Ben 10: Rising of the Shield Hero

Chapter 1: The Arrival of the Summoned

Notice: This is the second rewritten version of the first chapter. The author's notes are put after the story.

— — —

In the vast and unseen realms of existence, there are worlds of fantasy, science fiction, and the incredible magic that human imagination can conjure, unknown to mortal beings. And then there was a young man, who possessed the greatest power in the universe and was tasked with maintaining peace among the countless species in the galaxy. This is his tale of adventure as he takes on the mantle of the Shield Hero, defending other worlds and trying to protect all those within them.

His name is… Ben Tennyson.


"It is within your abilities to change the fate of the living things. Not just thousands, not just millions. You can change the fate of anyone and everyone within your reach. All you have to do is…"

I have to believe I can do it.

Laughable. That Japanese man in the library, opening that particular book, had no idea what was going to happen. That book was titled "The Four Cardinal Weapons."

As I stepped out of the portal, he absolutely lost it - his eyes bulged out of his head, mouth agape. In his panicked state, he nearly tumbled backward, toppling over his wooden chair, but I grabbed his chair in time.

That man was Japanese, in his early 20s, and quite good-looking. He looked up at me with his sharp green eyes but he didn't seem to recognize me. I even had on my signature green jacket with white stripes on the right sleeve and a big white line running down the left. On that line was a black circle with a "10" written in white, proudly showing off that I was the renowned Ben Tennyson. But, no way he'd know me.

I was in another world, after all. This world didn't have a Ben.

I scanned the interior. There were only three: him, me, and the librarian woman in this library.

"Hey, could you please let me read this book first?"

Seeing his panic, I quickly enabled the universal translator and repeated my words.

"Y-yeah…"

He was still in a state of panic and confusion but he handed the book to me anyway. I smiled and patted his shoulder.

Naofumi Iwatani. Your fate has been changed.

"Thanks, man."

He nodded politely in response.

When I opened the book, I knew that something would definitely happen. Yes, it unleashed bright white light that enveloped my body and sucked me into the book itself.

"What the hec—" (not me, it's Naofumi)

Then it would drop to the floor, causing Naofumi to get a scolding from the librarian.

Well, anyway, that was how my story began.

My vision went blacked out due to the sudden change in environment and I instinctively knew that I had been transported to another unfamiliar place.

Inside this building where I was, sat a circle-shaped altar, likely used for some sort of ritual before my arrival. Correction: our arrival. I wasn't alone; three young men stood next to me, so I concluded they were also "transported" here. They, too, were wearing modern attire in contrast to the ones surrounding us. One panicked, the second acted cocky, and the third one checked out his surroundings with seemingly observative eyes.

I am a typical Ben Tennyson, with brown messy hair and emerald-green eyes, and admittedly, I am somewhat good-looking. No, I am not exaggerating in any way. I am indeed handsome, plus somewhat athletic.

I was dressed up in my signature green jacket with a black shirt underneath, paired with dark-blue pants. Beneath the left sleeve of my jacket lay the Omnitrix— a digital wristwatch-like device with a square black faceplate with two green outlines forming the hourglass-like symbol. It is not part of my fashion, but my body. This is enough to prove I am the Ben Tennyson, right?

"Where is this place?"

One of the three said out of anxiety. So naturally, I glanced at him, who had a sword in his hand. Unexpectedly, it seemed I was the only American here, and they were Asians. Well, I robbed this party ticket from a Japanese man after all. It was probably an Asian-exclusive party, I guess.

And don't we look… ridiculous? Each of those three had a weapon in their hand; that black-haired sword boy, the blonde one with a spear, and the third with light-brown curly hair held a bow. For me, it was a small shield attached to my right forearm.

Hmm, I suppose the spear guy is the oldest out of those three and the sword guy is the youngest. I don't really care though.

We were surrounded by European-looking people in either hooded robes or metallic armor, creepily observing us while cautiously keeping a distance. Their attire was medieval for sure, matching the medieval-style architecture of the interior of this very building we were in.

"Ooh, Please brave heroes! Please somehow save this world!"

One of them spoke English, much to my relief; at least I'm going to have to deal with the language barrier. Or so I thought, maybe the Omnitrix automatically translated their words into my language. Come to think of it, didn't I just understand that Asian guy as well?

"""What?!""" The three young men next to me exclaimed almost in unison.

That startled me. I've got the gist of what had happened here before our arrival, but it seemed it was a lot of them to take in. I decided to keep my cool and analyze the situation. When you are in an unfamiliar environment, it's best to get yourself prepared, right?

Well, to be fair, I have crossed over to unfamiliar worlds before, unlike these young men who I assume never had such an experience. I am not exactly looking down on them but that was the truth. I was cautious, not just for myself but also for their safety.

The words of an old friend flashed back into my mind.

"No spoiler anymore, Benjamin. I've told you more than enough."

"To put it simply," the same man from the medieval side continued. "Due to various circumstances, we were able to summon you, Brave Heroes, through an ancient spell."

Imagine getting summoned right after traveling to another world.

Ancient spell… they said. It led to the fact that this was a world where "magic" existed. It immediately reminded me of Gwen and my grandma, of course.

As I observed the Asian youths understanding the robed men, it was clear that they comprehended their words, despite the men's foreign appearance and the possibility of them speaking a language unfamiliar to them. I speculated it was either that they were all speaking English or the medieval people had been speaking Japanese all this time.

"Summoned!?" exclaimed one of the other three.

"This world is currently facing a global state of crisis. Brave Ones, please lend us your might."

The robed man bowed deeply to us while saying so. But the youths responded to the humble request in quite an unexpected way, much to my annoyance.

"What a pain."

"Is that so?"

"Can I just go back to my old world? I already heard this kind of story before."

I frowned at them for a brief moment. Of course, their reaction practically angered me. But I quickly recomposed myself. Is it even the right thing to do, to just explode my anger in their face? No. I shouldn't judge them from the first impression. I felt my anger roll up my throat, but I swallowed it and quietly read the room.

It's not that they were wrong. I was just too right, I guess. It's not like everyone fights the villains for love and peace on a daily basis, not like everyone faces tragedy and catastrophes. I could laugh at myself for even getting furious over such a trivial matter.

It's just the way people are. People, humans or not, are products of their experiences and surroundings. When faced with adversity, some choose to confront it, while others seek alternative solutions.

At that moment, I was prepared to singlehandedly protect the entire world. Yes, as long as I had the Omnitrix. This is what you call "Overreliance," isn't it? However, I know if there is a villain even for a short time, these three will be steered back onto the right path.

"Tsk," I grunted quietly.

Suddenly, the room went silent. I had grasped everyone's attention, enough to play a short-term villain.

"What?" I shrugged and grinned cheekily, staring at the three "heroes." That drove the gazes away though.

At this point, the three "brave ones" understood that I was mocking them. Otherwise, they were just dumb.

"Aren't you people responsible for summoning us without our consent?"

The sword guy spoke up, his weapon pointing at the robed men as to intimidate them. I knew they were going to change the subject of this exchange. Communication at its finest.

"For instance, we won't just fight for world peace and then return to our old world empty-handed, right?" The guy with the bow scowled in the robed men's direction. "You guys don't seem to take much consideration into our own plans, do you? Depending on what you have to offer, we might end up becoming this world's enemy instead, got it?"

I see, they were asking for rewards. I wasn't angry with them anymore, nor did I have the right to complain about it.

Great power doesn't make a hero. I can confirm that. When I was younger, I used to dream of becoming a "hero" after obtaining great power. However, I had often used my power for selfish reasons, destroying relationships, or seeking attention. It's tough to find a genuine "hero," right?

"Well first, I'd like you all to have an audience with the King. We can discuss your reward then."

The representative of the robed men opened the large double door to guide us through.

"Guess it can't be helped."

"Right."

"Duh, the guy we'll be meeting changes, but I bet the story's still the same."

I heard the complaints of the three and chuckled. Guess everything is going smoothly, right?


— — —

Well if everything is going smoothly, let's take a break for a short flashback.

The universe was peaceful. But the criminals were still crawling in the darkness out there. Shut, I am not a workaholic, not yet, unlike Ben 10,000. Let me have some "peace" of the universe as well, right.

After all, I had to travel to the very beginning of the time, no, the time before the existence of the universe and the time itself to recover that "peace." Neither a time war nor a biomechanical villain who wanted to own the world would hinder me anymore! For now, I guess I will take my sweet time relaxing my exhausted brain before setting off on a space journey with my trusty partner, Rook.

What is the best way to relax one's mind?

Of course, sitting at a smoothie shop. Smoothies are a good way to cool your mind down— ahhh, brain freeze. My banana-flavored drink shocked my brain through the nerves in my teeth. Should I pay my favorite dentist a visit?

"Bad for you, Rook. Smoothies today taste better than yesterday's."

Ugh, I never knew day-offs could be this boring. I mean, I had been fighting thugs and protecting civilians on a daily basis, so I almost never had a proper day off in a sense. It's refreshing to spend my day as a normal person, for real.

"Young Master Benjamin."

This familiar male voice made me want to jump out of my seat instinctively.

"Oh, it's just you, Professor Paradox."

Please don't sneak up on me like that.

Paradox was wearing a white lab coat and a pair of green goggles around his neck. Guess he changed back to his old fashion (?). His British accent is still British.

"How is your day, Benjamin?"

Everything around me had been frozen and motionless, suspended in a single moment. I recognized that feeling: Professor Paradox stopped the time itself to avoid interference.

"Yeah, it's all good. Thanks. If anything, maybe it's a little boring. But isn't it nice to take a break every once in a while?"

I jokingly said, knowing Paradox must have an interesting reason to visit me. Paradox is a busy kind, so he wouldn't arrive to me without a good purpose.

But he responded to my words with an unreadable expression. As always, it is hard to see through him. Well, I am used to it.

"Hmm, I'd say it's a coincidence," he chuckled. "I'm here to have a talk with you about something rather fascinating that caught my attention. It's sure to tickle your fancy and put a stop to that dreary boredom."

He was obviously baiting me, right? Why couldn't Paradox just stop sounding so suspicious? Though, I was baited anyway.

"I'm interested."

It's not like I have anything better to do. I quickly gulped a sip of my drink before listening to his story.

"It's quite extraordinary, really, something that extends far beyond the boundaries of this vast Omniverse. There are alternate realities in which versions of you and I simply never came to be."

Basically, the universes without me. One reality came to my mind: Generator Rex Salazar's timeline. Though, why would he word it in such a fancy way?

"Many worlds out there have superheroes to protect lifeforms and laws," he continued. "And some don't. Several of these worlds accommodate the mortals who find themselves battling against the most arduous and challenging circumstances in order to survive."

He addressed it in such an attractive yet somewhat frightening way.

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Indeed, the issue isn't particularly pressing. There's no need for us to intervene," he said. "But your help will be much appreciated. Also, it's nothing you can't handle, I guarantee. You can regard it as a nice vacation adventure."

The professor pulled out his Chrono Navigator watch and took a quick look at the time.

"I will take up on your offer, Paradox," I replied.

He put the watch back into his pocket and snapped his fingers, summoning a holographic monitor.

"Then let's have a quick preparatory lecture before doing the fieldwork."

— — —


We were escorted into the castle's throne room, where the King and his court awaited our arrival. The armored knights stepped aside to grant us a private audience with the King. As a sign of respect, we bowed in salute to His Majesty.

And apparently, we were…

"Are these successors of the Ancient Heroes? I am the King of this nation, Aultcray, the thirty-second ruler of Melromarc."

The King's voice was masculine and calm. Guess you can't really judge the confidence of a nation's ruler.

"Brave Heroes, please raise your heads."

His Majesty Aultcray Melromarc XXXII was sitting on the throne, dressed up in a gracious outfit made of ornate garments and fabrics, decorated with a few jewels. His hair and beard were white, indicating his old age— probably older than I initially thought he would be. But he still seemed to be a confident king.

The King silently observed us for a brief moment, probably checking us out to make sure that the heroes they summoned weren't bad people. Well, that was what I thought. When his gaze fell upon me, I kinda realized he wasn't just simply observing us.

I immediately knew that his eyes treated me differently from the other three. I knew that gaze was meant to intimidate me. Yeah, I thought of ignoring it but…

Hmm, is it intriguing, right? There is more than meets the eye. Were we summoned just to play Superheroes in this world? I am not observative enough to see through the facades and figure everything out. But precaution isn't so bad. For now, I will just be more careful but ignore his suspicious glare anyway.

However, the three heroes didn't even try to act humble in the presence of the King: they were still "high" on the fact that they were summoned as heroes, disregarding that they arrived in a completely unfamiliar world, surrounded by knights and guards.

Here I had a funny thought. What if King Melromarc decided to execute us because of their disrespectful manners? It'd be a pain to get these three outta here.

"Now then, let me explain our situation. This land and this entire world are facing their demise."

To summarize what His Majesty told us, there was a prediction that the world was going to end. Yes, a prediction. A foretell. It said something was going to ruin the world.

If someone just told me to believe in such baseless predictions, I wouldn't believe it. But well, something strange enough had happened. We were summoned to this world. If there exists a spell so powerful it can transport people from the other dimensions, that prophecy could be true. It was ridiculous, but I had no other choice.

So what would destroy the world?

They said the world would be assaulted by the Waves of Catastrophe, which would turn everything to ruin one day. To save the world, these waves must be repelled before they could be dispersed. And this era marked the prophesied year.

"Excuse me, what is a Wave of Catastrophe?"

I asked a question. The room went silent for a moment as His Majesty paused, and the heroes waited for an answer.

"Ahem, we have a giant, ancient hourglass that continues to drip down ceaselessly."

He just kinda skipped my question. Oh, maybe I accidentally disrespected him, I guess. I better be careful.

"... That Hourglass forecasts when the waves will fall. It began its warning a month ago. According to the legends, each wave will fall in roughly one-month intervals."

Initially, the residents of this country were not too concerned, over the prophecy. Unfortunately, it was true. As prophesied, when the hourglass had completed its first turn, the disaster occurred— which was the first ever Wave of Catastrophe.

The first sign of disaster was… a dimensional crack that appeared somewhere in Melromarc, where hideous and brutal demons crept out in overwhelming quantities.

"Our adventurers and knights barely managed to repel them. However, the next incoming wave is predicted to be… even more powerful."

I wanted to ask him what an adventure is. I suppose an adventurer is a person seeking adventure. I don't know if fighting monsters is such a thrilling experience.

Anyway, it seemed the worst-case scenario was about to occur. At this rate, the disaster won't be repelled. It's impossible to just rely on their "adventurers" and the national military power. That's why they summoned us— the successors of legendary heroes, or so we were called.

"I understand your dilemma. But who gave you the right to summon us into doing manual labor for free?"

"That is one hell of a convenient story."

"… Even if that is the case, and this isn't me being selfish or anything, if this world is going into ruin then let it be destroyed. This matter doesn't even concern us."

— it was how the three heroes responded.

I was conflicted. From my perspective, I wouldn't stand their arrogant, egotistical reponse, but I am just being selfish. From their perspective, they were just normal people until a while ago. Were they randomly summoned? I don't know. I know nothing of their origin, so I'm in no place to judge them.

"... if this world is going into ruin then let it be destroyed…"

However, I can't just let it go. Not after someone has asked us for help. His Majesty may not be the most humble person around. But he requested us to save this world. For me, yes, it's enough reason to save the world. All because it's within my reach.

"Ahem, His Majesty, if I may."

The King didn't reply. But since no one interrupted me and the three heroes paused their complaints to hear me out, I spoke up.

"I'll be frank. We need to get paid."

It was a direct but necessary push. I didn't want to go around the bush.

"... it's what they are asking for, probably," I looked at the three heroes. "They need to be provided with reward and wealth to protect your people."

"What?!" One of the three exclaimed in response.

"Ahahaha, I see, I see," His Majesty laughed in response to my proposal.

"So what about you? Then are you satisfied with some snacks or nothing?" A hero called me out.

"It'd be hypocritical of me to say I am," I replied nonchalantly. "But this is about you guys. Tell them what you want. I am pretty sure they will do everything to get us as their heroes."

I know an old, illegal technique to make money, to be honest. I mean, no, it's nothing harmful. Ahem, it's just, you know, making a fortune out of the crystals produced from Diamondhead's body.

"I had already made arrangements to aid your cause with money," His Majesty interrupted us. "And surely, since the Brave Heroes will be protecting our world, I have already prepared a fitting place for you, heroes, to rest."

Sadly, it doesn't just calm down the heroes. Arghhh, my villain act had been for naught?!

"Don't think that we can be tamed with only this much though. You'll have to continue giving your cooperation if you don't want us to turn rogue."

"… That's right."

"Right~"

Just make sure your own greed doesn't tame you, buddies.

"Well then, Heroes. Let us hear each of your names," said His Majesty.

The Sword Hero stepped forward and began his self-introduction.

"My name is Ren Amaki. Age 16, a high schooler."

Now that I had a good look at him, Ren was a handsome young man. A flower boy for sure. He was a bit shorter than the other two, and his short black hair seemed to be combed and well kept. With his blue eyes and white skin, overall he looked like a slender swordsman. Judging from his appearance and name, I concluded he was Japanese.

"Okay, next up will be yours truly. My name's Motoyasu Kitamura. 21 this year, a university student."

This guy is also Japanese. At first glance, this guy is totally a carefree, handsome playboy, right?! He was already naturally handsome, but his face looked refined. And behind his head, his long blonde hair was tied in a ponytail! Is it… a trendy hairstyle in Japan? Though, his hairstyle somewhat looks cool with that spear.

"It's my turn next. My name is Itsuki Kawasumi. 17 right now, another high school student."

He is also Japanese, right?! This guy is also handsome, I guess. A few curly hair strands made him look like he had a wavy perm hairstyle. His weapon was a bow.

I stepped for my own self-introduction.

"So it's my turn, my name is Ben–"

"Ren, Motoyasu, and Itsuki, huh?"

The King straight-up ignored me. The three heroes also flinched: they didn't expect it. And I wanted to run around screaming.

I felt like I arrived at the wrong party. Arghhh, how embarrassing. Whatever, forget it, fricking brain. I shrugged off the gazes of the heroes, hoping they wouldn't call out the King. They didn't.

I didn't say anything, out of respect for the King, but I don't really fear anything at all. I felt offended, and a little angry, but what, I was just a teenager they summoned to save their world. I know it is no way to treat the one you regard as a hero, but it's alright.

"Now then, everyone please confirm your own status. As a matter of fact, I would like you all to visually check for yourselves."

Ren stared at me for a moment, lost in his own thoughts, before gently shaking his head and looking away. He stole a glance at the King but didn't speak out— I mean, even I myself took it well. He had no reason to stand up for me after all. The other two just didn't care. Not that it matters.

"Just what is this 'Status'!?" (Motoyasu)

"Eh, how do I go about seeing this?" Itsuki timidly asked for the king's guidance.

For that, I also wanna know.

"Huh? You guys didn't even notice that much after coming to this world?"

Ren was the one who scolded us though he himself was shocked that we didn't know what he knew.

I muted myself and paid attention to him.

"Well whatever, do you see that icon in the corner of your vision?"

As he said, there was a weird, dim icon sitting along the edge of my vision, all this time! How did I miss it?! This is, what? Is there a contact lens? I have never even used contacts.

"Focus your mind on it and you'll see."

When I did as he instructed, the icon magically lit up— turning into a screen with bigger icons as if a holographic computer popped up into my vision.

Not the weirdest thing I've seen, but I am intrigued. Where did it even come from? Is it projected from my eyes? Or from my brain?


Benjamin Kirby Tennyson

Occupation: Hero of the Shield

Level: 1

Equipment: Small Shield (Legendary Armament), Parallel World's Clothes, Unregistered Device (Error)

Skill: None (Error)

Magic: None


Uh, yes, my status is full of "errors". Good. It's weird and not as simple as Sumo Slammers. But the way how one's body features and outfit could be shown by the "Status Monitor" (or whatever) was interesting and terrifying at the same time. That said, I speculated that by unregistered device, it must have meant the Omnitrix— but it was too complex of a device for the monitor to scan overall.

Though, isn't the "Hero of the Shield" title so cool?

I looked at the other heroes to check if these "errors" only happened to me. I mean, the fact that these things appeared on my status is worrying, right? It can probably mean something's wrong with me, after all.

"Level 1 huh… this doesn't look very reassuring."

One of the heroes complained.

"Right, I don't even know if it's possible to fight like this."

"That's exactly what I meant."

Well, they were right. Despite what Paradox told me, I wasn't certain if this "level 1" could affect my alien forms.

"Tools like these don't exist in your world, Heroes? This Status magic can be used by everyone in this world, helping to improve ourselves."

"Is that so?"

"So then, what should we do now? Our current values seem rather troubling."

If my forms share the stats with me, oh crap, I am doomed. Attack Power 1?! Are you kidding me?! Imagine Humongousaur punching something only to deal 1-point damage! Defensive stats were, however, impressive for a level-1, compared to my attack damage. Is it because I am the Hero of the Shield?

When my troubling eyes met Ren's, I smiled at him in response… awkwardly. It seemed other heroes were also disturbed by their stats.

"Relax, guys. Look, this is only the beginning!"

I tried to cheer them up. Admittedly, I was a "glass-half-full" guy, but it's not like complaining would do anything.

The King and three other heroes turned their gaze at me.

"But what can you do if you die at the start? Game over and Retry?"

Itsuki said in a hostile tone.

"The Omnitrix won't let me– er… sorry, but I think we can work it out to… upgrade…"

I realized I was the only one who thought it was alright. My voice diminished and the room was taken over by the awkwardness. The annoyed heroes looked back at the King.

My voice gradually faded and disappeared.

"From now on, you Brave Heroes will need to venture forth so that you may hone and strengthen both yourselves as well as your legendary armaments."

"Strengthen? Does that mean that our starting equipment isn't strong enough?"

"Yes, the legendary weapon of each summoned Hero has its own special method of enchantment. By doing so they can become very powerful."

"Legend this, legend that. It's fine not to change weapons as long as it can function properly as a weapon, no?"

Motoyasu whirled his spear around while commenting. I looked down at my small shield. Wait, this thing is even a weapon?

Azmuth would often say Omnitrix isn't a weapon as well: but if you use it to beat people up, it just kinda becomes one. I mean, technically. Unsure of the small shield's potential, I considered the possibility of its magical nature granting it greater power than expected.

"That doesn't matter right now, so we can leave it for later. More importantly, what we need is to improve our own abilities, right?" one of the heroes asked.

I wondered how these heroes would consider this world.

"So are we a team, yet?" I asked excitedly but the King continued to explain them, ignoring my question.

Arghhh, already taking emotional damage!

"Each of you Brave Heroes will need to recruit your own companions and begin your adventures separately."

Grr, I thought I could be in the same team as those guys and boss them around, bruh.

"And the reason for that is?" One of the three demanded.

"Yes. Legend has it that the legendary armaments will reject one another should you Brave Heroes band together, disrupting both the wielders and the weapons' progress," one of the King's attendants explained.

"I don't really get it, but if we act together, we can't increase our power?" Itsuki asked.

I internally sighed as the other three exchanged glances among themselves. Whatever, if things didn't work out one way, try another way. Finding a friend or two shouldn't be difficult.

"Allow me to prepare your companions," the King said. "At any rate, the sun is already beginning to set. Brave Ones, please take your time and rest for the day. You may depart for your journey tomorrow. During that time I shall make arrangements and scout for talented individuals who can accompany you on your destiny."

For now, I ignored the King's dangerous glares and quietly left the castle with others.

— — —


We were escorted to the privileged place we would have to stay for the night. The servants and knights treated us really well as if we were the sons of some high-class noble family.

That said, I felt distant from the others. I don't really care about what they think of me, but since I kinda ticked them off in front of the King, I am sure I didn't leave a good impression on them. Also, have they realized that I am the renowned Ben Tennyson?

"Hey, Tennyson Ben, is that your name?"

Motoyasu approached me first.

"Yes, I am Ben Tennyson."

It was inevitably awkward. But I could see Motoyasu as a social person. His tone wasn't particularly friendly but did he identify who I am?

"Call me Motoyasu," he said. "Do you miss home already?"

"No, I don't," I replied, raising a brow. "I had been living alone for a while."

"Oh, I see, hahaha. We three are Japanese, and are you an American?"

Hmm, how strange. Does he not recognize me?

"Well, there are times when I am not American," I said half-jokingly.

I transform into extraterrestrial life forms after all.

"Your Japanese is really good, though," Itsuki said.

"Maybe he lived in Japan," Ren commented. "It's not that rare to see Americans in Japan."

"Really? I have never really seen that many myself," Itsuki replied.

Of course, I am good with it. The Universal Translator function of the Omnitrix had been automatically translating my words to others, so much that they would feel like I had been speaking the fluent language.

Itsuki and Ren don't seem to recognize me as well. I'd say I was a little surprised. But it's all for the better: I was getting tired of the superhero celebrity life after all.

"I did learn Japanese from my ex-girlfriend, but I lived in… New York. I love Japan and Sumo Slammers, yay."

They suddenly went quiet.

"Sumo what?" Motoyasu asked.

"Sumo Slammers. Don't ya know, it's such an amazing game," I claimed.

"Oh, it must be a game when Sumo wrestlers slam each other," Itsuki said, with a guess. "I've never played such a game though."

"We three are Japanese so does it mean," Ren theorized. "Tennyson, you are summoned because you love Japan?"

"Um, maybe," I replied.

I took the book from that one Japanese guy to replace him in the role, but I guess I don't need to tell them everything.

"If I may, Tennyson," Itsuki said. "Why did you ask the King for rewards?"

"Yeah, you made us look bad," Ren complained.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I just didn't want to beat around the bush."

Motoyasu seemed to be thinking about something else.

"Speaking of which," he said. "Doesn't Status Magic look like something out of a game? I mean, everything about this world totally resembles Emerald Online."

"What's that? Never even heard of that one," Itsuki said.

"Just how ignorant can you guys be? It's such a famous title too."

Motoyasu looked at me for backup, but I'd never heard of it before so I shrugged off his gaze. Sorry, buddy, I've only ever played Sumo Slammers and its other installations.

"What's Emerald Online? This world isn't a net game, but more like a console game, right?" (Itsuki)

"That is wrong, bro. This is a VRMMO, right?"

As they continued to argue, I turned away and stuffed some food into my mouth. My mouth is full now so I can't talk. Don't ask me anything.

"VRMMO? Is that what I think… it is?" Motoyasu said.

"Hah? Let's say we consider the possibility that we're currently playing a game online, but if that were the case, it would have to be the kind of game that you can play using a mouse or a controller," Itsuki argued.

Confused, Kitamura tilted his head with a dumbfounded expression during their conversation.

"Mouse? Controller? What kind of retro games are you referring to? These days, aren't all online games VRMMO?" (Ren)

"VRMMO? As in Virtual Reality MMO? That crap is impossible. The tech isn't that advanced." (Motoyasu)

"Huh?!" Ren nearly shouted in surprise.

Yeah, I still have no clue. I only know the VR training set I once used in Plumbers HQ. That fighting simulator was awesome though.

I decided to intervene, and turned around. Motoyasu was drowning in his own sweat.

"Ahem, you people. Calm down," I looked at Ren Amaki. "I don't really understand, but you mean, that VRMMO is a thing in your world, right?"

Ren recomposed himself. "Correct."

"But," I turned toward Itsuki and Motoyasu. "You guys have never heard of it?"

"Well, it's a thing in sci-fi novels and TV shows," Itsuki said. "But it's not really… possible yet. Also, we don't have Emerald Online."

Hmm, I think I've got the gist of what's going on here.

"Do you know Ben Tennyson?" I suddenly asked.

"You?" Motoyasu said, pointing at me with his spear.

"Yeah, have you guys ever heard of me?"

"Are you a celebrity or something?" Itsuki said. "Or a social influencer?"

"Why are you even asking that?" Motoyasu said.

Ren quietly watched us, still stuck in thinking mode.

Case 1 - when Motoyasu brought up a title regarded as a famous game in his era, the other two didn't know.

Case 2 - I forgot the fact that they had never heard of me. And before I was summoned, I crossed over to another world. Since they don't know me, I suppose they are not from my world — which means they may have come from the different eras of Naofumi's world.

"Sorry, never mind," I replied to Motoyasu and sat down.

At the very least, I have confirmed that they are from the universe without "me." I felt relieved because I'd prefer it that way. This probably sounds selfish, but I am actually getting tired people treating me like a celebrity from another world and fawning all over me. If I were younger, I'd probably love it, but now?

I had always felt like it put up some kinda barrier around me and kept me distant from others.

"Whatever," Motoyasu was annoyed.

Itsuki and Ren were still figuring out the puzzle. I am not entirely confident I am correct. So I decided to mute myself for now.

"What's that game you guys think resembles this world?" Said Itsuki.

Ren raised his hand. "Brave Star Online."

"Emerald Online," said Motoyasu.

"Brave Star Online is that VRMMO you've talked about?"

"Yes," Ren replied.

Three pairs of eyes quickly turned towards me, fixating their gaze on me all of a sudden.

"What, don't look at me," I shrugged. "I don't know anything."

Then they exchanged glances among themselves. Good luck figuring it out.

"Hold on for a minute, let's reorganize our information," Motoyasu said while putting a hand on his forehead. "Hey. Tell me what you know about the situation with VRMMO, will you?"

"It's common where I live," answered Ren.

"Itsuki, and you, Ben. What about you guys?" (Motoyasu)

"If I recall correctly, it only exists in Sci-fi." (Itsuki)

"No. I've never heard it actually exists." I replied though I don't know if Azmuth can make one. It's absolutely possible that aliens have already made it into a thing.

"I've never heard of the titles you mentioned either," Ren said. "And just so you know, I consider myself pretty well-versed in the history of games where I'm from. You all consider them relatively well-known titles, right?"

Hmm, does that eliminate the possibility that they are from different eras of the same world?

"Let's try asking a common question. What's the name of the current Prime Minister (of Japan)?"

"Yeah!" The two others nodded. "Let's say it together."

This took a while.

I spaced out for a moment, staring at the view through the window as the three heroes yelled their Prime Master names. Unironically, three different names came out.

"Oh…" Itsuki's voice deflated.

"What about you, Tennyson?" Ren asked.

"Obama," I muttered without looking back.

"O… Obama. It's a different name, too," Motoyasu said. "Apparently, it seems that we all came from different Japans."

Well, I did cross over to Japan in another world to get that particular book.

"Looks that way. You guys definitely didn't come from same Japan as me." (Itsuki)

"This means there's another Japan for each distinctive world." (Ren)

Good to know.

The view here is awesome. Despite that Castle Town is the fairly wealthy capital of Melromarc, there exists no industrial pollution here. No motor noises and not much light pollution. It was such a green and clean, heavenly sight to behold through the window. The trees were swaying a bit, I guess it sure was windy.

"Oh, then, Kitamura, Ren, do you know how you were brought here?" Said Itsuki.

"Why?" Motoyasu Kitamura asked back.

"It seems like we were all brought here for different reasons and in different ways," Itsuki theorized.

He's right. Not everyone here would've robbed a guy of a book only to get summoned here.

"Hey," I faked a yawn. "I am really tired so I wanna go to bed. Count me out."

"Whatever, man," Motoyasu waved his spear.

I closed the window and pushed the chair back into the table before exiting the dining room.

These guys are interesting. I guess I will try befriending them.

— — —


"Is there any other reason why I should replace him… if he can just do it?"

Professor Paradox was finishing up his lecture. He smiled and snapped his fingers to change the display on the monitor.

"Well, yes, there is," he answered. "However, I myself have simply no knowledge of it. You'll one day come across someone who can tell you the answer you need."

The holographic monitor displayed the same tree he had used as a metaphor to lecture No-watch Ben about the infinite multiverse.

"I see."

The one who knows something that even Paradox has no knowledge of? It's unbelievable but who knows, there are all kinds of possibilities in the multiverse after all.

And thus, the mantle of the Hero of the Shield was thrust upon me. Yet, unlike the chosen ones of legend, I was uncertain of the reason for my selection.

I trust Paradox. But is everything going to be alright?

— — —

Unbeknownst to Ben, the person in question had been watching the conversation between him and the Timewalker, from the rooftop of the tallest building in Bellwood, despite the fact that the time was stopped.

This marks the End of the First Chapter.


Thanks for reading. Reviews will be much appreciated. Both advice and critique are welcome. You can share your thoughts through private messaging as well. My discord is Christopher Chronos #0850 and I have a server. Just DM me if you want to join.

Here are the author's notes but they got pretty long because, well, three versions were stacked up. So you can just read the one just below for general information. The other two are just there, and not really that important.

Author's notes for the newest edition: For now, this is the latest edition but it's not perfect. The person I will become in the future will always surpass the version of myself from the past. The last crucial changes to the storyline are made in this edition, and the storyline won't be updated anymore. I will only update the chapters to fix errors or add information (like poll/ notes, etc.) in the future.

So then let me mention some issues I encountered and some questions that I need to ask the readers. I have come across several official and unofficial translations of Shield Hero light novels, and fansubs of its anime. In this edition, I decided to use the "Waves of Catastrophe" as the formal translation because I think it sounds cooler than "Waves of Calamity" and "Waves of Disaster", doesn't it?

Here are some crucial changes (without spoilers) that will be made to this series:

When I started this series back in January of 2022, the main protagonist was supposed to be Ben Prime. But that was changed when he was introduced as Ben 2041 later, though he still resembles Ben Prime a lot in many ways. We had controversies over Ben's personality: probably he was written quite inconsistently. Even I myself have a different view of Ben now than when I started this fic. So I decided to remove his "too nice guy" personality and make him resemble Omniverse Ben more.

The way he figured out the King (and Malty) in the original version was too fast and unrealistic (in my opinion) so I removed that part. It doesn't really contribute to the story anyway. Ben isn't dumb, but he isn't Sherlock either.

Several dialogues and monologues are changed.

The question is: should Ben's alien forms be nerfed according to the stats of the Holy Shield?

Ben narrated that he had the attack power of one point, which means he was going to deal damage that low. In the original version, the alien forms weren't affected (for plot reasons) and bullied the characters all the way without any exception. Due to how much they are nerfed, it can affect the story. But it can also mean another interesting take on the Ben 10 X Shield Hero crossover.

Please share your thoughts.


Author's notes for the original Chapter (1): This is my first entry in Fan Fiction net, and English is not my Native language. To be honest, I am not exceptional at English literacy. But I have plenty of experience in novel works: to be frank, writing and I have been in a partnership for more than 8 years – stories in my language, of course. Not a professional, though, yes as a writer for a hobby. Therefore, please forgive me if you find any hindrance in reading, and I will try my best by any means I can.


Author's notes for the previous rewritten version: After reading the light novel, I decided to write from the first-person perspective. This is equivalent to light novel Chapters (1) and (2). I thought it could cover up to the Trial Scene. I couldn't adapt to the story and so the chapter became quite long. My apologies for that if it got boring.

So the conclusion is that I gave Ben a bunch of monologues. The writing (translation) of the light novel version is simpler than this story, I dare say. But somehow, the chapter covered light novel chapters 1 and 2. Monologuing and first-person perspective writing (style) will probably decorate the character of Ben Tennyson like an Anime or a light novel character. If you find errors or issues reading the chapter, feel free to notify, advise and criticize me.

A FanFiction by Chris Chronos.

Misc: horizontal lines sometimes don't work on FanFiction mobile website so I decided to use (— — —) in addition to the straight lines to separate the scenes.