"Isn't this Batman? You crawled out of your bat-nest awfully fast."
As Batman slid down a rope from the aircraft above, Hal Jordan wore a broad grin.
After hearing Ben go on and on about how rich Batman was, Hal was very happy to see Batman run into a problem that money couldn't solve.
While they waited for Batman to arrive, Ben used the Omnitrix to repair the DNA of the Parademon Superman had defeated.
Once they confirmed the Parademons were indeed victims from the kidnapping cases, Superman agreed to Ben's invitation—to join the fight against Darkseid.
As for the Mother Box that Parademon had been carrying, Hal wrapped it up in Green Lantern energy, keeping it contained.
Batman ignored Hal's barbed greeting when he landed.
His attention was fixed on Superman—and on the Mother Box glowing inside Hal's green construct.
"Looks like you found this thing too."
Batman produced what he'd discovered from the Parademon's armor and looked to Superman.
"Based on my analysis, it's not a bomb. It's closer to a specialized alien computer."
"And it isn't Kryptonian technology."
Superman understood exactly what Batman was asking him to confirm.
He nodded. "It's not from my homeworld."
Hal chimed in, and Ben backed him up immediately.
"We can confirm what it is," Ben said. "It's an Apokoliptian Mother Box. It's used to open Boom Tubes to transport armies. And Parademons are bio-weapons—captives rebuilt through genetic modification by Apokolips."
Ben spelled out their origin and purpose—where the Mother Box came from, and what the Parademons really were.
Batman's eyes narrowed.
"How can you prove all of this?"
From the micro-expressions on Ben's face, Batman could tell the boy wasn't lying.
And Batman himself had already suspected that the "monsters" were an alien vanguard.
What he couldn't understand was why a fifteen-year-old kid knew so much classified-level alien intel.
Maybe the teenage appearance was the disguise…
…maybe that raptor-fast alien form was his true body.
Ben took a breath. "I can try controlling them."
Inside Ben's original Omnitrix loadout, there was a form that could merge with essentially any technology—Upgrade.
The cooldown was already over. He could transform again.
And honestly, Ben wanted to demonstrate what his watch could really do.
"Hero transformation!"
He slammed the Omnitrix, spun the dial to Upgrade's position, and brought his palm down hard—
Green light flashed.
Ben's skin turned gray as his body rapidly shrank—down to about fifteen centimeters tall.
His head became an inverted triangle, pupils narrowing into thin slits. His face took on an amphibian, frog-like structure.
The Omnitrix emblem shifted from his wrist to his back, and his clothing reformed—reconstructed by the watch out of what he'd been wearing.
"…Grey Matter?" Ben stared at himself. "I didn't pick Upgrade!"
He smacked his forehead.
"Oh, man—I forgot! If you don't slam the Omnitrix hard enough, it can randomly pick the transformation!"
Hal struggled to hold in his laughter at the sight of Ben becoming a tiny, cute little alien.
Batman crouched, studying Ben at eye level.
Ben clearly hadn't become the alien he intended.
But between the raptor-fast "speedster" form from earlier, the one he meant to pick, and this one…
Batman now had confirmation: this kid could become at least three different alien species through that watch.
"So," Batman said, voice flat, "what can this frog-looking alien do?"
Ben didn't answer immediately—his eyes were locked on the Mother Box inside Hal's green energy wrap.
"Hal. Bring the Mother Box down. I need a closer look."
Hal lowered it, placing it in front of Ben.
As Ben examined it, trying to comprehend its principles and operation, he replied without looking away:
"Grey Matter's species—Galvans—are the smartest race in the universe. The Omnitrix's creator, Azmuth, is the smartest Galvan… arguably the smartest mind in the universe."
"I should be able to understand Apokoliptian tech."
Superman swept Ben again with X-ray vision. The result was unmistakable:
Ben had been rewritten at the genetic level into a completely different species.
"Incredible," Superman murmured. "That watch isn't an illusion. It actually turns him into an alien. How does it even work?"
As Ben observed the Mother Box, dense equations and engineering frameworks began pouring into his mind.
As a human, Ben's IQ and knowledge base were normal.
Even as Grey Matter, it still took time to digest all that information from scratch.
But multitasking while thinking at that level wasn't a problem for a Galvan.
"The Omnitrix," Ben explained, "is basically Azmuth's ark—made to promote communication among intelligent species across the universe."
"It stores the DNA of nearly every sentient alien species, and lets the user transform into them."
Superman's eyes widened slightly.
"So… you could become one of my people."
Ben nodded. "Yes—once I unlock Kryptonian DNA. I haven't cracked the Omnitrix master control yet, so my options and my transformation time are limited."
He didn't bother hiding the limitations—he was completely straightforward about them.
Batman, of course, was probably already mentally taking notes.
But Ben wasn't too worried. The Omnitrix had defensive protocols.
If Ben was in real danger, it could automatically select the most suitable alien form to protect him.
Then Ben stiffened.
"Oh—uh, everyone, careful."
His tone sharpened.
"These two Mother Boxes… they've been activated from the other side."
He stepped closer, fingers moving over the device—taking a risk to try to shut it down.
"I can't turn it off."
If Azmuth were here, he'd probably seize control instantly.
But Ben had to absorb the New Gods–level tech knowledge while trying to operate it in real time.
"Give me more time and I can gain control," he said quickly, "but it's already active. All I can do right now is adjust the Boom Tube—limit its size and how many can come through."
The three heroes braced for impact.
Ben finished his adjustments and hopped behind Superman, using him as a walking wall.
"Hal—focus. Restrict the Parademons that come out. Once Superman knocks them out, I'll use the Omnitrix to repair their DNA."
"Batman—use your satellite network. There should be more Mother Boxes than just these two."
As soon as he finished, Ben slapped the Omnitrix emblem on his back and reverted to human form.
Hal clenched his fist.
The ring flared.
And in front of the Boom Tube opening, green energy began shaping into a one-way channel—
a funnel guiding whatever emerged straight into Superman's fist…
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 50)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 50)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 50)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 54)
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