Ben sat on his arm chair with a grim expression, the weight of his situation pressing heavily upon him. The room, once a sanctuary of comfort and familiarity, now felt like a tomb. The ceilings, adorned with delicate patterns and intricate designs, seemed distant and meaningless in the face of the inevitable. His emerald eyes, once full of vitality and hope, now reflected only emptiness and resignation. Death wasn't his greatest fear; it was the crushing sense of helplessness that consumed him.
Three hundred years ago, the universe had been thrown into chaos by an unprecedented disaster—a tear in the fabric of space itself. This rift spewed a form of radiation that defied comprehension, its effects catastrophic for all life. The once vibrant cosmos was plunged into a cataclysmic upheaval. Entire planets were annihilated in the blink of an eye, their once-thriving ecosystems reduced to cosmic dust. The universe, once a tapestry of life and energy, now lay in ruin.
The universe's survivors, 50 billion souls scattered across the Milky Way Galaxy, faced an existence they could barely comprehend. They had become witnesses to the collapse of civilizations and the death of countless beings. The galaxy itself was wracked with unimaginable suffering as the remnants of life struggled to cope with the disaster's aftermath. The pain was universal, a relentless tide of grief and despair.
In the midst of this chaos, a peculiar transformation occurred. The survivors of the radiation disaster experienced an astonishing enhancement of their physical capabilities. What was once considered the peak of human potential had been surpassed. Every individual, regardless of their previous limitations, found themselves endowed with extraordinary strength, speed, and resilience. An ordinary person could now outpace world champions in both running and weightlifting. The evolution was not just physical but also mental, with cognitive abilities heightened and reflexes sharpened .Alien species such as Galvans and many others also went through similar transformations as well.
Yet, as humanity and all remaining sapients grappled with these newfound abilities, a darker reality began to emerge. The beasts that had survived the radiation—creatures once considered primitive and brutish—underwent their own horrifying metamorphosis. The harsh conditions they endured forged them into entities of unimaginable power. Their strength surpassed even the enhanced humans, and their intelligence grew to levels that allowed them to strategize and hunt with terrifying efficiency.
The beasts, now a formidable and unpredictable force, began to encroach upon human and sapient settlements. The survivors, while stronger than ever before, were faced with adversaries whose power and cunning had been amplified to nightmarish proportions. Cities that had once been bastions of safety became battlegrounds. The struggle for survival became a brutal contest of strength and strategy, with humanity and all sapients fighting not just for their existence but for the very future of their species.
For Ben, the battle was no longer just about confronting monstrous beasts but also about wrestling with the crushing sense of futility. His once-great abilities now seemed inadequate in the face of such overwhelming adversity. Each victory was overshadowed by the relentless tide of destruction, each step forward met with another setback. The cities he fought to protect fell one by one, their survivors clinging to the fragile thread of hope he tried to provide.
But despite suffering countless setbacks and even losing his loved ones in battle, his fighting spirit still remained unbroken.
"Sage Emperor!" Ben spoke through gritted teeth, as he recalled the individual, who had been the root cause behind all his suffering.
It had not been a secret known to many. That too for obvious reasons.
After leading the sapient armies to suppress beastly forces and contain them within a small planetary range.
Ben decided to explore the crack which started everything. Soon he found a vast and endless realm on the other side. It was a place called Ancestral Demonic Saint land. A place ruled by terrifying monsters. And due to presence of mysterious energy called spirit qi, these creatures possessed incredible abilities.
Not just that, these beings were also behind the needless aggression and hatred beastly races were showing against sapient beings all over the Universe
The realm was a chaotic and nightmarish landscape where every step could mean facing the wrath of beings who had mastered the arcane and the terrifying. But Ben had the Ultimatrix and it's million transformations to rely on.
Soon, thanks to his craftiness and mastery over Ultimatrix, Ben infiltrated Sage Emperor's demonic army and learned about the Martial Dao. A practice to cultivate one's body , mind and spirit in order to gain terrifying abilities and gain immortality. Through the connections he made in the Ancestral Demon sacred Land Ben gained access to various areas of cultivaton which wasn't just limited to Martial Dao. Such as relevent information regarding cultivation training and cultivation artifacts, pill refinement and spirit stone refinement. A lot of which he send back to his allies in order to make them be prepared to deal with the looming threat of Ancestral Demonic Saint Land
Back on his own Universe, Technology progressed rapidly due to all sapient species deciding to become one united front in order to resist beastly forces. And thanks to Ben's infiltration within demonic beast armies, they now also had access to a perpetual new source of energy that permeated everywhere.
Spirit Qi was like air. Some places were denser and others thinner. But it did exist everywhere within the Universe.
In a way, Ben changed lives of many when he brought these mysterious techniques and knowledge to his own universe. Initiating a cultivation civilization all over Earth.
From then on, ancient martial arts became popular as a revolutionary change happened throughout the world. Thus, the era of immortal cultivation began and Ben's universe began pushing back against Ancestral Demonic Saint Land's armies.
Historians called it the Spirit Inception Era.
Ben Tennyson closed his eyes, releasing a long, weary sigh. Three hundred years had passed since he was just a kid who stumbled upon the Omnitrix, an alien device that had once felt like the greatest power in the universe. He smiled bitterly at the thought. Back then, he had thought defeating Vilgax or saving Earth from the Highbreed was the peak of his journey. He couldn't have imagined where the road would lead.
Now, here he stood—no longer the boy with the alien watch, but a cultivator who had risen to the rank of a deity, his cultivation reaching heights undreamt of by most. In the Ancestral Demonic Saint Land, a realm filled with ancient, terrifying power, Ben had clawed his way to the top. He had become the fourth strongest expert in the realm and was the first one to be taken as a personal disciple by Sage Emperor himself, an achievement that would send shockwaves through the universe if the truth about his true identity ever got out. . The beings of this chaotic realm, with their dark secrets and fearsome techniques, had no idea who he truly was.
Not that it was easy. The Ultimatrix had long since evolved, becoming an even more integral part of his cultivation journey. It had absorbed Spirit Qi, transforming with him, blending alien technology with the mysterious energy that governed the Ancestral Demonic Saint Land. His transformations had become more potent, his alien forms enhanced by Spirit Qi, each one a force to be reckoned with. Yet, Ben knew the true strength he possessed wasn't just the Ultimatrix—it was his cultivation.
He had ascended through the stages of cultivation, surpassing the Mortal and Immortal Realms, breaking through into the peak of Deity Realms, and was even half way into emperor realm, where the strongest in the universe vied for supremacy. He had faced ancient beasts, demonic cultivators, and the horrors that lurked in the darkest corners of cosmos. Each victory had brought him closer to understanding the depths of power that Spirit Qi could unlock, and with each loss, he learned hard lessons in survival.
And yet, even with his near-invincible strength, there were three who stood above him: Two amongt six deity Generals of the Sage Emperor's army, beings of immense power and cunning, whose mastery over Spirit Qi had made them untouchable, and last but not the least, Sage Emperor himself. Ben knew his strength was close to theirs, just a small gap that separated him from truly standing at the top of this world
As Ben opened his eyes, the memories of his rise flashed before him. The countless battles, the betrayals, the alliances he had forged in the shadows. There had been moments when he had been tempted to reveal his true self, to unleash the full might of the Ultimatrix, but he knew it would be reckless. The Ultimatrix was still a mystery to the Sage Emperor and his generals. They had no idea that it wasn't a mere artifact Ben or Demonic General Xiao Lingtian wore but a technological marvel from a distant part of the universe. Its power gave him an edge, but it also marked him as an anomaly—something that the beings of this realm would never tolerate.
He then stared at the chrono navigator of his friend and mentor , Professor Paradox.
A parting gift he left before he had turned himself into a living array which restricted the Sage Emperor from sensing Ben Tennyson and/or his descendants even if they possessed potential to go against his absolute authority, effectively shielding them from prying eyes of fate
And it's second function was to suppress the being's cultivation level to Heavenly Axis Realm upon arriving to Ben's Universe if they harbored any ill will towards humanity.
Which has been the reason why the main forces of Sage Emperor and his Deity Realm servants couldn't step in to conquer Ben's homeworld and how Sage Emperor never sensed Ben's arrival and his terrifying growth in cultivation.
His mind wandered back to the Sage Emperor once again, the being who had orchestrated the destruction of his universe, and the one who now stood as a looming shadow over the fate of countless worlds. The Sage Emperor was no ordinary cultivator. His mastery of both Spirit Qi and the enigmatic forces of space had allowed him to tear the fabric of the universe itself, unleashing the chaos that had transformed everything Ben once knew. But this being, hidden in the deepest recesses of the Ancestral Demonic Saint Land, wasn't simply motivated by chaos or destruction. No, the Sage Emperor had a greater ambition—to reshape existence in his own image.
Naturally being the Sage Emperor's personal student and the eight ranked demon general of his army, Ben also knew about the inscription pattern array that the Sage Emperor used to seal time and space within the Draconic Ruins Realm and smaller Domains.
It was because of this seal that no matter how many times the Sage Emperor was killed he was able to reconstruct his body and come back even stronger. Though he is terrifyingly strong, his really power lies in this nearly impossible to break seal.
And what allowed to accomplish such feats was a mysterious object called Temporal Demon Spirit book. An object Ben still knew very little about and couldn't take any unnecessary risks
"Father, I still don't think this is a good idea!" A red haired youth spoke as he entered Ben's innermost chambers. That happened to be none other than Ben's son born in this Ancestral Demonic Sacred Land, Xiao Yijian or Maxwell Tennyson as Ben liked to call him in private, "If anyone has chance to reach the peak emperor's realm, It's you. And once that happens all those bastards shall not be your match at all."
"Maxwell," Ben began, his voice carrying the weight of centuries of battles, "I've been walking this path for too long. Reaching the peak of Emperor Realm is not just about power, but responsibility. The Sage Emperor isn't someone I can take lightly." His gaze grew distant, as if the memories of the Sage Emperor's unstoppable power played before his eyes. "Even if I reach that realm, there's no guarantee I can undo what he's done to our universe. His grip on existence... it's deeper than just cultivation."
Maxwell crossed his arms, his brows furrowing in frustration. "But you've come this far, Father. You're already one of the strongest beings in this cursed realm. What's left for you to learn? You could break the Sage Emperor's seal, take control of the Temporal Demon Spirit Book, and free everylne from this nightmare."
Ben shook his head, a weary smile on his lips. "It's not that simple. The Temporal Demon Spirit Book is more than just a tool. It's connected to forces beyond even the Sage Emperor's control. I've spent centuries studying it, and even now, I don't fully understand its true nature."
Maxwell's fists clenched. "Then let me fight by your side. Together, we can—"
"No!" Ben's voice cut through the air like a blade, filled with a rare intensity that made Maxwell flinch. The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of Ben's words pressing down on them both. Ben stood, his figure casting a long shadow across the chamber. "You're not ready. Not yet. I've already lost too many people I cared about. I won't risk losing you too."
Maxwell's defiance faltered, his gaze dropping to the floor. "But... if we don't act soon, the Sage Emperor will tighten his grip on both this realm and our universe. He's not going to stop until everything belongs to him."
Ben sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I know. That's why I've been preparing a plan—one final move against him. But it's not something I can rush. The Sage Emperor has lived for millennia, and his mastery over space and time is unparalleled. One wrong step, and he'll erase us from existence before we even know what happened."
Maxwell's eyes lit up with a mixture of hope and curiosity. "What's the plan, then?"
Ben turned back toward the chrono navigator, his fingers tracing its intricate markings. "Professor Paradox once told me that time is not a straight line, but a web of possibilities. If we can find a weak point in the Sage Emperor's control over the Temporal Demon Spirit Book, we might be able to sever his connection to the flow of time itself. Without that, he'll be vulnerable."
Maxwell's heart raced. "And how do we find this weak point?"
Ben's gaze hardened. "I have an idea. Ages ago there used to be a cultivator who stood on a stage of Cultivation as slightly below mine only his cultivation base wasn't as stable as mine. That expert almost came close to killing Sage Emperor before the demon generals overwhelmed him. That expert was called Nie Li, the first great sage of humanity."
Maxwell's eyes widened at the mention of the name. "Nie Li? The legendary cultivator who disappeared after nearly defeating the Sage Emperor? I thought he was dead!"
Ben nodded slowly, his gaze distant as if reliving old memories. "Yes, he died unfortunately. But it was the first time Sage Emperor suffered any real setback. And not just that, Sage Emperor's cultivation base was an entire level lower compared to his current self. If I were to travel to that point I could intervene and change the course of history," Ben concluded, his voice barely a whisper. The weight of his plan was heavy, even for someone who had faced the impossible time and time again. "If I can disrupt that pivotal moment, before Nie Li's death, it might be enough to fracture the Sage Emperor's control over time."
Maxwell's face twisted in disbelief. "You mean... you plan to travel back in time? But that's—"
"Impossible?" Ben finished with a sad smile. "I've done the impossible before, son. But this... it's the most dangerous thing I've ever attempted. Even with Paradox's chrono navigator, there are risks. As I don't know the exact time and place where this batte took place.I could be trapped, lost in time, or worse—loose my entire cultivation base and get stuck in past
Maxwell fell silent for a moment, his expression torn between fear and resolve. "If you're going, I'm coming with you."
Ben chuckled softly, the sound filled with both warmth and sadness. "Maxwell... I can't let you. Not this time. This journey might cost me my life, or worse, my very existence. If something happens, I need you to stay here and take my place as the hidden protector of my homeworld and carry on my legacy, lead the resistance against Sage Emperor."
Maxwell's fists clenched at his sides, but he didn't argue. "Then promise me one thing, Father—promise me you'll come back."
Ben's gaze softened as he looked at his son, the fierce young warrior who had grown into a man far beyond his years. "I promise, Maxwell. I'll come back. And when I do, we'll celebrate my granddaughter's second birthday together."
Maxwell's eyes widened in surprise, his tough exterior briefly cracking as the weight of Ben's words sank in. "You… you knew?" he stammered, his voice tinged with both awe and embarrassment.
Ben smiled, a warmth radiating from him that Maxwell hadn't seen in a long time. "Of course I knew. I've been through a lot, but some things a father can never miss." His emerald eyes softened, full of understanding. "She's my granddaughter. I've been watching over you both, even if you didn't realise it."
Maxwell rubbed the back of his neck, a rare sign of vulnerability. "I just didn't want to put her in danger, not with everything going on. But I should've told you. I should've—"
Maxwell nodded, his fierce expression returning as he straightened. "Then you better come back. She's waiting to meet her grandfather. And... I'm not raising her without you."
Ben's heart swelled with pride as he looked at the young man his son had become. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
With that, Ben turned back to the chrono navigator, its glowing symbols lighting up the dim chamber. He could feel the flow of time pulling at him, the vast web of possibilities stretching out before him. One wrong move, and everything could be lost. But one right step, and he could change the fate of the universe.
In an instant, the room dissolved into a swirling vortex of light and energy. The familiar world of the Ancestral Demonic Saint Land faded away, and Ben was pulled into the boundless river of time, the past and future converging as he raced toward the moment where everything could be changed.
Back in the chamber, Maxwell stood silently, his eyes locked on the spot where his father had vanished. His heart was heavy with both fear and hope.
However, before he could ponder on his thoughts, a pretty woman with long raven-black hair flowing behind her, entered the chamber with a quiet grace that belied the strength she had cultivated over the centuries. Her sharp, discerning eyes flickered with emotion as they scanned the now-empty space where Ben had stood moments before.
"He is truly gone, isn't he?" she asked softly, her voice carrying the weight of both love and loss.
That happened to be none other that, Xiao Yubin, Maxwell's mother and Ben's lover in Ancestral demon world.
Maxwell nodded, his shoulders tense. "Yes, Mother. He's gone to change everything. To stop the Sage Emperor once and for all."
Xiao Yubin couldn't help but smile wistfully, as she remembered the first time she saw Ben. " Your father had always been a man of impossible dreams."
Maxwell looked at his mother, his expression softening as the reality of his father's departure settled in. "Yes, he always has been. But this time... it's different. The risks are greater than ever before."
Xiao Yubin stepped forward, her long robe sweeping across the floor as she placed a hand on her son's shoulder. "Your father is strong, stronger than most would ever know. But even strength has its limits. That's why he's chosen this path." Her eyes, though soft, gleamed with a deep resolve. "After all that's what being a Tennyson means right? Never giving up, even in the face of insurmountable odds"
Maxwell nodded, his jaw tightening. "I know. That's why I've been preparing. If Father doesn't return..." His voice faltered for a moment, but he regained his composure. "Then I'll carry on the legacy of Ben 10000. For him, for our people, and for the future he's fighting to protect."
Xiao Yubin smiled, though her eyes were clouded with worry. "I believe in you, my son. Just as I believe in him."
Maxwell's jaw tightened, the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders. "I won't let him down."
Suddenly, a ripple of energy spread through the chamber, faint but noticeable. Yubin's eyes narrowed as her sharp instincts honed in on the source. "What was that?"
Maxwell stepped toward the far wall, where the faint shimmering lines of a spatial distortion flickered. His enhanced senses picked up a subtle shift in the air, something foreign. Then he couldn't help but chuckle slightly upon sensing a familiar aura.
"Sage Emperor's servants are on move to Planet Earth. Looks like some of humanity's top experts are about to make a huge breakthrough."
Yubin nodded, her expression calm despite the looming danger. "You know what you need to do."
Maxwell smiled as he rolled his sleeves, revealing the new and improved Omnitrix his father gifted him on his eighteenth birthday,
"It's hero time."
And just like that, Ben 10k's rebellion against Sage Emperor continued.
Both in past and present.