Ben found himself in a bizarre, fractured reality, a chaotic jumble of different time periods and alternate dimensions. Dinosaurs roamed alongside futuristic cities, medieval knights clashed with alien invaders, and the laws of physics seemed to shift and change with every passing moment. He was adrift in Paradox's personal temporal prison, a place designed to disorient and break even the strongest minds.
"Welcome, Ben Tennyson," Paradox's voice echoed through the fractured landscape. "I trust you find my little… creation… stimulating?"
Ben focused, his Alien X form allowing him to maintain a semblance of control amidst the chaos. He scanned the surroundings, trying to understand the nature of his prison. It was a manifestation of Paradox's own fractured psyche, a reflection of his obsession with control and his distorted view of time.
"This is just a distraction, Paradox," Ben shouted, his voice resonating with the power of Alien X. "You can't break me. I've faced worse."
Paradox chuckled. "Oh, but I can, Ben. I know you better than you know yourself. I know your fears, your doubts, your weaknesses. And I know exactly how to exploit them."
Suddenly, the fractured landscape began to shift and change, morphing into scenes from Ben's past: his first transformation, his battles with Vilgax, his failures to save those he cared about. Each scene was designed to evoke guilt, regret, and a sense of helplessness.
"Remember this, Ben?" Paradox's voice taunted. "Remember how you failed? Remember how you let them down?" Ben grit his teeth, fighting against the rising tide of negative emotions. He knew Paradox was trying to manipulate him, to break his will and turn him into a puppet. But he refused to succumb.
"Those were mistakes, Paradox," Ben retorted. "But I learned from them. I grew stronger. I won't let you use my past against me."
Ben focused his power, reaching out to the fractured reality, trying to impose his own will upon it. He began to reshape the landscape, turning the scenes of his past into symbols of hope and resilience. He transformed the battlefield of his first Vilgax encounter into a monument to courage and sacrifice, the memory of his fallen friends into a beacon of inspiration. He was reclaiming his past, rewriting the narrative on his own terms.
Paradox's voice grew strained. "What are you doing? You can't control this! This is my creation!"
Ben ignored him, continuing to reshape the reality around him. He was drawing strength from his memories, from his relationships, from the very essence of who he was. He was turning Paradox's weapon against him, transforming the prison into a source of power.
As Ben, as Alien X, used his abilities to its fullest, he was gaining more and more control over his mind. Serena and Bellicus were able to put their differences aside, and assist Ben. Ben was stronger than ever.
With a final surge of will, Ben shattered the fractured reality, breaking free from Paradox's temporal prison. He found himself back in the control room of the time machine, facing Paradox once more. But this time, the playing field had shifted. Ben was no longer a prisoner, he was a force to be reckoned with.
Ben now looked at Paradox, with a serious expression. "It's over Paradox. I am stopping you. What you are doing is wrong."
Paradox looks back at Ben with a smirk. "Did you really think I was at full power, back then?!" Paradox quickly overpowers Ben, and restrains him. He then says to Ben, "I was merely playing with you. To see how strong you were. Now that I know, I can finally proceed with my master plan."
Paradox uses the time machine, and disappears into an unknown dimension. Ben is shocked, and cannot believe that Paradox got away. Serena and Bellicus, frustrated, said that they should have done more. Ben nods. He has to get back at Paradox. As Paradox disappeared, Ben felt a change. The Ultimatrix was changing. Ben looked at the Ultimatrix, and sees the evolution function is unlocked. As he looks around, he notices Max, Gwen, and Kevin are here. "What happened?!" asked Ben.
Max then explains that Paradox was able to teleport Ben away, however, he was not able to do anything to the three heroes. Max then tells Ben that they have to regroup, and prepare a plan. Ben tells the heroes that he feels the Ultimatrix has evolved. The group realizes that with this new power, they can defeat Paradox. As the heroes venture off to prepare for battle, they see a figure approaching them. It is a familiar face. It's Azmuth! Azmuth looks at the heroes, then says "I have been waiting for you."
With Azmuth finally approaching the heroes, what new powers will they discover? How will they use the evolution function? With Albedo, Eon, and Paradox all teamed up, it will be up to Ben to stop them! And with that, will Ben finally discover the true potential of the Ultimatrix? To be continued…