gwen to enter.
“This room looks more impressive than the others.” Gwen surveyed the area as she stepped inside. “This is where Ben 10 becomes Ben 0.” She chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood, yet the Galvans in front of her and Max behind her were clearly not amused. Her gaze fell on the second chair, which had the machine designed to cover a head. “But why two seats—"
Before she could complete her sentence, a sudden pain shot through her neck. Gwen’s vision began to blur.
Max exhaled heavily. “Both of you need to improve your vigilance… Gwen, did you really think I only planned to remove Ben’s Omnitrix?”
As Max’s words echoed in her ears, Gwen’s world tilted and faded to black. She collapsed, unconscious, but Max caught her before she hit the ground.
He lifted her, then placed her on the second seat.
‘I didn’t think this summer vacation with my grandchildren would be perfect, but I had hoped it would go well… I… never expected this!’ His heart began to beat uncontrollably, sending sharp pains through his chest. He clutched at his red shirt, a contorted expression on his face.
“Max!” Driba, Blukic, and Phil, who had been hidden in the corridor, rushed to his side. Max held up a hand to stop them. Taking several deep breaths, he felt the pain gradually subside.
“It’s alright.” He reassured them, slowly lowering his arm.
Phil left the room after assuring himself that Max was doing well. He then remembered that Max had knocked his grandchildren unconscious. ‘This family is really strange. I get the gist, but still… Anyway… If there is some kind of war, then I’m your man, Max! I have no fucking intention of dying and decaying like an old man!’
Fired up, he took the opportunity to enter the room containing all the base’s most dangerous but easily containable items.
In the room, Max looked at both his grandchildren. One had a device on her head, and the other had a device covering the arm holding the Omnitrix.
“Start with Ben.” Max said to Blukic and Driba.
Since Gwen and Ben were both unconscious, they couldn’t inform Max nor take note of the Omniversal war update.
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Notice to all participants
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Note: Some of you may have received information from your assistant that contradicts what you will read below. This is normal. Please continue reading the new information.
The following slots can be gained through these missions:
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Missions
1. One slot for wielding the Omnitrix. (Completed)
* Location: Main Dimension - Earth
* This slot will transfer to anyone who obtains the Omnitrix.
* One additional slot will be given for whoever:
* Builds an Omnitrix and a -trix variant.
* Wields an Omnitrix and a -trix variant.
* Note: Some -trix may or may not be destroyed at the death of its host.
2. One slot for wielding the great Ascalon sword. (Completed)
* Location: Main Dimension - Earth
* This slot will transfer to anyone who obtains Ascalon.
3. One slot to possess the Dwarf Star
* Location: Main Dimension - Space
* This slot will transfer to anyone who obtains it
4. Two slots for possessing and reactivating the Meta-Nanite.
* Location: Dimension 1 - Earth
* Note: Due to a correction, the nanite can no longer fully use the universal “God code” (so it’s no longer a celestial threat level), but is still useful.
* These slots will transfer to anyone who obtains the reactivated meta-nanite.
5. One to seven slots for stopping the Highbreed’s plan of total universe genocide.
* Location: Main Dimension - Throughout the universe
* If someone who completes the mission dies, the slots won’t be transferred to their killer, (nor will any slot be transferred to someone else)
6. One to two slots for conquering the Billions Tower.
* Location: Main Dimension - Billions Tower
* Note: The number of reward slots can greatly increase over time, but so can the difficulty.
* If someone who completes the mission dies, the slots won’t be transferred to their killer, (nor will any slot be transferred to someone else)
7. Two to four slots for containing or destroying Alpha, the nanite being.
* Location: Dimension 0 - Null Void
* Note: Its location may change over time.
* Note: The number of reward slots can greatly increase over time, but so can the difficulty.
* Note: If someone who completes the mission dies, the slots won’t be transferred to their killer, (nor will any slot be transferred to someone else)
8. Five to Seven slots for conquering Legerdomain.
* Location: Dimension LD - Legerdomain
* These slots will transfer to anyone who possesses Legerdomain.
9. One slot per each Charms of Bezel stone. Ten slots for all six of them. (Five completed)
* Location: Main Dimension - Earth
* These slots will transfer to anyone who obtains one or all the stones.
10. Four to ten slots for permanently stopping Dagon.
* Location: Dimension 666 - Dagon’s World
* Note: Its location may change over time.
* Note: The number of reward slots can greatly increase over time, but so can the difficulty.
* If someone who completes the mission dies, the slots won’t be transferred to their killer, (nor will any slot be transferred to someone else)
11. Ten to twenty slots to explore the Forge of Creation
* Location: Dimension ∞ (Connected to each universe of Ben 10 Multiverse)
* Note: The place is currently devoid of Celestials, but not of danger.
* Note: Some corrections were made to avoid certain time manipulation.
* If someone who completes the mission dies, the slots won’t be transferred to their killer, (nor will any slot be transferred to someone else)
12. Seven to eight slots to solve the war that is brewing between Earth and the dragon world.
* Location: Main Dimension - Earth and Dragon World
* Note: The number of reward slots can greatly increase over time, but so can the difficulty.
* If someone who completes the mission dies, the slots won’t be transferred to their killer, (nor will any slot be transferred to someone else)
13. Ten slots for killing the Clown, Joker.
* Location: Main Dimension - Earth
* Slots will not be transferred, and whoever possesses these slots will enjoy total immunity.
14. Any other major achievements will be rewarded with a slot, even for non-participants.
Important: For all slots that grant immunity, this immunity applies to everyone who possesses the related slot(s). By immunity, we mean:
* Invulnerable until the multiversal war
* After the war, the immunity is no longer valuable
Note: It is expected that you don’t try to fight with the immunity in mind. If it’s decided that you took advantage of this immunity, it might be stripped from you.
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Important Notes
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Mechanics
* Click on the missions for more details and current live locations.
* There’s nothing to stop you from working together to complete missions. Slots will be given based on contribution, but you will have at least the minimum number of slots as long as you fulfill the participation requirement.
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War Participation
* Many events happen, whether you are the one making them or not. Survive and take part in the war.
* Despite needing only one slot to participate in the war, don’t forget about your universe.
* Through slots, non-participants can become participants, introducing them to the Multiversal War and allowing you to secure new allies.
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Multiversal Conflict
* The multiversal war will be about crushing other universes of your multiverse.
* If your universe loses, you won’t decide the future in the Omniversal war.
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Omniversal War
* The Omniversal war will ultimately be freedom versus restriction.
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Additional Information
* More details will be provided in due time.
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End of notice
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