The forest was a tomb of silence, broken only by the settling dust within the impact crater.
"This alien watch... it's like it's fused to my skin. I can't shake it off!"
Ben, a brown-haired boy of ten, thrashed his arm in the moonlight. The metallic device on his wrist hummed with an eerie, rhythmic light. He looked up, his eyes wide with a plea for help. "Tyler, you're the smart one. Do you have any way to get this thing off me?"
"Ben, maybe it's fate," Tyler replied, though his voice lacked conviction. "It looks like... some kind of high-tech artifact."
Tyler looked at his childhood friend with a mask of envy. Eleven years ago, he had woken up in this world, adopted by the Tennyson family. He had spent a decade playing the role of the loyal friend, waiting for this exact moment—the moment the legend began. He had loved this story in his past life, and he wanted to see the Omnitrix with his own eyes.
But as he watched the green glow reflect in Ben's eyes, a hollow ache settled in his chest.
Even though I knew it wouldn't be mine, it still stings, Tyler thought, letting out a soft, jagged sigh. To be the hero, to change, to fly—it was the dream of every boy.
[Ding! Sensing the host's profound reluctance. The Omnitrix Template System is Awakening!!]
[System Initialization Successful!]
Tyler froze. A slow, sharp smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. I knew it. You can't be a protagonist without a trump card. "System, give me the rundown. What are we looking at?" Tyler whispered internally.
[This system provides the host with specialized Omnitrix templates. Master a template from 1% to 100% to unlock the next.]
[Progress is gained through combat and by derailing the established 'canon' plot. Note: Higher mastery requires greater mental and physical fortitude.]
Tyler's pulse quickened. Mastery meant unlimited potential. This was beyond anything he had read in web novels.
[The host has one initial draw. Begin?]
"Draw!" Tyler didn't hesitate. He squeezed his eyes shut, a silent prayer forming in his mind. Give me something heroic. Give me something powerful. Please, just give me a chance to be the good guy.
[Congratulations. You have drawn the: Carnitrix Template.]
A crimson interface flickered into existence, visible only to him.
Host: Tyler
Age: 11
Template: Carnitrix [Duration: 10 mins / Cooldown: 10 mins]
Mastery: 1/100
Form: Initial Nine Nightmares
Physique: Standard Human (Child)
"System... is this a joke?" Tyler's smile turned brittle. "I asked for a hero's watch, and you gave me the death sentence? I'd like to keep my soul, thanks."
[Warning: As mastery increases, the Carnitrix will stabilize. The host's physique and mental energy will evolve to ensure perfect control over all 'glitch' functions.]
Tyler forced himself to breathe. He looked at his left wrist. The device there wasn't sleek or heroic. It was a jagged, obsidian mess of bio-mechanical gore. Spiky, vein-like tentacles crept from the base, wrapping gently—almost lovingly—around his forearm. It didn't pierce his skin, but he could feel it pulsing in time with his heart.
Unlike the version in the dark legends, this one recognized him. It didn't want to consume him; it wanted to serve him.
If I can master this, Tyler realized, his fear turning into a cold, hard ambition, I'll be more than just a hero. I'll be the thing that heroes are afraid of.
A sudden roar of flame cut through the dark.
In the distance, a humanoid bonfire was dancing through the trees. Ben—now Heatblast—was testing his limits, laughing as he threw fireballs into the air.
"Plot change starts now," Tyler muttered.
He ran toward the light. The heat was intense, making his eyes water, the smoke stinging his lungs.
"Tyler! Don't be scared, it's just me!"
The flaming creature turned around, raising its hands in a gesture of peace. "I was just... I saw you looking lost, and then I pressed this watch and—wait. Tyler? Why do you have one too?"
Ben's voice trailed off as he saw the dark, twisted hunk of metal on Tyler's wrist.
"Ben... I've been waiting for this for a long time," Tyler said, his voice dropping an octave.
He reached out and slammed his palm onto the jagged face of the Carnitrix.
The core didn't glow green. It bled. A deep, visceral red light exploded from the device, painting the trees in the color of a slaughterhouse.
"That light... it's wrong," Ben whispered, his flames flickering low. He took a step back, a primal shiver running down his magma-crusted spine.
As the crimson glare faded, the silhouette within was revealed. It was tall, impossibly lean, and draped in a void-black skin with glowing blue circuits that looked like open veins.
"Kind of... cool, right?" Ben tried to joke, though his voice cracked.
"Is it?"
The voice that came from the creature was a raspy, metallic growl. Tyler—now a twisted version of XLR8—slowly lifted his head. His eyes were dark pits of shifting shadow. When he spoke, his mouth opened to reveal rows of needle-thin teeth, and the faint, copper scent of blood wafted into the air.
It wasn't an alien. It was a monster from a nightmare.
"..."
Ben stood paralyzed. His heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird. The "Heatblast" persona crumbled under the weight of pure, unadulterated terror.
"Tyler? What did that thing do to you?!" Ben shrieked.
"Ben, stay calm. It's me," Tyler said, trying to sound soothing. He took a step forward, offering what he thought was a reassuring smile. To Ben, it looked like a predator baring its fangs before the kill.
"STAY AWAY!"
Ben lost it. The sheer pressure of the Carnitrix's aura snapped his nerves. He didn't think; he just ignited. With a panicked cry, he turned into a living rocket, blasting into the sky to escape the monster with his friend's voice.
"Wait! Come back!"
Tyler shifted his weight. The organic rollers on his feet hissed against the dirt. In a blur of black and red, he vanished, chasing after the streak of fire. Even at high speeds, his vision was crystal clear. He saw every leaf, every panicked twitch of Ben's flames.
He really thinks I'm going to eat him, Tyler thought grimly.
"He's gaining on me! He killed Tyler and now he's coming for me!" Ben's mind was a mess of horror tropes. He pushed his flight speed to the limit, looking back over his shoulder in a frenzy.
CRASH.
Blinded by his own fear, Ben slammed headfirst into a granite hillside. The impact was sickening. He tumbled down the slope, bouncing off jagged rocks like a ragdoll before slamming into a massive boulder at the base.
The flames sputtered out. Ben lay there, unconscious, reverting to his human form.
Tyler skidded to a halt beside him, his long, bladed shadow falling over the boy. "I was just trying to tell you... watch out for the cliff."
He looked at his claws, then back at the unconscious Ben. The power humming through his veins was intoxicating.
[Ding! Host has defeated 'Heatblast' and prevented the Great Forest Fire. Plot Deviation detected.]
[Mastery Progress: +1%]