Chapter 38 - Chapter 37: Hour of Ashes

📘 Chapter 37: Hour of Ashes

Inside one of the lower labs of the Watchtower, Ben stood before a cold metal table, surrounded by soft green and blue lights.

The old watch he once trusted… was gone.

In its place lay a completely new design—not powered by the core of Kairus, but by something deeper: Ben's own will.

Green Lantern opened a glowing case containing a strangely-shaped crystal core.

"This is the base cell," he said. "Azmuth sent encrypted instructions from Oa. It's a new way to rebuild the Omnitrix—powered not by Kairus' core… but by the user's own will."

Supergirl stood behind him, concern flickering in her eyes.

"You sure you're ready for this? This isn't just a watch… it's a part of you now."

Ben didn't answer. He simply nodded, slowly removed his glove, and reached his hand toward the center—toward where the new watch would take form.

As the energy from the crystal merged with his body… something unexpected happened.

--

In a split second, Ben felt himself being pulled inward… into a white void—no walls, no sky, no time.

In that space, three translucent shadows appeared before him: Supergirl, Kevin, and Gwen.

They didn't speak. They just looked at him—as if reflecting his doubts, his fear.

Then, his Grandpa Max appeared, standing a few steps away, smiling in silence… unmoving.

Ben whispered, "Is this… a dream? Or a test?"

A voice answered—it sounded like his own, but deeper, steadier:

> "This watch isn't just a tool. It's a mirror of your will.

The real question isn't whether you can stop Kairus…

It's whether you'll become him."

A shadow of Kairus emerged in the distance, surrounded by black smoke, whispering words he couldn't understand.

The ghost of Gwen stepped closer and said softly:

> "You're not fighting to save the multiverse…

You're fighting to stay yourself."

Suddenly, Ben's wrist glowed with a pulsing blue light.

Energy surged from it toward the shadows, which vanished one by one—leaving only the light behind.

---

📌 (Back to Reality)

Ben gasped, snapping back to the lab, his hand still extended.

Around him, the new watch had formed completely.

Its design was entirely different—sleek black with glowing deep blue lines, the Omnitrix symbol radiant at the center, but carrying a wholly new presence.

Green Lantern muttered in awe, "That watch… it feels alive."

Supergirl stepped closer and whispered,

"What did you feel?"

Ben looked down at his wrist and replied:

> "I felt like I wasn't alone.

I chose it… but when it activated,

it felt like it chose me too."

Then he spoke with a stronger voice than before:

"This watch… isn't for fighting.

It's for choosing."

---

📌 (Watchtower Observation Room)

In a nearby chamber, Batman watched the scene on his monitors.

He turned to Wonder Woman and said,

"You seeing what I'm seeing?"

She answered slowly,

"Yes… that boy isn't the same anymore."

---

📌 (Tower Rooftop – After Sunset)

Later that evening, as the stars shimmered over Earth, Ben stood on the Watchtower's rooftop, staring at the new watch on his wrist.

Supergirl joined him, her gaze drawn to the faint dark-blue glow around the device.

"You ready?" she asked.

"I don't know…" Ben smiled slightly. "But this time… if we're going to defeat Kairus—

It'll be by my will, not his weapon."

They stood in silence for a moment, then Ben whispered:

> "This isn't a watch…

It's a message."

---

📌 (The Core Crystal – Kairus' Realm)

Deep within the core crystal, in Kairus' dimension, something shifted.

He opened his crystalline eyes… and whispered:

> "The choice has begun…

and it will end… with me."

---