Corruption, Murder and Redemption?

by Man of cartoons

Corruption is said to be a monster that eats the soul of a man. So what if a hero with a pure heart decides to come to a world where the monster has almost taken over? Will he survive? Will he break? And will he get this dumb blond to stop calling him a cattle? Please read to find out. BenXAriaXSheele (Love Triangle). It used to include Leone.

20. Inner Conflict, Dognapped and more?

Hello everyone! Did you miss me? I bet you did…well for this fanfiction anyway.

Now before getting to the chapter, I just want to give a big thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed and favorite. The same also goes for those who voted in my poll for a Ben 10 and Attack on Titan crossover. I've released the results in my profile and posted it at the end of this chapter for you guys to see. As for further comment on it, read the end of the chapter.

Anyway, some of you may be wondering why I haven't posted for weeks now. Well the reason is because of university and the fact that I've started a new fanfiction called The Esper of U.A. It's one of the fanfictions I suggested I wanted to do a few chapters back. And from the looks of it, it may be the most popular fanfiction I've ever written. However, be rest assured that I've not forgotten this fanfiction. I just started writing the other one because I wanted to break away from the Ben 10 writing for a while.

Now with that out of the way, here's another awesome chapter of Corruption, Murder and…Redemption?

Chapter 20: Inner Conflict, A Dognap and…the Inevitable?

On another sunny day, Ben Tennyson was walking through the streets of the Capital. He didn't have a particular reason for it, other than to explore the other areas of the place in order to get a view of the world he was in. But maybe it was for the best he didn't. It had already been an hour and already he could see sad people, from those causally walking by, to the poor trying to keep up with life.

'What a mess…' Ben thought sadly. 'But still…what have I been doing? Nothing I do seem to make an impact. Is this really something I can fix?'

"Hey, Tennyson!"

Ben stopped and turned back. He knew that voice very well, and as such when he turned back he saw a familiar blonde woman heading towards him.

"Leone, you're here?" questioned the teen hero. He was surprised to see the assassin walking towards him, particularly out in the open.

"Yup! Got any problem with that?" Leone asked.

"Uh…no." Ben answered.

By now Leone was directly in front of the teen hero when he had responded. However, just as he had said those words, he suddenly turned away, which got the woman's attention and made her a bit serious.

"Are you doing okay, lad? You seem to be doing a lot of thinking lately." Leone said.

"Lately?" Ben questioned. He was surprised by the way the woman figured him out, and thus turned to her. "You've been watching me?"

"More or less." Leone answered. "So what's got you so sad? This isn't like you…well most of the times."

Ben sighed and turned away. His shock earlier had changed as he had chosen to shrug what Leone said. As a result, a frustrated look was on his face, especially as he then decided to leave.

"It's nothing an assassin would know. Now leave me –"

"Not happening, lad." Leone suddenly interjected.

Next thing Ben knew, the woman grabbed his wrist. It wasn't his Omnitrix wrist, but his right wrist which she had caught instantly. So in response Ben turned back to the woman in mild surprise, only to then see a scolding look on her face.

"I don't let my mark leave so easily. Now talk." Leone stated boldly.

Ben said nothing in response. He sent a scowl back at the female assassin in response and then forcefully removed his hand wrist from the woman's grip. But then, after a sigh, the teen seemed to calm down as he then used his hand to rub his forehead.

"You're really not going to let it go huh?" Ben asked.

"I could…." Leone said and crossed her arms under her chest. "But knowing you, this must be big. You shouldn't bottle up your emotions, kid. It's not healthy. Now come on. There's a place I want to show you. We can talk while heading there."

"Uh…okay."

And so, the teen hero followed her. He had given up on trying to exclude himself from Leone, who just seemed to be up on his case. Hence, as they began to walk, the female assassin once again asked him about his problem, to which he felt less reluctant to say back.

"Well…it's kind of something that has been bugging me." Ben said.

"Yeah…I already figured that out." Leone replied. She had a laidback attitude on her as she continued. "You know…after that fight in the woods, I kind of thought that you were this force that was hard to take down. It pissed me off, but now I get it…Even with the 'most powerful device in the universe', you're still vulnerable to other things like any reasonable human being."

"Is that okay to say in the open?" Ben asked. "I mean the part about my watch."

"It kind of is." Leone replied. "That's another reason I wanted us to walk. No one pays close attention to those who are minding their own business."

"That's true…" Ben admitted. From there he became gloomy. "Anyway…my problem is my power…"

"Huh?! How's that a problem?" Leone asked. She was mildly shocked.

"Well it's not my power to say…It's just how I've been handling it." Ben admitted subtly. "With the Omnitrix, I'm able to do so many things…but yet…in this world…this Capital…I feel like I haven't done much with it. Heck, even in my home world, I've felt like this…this feeling of powerlessness. Weird, right?"

"I don't follow."

Ben sighed. "I'm sorry." He replied. "Well think of it like this. I have the power to do a lot of good…and yet even with it, there hasn't been an impacting change here. The criminals I've stopped, both here and in my world, have always found a way to break out and cause trouble…At first this was annoying since it reminded me of my world…but here it's different. This world is run by monsters…worse than most of the bad guys I've dealt with…I guess this new reality worries me and makes me realize just what kind of a hero I am...I now wonder if this sense of loss is a result of being here…This feeling of living in a completely different world from everyone else…As the path I chose myself, there might be nothing I can do about it but…to think that the path of a hero would be so lonely,"

Leone was troubled, but at the same time in mild awe. Here was a teen with the most powerful device that was ever seen, feeling such a mood that would've made one think was beyond him. But rather than question it, Leone went with a different approach.

"Being alone can suck…I know that feeling." Leone said softly. Then a thought came to her that made her grab Ben by the hand, much to his shock. "Let's go a bit faster. I really want to show you the place."

"Wait, hold on."

It was too late for the teen hero, however. It was unknown if Leone chose to ignore him or wasn't listening to him at the time. As a result, the teen was taken fast to a part of the Capital that he hadn't seen before. But if that wasn't enough, there were people calling out to Leone in either greetings or any form of compliments.

'Leone must be popular around here.' Ben guessed. 'But still…this place seems rundown compared to the places I've seen…and yet these people are happy?'

"Surprised huh?" Leone suddenly spoke up. She followed those of her words by letting go of Ben and then facing him. "You've probably noticed how livelier the people are here compared to the average slums. Well that's because these peoples' souls are as strong as weeds, especially when they have to struggle to survive."

"Okay and what does that have to do with me being here?" Ben asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Leone rhetorically asked. "I was born and raised here. You can say this is my hometown. I even made a name for myself by working in a local massage parlor. So in the years I was stuck around here, I've seen some struggles these people have to make. But lately, good luck seemed to smile on them…and it's all thanks to you."

"Me?" Ben asked, surprised. "How can this be me?"

Leone smirked. "You're cute when you're so oblivious. But I guess I don't blame you." She said. "You probably don't remember, but a few weeks back you stopped a bunch of corrupt Imperial guards who went about collecting money. They basically made themselves the tax collectors even if their ways were illegal…But even though they got out of jail with a pat on the back, they switched their method of criminality. Now this people can rest a bit easier with them gone."

"Yeah…I guess." Ben said and frowned. "I just wish I could've done more."

Leone became quiet for a few seconds. She didn't like the tone of the teen hero, however in a sense she couldn't blame him. As such, her attitude became serious when she spoke.

"Listen, Tennyson. One of the many things I've learned in life is this. You can either do something about the problem in your life or do nothing about it. And if you think that you doing that something as a person isn't enough then try another tactic and see how that goes. I'm never one to give up…and I'll never be one to give up, so the same should go for you."

The teen hero said nothing. He was surprised and astonished by Leone's words considering his outlook on her had been anything but the advisory type. But then, if that wasn't enough, she continued.

"Tennyson, aren't you confusing responsibility with incapability and failure?" Leone asked rhetorically. "I don't know what being a hero is about, but I know that way of thinking is wrong. As an assassin, I can't give you moral free tips. But I think I can give you a solution to your problem."

"And what's that?" Ben questioned.

"Stop blaming yourself." Leone answered straightforwardly. "Trying to attain a sense of achievement should be the least of your concerns. Shouldn't defending and helping those in need be enough for you? Besides, there's no denying the fact that the Omnitrix is crazily powerful to be a tool of a god. But still you're human…and when you think of it, you could say that you still have room to grow…not as an assassin, not as a killer, not as a god, but as a human being. So now that I think of it, don't you think that believing you haven't done enough was something stupid and ignorant born out of inexperience…? Now I get you want to stop the empire once and for all, but to be honest with you, if you carry that inexperience and knock on the door of the Imperial palace, you may regret it...in more ways than you'll know."

"Huh…I never thought of that." Ben admitted.

Leone smiled a bit. "But don't worry about it." She said. "You're a good kid with a big heart, Tennyson. Don't let this capital corrupt you, don't let it change you to the kind of man you'll regret to be and never, and I do mean never, let anyone change who you are. I see something big in you. I want to keep seeing how you live your life."

Ben was completely astonished by Leone's advice. Each word she had said seemed to hold some truth, as well as honesty and a strong sense of belief. In fact, it was so strong that Ben felt them changing his outlook of things, as well as cause his fist to shaken as he tightened it.

"You're right." Ben said confidently. The grim and gloom he had once possessed seemed to have been erased as he continued. "Even though I've been a hero for years now, I still a long way to go. But I promise you…I won't fail. I will do the best I can and live up to everyone's expectations."

"I'm glad to hear that, kid." Leone smiled.

Ben Tennyson was happy to hear her response. Leone had once again proven to be someone different than he would've thought. However, before he could thank her, he noticed three men running to their direction, behind Leone, and became confused. Fortunately, he didn't have to ask about their intention because they then brought it up.

"There she is!" shouted one of the guys.

"It's Leone!" shouted another of them.

And then it became worse as the men increased their speed. The looks on their faces showed how angry they were upon seeing at the blonde, especially as they continued.

"I'll have you pay your drinking bill!" shouted one of them.

"It's time to pay your gambling debts!" shouted the middle man.

"I want the money you scammed off my brother!"

Leone immediately ran off. Her action surprised Ben, as he hadn't expected it. However, rather than face the men, he ran as fast he could next to her with new mixed feelings.

"You give great advice, but you're still a crook!" Ben shouted.

"Haha! I never said I was a saint!" Leone laughed.

_(LINE BREAK)_

IMPERIAL PALACE: AUDIENCE ROOM

A bunch of important government officials stood firmly by according to their rank. At the same time, in the middle of them, directly in front of the emperor's throne, there was an officer in armor that was bowing down before the ruler of the empire. However, the news he had weren't good to hear.

"It's about generals Nakakido and Hemi." The officer stated. "They are gone. They have joined the rebel army."

Every official (other than the Emperor and Prime Minister) in the room was shocked. The two generals the officer had mentioned were well respected men. So hearing about their betrayal was also fearful.

"The military genius, Nakakido has…" said one official.

"This will make the rebel army a much bigger threat." said another official in fear.

"If we don't get a handle on this, the empire…" said skeptically another official.

However, before anything could be said further by that man, the emperor boldly stood up and stretched out his hand.

"Do not let your thoughts run away with you!" The Emperor stated boldly. "After all, they are down in the south…we can deal with them at any time. The rebels gathering together just mean they will be easier to clean up!"

The Emperor then turned to the Prime Minister. "…So did I handle that well, Prime Minister?"

The Prime Minister was chewing on a huge piece of meat in his mouth. He didn't seem to mind or care that it was inappropriate as it seemed not to concern him. The same could be said for the emperor because he was looking hopefully like a child waiting to be praised by a grownup, which was the present case.

"Ufu Fu." The Prime Minister uttered. He had a grin on his face as he continued chewing on his meat. "As always, Your Majesty is a mountain of calm in a sea of chaos. We have a closer problem than some far away rebel army. Night Raid has been a thorn on the empire's side, especially with the assassination of the Imperial guard and my own relative, Iyokaru. I want them dealt with so badly…! I've been so obsessed with this, I've gained weight…!"

"…Well what of them?" The Emperor asked. "Are there not professionals searching for their hideout!?"

"They haven't been in contact." The Prime Minister replied. By this point, he was done with his stake. "They're probably dead. But still…Night Raid seems to be one of the major problems we have."

The Emperor knew exactly who the Prime Minister meant. In fact, just the thought of it made his heart sink a bit. However, it didn't matter because the Prime Minister said it anyway.

"For a weeks now, our Capital has been overrun by a criminal! Already, people are calling him a hero when in reality he's a deadly law breaker that I suspect is responsible for that night the Capital was paralyzed by those barriers…the night we now call the Black Scare! I want him found and dealt with much more than Night Raid for what he put me through that night! To think that I was kept in a barrier like a captive in such a shameful manner makes me angry! That is why I have a plan to deal with him and Night Raid!"

"Oh?" The Emperor was curious.

And with that, the Prime Minster continued, this time with his scowl showing. "I've already called in someone reliable to help me express my uncontrollable rage! The one who recently succeeded in subjugating the northern tribes. Ironically, she requested information on the very Black Scare and seems very interested in dealing with the one responsible! Thus, I have requested that General Esdeath to return to the capital."

Everyone (except the emperor) was shocked, even more than before. General Esdeath was known to be a deadly high ranking official who even trumped General Budo in terms of physical powers. So it came as no surprise then that one of them came forward in protest.

"B-But General Budo is in command of the Capital forces, is he not!?"

The Prime Minister answered. "As much as the general's hard work is commendable, the threat that walks the streets while claiming to be a hero is too dangerous to leave in his arms. Besides…I'm sure his experience is better focused on other important matters."

"Esdeath, hmmm…" The Emperor said. He had a thoughtful look on his face as he continued. "She is a hero that rivals the power of General Budo. I'm relieved!"

"She is the ice hearted woman who executed 400,000 enemies by burying them alive!" The Prime Minister added. However, he didn't stop there. He continued, but this time his body showed the monster he truly was in the eyes of the officials. "Night Raid and this Teigu user are getting stronger day by day! She will hunt them all down and kill them!"

_(LINE BREAK)_

The air running in and out of Ben's lungs were in a rush as he ran for what felt like an hour. The debtors that Leone clearly pissed off had been chasing them for some time now. However, upon looking back, he saw that they were gone, and thus came to a stop.

"Phew…! It sure looks like they aren't chasing us anymore, Leone." The teen hero said.

However, there was then a problem. Ben had expected to hear the female assassin respond in some manner at that very much. But after a pause, he looked around and was shocked to find that he was on his own.

"Damn! We must've gotten separated!" Ben exclaimed.

True to his words, the teen hero was right. Leone was nowhere to be seen, no matter where he frantically turned to look for her. But after that moment passed, he let out a sigh and relaxed a bit, with his hands then dug into his coat's pockets.

"Oh well…I'm sure she's fine. I should probably figure my way from here." The teen hero said to himself.

Unknown to the teen hero, however, he was now being watched. A certain young woman with auburn hair had been making her usual route as an Imperial guard when she had caught sight of the teen hero. Now a sense of seriousness resonated from her and immediately made her run towards the teen with her dog-like Teigu flailing in the air from her leash on him.

"I've found you!" She shouted.

"Huh?"

A sense of confusion was on Ben's face before he turned. But then, upon casting his eyes on the one who shouted, the teen became wide eyed.

"S-Seryu!?" He shouted in shock.

"That's right! Now stay there!" Seryu yelled.

With each step she took, the woman was getting closer. However, Ben didn't want to stay still for the woman to catch up to him, hence he turned and began to run away.

'That look on her face isn't the same as the last time she chased me. I have to get away from her quick!' Ben thought quickly.

"Hey! I said hold it!" Seryu shouted angrily.

However, Ben ignored her and continued running. He didn't intend to slow down nor did he have doubts on his action. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that there were people around, he would've turned into an alien and gotten away. But then again, even if he could, Seryu had an idea, to which she implemented by coming to a stop and then spinning Kuro in the air above her head by his leash.

"Get him, Koro!" She shouted.

With that, the Imperial guard did the unexpected. She sent her organic Teigu flying through the air and heading straight for Ben, who was unaware of the time. Hence, by the time Ben did hear something coming from him, it was too late. The teen only had the chance to look back and get hit at the face by Kuro's butt with great force, causing him to trip on his own legs and fall straight into the side where his head hit a wall and knocking him unconscious.

"Yes! I got him!" Seryu cheered happily.

However, there was a problem. Seryu's action at that moment had gotten the attention of passersby. But then fortunately for her, she seemed to know how to handle the situation as she walked over to Ben, smiling at the people around.

"Rest easy everyone. This is just a little drill. Everything is fine." She said.

Everyone immediately turned away. This wasn't surprising, especially for Seryu since she had been in the Capital longer than she could remember. Anyway, now that the people were no longer paying attention, her face expression turned into a serious cold look that was casted on Ben's unconscious body.

"Now then…where do we start?" She asked rhetorically.

_(LINE BREAK)_

A small groan escaped Ben's mouth as he slowly began to regain consciousness. However, that wasn't to say it was an easy awakening. The teen felt his forehead hurt right there as it instantly made him to wince and move his arms. But then, when he felt them being restrained, he was surprised, especially when he tried to same for his legs and felt them being restrained as well.

"What the…What's going on?" Ben questioned in shock.

"Oh good…you're finally awake." said a familiar female voice.

The teen hero's position was on a bed in a room. He was clearly no longer in an area he was familiar to nor was he in the presence of someone he didn't want to be with. But with his arms and legs restrained by ropes tied to each sides of the bed, he had no choice but to look at his left and see Seryu emerge from the dark side of the room with Kuro next to her.

"Seryu? This was you?" Ben asked in mild shock.

"Yes, it was mine. Your restraints will ensure you don't run away again, especially now that I have you." Seryu answered.

'Crud…What do I do now?' The teen hero thought. He tried again to move his hands in order to break free, only to then find them securely restrained. 'I really can't get out of this…meaning I can't use the Omnitrix.'

"Now then…let's get to the chase." Seryu said.

By this point, there was no telling what the female Imperial guard could do. She had a scary serious look on her face that somewhat sent a shudder down Ben's spine. In fact, the intensity in the place became even more intense when she calmly placed a chair next to the bed Ben was restrained on and sat on it.

"Let me go, Seryu!" Ben yelled. "I don't have time for your games! Capturing and restraining someone isn't right! It's wrong!"

"And you're one to talk?" Seryu questioned sternly. Of course, her reply was a rhetorical one as she then continued. "Your Teigu's symbol is all over the wanted posters, so you're basically a criminal of the empire. You're lucky I haven't ratted you out like the others wanted to."

"Others?" Ben asked.

"Hmph…So you've forgotten." Seryu subtly replied. "Do you remember that time you sparred with…Ogre-sama. I was there, along with lady Aria and other subordinates that watched the whole thing. So imagine our shock when the Black Scare happened and most of us were captured in a strange barrier with your Teigu's symbol produced…Then there's the fact that Ogre-sama was assassinated."

Ben didn't say anything back. He understood now that he had messed up even though he didn't have to say it. And as much as he hated that, he had actually forgotten most of the ordeal with Ogre sometime after the incident involving that night. However, as he said nothing, Seryu's mood shifted into something deeper.

"Now that that's out the way…my generosity doesn't come without a price." Seryu said coldly. "I didn't keep the others quiet because of you; I did it because I have questions that need to be answered. After that I'll hand you over to the Garrison, you got that?"

Ben sent a scowl straight at the female Imperial guard. "And if I don't?" He asked.

Seryu cock a small grin. It was no ordinary grin; it was a frightening one that brought a sadistic side of her that Ben had never seen before. So even if he had anything to say, the young woman beat him to it.

"Trust me, you wouldn't want to know." She said.

Ben's glare stiffed. The energetic and frantic Seryu he knew was no longer there; she was now replaced by a sense of power that couldn't be ignored.

"First question…" The young woman suddenly said. "Did you really cause the Black Scare, and if so why?"

"…"

Ben refused to reply to her. Maybe if she was that soft side of her, he would have told her. However, the state she was in was different and viler than most enemies he had faced. It almost reminded him of Ogre himself.

"Answer me!" Seryu yelled angrily.

"I have nothing to say to you!" Ben yelled angrily. "And what's with the dark mood from you? I don't remember you having this side of you!"

"You're right…" Seryu replied. However, her mood didn't seem to change when she continued. "But what do you expect?! That night changed a lot of things and worse of all Ogre-sama…the man who meant so much to me is dead! Now I don't know what happened that night, but I know you had a connection to his death! Now tell me the truth!"

'I see now…' Ben thought observantly. 'This side of her…It has always been there…and I can guess who the cause of it is. I guess that means that if Ogre was the demon, then Seryu is the demon's apprentice.'

Seryu didn't like the teen's silence. A part of her had expected him to speak, however it seemed he was more stubborn than she thought. As such, many thoughts of torture began to creep into her mind as she stood there, glaring at him with her emotions slowly getting the better of her. In fact, her emotions were so strong that she silently stood up and approached the teen.

Unknown to her however, something else was wrong. It wasn't with Ben, but rather with herself. Her body was shaking despite the cold sternness that she had put in. Hence, when she spoke, her voice was shaky no matter how much she tried to make it strong.

"Y-You will tell me the truth…or-or I'll…I'll…"

Seryu finally couldn't hold it. A new side of her suddenly emerged as she then fell to the ground on her knees. But if that wasn't enough, her head was on the bed as she began to cry frantically.

"Just tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell meeeeee!" She wept bitterly. Her action shocked Ben, as even he hadn't expected it. "I want to hate you! I want to force you to say the truth! But I can't do it! I just can't! Why can't I do it?! My father is dead and now the man who raised me is gone too! I just want to know the truth! Is that so fucking hard?!"

Ben was silent to bring a response. It was indeed surprising to see the way Seryu was acting. One moment she was acting sweet and then the next she was a cold person with an evil aura. But if that wasn't enough, she was also caring and very emotional. It made Ben feel really guilty.

"I'm sorry." Ben said apologetically. He didn't seem to care that he was being held against his will especially as he continued. "I can honestly tell you that I'm not responsible for Ogre's death. As for the Black Scare…I'm very sorry about it."

Seryu stopped weeping and looked at Ben. She hadn't expected Ben to confess at that moment, hence the surprised look on her face. Anyway, the teen hero continued.

"On that night I wasn't thinking straight…" Ben said. "Something bad happened and I let my emotions get the better of me…If it hadn't been for Aria, I would've…"

"Lady Aria?" Seryu interjected suddenly. "Is she okay? I remember she went with Ogre-sama on that night."

"She's fine." Ben assured her. "But there's one thing I think you should know."

Seryu was now curious and captivated. She had no idea what the teen hero had in store for her. Hence, as she was on the ground, her eyes were staring at the teen, who then became serious.

"Whatever you thought of Ogre…you should drop it now." The teen stated sternly.

Seryu was surprised. His words before had seemed to be something good, however what he said then had felt like a spear directly into her heart. However, Ben still continued.

"I'm guessing Ogre was a good man to you. He must've taken care of you when your dad died. But he isn't a saint like he may have portrayed himself to you." Ben said straightforwardly.

"Lies!" Seryu suddenly yelled.

For the first time in that short time, Seryu was angry. Here she was with a guy that she unintentionally opened up to and now receiving words that spoke against the man she cared about dearly. Hence, she stood back on her feet with a killer glare.

"Ogre was a great man!" Seryu yelled. "He stopped criminals! Made life easy for those who couldn't defend themselves! He was always a messenger of justice at everywhere he went! So don't you talk shit about him!"

"Then why did he almost rape Aria?!" Ben yelled back.

Seryu was suddenly shocked. The tone the teen hero had used was different, as it sounded more serious and direct. However, at the same time, there was also what Ben had said that took her aback.

"Rape…? Ogre wouldn't have…" Seryu said.

"Well he almost did!" Ben stated straightforwardly. "He also squandered off Aria's family's fortune and gave it to himself and his friends! I know this because Aria told me herself!"

"So…you were there?"

'Shit! I messed up!' Ben cursed in his mind.

The tide of the tension now seemed to have changed. Ben Tennyson, who had intended to change Seryu's mind was now regretting letting his own emotions get the better of him. Unfortunately, the repercussion of his mistake became obvious when Seryu's mood shifted into a dark cold look on her face.

"I never should've trusted you!" Seryu stated angrily. "I once thought we could be great friends! But now I see you're a liar and a deceiver! You could've saved Ogre-sama from Night Raid, but you let him be killed, didn't you?!"

Ben said nothing back. He did feel some guilt, but not over Ogre's death. Even though he was against taking a life that didn't mean he would show any mourning for the evilly deceased. Ogre was evil and seemed hell bent on causing as much death as possible, so the teen hero had little choice on the matter, especially when Tatsumi had killed him. Unfortunately, his silence was taken wrongly by the female Imperial guard.

"I knew it!" Seryu determined angrily. The look on her face was now that of hatred as she slowly backed away from the restrained teen. "I won't stand for your lies anymore! Kuro! Take him o –"

Koro suddenly growled, cutting off his owner. It wasn't at her or Ben though, but rather at the wall at the other side of the teen hero. However, before anything could be said, the wall exploded, sending pieces of wood flying with a huge dust cloud that followed. Fortunately for Seryu, she was safe due to Koro, who grew twelve foot tall and shielded her. As for Ben, he was just lucky to not get hit by any of the burns of the explosion.

"The heck was that?!" Ben asked.

However, the teen hero's words were ignored. Seryu was curious as well, but it didn't take a genius to know that they were being under attack. But then, before she could determine who it was, a sonic beam hit Kuro with such force that the Teigu cried out in pain and fell forward on the ground, returning back to his small size.

"Kuro?!" Seryu shouted in shock.

But the attack didn't stop there. The female Imperial officer was suddenly silenced by a black goo that instantly gummed her mouth shut. She did try to pry it off with her hands, however that was unsuccessful especially with what happened next. A pair of ropes immediately flew from the dust cloud and tied both her arms and legs together, knocking her to the ground.

"Ha! Got her!" cheered an unknown voice.

The situation was now more alarming to both Ben and Seryu. The both of them were unable to move due to the restraints they were on. Hence, the only thing they could do was watch as the dust cloud faded to reveal a man in a strange suit walking towards Kuro, who was immobilized on the ground.

Seryu tried to protest. The unknown man was clearly the cause of the recent attack. Unfortunately, all she could do was squirm and make muffle sounds behind the gag on her mouth. But that didn't mean the man ignored her. He noticed her, especially as he lifted Kuro and placed him into a bag.

"Ah, don't worry, sweetheart. It'll be all over soon." He said with a smirk.

"Who are you?!" Ben yelled angrily.

The man turned to Ben and seemed a bit surprised. Thus, in that moment, his appearance was taken into account. He seemed to be a man in his early thirties just by the obvious facial hair he had. He wore goggles at his forehead while at the same time wearing a black and white suit. However, the most intriguing thing about his outfit was the two huge black and silver gauntlets on his wrists.

"This is surprising." The man said with mild amusement. "I didn't know the girl had a guest. But I guess I came just in time. I probably prolonged your life for a little longer."

"A little longer?" Ben questioned.

"Why, yes." The man said freely. "I'm known as the Teigu Mercenary. I do the jobs too scary or dangerous for the ordinary man - for the right price that is. And it just so happens that my Teigu, The pair of unbeatable frequency, Baduo, has a trump card that temporarily deactivates a Teigu."

"So in other words…you're not letting us live." Ben concluded.

"Correct, kid." The Teigu Mercenary replied. He then turned his focus to Seryu, who was glaring at him. "But it's for the best. Along with capturing this little missy's Teigu, I have to kill her as a bonus. You can't let a demon live, you know."

Ben scowled and tried to break free. A part of him knew this was impossible, however it couldn't be helped to try. Just then, the door was blown apart before two muscular men walked inside the room with dynamites in their hands.

"You've got the prize?" asked one of the guys.

"Yup. Let's blow this place." The Teigu Mercenary replied.

With that, the two men went to work. The both of them immediately lit up the dynamites and threw them to the floor, very close to Seryu. At the same time, the mercenary grinned before walking to the door, pleased with his job.

"It's been real, but I got to go. Have fun in heaven or hell." He said.

And with that, the door was closed. Now the only ones in the house were Ben and Seryu, both of whom were still restrained. Seryu tried to push the dynamites away, however it didn't matter much if she succeeded. These dynamites were going to blow up everything whether she liked it or not.

Fortunately, Ben wasn't deterred from doing something. In fact, no sooner did the guys leave did the teen went to work. By that, he basically tried to pull his left arm which possessed the Omnitrix from the strong restrained on his arm. But it wasn't easy. The teen had to push his own limit while bearing the pain from the burn from the rope as he pulled on it.

Meanwhile, there were still the dynamites about to blow up. Time was ticking with little that could be done to avert the situation. Already Seryu could be seen crawling to a table where she knew she had a pair of scissors on. But sadly for her, there was little time.

So in that moment of losing hope, something happened. Ben broke free of the rope, but not without having a serious burn around his wrist. However, it mattered little to him. The faceplate of the Omnitrix slide back automatically to reveal its core, which the teen immediately slammed on his forehead.

Ben was immediately covered in a flash of green light. He began to fell his body grow exponentially as certain parts of his body transformed beyond what a human could do. At the same time, he grew a tail and formed a hard thick skin body, as well as a great height that immediately broke the bed he was on. Hence, when the transformation ended, Ben sat up and noticed the alien he was as.

"Yes! Humungousaur!" Ben cheered.

Now the teen hero had a choice. He looked to the door as it was his way out and then at Seryu who was now staring at him. Clearly, as his current alien form, he could survive the blast about to come, however the same couldn't be said about the female Imperial guard. And as much as Ben wanted to get out, Seryu's safety took priority.

Hence, in that moment, Humungousaur ran over to Seryu. At the same time, the dynamites were reaching the end of its ropes. So in order to protect her, Humungousaur lifted the Imperial guard to his chest and closed his eyes just in that for the incoming explosion.

_(LINE BREAK)_

Outside Seryu's house, people were standing some feet away from it with curiosity and confusion. They had seen a bunch of suspicious men come out and entered a cart to make a getaway with nothing done about it. But then even if they could, an explosion suddenly blew the house apart, sending pieces of woods flying and shocking the people around.

However, the moment didn't end there. No, it became even scarier when they saw a twelve foot tall 'Danger Beast' with green eyes walking out of the place as if nothing happened.

"AAAHH! A DANGER BEAST!" shouted a woman.

"A DANGER BEAST?! HERE?! RUN!" shouted a man.

Everyone immediately did what the man said. They didn't stick around to see the outcome of this 'Danger Beast' or what had been the fate of those inside the house. Fortunately, it didn't matter much. With them gone, Humungousaur stepped on the streets and placed Seryu on the ground, where he then carefully removed the ropes restraining her.

Seryu then took care of the last thing. The sticky goo on her mouth was immediately removed by her before facing a direction of the street with an urgent look.

"Those bastards! They took Kuro!" Seryu yelled angrily.

Ben wasn't bothered by her attitude though. He used the chance he had at that moment to tap the Omnitrix symbol on his chest and change back. Then, with no word, he began to walk away, which caught the Imperial guard's attention.

"Where are you going?! Kuro's in danger!" Seryu yelled.

Ben immediately stopped and turned to her. He didn't seem the least alarmed by her. In fact, if anything, he was somewhat calm when he looked at her.

"Yeah…about that…I really don't care." Ben admitted.

"What?! How could you?!"

"Don't play dumb with me, Seryu." Ben stated straightforwardly. The casual attitude he had displayed was gone, and with it came a serious one. "I saved your life because it was the right thing to do. But just a moment ago, you almost had that dog…thing about to kill me. I don't appreciate that, so you're on your own. I've done my part."

"Hmph! Fine then! But just know this isn't over!"

And so with that, Seryu ran off in a fit of anger. Ben watched her leave with no impulse to follow her and didn't seem a bit worried about her. In fact, the only response he made was a sigh and him then rubbing his hand through his hair.

"Well…so much for walking through the Capital peacefully."

_(LINE BREAK)_

Somewhere in the forest, far from the main road, a group of men were gathered in a circle. One of them that was in the middle held a bag which just so happened to contain Kuro. But if their intention wasn't clear, the fact that another man had just finished digging a hole seemed to hint at it.

"Let's get this over with." said one of the guys. "The boss wants this abomination of a Teigu gone and never seen again."

"Honestly, I can't blame him." Another guy said. On his face was a serious look as he pointed at the bag containing the Teigu. "That monster is a threat to all men. It killed many of our brothers! I just wish we could do the same to it!"

"But still…shouldn't we use it?" asked another guy. His response came as a shock to the others as their attention turned to him. "I mean…his owner is dead so maybe we can…"

"No!" A familiar male voice objected.

The one who had spoken at that moment was the Teigu Mercenary. He was by a tree smoking a cigarette, which was now in his hand as he glared at the man who had spoken.

"My job here was to eliminate the girl and have the Teigu buried feet into the earth. Don't make me have to force you guys." He said.

"He's right." stated one guy. He was the same man who had first spoken. "Let's get this over with."

Now at this point, every man present silently agreed. The Teigu shortly known as Kuro had to be buried for what it had done. However, just as one of the guys was about to drop the bag containing the Teigu into the hole, a bullet hit him at the hand, causing him to cry out in pain and unintentionally drop the bag on the ground.

"No one's going anywhere!" shouted a familiar female voice. "You may have tried to avert justice, but those who do evil will always pay for the wrongs they have done!"

All the men gasped, minus the Teigu Mercenary. They were all familiar with that voice and thus they turned to the direction of it to find Seryu standing there with two guns pointed at them.

"She's alive?!"

"How is that possible?!"

"It doesn't matter! Just shoot her!"

Seryu became intense and ready for action. She had expected things beforehand to go in the direction the men were thinking of doing. But then, in a moment of shock, the Teigu Mercenary clapped his hands slowly and made his way casually between them before facing Seryu.

"Well done, girl, I'm impressed." The Teigu Mercenary remarked. "I've been in this line of work for twenty years now and yet no one has actually escaped my executions. I guess my brother really trained you well."

"Brother?" Seryu questioned. She was shocked to hear such a word before a thought came to mind. "Are you saying that you're –"

"That's right. I'm Ogre's little brother!" The Teigu Mercenary exclaimed.

Seryu was even more shocked. The look on her face was no lie as she stood there. But then, just as it came, she became stiffened as a glare was now on her face at the Teigu user.

"I don't believe you. Ogre-sama never had a brother." She stated.

"Oh, but he did." The Teigu Mercenary insisted. "The thing about my brother and I is the fact that we don't like to mix with each other. So when I heard he was assassinated by Night Raid, I was a bit surprised, but not in the least taken aback. My big brother was always an ignorant fool for not seeing it coming. He always thought he was the strongest…Haha…such an idiot."

Something inside Seryu suddenly snapped. It happened from the way the man had spoken verbally against her master who she had treasured so much. So in that moment, the young woman's anger got the better of her as she then let out a loud cry and unleashed numerous bullets at the Teigu Mercenary.

At the same time, the other men had to duck. Seryu's line of fire may be at the Teigu user, but any stray shot could hit them. However, in what should be easy, the young woman was surprised when she saw the man running straight for her and immediately dodging all of her bullets with ease.

But the action didn't stop there. Seryu was still unleashing her bullets when suddenly she noticed the man getting very close to her, Hence, she acted quickly by moving her head back just in time to avoid an uppercut to the head by the man.

The Teigu Mercenary didn't stop there though. He immediately counteracted Seryu by doing a spin kick intended for her head. However, once again, the girl dodged it, this time by jumping back with a mild shock on her face.

'He's fast…very fast.' She thought.

The Teigu Mercenary suddenly came for her. This time though, he appeared right behind her, which surprised her. However, Seryu was able to react quickly by pointing her gun at his face and shooting directly at it. But it didn't work.

For some reason, the Teigu Mercenary was one step ahead of her. He had used his hand to get between the gun and his face and allow it to take the blow. Then, even though his hand suffered no harm, he suddenly sent his other hand's fist forward for Seryu's stomach.

Fortunately, Seryu was able to avoid the blow. She did this by jumping back and then readying her feet for a landing. But then, before she could even touch the ground, the mercenary shot a sonic blast at her from very fist she had avoided, thus sending her to the ground hard.

But it didn't stop there. Seryu was about to stand up, when suddenly she noticed something coming down on her. It was the Teigu Mercenary himself, and it seemed he was going to crush her. However, the female Imperial guard rolled out of the way and got on her arms and feet, ready to get up just as the mercenary then landed on the ground. But then, before she could swiftly stand, the mercenary shot another sonic beam at her that immediately sent her rolling on the ground brutally.

"Is that all you got, girl?!" shouted the mercenary.

Seryu tried to stand up. The scowl on her face, which reflected her frustration and anger at the man, was showing. Sadly, the strength she tried to summon wasn't at its fullest when she tried to stand up. Her body was shaking, and thus she couldn't react fast.

But that didn't mean that the Teigu Mercenary was done. He shot at her again with a stronger sonic blast that instantly caused the woman to scream and hit the hardness of a tree. Hence, with her strength most diminished, she panted heavily as her hair was in a mess and her armor clearly showing dents.

"Such a shame…" The Teigu Mercenary commented. He was now standing before Seryu with a disappointed look. "I was expecting so much from you. But I guess I was wrong…So before you die, I'll let you in on a little secret. The reason I bested you is because I was one of the best in the Imperial Fist…you know, it's that great martial arts school in the empire. So even though you were skilled, to me you were nothing but a snail waiting to be stomped. I wasn't even going all out."

Seryu said nothing to the mercenary. At the same time, the deadly look on her face, staring at the guy, never seemed to cease. So as he lifted his arm at her and powered one of the gaunlets, the young woman continued to glare at him like an angry beast.

However, the young woman's end never came. It was strange, but at the same time shocking when it happened. The Teigu Mercenary was about to kill her when suddenly an elastic green energy rope wrapped around his arm and lifted it somewhere else. Hence, instead of shooting Seryu, he shot the sky before then being lifted off the ground and thrown the ground a few feet away.

"Huh?" Seryu was surprised.

The Imperial guard wasn't alone in this feeling though. The men that had seemed happy watching the young woman about to be killed were suddenly bombarded by green lasers that came from the sky. As a result, a huge dust cloud was created that concealed their surroundings before the one responsible for it landed on the ground, revealing itself to be Astrodactyl.

"B-Ben?" Seryu questioned. She was able to recognize the hero due to the Omnitrix symbol on his shoulder.

"Yeah, it's me." Astrodactyl answered. "You look beat up."

"Yeah…"

Seryu felt emotionally down now that she thought of her situation. She had made her way to the forest to rescue her Teigu, only to get beaten by another Teigu user. But even with that obviously there, the fact that Ben's presence just saved her seemed to affect her on the inside.

"You saved me…Why?" Seryu asked.

"To stop you." Ben answered.

Seryu was surprised. To her, the teen hero sounded contradictory considering what he just recently did. Fortunately, Ben was able to elaborate.

"I was worried you'll end up killing some people. But considering you just got your butt handed to you, I guess I really do have to save you." The teen hero said. "But it comes with one condition. When this is over, do not kill any of the guys, you understand?"

Seryu said nothing back. The condition Ben had just given her sounded absurd and something she wouldn't agree. In fact, if she was her strong self like before, she would've pushed the offer aside and done something to the teen. However, her present state made her think differently, and as such she reluctantly accepted much to her displeasure.

"Fine…"

A smirk formed on Ben's face upon hearing that. He knew the young woman didn't like his condition, just by the look on her face. But with his pride now strong, the hero turned to face the dust cloud, which was now clearing up, with his hand already above the Omnitrix's core.

"Alright, this seems like a job for Shocksquatch." Ben proclaimed. "You just stay back, Seryu. This will be over in no time."

Seryu said nothing back. She saw no need to do so considering the situation. However, now that she was facing Ben's back, she couldn't help but see something different about him. She didn't know for certain on what it was, but she could tell that it was enlightening in the way the teen stood proudly.

Now before the dust cloud settled, the teen hero went to work. He slammed his hand down on the exposed core of the Omnitrix and was engulfed by green light. Hence, it was at that moment that the bad guys saw what happened.

The flash of green light that engulfed the teen hero began to transform him. However, it was not in the setting he was mostly used to for Shocksquatch. This was obvious when he grew larger than the known alien's size, as well as when most parts of him became an unknown form of rock. But if that wasn't enough, electricity coursed through his body, both inner and visibly. Hence, when the transformation was completed, Ben was a total complete being.

The teen hero was a humanoid alien. However, when compared to most of his aliens, this form stood different. His body consisted of blue energy with a rocky element that served as armor on his head, upper body, shoulders and legs. But if that wasn't enough, there were three spikes protruding from both of his shoulders, with his arms being large. Lastly, he had green eyes while a moss-like substance was around his neck and the Omnitrix symbol on his chest.

"Huh…? Shock Rock?" The teen hero questioned upon looking at himself. "I almost forgot I unlocked this guy during the road trip. Nevermind Shocksquatch, this guy will do much more nicely."

"Shit! What the hell is that thing?!"

Shock Rock's attention was drawn to the scream. Not surprisingly, the one who had release such an expression was one of the men, which was understandable. By now, all of them were staring at the huge alien before them, even as one of them then spoke.

"That symbol on its chest! I've see it!"

"Yo-you're right! It's that mysterious guy with the Teigu! What's he doing here?!"

"Does it matter?! Shoot him!"

The men immediately did what they were told. They brought out their guns from wherever they kept it and began to shoot rapidly at the teen hero. However, before any of their shots could hit, Ben immediately stretched both his hands out and created an electrified wall. Hence, all their shots were obstructed.

"You done yet?" Shock Rock asked almost in boredom.

The men said nothing, but froze. By this point, all their bullets had been wasted due to their frantic behavior. So it was then at that moment that Ben stretched out his left hand and charged up an electric ball, which he immediately fired at the men.

Of course, the energy blast wasn't meant to hit them. The teen's shot only hit the ground before them and exploded with great result. As such, all the men were sent flying and hitting either the trees or ground, with the impact knocking them out.

"I-Incredible…" Seryu gasped in awe.

"Man I've almost forgotten how much I love this form." The teen hero remarked to himself while flexing his arms. It had been a long while since he fought as Shock Rock and he was definitely going to enjoy the reintroduction.

Though that blast wasn't Shock Rock's greatest feat, it was something to Seryu. By this point, the young woman was recovering and holding on to the tree just to stand. But then, just as Ben had taken out those guys, he was suddenly hit by a sonic beam that sent him a few feet back.

Fortunately, Shock Rock was more durable than he looked. He simply landed on his feet and got into a fighting stance, just in time to see who had been the one that shot him. Not surprisingly, it was the Teigu Mercenary, who was now casually walking towards him.

"So…you're the hero of the Capital I've heard so much about." The Teigu Mercenary said calmly. "Honestly, I knew our paths would cross eventually, but I didn't think it would be so soon…Anyway, you're here to save the young lady, am I right…? Well I'll hate to break it to you, but you won't be accomplishing that. Trust me…saving her would be a big mistake on your part. You can mark my word on that."

"Right…Is that before or after I kick your butt?" Shock Rock calmly asked.

The Teigu Mercenary didn't take his reply likely. In fact, if anything, the teen hero's response only made him angry and then thrust his left arm forward, shooting another sonic beam.

However, the outcome didn't work well for the mercenary. Shock Rock was more prepared for the blast when it came at his direction. Hence, before it could hit, the teen hero charged up his right fist and punched at the sonic beam with so much force that he destroyed it and sent the mercenary flying backwards.

But the fight wasn't over, at least not yet. The Teigu Mercenary was able to do a back flip that resulted with him back on his feet. However, with the way he had been shot back, he became angrier and sent both his arms forward, unleashing a bigger and stronger sonic beam.

"Don't get cocky!" He yelled.

"Ben, look out!" Seryu shouted.

The mercenary's sonic beam was dangerous, as well as terrifying. It made the earth beneath the trail of the beam to break apart with just the boom from it echoing to the distance. However, when it approached Ben, the teen hero stretched his hand out and created an electricity based wall that immediately stopped it in its tracks.

The Teigu Mercenary was instantly shocked. One of his most devastating attacks that he was certain could take down the hero was being held back effortlessly. However, if that wasn't enough, Shock Rock lifted his other arm to tighten his fist, before then sending that fist straight at beam with greater force.

So it went without saying that the outcome was undoubtedly surprising. Seryu was taken aback as she had to clutch on to the tree to not get blown away. However, the same couldn't be said for the Teigu Mercenary, who was instantly sent flying, with the same for numerous trees behind him.

By the time the scene cleared up, the result of Shock Rock's blow was revealed. A trail of fallen trees could already be seen by Seryu, whose eyes were widened. As for the Teigu Mercenary, he coughed and grunted and weakly got to his feet, where he then found his suit to be mostly ruined.

"Shit…What kind of power is that…? I wasn't prepared for that." said the mercenary. "It's already too late to run…so I'll just use my trump card to end this fight. Then once his Teigu is down, I can finish him off."

Shock Rock suddenly landed in front of him. He was just a few feet from the mercenary, when his figure stood in a frightening comparison of size. However, rather than be scared, the Teigu Mercenary raised lifted both his arms together, which then caused the two gauntlets on his wrists to attach to each other to make one huge gauntlet.

"Take this!" He shouted.

Immediately, the Teigu Mercenary fired. The sonic beam he released was different from his other ones though, as this one was of a different frequency. Hence, as he watched it push Shock Rock back, he grinned madly.

"HAHA! HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT, YOU SON OF A BITCH! IT WON'T BE LONG NOW BEFORE YOU CHANGE BACK AND I'LL HAVE YOU DEAD!"

Shock Rock's eyes suddenly flashed green. It was odd coming from the hero, but at the same time terrifying. But it didn't matter anyway. Shock Rock's body suddenly began to charge up to the point that he began marching through the sonic beam like it was nothing but air.

"I-IMPOSSIBLE!" The Teigu Mercenary shouted in shock. "YOU CAN'T BEAT ME! I'M THE TEIGU MERCENARY! YOU SHOULD'VE CHANGED BACK BY NOW UNLESS…UNLESS…OH NO! YOU'RE NOT USING A TEIGU?!"

"Right you are, genius!"

Shock Rock then ended the fight. He brought his large fist back and immediately sent it straight at the mercenary. There was no way to avoid it, so the Teigu Mercenary felt the blunt of it. Hence, when the fight ended, the Teigu Mercenary was found to be lying defeated against a now fallen tree with his Teigu destroyed.

_(LINE BREAK)_

"Oh, Kuro! You're okay!" Seryu cheered happily.

Kuro barked with an expressionless look on his face. He was in the arms of his master, who immediately embraced him to her chest with a happy look on her face. At the same time, Shock Rock finished tying up in the men by using an electric made rope. The Teigu Mercenary was among them, as he too was unconscious.

"Well, that's that." Shock Rock said. It was then at that moment that the Omnitrix timed out and returned the teen back to normal.

"Ben…" Seryu called.

Ben responded by turning to the young woman. He saw at that moment that she was staring at him with her dog held to her chest.

"Thank you." Seryu said gratefully. "If you hadn't been here…I would've been…"

"It's fine." Ben assured her. "A simple thanks is all I need. But remember our condition. I saved your life so you're going to let these guys live and face a fair trial by the Capital."

"Will do." Seryu chirpily smiled. "But can I ask you something? Why are you concerned about their lives? They're scums of the Capital that deserve immediate justice."

"Immediate justice?" Ben questioned. He was confused by the words, but then became straightforward. "Seryu, why are you so keen about their life? You're an Imperial guard right? Shouldn't it be your duty to arrest and have them jailed? Anyway…from where I'm from, we treat villains to a fair trial. It shows we're more human than them and willing to give them a chance to defend themselves even if what they've done is undoubtedly obvious…Besides, killing out of a personal sense of morality is wrong. A person can kill as many as they want, but the numbers of wrong doers will still be the same…because that person just carried their sins with him."

"I…see." Seryu said.

"Well I'll be going now. Bye, Seryu." Ben said.

With that, the conversation with the two end. Ben once again slammed his hand down on the Omnitrix and became engulfed in a flash of light. Then, when the light died down, he stretched out his wings as Big Chill and flew off into the sky.

_(LINE BREAK)_

NIGHT RAID HQ: THE KITCHEN

"That's awesome, Ieyasu!" exclaimed Tatsumi happily.

Both the teen and his friend were in the kitchen, though in different positions. Tatsumi was seated by the table while Ieyasu stood by with a grin and his arms crossed. He had his axe placed on his back as this happened.

"Yup! Finally, I'm going to get back into the action." Ieyasu stated. "I'll admit getting to go on a mission with that annoying pink haired midget is annoying, but at least Sheele would be there to keep me sane."

Tatsumi chuckled. "Yeah. Just be sure to come back alive."

"Don't worry. He will." A familiar voice replied.

Both Tatsumi and Ieyasu turned to the doorway to see who it was that responded. Not surprising, the person who spoke then was Sheele, who had her Teigu strapped to her back while possessing a pleasant smile on her face.

"Well it looks like it's time to go." Ieyasu said. But then a thought came. "By the way, wasn't Leone and you meant to go on a request?"

"Yeah, we were. But for some reason she declined my help and said she had it covered." Tatsumi frowned. It was clear by his face that he was disappointed. However, he was able to recover and smile a bit. "Well I'll see you when you get back."

"Right." Ieyasu nodded with a determined smirk.

_(LINE BREAK)_

The sun was beginning to set, as Seryu stared at it. She was still at the forest; however the place was far from quiet due to the screams and agony of men suffering a terrible fate. But it didn't seem to matter to the female Imperial guard, especially when it ceased and she turned back to see Kuro as his small self but with blood on his mouth.

"I'm guessing you're full now. That's good, Kuro." Seryu said happily. Her dog barked at her in response like it was agreeing. The Imperial guard then turned to the sky again and smirked devilishly. "Sorry, Ben, but the works of evil can't be allowed to escape justice; The same for Night Raid. I have a hunch on where I'll find them…and when I do find them, I'll bring the heavy arms of justice on them. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

With a heart so dark and twisted, the inevitable fight between Teigu users has been set into course. Will the power of Sheele, Mine and Ieyasu be enough to defeat this great twisted evil or…will they fail and be trampled by her fierce power? Well…whatever the case is, in a fight between Teigu users, there is always and certainly death to follow.

_(CHAPTER END)_

CLIFFHANGER!

I'm sorry for putting it the way it is, but this was kind of expected. This chapter was originally meant to cover all of chapter 8 of the manga, however I thought it would be interesting to have Ben be involved with Seryu to build up to a special moment. The next chapter will have the rest. This means we'll see more of Leone and Ben, as well as some of chapter 9 since it includes the big fight.

Now about the polls, here are the results.

Which version of Ben 10 do you want in a possible Attack on Titan and Ben 10 crossover?

Ben 10: Ultimate Alien – 7

Ben 10 (11 year old with master control) – 3

Ben 10: Omniverse – 2

Ben 10 (Original series) – 0

Ben 10: Alien Force – 0

TOTAL VOTES : 12

That was so close to the number of votes I estimated. I wanted it to be 15 votes in order to get to do the crossover. Sadly, with it being 12, I can't do it. Remember in the previous chapter I said "If the number of votes is more than I estimate it will be then I'll give the crossover a shot and see how it goes from there."

So it goes without saying much that the crossover won't happen. I'm sorry if this disappointed you, but that's how I'm sticking to my decision. I am grateful that a lot of you took your time to vote in this poll. As such, I will take the recommendation of a guest reviewer and do an Attack on Titan crossover, but with GENERATOR REXXXXX!

The crossover won't be decided in a poll. I'll actually be doing it. The reason is because a crossover between those two shows sounds more interesting to me than a Ben 10 and Attack on Titan crossover, which honestly I wasn't that hyped for. But just so you get a bit of Ben 10 in it, the story will be canonical to this fanfic, meaning Paradox can show up in the Attack on Titan world and mention Ben's action in this fanfic with the same for this fanfic referring to the Attack on Titan world with Rex. As to when I will have that fanfic started, I'll get to it at some point in January 2018, so please be patient.

Anyway, a review request by a guest reviewer has gotten on my nerves. So in response to this reviewer, I have this to say "Stop asking for me to do a My Little Pony and Powerpuff girls crossover? I don't know a single shit about My Little Pony, nor will I EVER know about it in my entire life. I'm a young man in my final year of university, do you honestly think I'll want to watch a colorful show about ponies?! Now you may be wondering why I'm responding this way, and honestly I won't blame you. However, this should've been expected when you requested the same crossover (word for word) in a fanfic that has nothing to do with the Powerpuff or My Little Pony. I read your first request in the other fanfic; I didn't need to be told twice. Also when I get alerted about a new review, I expect to see something that relates to what I've written and not on something that is unrelated like My Little Pony. So if you request for this again, I'll make a fanfic about your request so bad that I'm positive you and any MLP fan will hate it for the rest of your life."

Thank you all for taking your time to read this. Please be sure to review and if you haven't, please favorite and follow this fanfiction. And sorry for this being long. Have a nice day and sorry for the rant on that review reply.