Chapter 2: First Transformation.
Three days had passed since Ben discovered the Omnitrix, and he'd spent every waking moment studying it. He'd skipped school, claiming illness, while he experimented in the abandoned warehouse district on the outskirts of the city. The device was more complex than anything he'd ever encountered, but gradually, he was beginning to understand its basic functions.
The Omnitrix contained exactly ten accessible alien forms, each with its own unique abilities. There was Heatblast, the fire-based Pyronite; Four Arms, the super-strong Tetramand; Diamondhead, the crystal-manipulating Petrosapien; and seven others that defied easy categorization. Each transformation lasted exactly ten minutes before the Omnitrix automatically timed out.
What amazed Ben most wasn't just the raw power—it was the versatility. While most people in this world were limited to a single Quirk, he had access to ten completely different powersets. It was like having ten different Quirks that he could switch between at will.
Currently, he was testing Diamondhead's abilities, his crystalline body gleaming in the afternoon sunlight as he practiced forming projectiles from his hands.
"Okay, so I can create crystal constructs from any part of my body," he muttered, forming a shield from his left arm while launching sharp crystal darts from his right. "The constructs are harder than steel, and I can control their shape and density to some degree."
The Omnitrix beeped and flashed red, signaling that his time was almost up. Ben ducked behind a concrete barrier just as his body reverted to human form in a flash of red light.
"Ten minutes, every time," he said, examining the device. "And there's definitely a cooldown period between transformations, though I'm not sure exactly how long."
A distant explosion made him look up. Smoke was rising from the direction of the shopping district, and he could hear sirens wailing. Ben's pulse quickened—this could be his chance to finally test the Omnitrix in a real situation.
He grabbed his backpack and sprinted toward the city center, his mind racing with possibilities. For years, he'd dreamed of being able to help people, to make a difference. Now, finally, he had the power to do something.
The scene he arrived at was chaotic. The Musutafu Central Mall had a gaping hole in its eastern wall, and shoppers were streaming out of the building in panic. Police cordoned off the area while Pro Heroes worked to evacuate civilians.
"What's the situation?" Ben asked a nearby officer, trying to sound older than his fifteen years.
"Villain attack," the officer replied without looking at him. "Some kind of rock monster. The heroes are handling it, but—"
Another explosion cut him off, and Ben saw several people stumble out of the mall, some injured and bleeding. His heart clenched as he recognized one of them—Mrs. Watanabe, who ran the bookstore where he bought his hero analysis notebooks.
"Is everyone out?" he heard Death Arms, a professional hero, asking his team.
"Negative," came the reply from Kamui Woods. "Thermal scans show at least six people still trapped on the third floor. The villain's rampage has blocked off all the normal exits."
"I can get to them," Death Arms volunteered, but Mt. Lady shook her head.
"The ceiling's too unstable. Your weight might bring the whole section down. We need someone smaller, but with enough power to clear the debris."
Ben looked at the Omnitrix, then at the trapped civilians. This was it—his moment to prove that he could be a hero.
He slipped away from the crowd and ducked into an alley, his thumb hovering over the device's dial. The hologram that appeared showed Four Arms—the red-skinned, four-armed giant that he'd practiced with the most.
"Time to go hero," he whispered, and pressed down.
The transformation was always disorienting. His perspective shifted dramatically as he shot up to nearly nine feet tall, his muscle mass quadrupling as two additional arms sprouted from his sides. His skin turned red and became tough as leather, and he felt strength coursing through his body that could probably lift a city bus.
"It's hero time!"
Ben—now Four Arms—burst from the alley and sprinted toward the mall. The police officers shouted in alarm as the massive alien hero charged past them, but he was already inside the building before they could react.
The interior was a disaster zone. A massive creature made of living rock and concrete was smashing through storefronts on the ground floor, apparently searching for something. It stood nearly twelve feet tall, with glowing red eyes and fists the size of boulders.
"Hey, Rocky!" Four Arms called out. "Looking for someone to dance with?"
The rock villain turned toward him with a growl that sounded like grinding stone. "Another hero? I'll crush you just like the others!"
"Others?" Four Arms looked around and spotted Kamui Woods unconscious near the jewelry store, his wooden constructs scattered and broken. "Okay, now I'm mad."
The villain charged, its massive fist aimed at Four Arms' head. But Ben had spent the last three days learning to use his new body, and he was ready. He caught the punch with two of his arms while using the other two to grab the creature around the waist.
"Let me show you how a real hero fights!" Four Arms roared, lifting the rock monster off the ground and spinning it around like a discus thrower. The villain's eyes went wide with shock—it clearly hadn't expected to meet someone stronger than itself.
Four Arms released his grip, sending the creature crashing through what was left of the mall's food court. But he didn't have time to celebrate—his enhanced hearing picked up voices from above.
"Help! Someone help us!"
Using his four arms to climb debris like a ladder, Four Arms bounded up to the third floor in seconds. He found six people trapped behind a wall of fallen concrete and twisted metal—a family with two small children, an elderly man, and a teenage girl who was trying to keep everyone calm despite her obvious fear.
"Don't worry," Four Arms said, his voice gentler than before. "I'm here to help."
The little boy's eyes went wide. "Are you a hero, mister?"
"Working on it, kid." Four Arms examined the debris blocking their path. It would take precision—too much force and he'd bring more of the ceiling down. Too little and they'd remain trapped.
He placed two hands on the largest piece of concrete and carefully began to lift, using his other two arms to support the unstable sections above. His muscles strained with the effort, but gradually, he created a path to safety.
"Okay, everyone move quickly but carefully," he instructed. "Single file, and watch your step."
As the family began to emerge, Four Arms heard a rumbling from below. The rock villain was back on its feet and climbing toward them, apparently immune to the damage from its fall.
"Go, go, go!" Four Arms urged the civilians. The elderly man was moving slowly, and the teenage girl stayed back to help him. Four Arms admired her courage, but they were running out of time.
The rock monster burst through the floor just as the last civilian reached the stairwell. Its glowing eyes fixed on Four Arms with murderous intent.
"You may be strong," it growled, "but you can't protect everyone!"
It raised both fists to bring them down on the weakened floor, clearly intending to collapse this section of the building. Four Arms realized with horror that the impact would likely bring down the stairwell where the civilians were still escaping.
Without thinking, Four Arms threw himself forward, catching both of the villain's fists in his four hands. The impact sent shockwaves through his body, but he held firm.
"Not... happening!" he grunted, his muscles bulging with effort as he pushed back against the creature's strength.
For a moment, they were locked in a stalemate, neither able to overpower the other. Then Four Arms had an idea. Instead of fighting the villain's downward momentum, he redirected it, using the creature's own strength to flip it over his shoulder and through the already-damaged wall.
The rock monster plummeted to the ground floor with a crash that shook the entire building. Four Arms quickly checked to make sure it wasn't getting back up, then bounded down to make sure the civilians had reached safety.
Outside, the crowd cheered as the rescued family emerged from the mall. The pro heroes were regrouping, and Death Arms was helping a groggy Kamui Woods to his feet.
"Is everyone accounted for?" Mt. Lady asked.
"All civilians are safe," reported one of the rescue workers. "But we still don't know who that red hero was. He disappeared before we could thank him."
Four Arms smiled from his hiding spot in the alley. The Omnitrix was beeping faster now—his time was almost up. As the red light faded and he returned to human form, Ben felt a satisfaction he'd never experienced before.
He'd done it. He'd actually saved people.
"Ben! Ben, there you are!"
He turned to see Gwen running toward him, her face flushed with worry. "I heard about the mall attack on the news and couldn't find you anywhere. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Gwen. Better than fine, actually." He looked back toward the mall, where workers were already beginning to assess the damage. "I think I finally found something I'm good at."
Gwen followed his gaze, confusion clear on her face. "What do you mean?"
Ben just smiled and pulled his sleeve down to cover the Omnitrix. "Nothing. Just... thinking about the future."
As they walked home together, Ben's mind was already racing with possibilities. The Omnitrix had given him something beyond his wildest dreams—not just power, but purpose. He wasn't just going to be a hero anymore.
He was going to be the greatest hero the world had ever seen.
But first, he had some studying to do. Ten alien forms, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, each requiring mastery. And if he was going to use this power responsibly, he needed to understand not just what he could do, but what he should do.
The next morning's news was full of speculation about the mysterious red hero who had appeared at the mall. Some witnesses claimed he had four arms, others insisted he was at least nine feet tall. The rock villain—whose real name was apparently Concrete Pete—was in custody, and no civilians had been seriously injured.
Ben watched the coverage with barely contained excitement, but his good mood was dampened when he arrived at school to find Katsuki and his crew waiting for him.
"Well, well," Katsuki sneered. "Look who decided to show up. I heard there was a villain attack yesterday, Tennyson. Too bad you couldn't be there to see what real heroes look like in action."
"Actually," Ben said, adjusting his backpack with newfound confidence, "I think I learned quite a lot about heroes yesterday."
Something in his tone made Katsuki step back slightly. There was a new quality to Ben's voice—not arrogance, but a quiet certainty that hadn't been there before.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Ben smiled. "Just that I'm starting to understand what being a hero really means. And Katsuki? It's not about having the flashiest Quirk or getting into the best school."
"Then what is it about, oh wise Quirkless one?"
Ben's hand unconsciously moved to cover the Omnitrix beneath his sleeve. "It's about being there when people need you most. Everything else is just details."
As he walked away, leaving Katsuki speechless for once, Ben felt the weight of his new responsibility settling on his shoulders. The Omnitrix had given him incredible power, but he was beginning to realize that power alone wouldn't make him a hero.
That would take something else entirely—something he was only just beginning to understand.
To be continued...
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