The inferno roared around them as the two crystalline figures stepped into the line of fire. Ben, encased in the sleek, heroic armor of Diamondhead, glanced at the Titan Drone on their left.
"Tyler, left one is mine. Right one is yours!"
"No complaints here," Tyler rasped. The obsidian-sharp spikes on his back bristled with anticipation.
Crrr-ack!
The ground shattered under their feet as they charged. Tyler moved with such explosive speed that he left a trail of teal afterimages in the smoke. Seeing the threat, the Titan Drone on the right pivoted, its shoulder-mounted cannon whining as it locked onto Tyler's center mass.
A massive beam of thermal energy lanced through the air, striking Tyler head-on. An explosion of sparks and soot swallowed him instantly.
"Tyler!" Ben yelled, his heart sinking. But he couldn't stop; his own opponent was already swinging a massive mechanical claw at his head. He had to trust that the "Demon King" lived up to the name.
The Titan Drone on the right clanked forward, its sensors scanning the settling dust. Tyler lay motionless on the charred grass.
Target neutralized, the drone's internal logic processed. It reached down with a massive pincer, intending to retrieve the Carnitrix from the "corpse."
"Heh..."
Tyler's golden pupils ignited behind his deep-red sockets. A jagged, predatory smile split his face.
Warning: Catastrophic energy surge detected—
Before the drone could retract its arm, the spikes covering Tyler's body exploded outward like a forest of spears. The crystalline lances punched through the drone's reinforced plating—piercing its palms, driving through its chassis, and skewering its central processor head.
One move. Total system failure.
Tyler stood up as the drone collapsed into a heap of sparking metal. He retracted his spikes, his dense, bruised-teal body completely unscathed. He walked toward the wreckage with the casual gait of a man strolling through a garden. His hands shifted, extending into twin diamond greatswords that hummed with vibration.
With cold, surgical precision, he began to dismantle the drone, carving through the "indestructible" alien alloy as if it were soft pine.
"He... he's actually helping us," one of the campers whispered from behind a ruined car. "The monster is a hero."
Tyler swung a final, heavy blade, reducing the drone to a pile of scrap. He retracted the swords, his expression unreadable.
"Tyler!" Max shouted from the perimeter. "Why didn't you just deflect the laser? You didn't have to take the hit!"
"I know," Tyler called back, his voice a hollow rumble. "But if I'd angled the reflection, it would have sprayed the crowd behind me. I couldn't take the risk."
Max and Gwen shared a silent, stunned look. Tyler had always been careful, but seeing that gentleness manifested through such a terrifying form was surreal.
"Oh... hasn't Ben finished yet?"
Tyler turned his gaze to the other side of the camp. Ben was locked in a fierce melee, trading blows with the second drone. He was doing well, finally mastering the weight of his crystal limbs, but it was a slow grind.
"Since you're taking your time..." Tyler's mouth curved into a sharp grin. "I'll take the points!"
"Ben, get down!"
"What?" Ben dove for the dirt just in time.
Tyler braced his feet and heaved his chest forward. In an instant, the crystal plates on his torso shifted, and a volley of diamond shards erupted like Gatling gun fire. Hundreds of razor-sharp projectiles shredded the drone's armor, leaving it riddled with holes and swaying on its mechanical feet.
"Tyler! Don't steal my kill!" Ben scrambled up, reaching for a final strike.
Tyler was faster. He lunged forward, his hand condensing into a massive crystal mallet. With a single, bone-shattering swing, he crushed the drone's head into the dirt.
The threat was over.
[Ding! Host has neutralized one Titan Drone, assisted in a second, and secured the area. Progress: +1%]
[Template Mastery: 4/100. Unlocking DNA: Snare-oh, Blitzwolfer, Frankenstrike!]
Tyler's breath hitched. Three at once? Combined with Ghostfreak, he had just assembled the "Dark Quartet"—the horror-themed roster—ahead of schedule. He was effectively "Ben 13" now.
Late that night, the Rustbucket was parked in a quiet clearing. The news was already buzzing with rumors of the "Diamond Giants," but inside the RV, the lights were low.
Tyler and Gwen were tucked into the upper bunks. Below, Ben slowly sat up, his eyes gleaming with a familiar, mischievous light. "Those two bullies from earlier today... I think it's time they learned a lesson."
"Ben," Tyler whispered, leaning over the edge of the bunk. "Need a hand?"
"Nah, I think they'd have a heart attack if they saw your version. But you gave me an idea—I'm going to use Ghostfreak. A little haunting never hurt anyone." Ben slipped out of the RV and into the night.
Tyler leaned back, staring at the ceiling. The world was getting dangerous. Bounty hunters, Vilgax, the high-tier drones—it was all coming. But as he looked at the jagged Carnitrix on his wrist, he felt a strange sense of calm.
He dreamed of the "Carnitrix Universe"—a place of shadow and steel—and wondered if his path was leading him there.
Deep Space: The Chimeran Hammer
Vilgax watched the footage of Tyler's "Gatling" attack on repeat. His face was a mask of calculated fury.
"This creature... his combat awareness is far beyond the other one," Vilgax hissed. "Standard drones are a waste of resources."
"Lord Vilgax, your orders?" a subordinate asked, trembling.
"Put out the call," Vilgax commanded, his voice cold enough to freeze blood. "I want the best bounty hunters in the galaxy. Tell them there are two shapeshifters on Earth. One is a child... the other is a demon. I want them brought to me in pieces."