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.

27. Explanation, Paradox and The Wild Hunt?

Hello dear readers! Welcome to another exciting chapter of Corruption, Murder and…Redemption?

Thanks for your support in the previous chapter! I'm now here to present another chapter! Hope you enjoy it!

Now on to the chapter!

Chapter 27: Explanation, Paradox and…The Wild Hunt?

Seryu was lying on a hospital bed with her face staring at a window next to her as she looked outside. The room she was in was in a top floor so she couldn't look down on the street unless she could stand. However, even if she wanted to, she couldn't due to her condition. Her battle with Ben had left her badly injured, as indicated by the bandages wrapped around her forehead and arms (at least what was left of it after Ieyasu cut them off) tied into a cast.

"I so want to get out here." She muttered and sighed. Then she turned to Koro who was seated not far from her. "Just how long must I wait until Dr. Stylish gets here...I lost my arms fighting those dreaded Night Raid…which reminds me…"

A flashback of Ben's face came to mind. It was enough to make her feel sad as a frown came on her face. "Why…Why did he attack me back then?" She questioned. "I thought…he was an ally of justice, but…he fought me because…I delivered justice on that boy from Night Raid…or was there something more to it?"

_(LINE BREAK)_

BACK AT NIGHT RAID'S HIDEOUT

"The Unitrix?" Lubbock questioned.

Some time had passed since Eunice explained some things about herself. Now it was Lubbock who questioned her with doubt. "I'm sorry, but from what you just said, shouldn't you be like a watch on Ben's wrist?"

"Yeah, I kind of agree with him for once." Leone said in agreement.

Eunice then explained. "I guess you're right about that. But when I was created, I was just the core. I can still return to that form, but what you see here is when I absorbed Gwen's DNA and randomized it to be this way."

"So basically you're a copy of this…Gwen?" Akame questioned. Then she turned to Ben. "Who is Gwen anyway?"

"She's my cousin, the good one." Ben answered. "You guys haven't met her, but she's part human and the only one with Anodite genes in the family. But if you were to meet her, you might confuse her with Sunny since she and her look almost the same. Sunny likes to copy her looks for some reason."

"I see." Akame said in acknowledgement.

With that, Eunice continued. "Gwen is also a wonderful girl. She and her boyfriend and Ben are basically the reason I'm here, so don't feel threatened by her. Unlike Sunny, she has kind human parents, so she's more considerate and caring of people around her like Ben."

"Huh, that sounds okay." Mine said and smiled. "If she's as powerful as that Sunny girl, maybe we would have a better chance against her."

"Anyway…" Eunice continued, raising her finger up. "That doesn't mean I'm her clone. I have no Anodite powers, and I'm more of my own person. In fact, I'm not related to her by blood in that sense."

"Then what about you being a core?" Leone questioned. Like her comrades, she was curious. "How do you look like as that anyway?"

"Well…" Eunice muttered, thinking of how to explain.

Fortunately, the blonde girl didn't have to. Ben touched the faceplate of the Omnitrix and let the thing to slide back for the core to then pop up. Then he stretched his arm forward for everyone to see.

"Her core kind of looks this." He said, getting everyone's attention. "The only difference is that it's bigger."

"Intriguing." Najenda commented with a pleasant tone. She then sat forward with her one eye at Eunice. "Pardon me for asking, Eunice, but are you similar to an organic Teigu?"

"Organic Teigu?" Eunice questioned. She was confused upon hearing that. "What's that?"

Bulat explained. "An organic Teigu is also called a biological Teigu. When these weapons were created from now extinct high class Danger Beasts, some were crafted into living forms such as the ones that Mine, Sheele and Ieyasu faced, and the one Ben defeated. They usually are in a sleep state until they encounter the one they believe is compatible with them."

"Huh…" Ben said. He seemed unsure on what to say as his arm was down by this point. "So…that's what that thing is?"

"Indeed." Bulat said. He was facing Ben when he said this. "However, don't align compatible Teigu with that thing you faced. Weapons are used the way they are by the person who wields it."

"So…" Mine asked. She didn't want to be on the topic about the Teigu that killed Ieyasu. Thus, she had a question for Eunice. "…are you like Ben? Does that mean you can transform too?"

"Yeah, that's right!" Tatsumi exclaimed with a smirk. Though he wasn't seeing eye-to-eye with Ben, he still liked the idea that there was someone with the same abilities as him.

Eunice, however, shook her head. She had expected a question like that to come up, and as such she answered.

"The Omnitrix and Unitrix are two different creations despite their similarities. When I was created, I was just supposed to possess one's ability at a time, meaning I can't have more than one like the Omnitrix. That is why I'm called the Unitrix, because 'uni' means one while 'Omni' means all. "

"But you just said now that you can possess one's ability at a time." Akame said. She was paying close attention to every word the girl had said, so she didn't seem to hold back to criticize.

"That is correct." Eunice replied. "But it's different from the Omnitrix. As the Unitrix, I'm able to copy the basic abilities of whomever I touch, though I have received an upgrade that allows me to copy the ability of anyone who makes physical contact with me."

Everyone besides Ben was surprised to hear this. Eunice looked so normal, but yet possessed such. But everyone was able to hold it in, especially as Akame asked again.

"Does that mean that –"

"Yes, I'm able to copy the powers of a Teigu." Eunice admitted. "From the data I gathered before coming here, Teigu were once living things. As such, some part of them despite being handmade weapons still has DNA. That is how I was able to collect the ability of the Teigu of the one you call General Budo and fight Sunny."

Now this was mind-blowing. Not only could Eunice absorb abilities, but she could use the power the Grand General of the empire who was feared by many without some actually setting an eye on him. But there was some who saw value in this, especially Najenda who just smirked as she sat back on her seat.

"Then this is good." Najenda said. She got everyone's attention before continuing. "To have someone with such a power by our side, the empire doesn't stand a chance. That is especially if that someone has the power of the great General Budo."

"That's where you're wrong." Eunice said. Her tone changed from its lightness as she became serious. "Aside from the fact that Sunny is with the empire, I'm not on your side even if I'm with Ben."

Najenda was disappointed. The smirk on her face dropped. "Oh, and why are you here then?"

"I'm here to ensure Ben doesn't get harmed or tainted by this world and…"

"And?" Ben turned, confused.

Eunice continued. "And to collect necessary data on any Teigu I come across along the way."

Now that shocked everyone. Even Ben was surprise as he stared at Eunice. But at the same time some felt some betrayal and mistrust before reaching to their various Teigu, except Mine since she didn't have hers with her. Akame already had her hand on her katana before Ben grabbed her wrist.

"Wait! Hold on!" He protested.

"And do what!?" Akame questioned offensively. "Your friend here is a spy! Whether she's from this world or not, we can't let anyone know about our weapons."

"I understand, but –"

"It's okay, Ben." Eunice said. Her voice was calm as she walked towards Ben. But by doing so only made other Night Raid members tense even when she spoke again. "I was aware of this happening. So please don't worry."

The girl then turned to everyone else. "I'm very sorry for what I've done! I know what I'm doing isn't right, but I can assure you that this won't affect you or your future battles!"

"What you've done?" Tatsumi questioned. He was confused until a thought then flashed in his mind and his eyes then widened. "Wait, does that mean that –"

"Yes…" Eunice admitted. Her voice was sad. "I've already collected the data. Though I am as human as I can be, I wear special contact lens that analyses and captures data of every Teigu that I've seen and immediately transfers it over to Azmuth."

"But why…?" Ben questioned. He didn't like how things were going. In fact, even the fact that Eunice was a spy made him angry when he turned to Eunice. "I'm sorry, but why are you doing this!? What's Azmuth's game?"

"Azmuth?" Mine questioned.

Aria answered. "Ben told me he's the creator of the Omnitrix. I'm guessing he's also Eunice's creator."

Anyway, Eunice answered though hesitant. "I…don't know. Azmuth never specified when I asked him. All he said was, 'Perhaps I can make some actual good from what I see'."

"Huh…okay then." Ben said. His attitude then calmed down. "Well…I just hope Azmuth doesn't screw things up this time. These Teigu are dangerous and shouldn't be used for whatever purposes he has."

"I know." Eunice answered.

With that, a silence then came over the ground. There had been mild drama with what had happened, but things seemed to relax between everyone. But then everyone turned to the back of a pillar when they heard a British accent.

"Well I guess that's my cue to come out."

And then it happened. Professor Paradox walked out of the shadows and into the view of everyone. Of course, his appearance got some reactions from everyone in the room until a certain black haired assassin decided to attack.

So even though it was brief, Akame's instinct told her to attack. The man in front of her was a mystery and dangerous considering he had possibly been listening on them. As such, she thrust her katana forward for the man's chest and ignoring Ben's shout.

"Akame, no!"

However, it was too late. Akame's katana went straight for Professor Paradox and even came close to his chest until the man grabbed it with his normal hand. However, she was then quick to counteract that by swinging a kick for his face. However, to her surprise, she missed.

A blink later and she found herself landing on the ground with her knee touching it. As for the man, he stood still like nothing happened as he looked as his hand which was uninjured.

"Oh, now that wasn't nice." He said.

"Impossible." Akame muttered in shock. "There's not a scratch on you. Murasame should've –"

"Killed me with its poison." Paradox completed for her. His attitude didn't seem to change even when he turned to her. "I know. This isn't the first time we've met after all."

Just then, another attack came. A bunch of green threads suddenly appeared around Paradox, ready to tie him up swiftly. However, when the one responsible, Lubbock, actually did it, he was surprise to feel a tap on his shoulder and then a certain man speaking close to his ears.

"That was so close, wasn't it?"

Lubbock shrieked and moved away. He was taken aback by what just happened. As for the man he tried to capture, it was the same guy who had whispered into his ears. But that didn't mean the assault stopped. In fact, no sooner than that, Leone in her beast form leapt over him with her fist ready to hit the time traveler.

"I don't know who you are, but I'm going to –"

"Stop."

"Huh?"

Leone was surprised at what happened. She was stuck in mid-air with her fist just a few meters from Paradox's face. As for everyone else, most of them were shocked as they stared at Leone frozen in time.

"What the hell?! Why can't I move?!" Leone angrily yelled.

Ben suddenly erupted into a moment's laugh. Not surprising, his reaction surprised almost everyone for doing that especially as he clutched his stomach and continued laughing. Of course, this got Leone and Tatsumi angry as they turned to him.

"What's so funny!?" Both Tatsumi and Leone shouted simultaneously.

"You guys!" Ben replied. He then stopped laughing and took a breath of air before looking over to Paradox. "But seriously, as much as that was hilarious, it's actually great to see you again, Paradox."

"Same here, Ben." Paradox replied. "Though in my case, I just met you a few hours ago. You know how time can be."

With that said, Paradox walked over to the Omnitrix user. He also then snapped his robotic fingers and removed the time effect on Leone and let her fall to the ground. Thus, the busty blonde had to get back on her feet, irritated, and then march towards him.

"Hey! Now you're in for it, asshole!"

"Leone, that's enough!" Najenda ordered. She was still seated at her seat, having seen all that had happened.

But of course Leone protested, but was denied by her boss before Paradox then turned to her with some amusement.

"Leone, still as hotheaded as I remember you." He said.

"Hotheaded!?" Leone yelled angrily.

"Leone, wait!" Ben shouted. This time he went over to Paradox's side to prevent another fight. "Don't take it so seriously. Paradox is actually a good guy. He's the reason I'm here in the first place."

"Wait, that's the time-traveler you mentioned?" Tatsumi questioned.

"Indeed." Paradox answered Tatsumi. "By the way, nice seeing you again, Tatsumi, and of course everyone here. I must say, you all are still as jumpy as I remember." He then turned to Bulat. "Except for you, Bulat. As expected of a man of your stature to analysis the situation before reacting."

"Thanks." Bulat said. "It also helped that Ben seemed worried when Akame reacted. That was enough to tell me you're a friend."

Akame bowed forward at Professor Paradox. "My apologies." She said.

"Yeah, same here." Lubbock said.

"Whatever." Leone snubbed.

"Anyway…" Ben said, taking over. "Paradox is a cool guy and a ton of help. Some of the adventures I went through wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for him."

"I see…" Najenda muttered. Then she focused on Paradox as she seemed suspicious. "You're a… what Ben calls a time-traveller, correct? Do you mind specifying that? I get the feeling we've already met."

"We have." Paradox said. He was turned to Najenda's direction as he continued. "However, I can assure you that you can disperse your suspicion as I mean no harm, General. Time for me is of a different view as a time-traveller. I wish to only assist when necessary."

"He's right." Ben agreed. "Professor Paradox is able to go to the past, present and future and even through the Multiverse. So he's pretty awesome."

Everyone was surprised to hear that. Most of them had an idea of what a time traveller was, but to think that such a man in front of them had such power in his hands was incredible and yet shocking. Even Leone who had been stubborn was loosened as she faced Paradox.

"Does that mean that you –"

"Froze you in time? That's correct." Paradox confirmed. "But I will admit my method was different from when Ben blasted Aria with the time ray at that night."

"You were watching?" Tatsumi questioned.

"I was." Paradox answered. Then he moved his head slightly to the young man. "However, I could not save them. There are rules to these interactions, and even I must follow them."

Najenda immediately became in thought. 'Rules? Then that must mean that even he is under someone or…some people. But still…this is unexpected. First, a young man with a watch that defies our existence, then a girl with a close ability to that and now a man who possibly knows everything about us…If these three were against us, we won't stand a single chance. The revolution would be crushed and the empire…I don't even know what would become of it if they had evil intentions. But since that's not the case, then this is good. I have a question to ask after all.'

"Professor Paradox." Najenda called. Though she felt somewhat tense in his presence, she remained calm. "It's an honor to meet someone of your great standards. It's not everyday people in our way of life would have an opportunity to meet such a person. But there has been something that's intrigued me."

"Oh, and what's that?" Paradox asked. He knew what she was going to ask, but he didn't say it.

"We've met in the future. Does that mean you know our fate?" She asked.

"Correct." Paradox admitted. "I know the enemies you will face, the companionships you will share and those of you who will fall in battle."

Everyone felt some tension in response. It was a reaction, as most of them were able to mask it better than others. However, Tatsumi was different. He became emotional and walked over to Paradox before grabbing him by his coat.

"Someone's going to die?! And you say it so calmly?!"

"Tatsumi!" Bulat shouted strictly. He gained the attention of the teen soon after that and continued. "Remember what I said that night! Don't get emotional! We all knew we can face in this line of work!"

"But, bro, this isn't fair!" Tatsumi protested. "I understand death is to be expected, but if we can –"

Paradox cut the boy off by patting him on his head with his robot hand. Of course, this got the teen's attention as he looked to Paradox's kind face.

"Rest easy, young Tatsumi." Paradox said. His voice was calm and assuring as he continued. "What has happened in the past was devastating, but you should not let such cloud what you have in the future. Though I cannot enjoy the thought of wondering what the future beholds for me since I already know what awaits, I think for the best you can do for now is set your sight on the future you want. Once you've done that, there's no doubt that those who fought alongside you as friends and comrades and die in the process would be smiling and wishing you a happy life."

"Professor…" Tatsumi muttered. He was surprised, but at the same time comforted as he was close to the timetraveller. 'This man…just know…comforted me. I don't even know him and yet it looks like he's concerned about him. And from the tone just used, did I just sense sadness? Just what has he been deprived off as a human being? What…made him this way?'

Tatsumi couldn't figure it out. Though Paradox seemed open, it was obvious he won't speak of his past. However, what he did next still caught everyone's attention as he removed his hand from Tatsumi's head.

"Anyway, there are some things I brought along." He said.

Now everyone was curious. However, what he suddenly did surprised and shocked them. Paradox reached into his coat and brought out a familiar two-edged axe and handed it over to Tatsumi who then began to cry he grabbed the weapon.

"I-Ieyasu…" He cried.

The weapon in his hands was of his dead best friend. So to him, being able to hold a weapon that Ieyasu once kept and used was enough to make him very grateful and smile at the object despite the tears. "Welcome back, buddy. I knew you'll be back one day."

"Oh, and I can't forget this." Paradox said and brought out another weapon. This time Mine was quick to rush over to him.

The weapon in Paradox's hand was a certain giant purple scissors. He didn't hold on to it though, as he then handed it to Mine who just clutched it tightly with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you! Thank you!" She cried. She felt some relief upon holding the weapon in her hand. "Sheele will be so happy to see you again." She whispered.

There was a lot to say about that scene. The other members of Night Raid could say nothing as they watched their two members hold two precious weapons in their hands. Of course, they understood it and didn't mind it at all. That especially went for Najenda, who then spoke up.

"You have my thanks, Professor." Najenda said honestly. "In these times of fighting, some comfort is needed. But I had assumed you couldn't assist us like this…I guess I was wrong."

"You were not wrong, General." Paradox said, looking at her "But I can say, I do sympathize with you all. I have visited many alternate timelines, some worse than the others, and there have taught me some things about life. So there are exemptions I can make, but do not expect this to be a regular."

"Understood." Najenda complied.

With that said, Professor Paradox then turned to Ben and held him by the shoulder. "Now then, would you mind coming with me to the front. I have some things for you."

"For me?" Ben asked, confused. His attitude then changed to a grin. "Awesome! Let's go!" He shouted.

Paradox chuckled in response. "Well then. Without any delay, we'll see the rest of you outside." He said.

With that, Paradox and Ben disappeared in a flash of blue light. Of course, this surprised most of them since they hadn't expected it. But then Leone sniffed the air and caught scent of the two individuals before then running outside.

"Come on, they're this way!" She shouted.

Everyone except Bulat and Najenda ran off. Now it was just Najenda and Bulat on their own, with the latter then laying his back on a pillar with his arms crossed. Thus, Najenda became curious.

"You're not going with them?" She asked.

"Nah, I think I'll let them tell me about it later." Bulat answered. "It's crazy huh? Just two months ago, we were dealing with the empire's filth and now we're involved with a kid with an alien watch, a biologically created being and a time-traveler. If I weren't so young, I would say I was too old for this."

Najenda giggled lightly. What Bulat had said was an attempt at a joke, so she didn't mind it. As such, she just took a cigarette and lit it up before taking a whiff of it to smoke.

_(LINE BREAK)_

Somewhere in the Imperial Castle, Grand General Budo lay on a magnificent and spacious bed in his quarters. Ever since his battle with Ben Tennyson, he had been taken into his quarters, unaware of what had happened at the time he was unconscious. Now he lay there on his pillow, covered in bandages from his chest and head while staring at the ceiling as he was in thought.

'I was…I was actually beaten.' General Budo thought. He was emotionless about it as he stayed still. Thus, he finally reacted by angrily gritting his teeth. 'That boy! Though the circumstance of the battle has been kept from the public, this won't change the humiliation I received! The Emperor…he certainly won't overlook this! I failed him!'

'You will never beat him.'

Budo's eyes widened until it went back to normal. He knew that voice well. It was the voice of the Beheader, Zank, who he had met for the last time before he was executed.

FLASHBACK: ABOUT A MONTH AGO

General Budo stood before the cell of Zank the Beheader with a cold look in his eyes. For time now, Zank for some reason refused to answer their questions on the young man that had defeated him. But that didn't deter Budo. He just stood there looking at the dark back of the cell until he heard a voice.

"The great Grand General is here to see me. I must say I am honored."

"Enough with your sly ways, Beheader!" General Budo said coldly. "You know why I am here. You're about to be executed, so make this simple and answer me. Who is the young man that defeated you?! What is his Teigu?!"

Zank chuckled in response. "You know, it feels really nice to be free from the voices. The fact that I killed so many is…quite depressing to me. I mean I used to get a real thrill executing scum left and right, all those heads I rolled. Then my hunger for death grew and I went a little crazy. I may be 'enlightened' now, but I look forward to paying for my sins even though I know it won't change much…Monsters like me and even worse still exist. I almost pity the young man, because he'll certainly face them. But if I do meet monsters in hell, well maybe I'll get the pleasure of making some of their heads roll before I'm subjected to eternal torment or whatever it is the damned are cursed for."

"Don't ignore the question!" Budo yelled angrily. He was frustrated as the one who knew what he needed was literally dodging his question. Hence, he slammed his fist at the cell. "What you've done is unforgiveable! I would never want a man like you to ever walk the streets again! But for once, do your service to the empire one last time and tell me what you know about him! Maybe then you might meet God before he casts you to hell!"

"Hmph…Is that so?" Zank said. He seemed a bit amused. "Sorry to break it to you, General, but I have no intention of meeting a god…for I have already met one."

"What?" General Budo was confused.

From there, Zank's voice became softer as he looked up thought for a moment before correcting himself. "Well…I wouldn't say I've met a god. But there's no doubt the boy has the power of one."

General Budo was speechless. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. But then his frustration came back and he slammed his fist on the cell again. "Don't talk nonsense! No Teigu has such power!"

"Perhaps…You are right about that, I suppose." Zank admitted while smirking, the truth of the matter being known only to him after reading the boys mind.

Now General Budo was confused. However, he said nothing as Zank continued with a lighter tone. "But the situation won't change. This world…our place in it will be altered by that young man. You haven't seen it yet, but I have. From the moment I confronted him and lost I know the fate that awaits this… rotting domain we call a city. And when you do finally face him, remember these words that I will say to you for the final time. For they shall be my last words in this world."

General Budo was now curious. He didn't know if Zank would be honest or sprout out nonsense. However, if it was a clue on Ben then that would be enough as he stood silent and finally heard what Zank's last words were.

"You will never beat him." He said.

And with that, the flashback came to an end.

FLASHBACK END

'So…he actually saw my defeat coming.' General Budo thought subtly. 'He was a psychopath, but even he saw things than I didn't. And now…even I have seen it as well. That boy…No, that young man indeed has the power to alter our lives, and so…even though I've failed I have to prevent him from taking this empire from the emperor.'

Suddenly, a knock from the door came. It caught the attention of General Budo, who sat up before the door open. However, when he locked eyes with the person coming in, he wasn't pleased at all. The person was the Prime Minister, Honest.

"General Budo, I heard you were finally awake, so I thought I could visit." Honest said and closed the door behind him.

"Prime Minister…" General Budo muttered. He had malice for the man, as he was the cause for everything wrong in the empire. However, he said nothing as he watched the man walking close to him with an amused and mockery smile on his face.

"Your defeat with the boy was unexpected. His Highness was not pleased, and I assume you heard what happened following your defeat."

"Yes." General Budo replied, not showing any weakness. "This defeat…has no excuse. I will meet His Highness and speak with him personally once I'm capable of moving."

"I guess you are right." Honest said. Then he turned to a window and looked through it with his arms behind his back. This gave Budo the only view of his back as he continued. "Did you know the young man's name is Ben Tennyson? No doubt it was one of the things the Beheader withheld from us. Maybe he was trying to protect the young lad."

"Ben Tennyson?" General Budo questioned. Now that he recalled, even in his battle, he never got the real name of the teen hero.

Anyway, Honest continued. "Yes. He is a pest for certain. Fortunately, Esdeath will have him dealt with in your place. The Emperor was pleased with how she and her new subordinate reacted to his invasion. He even offered her your rank. But she declined, saying how it wasn't entirely her doing…So kind of her, isn't it?"

"I'm not surprised." Budo commented. He showed no weakness yet again as he added. "My failure was a disgrace to the empire. I do not feel worthy to hold such a title anymore."

"Perhaps…" Honest then tilted his head to the general. "But nevertheless you are still useful to the empire no matter what. I'm sure even the emperor knows it. After all you're still alive and despite losing you still have your teigu."

General Budo had nothing to say about it. A part of him did know it was true, but he didn't want to show any weakness before the Prime Minister. As such, Honest continued as he turned and began walking to the door.

"Well I'll be taking my leave." He said. "But before I leave, just know that the incident in the Capital was a setback. The girl under Esdeath is the boy's cousin, and she seems quite powerful if I must say. So if anything, we've grown more powerful, especially when Esdeath finally arranges her team."

'Team?' General Budo questioned to himself.

However, he asked no inquiry of it. Instead he just watched the Prime Minister waver back at him and leave the room. Now it was just him alone again as he raised his twin Teigu gauntlets which have always been around his wrist.

'I must become stronger…for the emperor's sake.' He thought. His mind then went over to the time of his defeat before a strong and serious look formed on his face. He now had his resolve. 'And to you, Beheader, I will ensure I prove you wrong. One way or another, I will defeat Ben Tennyson with my own might. That…I am certain.'

_(LINE BREAK)_

DIRECTLY OUTSIDE NIGHT RAID HIDEOUT

Most of the members of Night with Aria and Eunice came outside. There, they heard Ben shout in joy before coming to a stop when they saw the teen hugging a strange vehicle in his arms.

"Ohhh I missed you so much, Time Cycle!" Ben exclaimed cheerfully as he affectionately rubbed his hands over his ride.

"Time Cycle?!" Night Raid and Aria questioned simultaneously.

"That's the Time Cycle?" Eunice questioned. Unlike the others, she knew perfectly well about the vehicle before turning to them to answer. "The Time Cycle is what you see here. From what I've collected, Ben and his partner, Rook, used them on numerous occasions to go through time and different dimensions."

"Through time?" Tatsumi was surprised. The same was for everyone.

However, that didn't mean everyone was fine with it. Akame and Lubbock already had their worries about it as they eyed the teen just ogling childishly over the strange vehicle.

"Wait, but that thing doesn't have anything to pull it?" Lubbock asked.

Paradox answered. "That's because, Lubbock, this works without the use of horses. Your world has come a nice way in technology, however the world Ben comes from is far more advanced than you can imagine."

Akame then asked. "Then does that mean that bike can –"

"Yes." Paradox answered. Though he had interrupted Akame, he continued to explain. "However, a limit has been placed on the Time Cycle."

Now it was Ben's turn to ask. He turned to the time-traveller, surprised at what he heard. "A limit? What kind of limit?"

"A limit to how much you can use it for time-travel." Paradox answered. Then he turned to Ben fully. "You see, Ben, there's another time war; this time deadlier and critical than the other one you participated. Right now as I speak, over a thousand universes in the Multiverse are taking part in it."

"Wow, so cool!?" Ben exclaimed. He felt much pumped about hearing the news, thus he punched his fist into his open hand with an excited grin. "So when do I get to join in on the fun?!"

"You already have." Paradox answered.

Ben was surprised, with the same for the others but confused. Fortunately, Paradox could understand it as he then dug his hand into his coat to bring out something.

"My apologies, Ben, but there isn't much time to explain." Paradox said. "But before I leave, there is another thing I wish to offer you. This will be very important in your continuous fight against the empire."

Now everyone was curious about it. Ben couldn't figure out what the time-traveler had in mind nor could he think of one. As such, when Paradox brought out a metal grey box, every attention was on him and the object as he explained.

"The Second Time War (or the Multiverse War as some calls it) has escalated to a point where even a person like myself wouldn't have expected." He said. "That is why we took precautions to barrier this universe and lock Alien X and Clockwork in a timer set within the Omnitrix. I'm sorry but you won't be able to access them until the timer runs out."

Ben was surprised to hear this, with the same for Eunice.

"So that's why I couldn't find Alien X and Clockwork when I was in Sheele's room." He said in realization.

"Ben?" Eunice asked. She was still surprised, but that was overshadowed by her concern as she looked at the teen hero. "You knew both of them were missing and didn't tell me about it?"

"Yeah, I did." Ben answered her. "Sorry for not telling you. I didn't want to worry you."

Eunice understood, though, she became quiet. As for Paradox, he saw this as the chance to then open the box to reveal a small green crystal in it. Ben recognized the thing, and became amazed by it, even as everyone drew close.

"What…is that?" Akame asked.

"It looks like a crystal." Tatsumi said from observation.

"Correct, you are, Tatsumi." Paradox said with a smile. "But to be more precise, this is a Polymorphic Crystal, a raw material with incredible potential and quite rare to come across. Young Ben once came across it when he fought an old foe impersonating as him."

'He must be talking about Albedo.' Eunice thought. 'At that time, Inspector 13 was responsible for it until Albedo got his hands on it and used it on his stabilizer to gain the Ultimates feature again.'

Then a realization dawned on her. By thinking over what Ben went through at the time she mentioned, she had a feeling of what Paradox intended to do. Hence, her eyes widened as her composed attitude changed. But it wasn't noticeable until she spoke to the time-traveler.

"Hold on, are you intending to give Ben back the Ultimates feature?" Eunice questioned.

"Ultimates feature?" Mine questioned, confused.

Now the same curiosity and confusion was in everyone else's mind. Something felt off with how Paradox had presented the crystal previously, and now Eunice's sudden reaction to it seemed to confirm it. It was even a bit the same for Aria, who was in thought as well.

'Ultimates feature…? Why does that…sound familiar? I know Ben told me something like that once, but…I can't remember.'

Now there was no holding back. Paradox had expected this tension in everyone despite being so calm and collected. But he decided not to address it directly as he then answered Eunice.

"Perhaps." He said, answering to her question. "But it depends on if Ben accepts it."

"Me?" Ben questioned. He was surprised, though, it did make sense for the decision to be his.

Paradox continued. "Yes, it is your choice, Ben." He said. "I cannot force you to make a decision that isn't your own. However, I will inform you that it is of most importance that you regain the feature. Many trials awaits you and you'll face many foes, some far stronger and ruthless than the other."

"I see…" Ben paused.

Silence then swept the area. There was even some tension amongst everyone standing there, minus Paradox. Of course, this was expected by the time-traveler as most of them didn't even know what they were talking about. So while there was those worried for Ben like Aria and Eunice, there were others who found this situation alarming like Akame, Tatsumi and Lubbock.

Meanwhile, there was the conflict within Ben. He could recall the last time he had the Ultimates feature. At that time, he had regained the new Omnitrix which Azmuth deemed more superior than the Ultimatrix at the time. But now, none of that seemed to matter. Ben would've taken the crystal without asking, but there were some doubts in him as he eyed the crystal.

'I remember that Albedo used that thing to regain the Ultimates. So…that should mean I'll regain them, right? But why am I not going after it? Am I…worried? I guess I am worried with all that has happened. I guess I…just don't want to fail again when I level up.'

"Hey, Ben!" Leone called out.

Ben quickly turned to her. Her voice had broken him out of his thoughts, so now she had his attention. But unlike the others, she stood with a mild annoyed look on her face and her arms crossed under her chest as she glared at him.

"Choose already, huh! I don't know what that thing is, but if it's going to help you kick ass better, then just pick it so we can get back inside! I got better things to do!" She shouted.

'Well…I guess she's not big on encouragement' Ben sweat dropped. Leone's attitude was unlike the others who just seemed to center on him. But surprising it made him to smirk and pick up the crystal from the box in Paradox's hands. 'She's right! This is going to kick ass! Besides, I've gone through enough emotional internal conflicts! Time to be a hero!'

"Ben…" Eunice called.

Ben turned to her almost immediately. Now he saw the girl approaching him until she came to a stop close to him.

"Are you sure about this?" Eunice questioned. She was clearly worried for the teen as she continued. "Azmuth was against the Ultimates feature. And let's not forget that the Ultimatrix was flawed back then."

Ben just smiled in response. "You're right about that. The Ultimatrix back then had its flaws, but it still got the job done even though it put me in troubling places." The memory of the Ultimates coming after him being the first to pop into his mind out of all other troubles.

Eunice said nothing back to him. Instead she stood and watched with concern as he turned away and lifted the crystal above the Omnitrix which opened its faceplate entirely.

Ben continued. "Azmuth didn't like the Ultimatrix because he saw it as flawed and too violent. But in this world, being a bit more violent is necessary. I promise not to overuse its ability, but right now…I have to do this if I'm going to be able to save this world."

"Ben…" Eunice muttered.

And so with all that had transpired, Ben didn't hold back anymore. He was very certain of his decision even in the sight of the others just silently watching. So he wasted no time to drop the crystal into the open space in the Omnitrix.

Now what happened next became mind-blowing. The alien device made a whining sound as green light beamed from every part of it. The sight itself was spectacular as none had seen such a rare moment happen.

But the scene didn't stop there. The Omnitrix suddenly created a huge hologram that towered over everyone before displaying every single unlocked alien in its database in front of everyone. The scene was breathtaking.

"Wow…" Lubbock said. His eyes were wide as he saw every alien displayed right in front of him. "Are those…Ben's aliens?"

"All these creatures…locked in one device?" Akame said in astonishment.

"I…I have nothing to say." Leone said. She was in the same state of her comrades. But then she smirked a bit and huffed. "Suddenly, I feel like fighting some of them."

Then there was Aria, who said. "I know…Ben said he had many aliens, but…these are beyond my imagination. With all these…he could be invincible."

Tatsumi gulped some saliva. Some of the aliens in display were ones he had seen before in his village. But even as they were shown in a split second, he was feeling overwhelmed by the number of creatures in Ben's disposal. It was like he had a company at his disposal.

Back at the teen hero, he just stared at the hologram in display. However, the scene didn't last for long. The hologram disappeared before the Omnitrix beeped and got everyone staring at it again. This time the body glowed green as it changed its size until the process was complete. Now the Omnitrix was gone, and in its place was the New Ultimatrix with a different design from its predecessor.

"SYSTEMS CHECK! ULTIMATES FEATURES ADDED AND COMPLETED! NEW ALIENS UNLOCKED! OMNITRIX CONVERTED TO THE ULTIMATRIX COMPLETED! ALL SYSTEMS ONLINE!"

Everyone was taken back, but awed at the scene. The Omnitrix was no longer in existence because in its place was the Ultimatrix. So for those besides Ben, Eunice and Paradox, it was a lot to take in. As for the new Ultimatrix design, it looked almost similar to the old Ultimatrix, but half the size. It was also green in color, but with half of it at his wrist with the old Ultimatrix's faceplate there, while the other half was at the back of his hands. There was also a black spot directed at each of his fingertips.

"Well I guess I'll be on my way now." Paradox said pleasantly. The time-traveler had nothing else to do. Thus, he began to turn away, but not without looking at Ben one more time. "I wish you the best of luck, young Ben. It'll be sometime before we meet again. Right now it would appear your own friend, Rex Salazar, is in a pitch of his own in another world."

"Rex?" Ben remembered the teen. "Wait… is he in a big jam like me?"

"More or else." Paradox answered. With that he turned his back at everyone and added. "Take care then."

Paradox then disappeared in a flash of blue light. Ben wasn't unfazed by it though, since he was used to it. Also, at this point none of Night Raid seemed surprised anymore. Paradox was clearly a mysterious man, so to expect the unexpected from him was the only thing they could do. However, that wasn't what was going through Ben's mind. The teen hero looked up his new Ultimatrix and smiled.

"It's just the same as usual huh, Rex." Ben said.

"Ben." Eunice called. She was still next to the teen hero when she got his attention. As such, she then asked. "I was thinking. Couldn't you have asked Paradox to help Sheele and Mine?"

"I thought of that before." Ben revealed. "But with all that had happened, I thought it was best to let it go. Everything will go the way they should, I guess. Besides…" The teen hero raised his new Ultimatrix directly between their faces and grinned. "…I got the Ultimatrix again, so the bad guys better watch out."

Eunice huffed and then smiled. Ben could be cocky, but he was caring even in those moments. So the girl felt no doubt in the teen's words or his belief. With the Ultimatrix, just maybe the evil in the empire will come to an end.

_(LINE BREAK)_

The sun went down before nighttime finally casted itself. Somewhere far away in the Capital, Shura, the son of the Prime Minister, walked alone in the woods. He had suffered a humiliating defeat against Ben Tennyson just yesterday, which affected his ego and his pride. But that didn't deter him from what he had planned. He was wearing a black coat at the time, when he then came to a stop in clearing.

Just then, a familiar voice cooed as a lone feminine figure stepped out of the shadows.

"Aw, did the big bad wolf get hurt that bad?" She asked. Her name was Cosmina, and she was an affiliate of his.

Shura growled lowly. "Watch it, Cosmina."

Cosmina giggled and placed her fingers to her lips. She wasn't feeling threatened by the young tanned man, nor did she bother to speak. Anyway, she wasn't alone. Four more individuals walked out of the shadowy trees, revealing themselves in different sizes and shapes.

One of them who resembled that of a samurai then spoke. His name was Izou.

"I don't get it." He said. "Why didn't you summon us? I thought the plan was for all of us to outnumber the boy and defeat him, so we'll receive approval to function in the Capital. I would've enjoyed having Kousetsu have a taste of his blood." He added by patting his sword.

"You're disappointed?" asked another guy in group. He stood beside a big fat clown while portraying a sadistic look. His name was Enshin. "I know I am since I would've enjoyed seeing his dying breath."

"But he is cute though." Cosmina said. The girl then followed that by licking her lips sexually. "I wonder what he looks like with a scared look on his face! I bet it would turn me on in a heartbeat so much that I would want to have my way with him."

The little girl of the group said nothing. Instead she just glanced at Cosmina before turning to Shura with no response. As for the clown, he just chuckled with a creepy grin on his face.

"So…what now?" He finally said. His name was Champ.

"For now we fall back." Shura said with seriousness. The attitude his new group displayed just recently was nothing out of the ordinary for him. "The process I took to bring you all together was rushed, but worth it. However, the brat I faced has ruined our chance to return to the Capital and dominate it…for now."

"For now, you say?" Enshin asked.

Shura then raised his hand and tightened it into a fist. "Yes!" He answered. "Try as he might, that bastard shall pay for stalling us! I won't have us rush things into the Capital after the incident! But when the time's right…" A devilish grin then formed on his face. "…the hunt will be on. And our main focus shall be ridding this world of that boy, Ben Tennyson."

Everyone in the group smiled devilishly. As stated already, they had witnessed the fight with Ben and Shura and the Grand General of the empire. Thus, the only thing they felt was excitement and a sense of thrill for what was to come. Ben Tennyson had not seen what the worse of the Capital had to offer. The group known as the Wild Hunt has now placed him as their most important kill.

"I can hardly wait." The silent Dorothea finally said.

_(CHAPTER END)_

And the Wild Hunt finally makes their debut! Too early? Well, that's to expect when Ben gets too involved. Originally, they were meant to join in on the fight, but I changed my mind on that for creative reasons. So what do you think of their debut? Please let me know in the reviews.

If you haven't read the Akame ga kill manga, then you may not be aware of who are the Wild Hunt. They aren't my creation. They're characters that played a huge role in the manga by being the Capital's secret police. But just like how messed up their world is, they did some of the worse things you couldn't even imagine. So any detail about them can be looked up on google. Sorry I didn't describe them. Doing that would've made the chapter long.

So yeah, the next chapter is going to return to the manga. Along with that, we'll get to see Ben once again use the Ultimatrix to fight and see how things go with the Three Beasts Warriors.

By the way, if you didn't notice, Professor Paradox made a reference to my other fanfiction, Generator Rex: Stuck in the World of Titans. It's a Generator Rex and Attack on Titan crossover. So if you like any/both of those shows, then check the fanfic out. Paradox will make an appearance in it.

Well that's all for now. I don't want to make this long. So until next time, stay awesome. Please! Be sure to review, favorite and keep following! It's your support through these things that help me to keep going!