BEN 10: RISING OF THE SHIELD HERO

CHAPTER 4: OFF-LIMITS

WARNING - The story is being rewritten at the moment so there could be original versions in the later chapters.

This chapter is a rewritten version of Chapter 4.

Thanks for your advice and reviews. I will try to improve my stories.

"Will you… punish my daughter?"

This was the question Her Majesty asked me during our first meeting. I was staring at the mother of someone who had falsely accused me. Her daughter thought of me as an enemy but I couldn't say the same. I didn't want to add more people to my enemy list. I felt uneasy so I averted my gaze… but I knew this was coming so I had prepared an answer during my flight.

"Maybe, maybe not," the Queen flinched at my answer but she let out a sigh when she heard more. "Maybe… I can turn her into a new person, a good person… change her way of thinking. And so she will be able to contribute to your country. Or else… maybe not."

"I think you are an optimist," she remarked. "You'll probably find the best in anyone you encounter. But remember, she is my daughter, but not every evil can turn good after it has gone a long way."

She didn't try to cover for her daughter. Instead, she tried to clarify her standing as a righteous person… Despite my blame for her irresponsibility at times, I have to admit I respect her for her righteous claim. Well… morally, yes. I doubt I am the same as her.

I gave her an assuring smile.

"I have encountered many examples of evil turning good, Your Majesty. If not 100%, I believe in my morals for at least 75%."

Even my best friend was once an evil monster when he was young. And now he's dating my cousin. Uh, not like Kevin became good, though. But he isn't wild as he was in the past.

Mirellia returned a warm smile.

"So can you discipline her?"

"Not now. It is all I can say at present. I can't give you a guarantee since I don't know her well enough. But don't worry too much. You already have many things on your plate to worry."

"She is my daughter but I can't trust her," I don't think I can empathize with her. "Melromarc will be fine with Melty as the next ruler, but I suspect Malty will become a hindrance in the development of the nation. She is totally the opposite of her sister. Oh, speaking of which, do you know Melty?"

"No. I don't."

Melty and Malty… Hmm, kind of reminds me of Ben and Gwen, haha. The opposite of Malty. Then she must be a pure-hearted, good-natured, and competent girl.

The Queen went silent for a moment gazing at me with calculating eyes. Then she cupped her chin as she found what she was looking for.

"Anyway… I also want to make another request. Are you OK with that?"

"Yea. Whatever. As long as it involves saving people and kicking butts. Will I have to save some villages from military bullies? Or will I have to slap some government servants?"

Mirellia laughed and nudged Ben's shoulder.

"You are hilarious and interesting, boy. My request is… Please watch over Melty. You know how Malty set you up and you ended up in a court, right?"

"Kinda. I don't know how the Church is involved. I forgot to investigate that part."

"I caught a glimpse that Malty has been working together with the Church to take over the throne. I am away… and it is a perfect situation, isn't it?"

I am sure I don't wanna get involved in things like politics. But certainly, having a bad governor is hell for the people of a nation. Seeing people suffer without doing anything is the last thing I will do. So I narrowed my eyes at the idea… I didn't like it to happen. To protect the people of the nation, first, I have to protect the future governor. Hey, it's not a bad idea.

"How much do you know?"

I made a serious face as I questioned. The Queen leaned back on her chair, her eyes wandering around the room, before making eye contact with me. Her confidence makes her royal appearance more graceful.

"Just a hunch. And you know Malty has a bad history, right?"

"A very bad one at that. I regret I pried into her mind too much."

She also put on a serious face. "Then it's better. All the more reason to protect Melty. Please protect her, and if possible, you can take her on your adventures until I am back in Melromarc."

I thought for some seconds.

"I can bring her to you in no time, you know?"

The Queen laughed. "Ha! Actually, I planned to make you two get used to each other and get engaged!"

Hold up! It's actually a BAD idea. Hmm, nah, again, think. Melty is the opposite of Malty. She must be pure, graceful, and cute unlike the seductive beauty of Malty. But I had to play a gentleman here.

So I tried to laugh it off. "Your Majesty, with all sincerity, I don't think It's a good idea."

"You have a girlfriend back in your world?" She asked without a hint of hesitation.

"No, it's not that. I just…"

Sometimes, confronting a self-confident person while you are having doubts is difficult. I didn't have someone I loved… Not yet.

Forgetting all the stress from work, she laughed at my answer.

"You can become the King if you marry her."

Man, the "King's" seat is such a despicable position.

"I don't think I want that title, ha…" I sighed.

"Aw, OK. But if you become a King and do something stupid like Aultcray, I'll make sure to get you a punishment from Melty."

I felt chills staring into her fiery eyes.

"Oh, er… I'm good. Thanks."

"And I have another topic." Her tone became serious again.

"There is more!?"

"It's not only Melromarc that has a dragon hourglass. And it's not only our country that is assaulted by the waves of calamity and monsters."

"What do you mean? The other countries have their own heroes, too, huh?"

She shook her head.

"Sadly, no. There are only four Cardinal Heroes in the world."

"You don't mean– what?" I was surprised, then, disappointed. There still were a lot of things I didn't know.

"Right. The King did the summoning and took all the heroes for Melromarc. So while we have legendary heroes to defend people, other countries are helpless… well, they have their own share of heroes but cardinal heroes have incomparable strengths and powers."

I feel she is overestimating the cardinal heroes. Without the help of the Omnitrix, I am helpless. Is a shield a good weapon? I am not Captain Cmerica after all. Other heroes have trashy attitudes, I'd rather not rely on them considering they will screw up. Their outlook on this world and its people is crappy and useless. Regardless, they will become stronger than others, though, thanks to their weapons.

Motoyasu is a womanizer and a pervert who will only care about women. Itsuki is a failed attempt to view the world with a sense of justice. Ren… I am not sure about him.

"Uh… as far as I know, they don't seem too powerful."

"But they will be."

"Perhaps. I just don't like their attitudes. I don't care about their powers…"

As long as I am capable of protecting others, I don't care about their abilities. But their mindsets are a problem. They already have overwhelming abilities. If they want to bully the weak, they can. And this is the problem. I don't wanna bother the Queen anymore so I cut off my speech.

But she didn't take it well.

"Well, that's what my spies report back to me, too. I don't also like their attitudes. We can't blame them for their defects. But attitudes are different. Like Malty being a spoiled brat."

"So what's your third request? I will try my best to fulfill their shortcomings."

She forced a smile on her face and nudged my shoulders again.

"That's the spirit. The second wave is drawing near… When you have to work with other cardinal heroes, don't help them too much. I suspect if they know you are strong, then they will just rely on you."

"Thanks. So… Am I officially one of your… underlings?"

Mirellia got up and walked to the work table.

"I can never title you my underling, Shield Hero Sir."

"... After you have made a ton of requests, Your Majesty?"

Well… I guess now I've got two allies — Erhard and Queen Mirellia.

-(TRANSITION)-

Guess what I'll do first thing in the morning?

Of course, washing my face and… uh, well, cleaning my teeth and mouth. It's unrelated but I am thinking about Her Majesty's requests. She also granted me some money though I tried to refuse it. But she was persistent, well, it's not like I lose anything. I even got to save more money! Ah, damn, I am becoming greedy.

After internally conflicting for a moment, I quickly wipe the water off my face… and then turn my attention to the flowing stream. One good thing about the medieval world is that it has many reserved natural and organic resources. The less pollution the better.

Cold and refreshing stream water. It sweeps away all my exhaustion. I was never open about my life and my thoughts – I always thought it would be fine to talk jokes, smile, and laugh all the time before the people. I never felt like I was shouldering the burden of being a hero. I had wanted to be popular – I got fame. Wanted to be a hero, I got more and more power. But in fact, one can't be a hero all the time. I got stronger because I wanted to be a hero – following my own ideal, I wanted to protect people. But I am a human before a hero.

Ah, forget it. I will catch a cold if I keep myself wet.

Thanks to Paradox's warning, I have to be cautious to not trust people so easily. So I built a wooden accommodation away from civilization.

I change into my newly made clothes — don't ask me how I got them — because my usual jacket and pants are still being dried naturally. Well, I washed them in this little river.

The armor I bought from Erhard is pretty light and comfortable. Maybe I should buy some more stuff if the quality is fine enough.

But it raises a question. What to do with magic and magic-related items? I can swing around a sword well but magic is another thing. But not knowing magic can become my major defect so I should study it!

Magic. Back in my own universe, magic is about manipulating the life force. It seems to defy the physical laws of the world — as if it transcends common sense. On that note, my Grandma is anodite, and despite that, I can't use my magic.

Ah, at these times, I miss Gwen who can handle difficult grimoires. Magic is her thing.

And now I'm gonna cheat in a "magic world" with the help of Omnitrix. I will dominate the whole world and become the next demon lord— hold up, why do I even want to be a demon lord?

"I gotta find someone who can help me with magic."

So I headed to Castle Town and wandered the streets of the city to find a magic shop.

Finally, I find a shop with a signboard indicating it's a magic shop. So I enter the shop and find a lady in black attire, wearing a witch hat which is decorated with pearls and roses.

"Oh, welcome, young man. Are you searching for a magic item?"

And on the table before her sits a crystal ball. I've seen such an item in cartoons. Witches and mages use it as television or something. There also are bookshelves in the back of the shop.

I smile at her, giving a brief answer to what I need. "Yeah, madam. I want to learn magic. Well, I've been hearing about it for some time."

"It's fine. First…"

She seems to be a good person. I've been worrying for nothing.

She continues. "We need to examine your aptitude in magic before proceeding with your study. There are different kinds of magic, such as ritual magic, healing, and support magic. So we have to find out which is the best for you, boy."

"Aw, thanks for your service. Can you do it for me?"

"Yes, it's easy, though. Don't worry," she says, putting her hand on the crystal ball on the table. "Just put your hand on this sphere. The magic crystal ball will do its job."

"Uh, okay, here?" I hold out my hand and place it over the crystal ball.

"The closer the better. You can touch it. Don't worry."

I lower my hand and it comes into contact with the cold, round, surface of the sphere.

"Oh, your aptitude in healing and supporting magic is high. And strong. Hmm, do you have anyone good with magic in your family?"

Magic… In my family, I can think of two. Gwen and Grandma Verdona.

"My grandma and cousin, I suppose their magic is strong," though it is not really magic and it's life force manipulation, different from the magic that originated in Ledgerdomanin.

"That explains it," she replies with a smile and then gets up from her chair. "You want to learn magic, right? I will recommend you a book."

She walks toward a bookshelf and grabs a thick book. Then she hands the book to me. It looks like an old grimoire with runes on the cover though I am not sure the runes work, you know, like in movies. Glowing and stuff…

"It's one of the most basic guidebooks for magic learners and it also contains many useful spells," she whispers as I open the book. And my eyes scan the words— otherworldly alphabets on the first page and I sweatdrop.

"Uh, Madam, I don't think I can read this book."

"Hmm," she thinks for a while and then smiles at me. "Don't worry. Language isn't an obstacle for a passionate learner. Our language is easy so you will learn how to read it in no time. Oh, by the way, are you one of those summoned heroes from the other worlds?"

I suspect she knew I am Shield Hero since the beginning. I mean, it's obvious with the Shield attached to my arm.

I nod at her, affirming. "Yes. Why?"

"You are the hero of the shield, right? Let me give you a piece of advice. Well, I will appreciate it if you listen to this old woman."

"Okay, Madam."

"Beware of the Church and the King. But the Queen doesn't hold hate against the Shield therefore her followers will help you. I know you are powerful, I saw the broadcast. Be careful when you are using a power that isn't magic."

After leaving her shop, I went to the inn downtown for breakfast before I once again went to the forest to upgrade my levels and try to read the magic guidebook I purchased. In fact, I found no monster on the outskirts that can even leave a scratch on me. So I'm done with the weaker monsters. I wanted to find stronger monsters.

Since I have to kill them, I don't want to kill many weak ones. The strong ones can allow me more experience points even if I kill fewer. I have slain hundreds of the weaker races.

"Hm, that lizard…"

Lizard monster… just how many lizards am I gonna see? The lizard this time is twice my height long with super slippery skin.

"DIAMONDHEAD! You are my dinner! —"

Three minutes later,... the lizard hunt is done. I have to wrap things up and let my shield absorb to evolve a useless lizard shield. At the time… I hear a voice. A familiar voice.

Elderly voice. Seemingly out of nowhere. I feel goosebumps running down my chill as I quickly cancel my transformation and look around… and I know the owner of that voice.

"Ben Tennyson."

When I turn around, I see a familiar green-skinned frog-like alien who is about 6 inches tall.

"Az– Azmuth!? What are doing here?" I am surprised albeit expected after his voice.

"Azmuth, yes. But no. I am not Azmuth. I am an AI program installed in the Omnitrix you are wearing, to help you in case you are away and he can't reach you."

A figure that looks like Azmuth is standing on a boulder with his hands on the back. Now I look at him carefully, his body is transparent and all-green, suggesting that he is a holographic projection of the Omnitrix.

After a moment of silence, the dots are finally connected in my mind. "Oh, I get it. You are a projection of the AI, right?"

He nods at me calmly. "Well, you took too long to understand."

"Give me a break. Um, now, am I in trouble?"

"Sort of. You have a popular trait of running into trouble wherever you go. I have been watching you for all this time since the omnitrix's main AI activated me when you arrived in this world."

I know Azmuth has a habit of spying on me. The Omnitrix also serves as a GPS for Azmuth to know where I am. And cameras and even recorders. Man… despite his actions, Azmuth is indeed a worrywart. After all, he is the one who saved me whenever I got into trouble — like that time I was thrown into space.

So I can't blame him. The most intelligent of the five galaxies has a different thinking process from us.

"And so you are here to lend me a hand, huh? Say, what kind of trouble exactly? Or just to insult me?"

"I am not insulting you," he replies. "You running into trouble is a fact. It has been true ever since you got the prototype Omnitrix, son."

Wait, it must be a factual insult! Ah, forget it.

"Let's get down to the business, Azmuth."

"Don't call me that," he narrows his eyes and jumps into the air, landing on the small shield on my right arm. Despite being a holographic projection, he is acting like a physical being.

"Oh…" I am taken aback. Then I lift my arm for him to see it clearly.

"This thing annoyed me, honestly… you are called the Shield Hero or Shield Devil or whatever. Shield something. However, you haven't really used this thing, not even once."

He's been spying on me all this time so he knows all the necessary and unnecessary details… Damn, I can't just argue with a computer.

"So what do you want me to do?"

He rubs the tentacles which also form his beard.

"Use it in actual combat. You even went so far to use an ID Mask every time you transform. Why not rely on your shield sometimes, huh?"

"I am not used to this thing being attached to my body."

"Then it is on your body. The holy shield is on you and you don't use it at all — then what is the point? You came to this world to help out yet you refused to take advantage of the blessing of this world! I don't understand you at all, Tennyson."

The old man is so eager to lecture me into using the shield. But I am not following his lectures. I can't still see the point.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"A shield is meant to protect people. This is what you feel, right? Though I can't tell what you think, I can know how you feel based on your behavior. Like… calculating based on your actions to find out what you are feeling."

Creepy… I feel like someone is stalking me though it is an AI in the form of an old man.

"If you don't use it, I will lock the Omnitrix to force you into using the Shield," he threatens. "It's like cheating in a game. You have a blessing. Now you will have to use it to protect others, Tennyson. You even showed off the powers of the Omnitrix for a worthless trial, right?"

It's my fault so I can't argue against that.

"Yeah…" is all I can say.

"Well, remember, don't trust people easily. And don't get swayed by their words. It doesn't matter whatever others say about you. You are the almighty Ben Tennyson. Rules don't make up society but it's society that makes rules. You can just ignore any idiot that speaks ill of you without knowing what you accomplished."

He is really a forcefully righteous person. One-sidedly righteous. He can even lead me into the depth of trust issues.

"You really are something… You talk too much."

"I have a computer brain that can squeeze dozens of vocabulary out of a dictionary in a split second."

"Too slow," I remarked. Alien internet should be as fast as 1 TB per second.

"I am a secondary AI and meant to represent Azmuth as a realistic living being."

Now I notice it, despite his talkative nature, he just sounds like an old man rather than Azmuth himself. Because Azmuth is self-centered unlike the AI — Azmuth would probably never give that kind of detailed warning. It's not that he doesn't care but just that he is too intelligent and busy to bother showing off his care.

"That aside…" he breaks the silence. "Some distress energy waves entered the Omnitrix and tried to scan it. I theorize that it's either magic-related or originated from your magic status thing."

Hmm… sure, during the status check, I saw "errors" in the equipment category.

"And what happened?" I ask.

"Nothing really, no way such a primeval magic can hack the most advanced technology in the known universe!" He proudly exaggerates.

"Aw…"

"The Omnitrix has many more defensive features than you can ever think, Tennyson. There are measures against hacking, energy manipulation, different forms of light rays, and waves. And it is designed to resist many other threats. Even if it can be analyzed, no way a medical tech can do anything with a vast data collection with unreadable codes."

Oh, damn, the Omnitrix is so overwhelming. It alone transcends common sense to a level even I, the user of the Omnitrix, doesn't understand.

"I am kind of interested in magic, though," he admits. It's the same with me, Azmuth, the same with me. "If you want to upgrade your shield, I can help you, too."

He examines the core of the shield. "I don't think I can do much though. It's programmed using runes. I need some time to analyze the system."

"That will help a lot."

"You have to use your shield more often."

"Aw, man…"

I act disappointed though he will see through me anyway. The core begins to glow faintly as the hologram touches it.

"Azmuth created countless useful technologies in his life. Many of them contributed to society despite his nature — he didn't care about others, he didn't care about the universe."

The light glows brighter and brighter. So I have to look away from him.

"Though when you became a hero, he started caring for the universe."

When I was young, I thought Azmuth was an old man who was obsessed with his own inventions. He was like a twisted, self-centered mad scientist.

The AI lets out a sigh. "Do you know what I mean? Ben Tennyson."

"Excuse me?"

"As stubborn as he was, he gave you the attention and respect you deserved. He changed because of you."

I don't know if this AI is being talkative or fond of lecturing me.

"Hmm? What is your point?"

"He created Ascalon and it was a big U turn in his life. He regretted it so he gave the weapon to stupid homosapiens — another monster arises. He isn't perfect as you think. You shouldn't make him regret calling you a hero. You should do even better for his sake."

I suppose the AI wants me to be a better hero to make Azmuth proud of his invention — the Omnitrix. Now the AI seems to have adapted to me. He doesn't insult me anymore, instead, he occasionally praises me. At the same time, the shield core is glowing even brighter.

"Ascalon was a weapon," he continues. "And the Omnitrix is the symbol of peace and diversity of the species in the universe. The holy shield is a defensive weapon. You have wielded this Trinity!"

Hmm, they aren't related at all.

"It's the time to wield the Omnitrix and the Shield on the left and right to take down evil and to protect lives."

One heck of a long lecture! Just summarize it and say "This is a gadget, be a hero," like I said to No-watch Ben!

"I understand."

He returns me a smile before jumping off the shield as the bright light rays escape its core.

"So long as you do, kid. Now, I added some handy functions in the shield. Magic isn't my thing, but I can at least increase the number of slots in your inventory storage. Also… I granted you the Alien Shields!"

He is talking as if he's seeing nostalgia.

"Alien Shields?! What are they?"

The light dies down and the core returns to normal.

"Check them out in the shield list."

"How?" I spit on the spur of the moment.

The holographic Azmuth jumps and slaps my forehead. Though not hurt, I groan on impulse.

"Ow…"

"Open your magic status and you will find the shield list."

For someone who doesn't know magic, he is awfully knowledgeable.

"Uh, okay," I enter the status screen and quickly scan to find the shield list icon. Then I find… a whole lot of alien shields!

"Too many!" And all of them are unlocked. Let's see, this is a tetramand shield, and this is a petrosapien shield. Crystalsapien shield and…

Suddenly a scream interrupts my thoughts.

"AHHHH! MONSTER! YOU UGLY DON'T COME HERE!"

We turn in the direction the scream comes from. Then we look at each other.

"Sounds like there is a job for you, Ben 10."

"Yeah, Azmuth."

"Don't call me— uh, whatever."

He disappears from my sight as I start running toward where the scream came from.

I find a girl crawling on her back. She looks at her predators with fear in her eyes as she painfully backs away. Her predators — are the large serpent monsters.

No time to waste!

"It's HERO TIME! HUMUNGOUSAUR!"

The earth under the girl trembles as a large orange-skinned bipedal dinosaur runs at the serpent monsters and punches them hard in their faces. The punches were so hard, their heads were literally destroyed making a grotesque scene.

No sooner did their heads fall off than their bodies dropped to the ground, seemingly dead.

I quickly scan the surroundings to investigate where they come from. Their lower bodies are embedded in a wide mud puddle about 30 feet wide. The mud covers all the water and blends the puddle into the environment perfectly as if the pond doesn't exist at all.

I look at the grotesque scene. "Damn, I guess I overdid it."

"AAAHH!" That same voice suddenly screams. "A Lizard monster! Help!"

This time, I turn around and see the screaming girl. I wave my hands in panic refusing I am not a monster.

"No! I am not a monster. Uh… I am an alien. See, I can speak. Please don't scream anymore, okay?"

Whoa, now I look at her closely, she looks pretty cute. She has blonde hair and a gorgeous face. She wears a fancy pink dress with a long skirt. For some reason, in my eyes, she looks as graceful as the queen is. Her body trembles in fear as she stares at me, scared for her life.

"Talking monster! You must be a magically engineered enhanced monster!"

What content are you referencing? I feel like she is talking about fantasy fiction of this world.

I raise my hands upward showing her I am of no harm.

"I am not a monster," then I point at the corpses. "See! I saved… you…"

The corpses aren't there anymore though.

I am utterly surprised as I find the corpses of the giant serpents vanished. No… that's not the case. Their bodies are… regenerated.

"Oh, no," I murmured out of surprise.

"They… Are… Already Reborn!" She screams.

"Alright, everything's gonna be okay. So please don't scream," I am sure I don't want to babysit her while fighting those serpents. I try to calm her. "Breathe in slowly, and breathe out. Okay, now go hide behind that tree. Go!"

I look at the serpents who are dramatically coming for us at an awfully slow pace.

"Why do I have to listen to a monster!?"

"Shut up, bitch. If you don't listen to me, I will eat you for good."

A serpent monster shoots toward me. I catch his head with my massive hands but it slips between my hands and bites onto my shoulder… Though not painful because of the tough hide, it's annoying as heck.

"Aw, man, before I can eat you, they will eat me," I mutter as I feel a sting on my skin. I don't waste any second — I grab the head with one hand and throw the whole body back into the puddle.

The blonde girl watches our battle in horror and then has decided to follow my orders. She runs into the bushes and hides her presence.

"Nothing will hold me back now," I am looking for a formidable opponent. I found it! Let's dance for a bit, shall we?

I cry out a growl as I grab the neck of the monsters who charge at me and squeeze them to death. Two of them have been taken care of.

But… Several more heads rise from the black puddle. I flinch at the view.

"Seven more?" Now I find out what exactly they are. "Oh crap! It's the goddamn hydra!"

Hail Hydra— no, not that hydra. This is a rare hydra monster with many heads. It can regenerate itself as long as its core is alive. So if I want to bring it to an end, I need to destroy the core. But this guy is certainly a formidable opponent.

Finally a worthy opponent, our battle will be legendary!

"I shall not hold back!" I growl pointing at the monster who shakes its heads as if it is declaring he won't lose.

My punches reach the nearest heads of the monster, which shatter at the moment of contact because of my brute strength. At the same time, I have to defend myself from the tackle of the other heads, using the Humongous shield.

"Alright, I can handle this fine— damn…" I find three serpents wrapping themselves around my legs and trying to pull me toward the puddle. "I didn't see that coming."

Growling, I leap into the air and fall down on my feet, shattering the ground around me as well as damaging the serpents. At the time, the trunk of the monster hops out of the pond because of the small quake I created.

"Gotcha!"

As I land on the ground again, I enlarge my body three times over. My now-turned-colossal fists are continuously shot at the hydra's body, shattering it into pieces.

Now I have taken care of the monster… I pant heavily and shrink down to my original size. Then I turn toward the hiding girl to check on her.

"Hey, are you okay?"

She is still trembling in fear but responds to my question with a mode.

"Are you going to eat me?"

If you phrase it like that…

"Nah, I'm not a fan of cannibalism— Oops."

I help her up and out of the bush. She is still confused but she still holds onto my hand and relies on me.

"Why do you save me if you are not going to eat me?"

I avert my eyes from her and notice blood stains on her ankle. "I saved you to not get eaten, girl. Hmm," I decided to joke around. I lean forward and approach her face causing her to flinch, frightened. "Maybe I should just grab and consume you."

"You are gonna eat me after all!"

"Stop talking nonsense like an idiot, girl."

I decided to not revert to my human form for the sake of my identity. So I just kneel on the ground and look closer at the injury on her leg. Poor thing.

"What an unfortunate injury. Hey, are you alright?"

She is staring at me when I look up at her. But my question brings her back to reality. Her response is a silent nod.

"No, obviously you are not okay. You are bleeding."

She has calmed down and isn't afraid of me anymore. I surprised her by tearing a piece of cloth off her skirt. She cringes at my actions… But I ignore her and tear the cloth apart. I wipe the blood off her ankle and let her wrap the bigger piece of cloth around her injury.

"Now, it will be fine," well, not entirely. I'm afraid it still can be infected. I made it with a random cloth.

Fear has disappeared in her eyes.

"I will escort you home. Where do you live?"

When I hold out my massive hand, she hesitantly gets on. I intend to take her to her home. So I put her on my shoulder.

"Now you are not afraid of me, right?" When I question, she silently shakes her head. But on the way, she is awfully silent. I don't really mind but it's strange… like something is lacking. I mean, she started off as a noisy, crying scaredy-cat but now… it even feels like she's got something to rely on. And that "something" she is relying on is, unfortunately, however, me.

Sometimes she would peek at my chest or the orange shield on my right forearm. The shield looks weird, it is small compared to my body. Now I think of it, I am practically naked at the moment. I may be a talking monster but I am naked. Damn, lucky she doesn't comment on my clothing.

After a long period of silence, she begins a conversation. "I am a noble's daughter, thus, you can hope for decent rewards."

Woman, you start talking after a long time and brag about your family!?

"Oh, great, I hit the jackpot. Yes, glorious me," I jokingly reply despite being uninterested in the rewards. But I'm kinda curious about her family.

No, in the first place, how the heck had this girl gotten there deep in the forest?! It's too far away from her house.

Suddenly, a group of predator-type monsters shows up and chases after us so I have her hold onto my neck tightly as I run in the forest.

"What are you exactly?"

"What am I? I'm just a passing-through adventurer. I like eating girls."

She pouts at me and gently hits the back of my head with her small fists.

"No, you don't," she tightly hugs my neck as I jump over a boulder. "You shouldn't eat any other girl but me."

"What kind of logic is that?" Damn, she is so poisonous. Don't tell me… She is being grateful to me for protecting her so she's gonna pay me back with her body?!

"I have never eaten a girl so I don't know. Maybe I like their taste."

"Your jokes suck."

I feel like the innocent sobbing girl has turned into a heartless sadist. Silly me. I place her in my hands to protect her better. She quietly sits there, apparently sulking, facing her back toward me. I sigh internally.

"How far are we going?"

"At this rate, probably next half an hour."

"Oh, great, I will have to run for 30 minutes more."

I look back to check if any monster is chasing us. Then I put her down on a boulder.

"Let's just fly to your house, shall we?"

"Huh?"

With a flash of green light, the lizard man is replaced by a red humanoid manta ray creature with golden horns and green eyes. It even has gills on its sides. The shield is now transformed into a small wing-shaped one. The girl quickly recognizes the crystal core and the Omnitrix symbol on my newly transformed aerophibian body.

"JETRAY! Alright, get on."

Screw the plan to not transform in front of her. She flinches, staring at me in astonishment.

"Get on my back," I offer her a ride. "I will fly you at the speed of sound!

She is speechless, perhaps surprised at the change in my voice.

"Just get on already. I am a nice person offering you a free piggyback ride!"

She sighs and touches my back. "Your skin is slippery."

"Don't worry, so long as you hold me tight, it will be okay."

I lean forward for her to cling to me.

"Ready to fly?"

"Ready!"

"Then… here we fly!" I extend my wings and shoot at a high speed as I begin to fly through the air in the direction of our destination.

"Whoa! It's amazing!"

"I know right. The view from above is… fascinating! Overlooking other people from above is priceless."

"If you put it like that…"

I don't always have to kick the butts. Sometimes, I have to take care of lost girls in the forest. Sometimes, I have to escort some noble blondie back to her house. Oops, I sometimes take the villains to their new house — the prison.

After some green and blue frames, we finally arrive in the area and can see her house surrounded by trees on the outskirts of a rural town. I can also find a lake in the area when scanned from above.

The attitude from the ground decreases as we descend—

"Oh, god, what did you ride home, Aria!?"

A chubby middle-aged man runs toward us, shouting a name that I suppose is the girl's name. I glide around and land on the ground, then lower my body to let "Aria" get down.

"Oh, mister. Are you her–"

"It speaks! The monster speaks!"

Of course, I speak. Now, society seriously needs to not judge a book by its cover when an alien comes down from heaven.

"Your name is… Aria?"

"Yes."

I look down at Aria. "You never told me."

"And you never asked."

Procedures to do step-by-step when you find someone in the forest:

Step one: Ask their name.

A blonde woman that looks like an older version of Aria also runs out of a manor nearby as she sees us.

"Aria, oh my god! How did you tame a monster!?"

I attempt to smile at the couple but being Jetray, my smile gets creepy, making the couple back away in fright.

"Okay, you are her mother, right?"

"Y-yes. Is something wrong?"

My left eye twitches as I scan the surrounding. "Oh, no, everything's fine," I quickly say. "Your daughter's got an injury on her leg. Will you answer me why she was in the middle of the forest?"

She widens her eyes. "Middle of the forest!? Aria, what if you got hurt!? Why did you go there?"

Seems that I won't get the sincerest answer for now. The man steps forward.

"I don't know what you are but I'd prefer if you don't pry into the matters of our family. Thanks."

I raise my horned brows at the man and give him a creepy smile with my white teeth shown. He backs away, shaking.

"I… I am her father! This is the Brambila family! Thanks… thanks for bringing my daughter back!"

He then turns away from me and starts running toward the manor.

"You will scare people away at this rate," Aria remarks nonchalantly. Her mom gazes at her anxiously.

"Aren't you frightened by his appearance, Aria?" She straight-out insults me.

"He is a good guy despite how he looks," Aria pats my wing though she doesn't even know my name. "He saved me from a seven-headed serpent."

It's a goddamn hydra!

"Th-thanks for saving my daughter. Can you please tell us your name?"

"My name? Nah, don't bother. I am just a hero with a shield. Now if you excuse me,..."

I leave a trailer and make them wait for the actual movie to come out. When I fly off into the sky, I hear a quiet goodbye from Aria.

But yeah, the story doesn't end here. Something just doesn't feel right. As I disappear from their side, I transform into Big Chill and become an invisible phantom.

Aria looks up at the invisible trail of the flying Jetray.

"Aria, where did you go?" The mom nervously asks her. "You will run into such weirdos if you go off like that. Don't worry your mom!"

Weirdo, huh… well, it's not wrong.

"I was walking around the pool," Aria's lips twitch. "A flying monster suddenly appeared and took me into the forest."

"Don't tell me… That guy that looked like a stingray—"

"No, mom. He saved me. It's a long story," Aria doesn't look back at her mother. Seems that she is hiding something.

It's not my place to meddle in their affairs. I shouldn't pry into their family more than necessary–

"Oh, he can also transform!" She says excitedly, changing the topic.

"Transform? I don't know any stingray that can transform."

Note that most animals in this world are monsters. Thus, there might be stingray monsters, too.

"Yes! He was formerly a lizard man! He was like… a gladiator! He was so cool!"

"Okay, okay, as long as you are pleased, Aria. Let's get back to the manor, shall we?"

Aria goes silent for a second as she blankly stares off at the ground. As I suspect, she is hiding something from her mother. After a moment, she replies, "Yes, Mom."

Meanwhile in the mansion—

Mr. Brambila overheard the conversation between his wife and daughter. He steps back from the window and sits down on the wooden chair as he begins to think out loud.

"A hero with a shield… The last update from the Capital said the Shield Hero has absurd powers that are beyond their capabilities. A hero with a shield… shield hero… and a transforming monster. Hmm… wait, do these all hints point at a single outcome? Shield… Devil."

He is restless. He gets up from his seat, sweating due to the thoughts of the fearsome demon king– I mean, the fearsome Shield Devil.

"Monster… Devil… He possesses a shield," he walks to and fro in his room, murmuring his thoughts. "This guy… I must report this incident to His Highness!"

Interesting. I should proceed with spying on them. It seems this old man has ties with the King, Aultcray. Right now, Aultcray and Malty rival each other in the list of the people I dislike.

Anyway, if I am right about his connections with the King, then…

"Shield Devil… He isn't just your average monster! He is the one… We must crush it to pieces. Otherwise, he will turn his fangs against us!"

When the mom and the daughter walk back to the mansion, Aria asks her mom. "What's for the dinner, Mom?"

"Go ask Uncle Chris yourself if you wanna know, Aria," the mom replies with a smug.

Mr. Brambila watches them through the window with a furious expression, though unrelated to his wife and daughter.

"It's your fault, the holy shield! The shield is cursed! The hero summoned along with the holy shield will also be cursed!"

-(TRANSITION)-

After all absurdities, I traveled back to the capital. Well, as usual, I decided to visit the shop where I can sell crystals I made with Diamondhead's crystal summoning. Erhard also bought a fair share of crystals to forge armor and weapons. Hmm, I should drop by sometimes to see the armor he made with crystals. He said it takes longer than usual.

I overheard the adventurers talking about the second wave of calamity drawing nearer. I should figure out where the monsters will attack before it's too late.

Alrighty! I will visit the place where the last wave rampaged. I hope I can find a hint there.

"Huh? What happened to my level?" I mutter, seeing my level has changed when I accidentally notice the number.

Benjamin Kirby Tennyson

Level: 35

"Probably because the last monster you defeated had a high grade."

It is the hologram of Azmuth– I mean, the Omnitrix's AI, that suddenly shows up before my eyes.

"Ah! Azmuth! Don't scare me like that…"

When the disturbed people in the street look at me, I give a "sorry" to them. Then I whisper to Azmuth. "What's the matter?"

"Ahem, sorry, Tennyson. I was going to tell you that I had successfully hacked your magic status indicator. I can just materialize myself on your screen like a hallucination. And others can't see me."

"Oh."

I roll my eyes and notice some people are still viewing me as a weirdo.

"Also, I am speaking directly into your mind so you needn't bother yourself speaking out loud. Otherwise, the surrounding will think you are crazy. You can talk to me by focusing on what you want to say. Just think it."

Man, it will help a lot. Though, I don't appreciate inflicting my brain with weird things. Silence takes over the virtual conversation for some seconds as I try to concentrate on thinking about what I want to tell Azmuth.

"So you have pried into my brain, huh?"

"No harm, Tennyson. I just want to help you as I am programmed to do so after all. For your sake, I recommend this shield…"

A crystal sphere suddenly appears on the screen. I look at the sphere— hmm, is that… It's not a sphere, but a shield.

"Right. But… Yes. It has an analytic ability that can scan creatures or people at a limited distance and see their skills and level. It's really a handy tool."

"So where can I get one?"

AI Azmuth rubs his chin which has tentacles hanging down from it. "The nearest place is the magic shop."

"Huh? The one that I went to this morning."

"Yes. Also, the shopkeeper is good-natured. So you can rely on her when it comes to magic."

So I headed to the magic shop of the old woman.

"The Crystal Ball? Yes, gladly. 750 silvers."

I got the crystal ball at a price of 750 silvers. Before leaving the shop, I let the shield consume the sphere, developing new abilities.

"Oh, nice, it adds some fancy abilities."

"Don't speak out loud." When the AI growls at me, I ignore him.

"Thanks Azmuth. But I think I should do things by myself from now on."

"I said don't– Wait, what do you mean? Are you treating me like some useless old man?"

Standing on the bank of the lake, I stare off at the river. "Nah, even I want to do things my way sometimes, you know."

"I don't understand living beings," indeed he understands but he seems to have decided to ignore my decision. "I will help you regardless of what you say. It's my responsibility after all."

"You are really like Azmuth," though he sounds like Azmuth without a brain. I mean, even computers can't keep up with Azmuth's brain. "Especially when you are scolding me!"

"Of course. Azmuth programmed me in this Omnitrix to scold you when you do something crazy."

The sunlight envelops the view of the forest. "I mean… I should be more competent on my own."

AI stares at me silently before responding to my absurdity. "You are competent enough. Don't just blame yourself because of my existence. Don't make me feel guilty for the growth of your stupidity. Chin up! I am here to help you. Don't refuse an old man's kindness."

"You are not even a living thing."

"And? You wanted to protect Unitrix from me because it took a hot female human form."

"That's… that." It's a universal law that no one can argue against Azmuth. I laugh dryly and look into the shield list to distract myself.

"Thanks whatever. Partner."

The holographic "Partner" finally gives me a thumb-up. "OK, I will get some rest. The Omnitrix can save energy that way."

Then he disappears. I select a shield out of the list — it replaces the small shield on my right arm. The new shield looks like the face of an orange balloon monster.

"Alright! Let's practice some new moves with these shields!"

At the time, I witness a glimpse of someone running off deeper into the forest. He wears a black coat with a blue scarf around his neck.

It is… Ren Amaki. Wait, did he see something?

Nevermind. I've got work to do.

-(BREAK)-

Make a list of my skills. Flirting isn't included in that list. Despite having a lot of fangirls, I am not really a womanizer. I don't envy the likes of Motoyasu though. But when I break out of the shell of loneliness, I want to have a girlfriend. A companion. A partner. Such thoughts were kind of taboo back in my homeworld. Being a hero, I had to be careful when it comes to relationships because I had to be wary of people who hated me. Now, in this world, I hope I don't have such villains. I have also become fairly capable.

But girls can't just keep up with my tastes. I mean, I like Chili Fries and Smoothies. I don't understand why people think my tastes are "lame."

Now I think seriously about it— there were girls I got close with. Like Ester. Back in my homeworld, I've got Ester and Kai close to me.

Man, it was close— on the brink of my life falling into doom. I told Ken who claimed to be my and Kai's future child (or something like that) that the future can be changed and he was from one of the other realities than mine, therefore he shouldn't think he would disappear if I dated and got married to someone else.

He was disappointed but I never wanted to be influenced by my future. It is mine to decide after all.

A fact he doesn't know is different Ken*s from different universes may have different mothers. No joke, Benjamin.

"I need to warn you about-" Azmuth suddenly appears!

"AAAHH! Azmuth!" I freak out with a cliched reaction. I was forcefully kicked out of sweet (kinda) romantic dreams.

"Hm, Tennyson, you must be spacing out. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know of the teleportation function your shield can provide you."

"Teleportation?" Azmuth used to travel in the universe on a regular basis via teleportation.

"It gets weirder and weirder…"

"I'd rather not recommend, though. But it will be useful when you have to go to the designated locations where the calamity is predicted to fall."

Hmm, it will be handy—

"Wait, it is predicted?"

"Of course. I don't understand magic but as far as I know, they have ancient techniques to figure out where it will occur. I suggest you visit the Church and library for information about recent waves."

Hmm, this man is just forcing me to rely on myself. It was what I wanted though. Alright, I've got no other choice.

"Visiting the Church is out of the question. But let's go to the library."

"YOU will go to the library. I am going back to sleep. Bye."

And so he vanished.

-(SKIP)-

The alien forms that can turn intangible and invisible have become my favorite since I arrived on this world. I have two choices. Big Chill and Ghostfreak. I can't shake off the creepy feeling whenever I transform into Ghostfreak, therefore, I am hesitant to use it. Ghostfreak is also one heck of a powerhouse in my playlist. But it… just doesn't give off a good feeling. It has many other useful (and scary) abilities like possession, soul manipulation, and telekinesis. Necrofriggians have their own share of superpowers, too.

"Let's go… BIG CHILL!"

The Church of the Three Heroes is the last place I want to go. I'd rather slay dozens of monsters than sneak around the Church just to hear the nonsensical badmouthing about me. Or talking down on the demi-humans. From their perspective, even the Queen is a bad person. Nah, I am enough of that shit. I'm not gonna anger myself. BUT…

I, however, visit the Church. I stare at the dragon hourglass trying to analyze it with the power of my shield. After registering, a set of numbers appears.

I flinch when the nuns enter the hall of the dragon hourglass. But "Partner" warns me.

"Relax, Ben Tennyson. They can't do anything to you."

"Hmm, right. I shouldn't be distracted."

"Yes, you shouldn't be bothered by the likes of them."

I am annoyed by how he knows the best of me.

"You know, Azmuth spied on you years ago. Like that time with the Kevin boy. Or every time someone hurt your family. Not to mention you desperately tried to save the universe from the brink of destruction many times."

"What's your point?"

"You are a hero, not a revenger. You fight to protect people, not to avenge them."

No matter how I say I don't care, it's my sin: my hypocrisy. I sometimes pretend to be cool… but deep inside, I am a human.

"Are you reading my mind, Partner?"

"No. Of course not. Though, I can guess what you are thinking by checking on the neuro-electricity in your brain.

"Forget it, Partner. Help me analyze the sand in the hourglass."

"Fine…" his figure flashes. "Sadly, no, I can't. This sand seems to be beyond my knowledge and the capabilities of the crystal ball. But don't worry too much. Let's leave the church before you destroy everything."

"Man, are you taking me for some villain?"

"I have calculated about 3,467 ideal situations and over 45% of them have you destroying the Church and 20% of them have you attacking the spoiled red-haired girl and the low-IQ King. And 60% use Alien X to exterminate the whole calamity thing from existence. And then you are to attend the court and receive the punishment for abusing celestialsapien abilities."

HE DID IT ALL!

"You computed the possibilities so… Can I save everyone?"

"I don't think you can save everyone. It's already too late — the first wave has happened. Though, by my standards, it's 40% certain you will save many."

Many… Not everyone. Even then it's only 40%. Such a depressive occasion.

"Can I also save the demi-human slaves?"

His figure flashes. At this point, I have already left the Church.

"It will be difficult."

And so I glided into an alley and restored my human form, then headed to the library.

"According to the Map, the library is on the other side of this street… so…"

Since using Alien X's reality-warping is out of the question. I need to carefully strategize for every event in the future. I can't just play around.

And it means I have to save Alien X for the last resort.

I have worked as a hero for nearly three years but I never really made a good strategy. I'd rather think up one during the battle and try to adapt to the situation in a short time. What's the secret of the victory? Adapt! Adapting to the battle is so important for street fighters like me.

In fact, thinking up a strategy in the middle of the battle is even more troublesome. I can't rest my mind when I do that. This isn't a game — there is no reset button.

Gr! I am nervous. Forget it, let's just head to the library.

Activating the ID Mask, I transform into XLR8 and start running, breaking the sound barrier, toward the library.

The entrance that leads to the interior of the library is a double glass door. It is quite a fancy taste compared to the other parts of the town.

The library never was my place to visit because my days were all busy with hero work. The last time I visited the library was to find a book related to history. It's not like I dislike books or the library. Due to several occasions, I never got an opportunity to enjoy visiting the house of books.

I gently push the door open and walk into the building. The interior is also well built and the art on the wall screams it's well done. Indeed the architecture and decoration are high-tier though not comparable to the Church.

When I walk past the reception area, a woman stops me.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

Her voice sounds strict, hostile, and unwelcoming. When I look back, I see a girl behind the counter. She is quite a beauty, ill-suited with the hostile look she is giving me. She wears thick oval glasses. She stares daggers at me as I begin to explain.

"Er, I am here to look for some old documents. I want to find out more about the last wave of calamity. And I wanna read some history books."

It was an honest answer. BUT I forgot to revert XLR8 back to human form thus my speech was creepily fast. The library staff narrows her eyes.

"You aren't lying then…" she somehow reads through me, "I didn't understand anything you just said though. Could you please repeat it for me?"

"Oh," I have transformed back to human form, deactivating the ID Mask. "Of course. I came here to find some documents and the history of Melromarc. Specifically about the last wave of calamity."

On second thought, she is a nice person.

"You can find them there, Shield Hero," she points at the shelves in the corner of the hall. I don't know how she recognized me.

"Ah, thanks," I walk toward the shelves without another word. But I can still feel her stare on my back as I reach for the books.

Books. What do I find here?

Aultcray had a really bad history against the holy shield. No wonder he hates my guts. But still, I can't gather enough information about their past because the knowledge stored here is limited. It's like someone from the higher authority removed the evidence against them at some point. Typical brainwashing, huh…

We have… books about the three holy heroes, the religion of the three holy weapons, and… cultivating the reason to hate the shield.

It makes me wonder why the librarian lady allowed me in despite the King's influence on literature and history.

What angers me are the books that encourage human supremacy and discrimination against the demi-humans. Nah, I am not offended by nonsensical discrimination. BUT calling someone's race "low-lives" is such an insensitive thing to commit. I gently put down the books to not anger the librarian accidentally.

Now then, the question is… what percent of this country hates my guts?

Nearby countries I found in the books were Siltvelt, Zeltoble, and Shieldfreeden. The information about other countries is also not much here. Interestingly, some countries have a hostile relationship with Melromarc. Especially Siltvelt.

According to the books, there are two types of non-human sentient species in this world— beastmen and demi-humans. I presumed all non-human species were called demi-humans but it seems I was wrong. To distinguish them easily… demi-humans look more human and beastmen look more beast. Demi-humans are basically humans with animal characteristics, and beastmen are bipedal beasts.

"This is difficult…"

Siltvelt. A country that was formerly under the rule of the four great races — Hakuko, Genmu, Shusaku, and Aotatsu. Interestingly, their names are kinda… Asian. Gwen might know something but I'm not good with languages, unlike Gwen. I screwed up even with the universal translator.

(A/N: He is referring to an episode in Omniverse where he spoke Spanish but never really meant what it was.)

But after the doom, they fought Melromarc and the Hakuko's forces were vastly devastated. As a result, they, as a race, descended from a position of authority but still hold some influence. Those of the Shusaku race tend to be pro-Shield Hero radicals while those of the Genmu race are more moderate. The middle-of-the-roaders prefer not to lean too much on the hero while the radicals dedicate themselves to the hero. The previous Shield Hero met his end in less than a month in Siltvelt. Whether he was weak or struck down in a conspiracy is unknown, and Siltvelt had difficulty accepting it.

The documents about Shieldfreeden aren't much. But both the Siltvelt and the Shieldfreeden people seem to worship the Shield Hero.

"Az– Uh… Partner?"

"What do you need?"

The hologram of Azmuths appears in front of him, sitting on the shelf.

"I need all these books copied. Can you analyze it?"

AI Azmuth facepalms and hops onto my shoulder.

"Uh… how troublesome of you. OK, OK, I will help."

END OF CHAPTER (4).

Thanks for reading and writing reviews.

Christopher Paradox Chronos.