Dust rolled across the desert highway with every turn of the RV's wheels. When the engine finally stopped, the thick haze settled back over the road.
Click.
Grandpa Max opened the door and stepped onto the scorching sand. Ahead stood a long-abandoned training base.
"Well, what do you know," he said, eyes brightening. "There's actually a training field out here."
The place was fully equipped — obstacle courses, climbing walls, even a combat ring.
"Whoa! Ethen, we can totally train here!" Ben Tennyson jumped out of the Rustbucket, already brimming with energy.
Ethen followed, scanning the facility that looked just like he remembered. "So this is what it really looks like…"
The two of them stepped inside together.
Following Ethen's suggestion, neither used their Omnitrixes.
They relied only on their own bodies, pushing through each obstacle by hand and grit alone. It wasn't the fastest way to get stronger — but it built real determination.
Half an hour later, Ben collapsed on the ground, drenched in sweat.
"Ethen… after all this, I finally get it — sticking with something isn't that hard!"
Ethen chuckled, sitting beside him. "You're doing great, Ben."
He'd not only trained Ben but also managed to keep their location hidden.
Perfect.
"Ding! Mission detected: 'Ben Tennyson's Perseverance!'"
"Objective: Under your guidance, Ben has learned the value of persistence. Use the War Watch to push him further — let him feel true despair!"
"Reward: 15 points."
Ethen blinked. "Wait … this mission's about Ben?"
He hesitated, glancing at the orange War Watch glowing on his wrist.
"Should I really …?"
Before he could decide, a flash of blue light burst beside him.
"Diamondhead!"
Ben stood grinning in his crystalline form. "You looked like you wanted a match, so I transformed first! Come on, let's fight!"
Ethen sighed. "Great … guess we're doing this."
He raised the War Watch and flipped its dial. "Alright — let's see what the War Watch can do. Let's go with… Howling Wolf."
Shhhhk!
A blinding orange light filled the air. When it faded, a towering werewolf stood in Ethen's place — jet-black fur like armor, muscles coiled with power, eyes burning gold.
If Ben's alien was Diamondhead…
Ethen had become the War Wolf, the apex predator.
Ben's jaw dropped. "Ethen — your alien looks insanely cool!"
"Ben." War Wolf's low growl vibrated through the air. "Let's make this quick."
Diamondhead clenched his fists, his forearms morphing into twin diamond hammers.
The two faced each other, energy crackling invisibly between them — but War Wolf's aura was clearly stronger.
"Why do they always start fighting right away?" Grandpa Max muttered, half-amused, half-exasperated.
Gwen sighed. "Two teenage boys who can both transform into aliens? I'd be more surprised if they didn't."
Boom! Bang!
War Wolf slashed forward, claws gleaming, while Diamondhead countered with a hammer strike.
Clang!
War Wolf's claws scraped across Diamondhead's chest, leaving only a faint mark.
Diamondhead retaliated, slamming his crystal hammer into War Wolf's ribs — but Ethen barely flinched.
Instead, his breathing quickened, and a wild, electric thrill surged through him.
Deep inside, something awakened — a hunger for battle that refused to be contained.
"You got hit, and you're … getting excited?"
Diamondhead's jaw tightened in disbelief.
"Ben," War Wolf growled, a grin spreading across his muzzle, "watch closely … this is how you fight!"
He let out a deafening roar — a shockwave of sound that blasted Diamondhead off his feet.
Before Ben could recover, War Wolf lunged, attacking with claws, kicks, and even his tail, each strike faster than the last.
Power and technique fused together seamlessly.
Diamondhead's crystalline body began to crack under the relentless assault.
He couldn't even counter.
All he could do was block — and get pummeled!
"Wha— is it just me, or does that feel like I'm getting hit?" Grandpa Max winced, rubbing his own chest.
Gwen's eyes widened. "He's not just fighting — he's enjoying it. The more intense it gets, the stronger he becomes…"
War Wolf was a whirlwind — a living engine of destruction.
Each blow made him faster, sharper, more ferocious.
His muscles tightened, his aura burned hotter, his power kept climbing.
Diamondhead struggled to move, every attack deflected before it could land.
Cracks spidered across his armor.
In front of War Wolf, Ben had become nothing more than a durable training dummy.
"No way … Ethen — is this what your enemies feel?" Diamondhead's voice trembled.
"Rrrraaaah!! Keep fighting!" War Wolf's roar split the air as his fighting spirit erupted, his body swelling slightly with sheer power.
"This is insane!" Diamondhead groaned. "He's unstoppable!"
"Ding! Mission complete. Reward: 15 points."
The chime snapped War Wolf back to his senses.
He halted mid-swing, breathing hard, as Diamondhead collapsed to the ground.
Regaining control, Ethen forced the fighting urge down and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Sorry … I kinda got carried away."
Grandpa Max scowled. "You think? You looked like a full-on battle maniac!"
Gwen swallowed hard, uneasy. "That was … terrifying."
"It's okay, Gwen." War Wolf knelt down, gently patting her shoulder. "I'd never hurt you."
She smiled faintly, eyes shining. "I know."
But before Ethen could say more, his wolf ears twitched.
A streak of light blazed across the sky — a meteor plunging into the desert nearby.
It struck with a thunderous boom, leaving a crater and a rising cloud of smoke.
From the haze, a shadow emerged — a hulking figure with one massive claw and a briefcase in hand.
"Two stupid Earthlings with IQs under 20," the creature sneered.
"I've been watching from orbit. I waited for you to wear yourselves out before coming down … to finish you."
Krabb stepped out of the smoke, his armor gleaming under the sun.
Diamondhead raised a shaky arm. "You came at the perfect time! I don't know why you're hunting us, but … thanks!"
"Crazy human," Krabb muttered, unimpressed. His eyes locked onto War Wolf instead.
In a blur, War Wolf dashed forward, his massive frame filling Krabb's vision, golden eyes blazing with wild excitement.
A fierce grin split his face.
Another free punching bag had just volunteered.
Battle Maniac Ethen was online — and ready for round two.
[Author's Note: Ethen's War Watch debut! Thank you to everyone supporting this story — your encouragement keeps it going!]