Hidden inheritance

Chapter 16: Ken 10

"Always a pleasure doing business with you."

Ben 10,000 rolled his eyes as he finally departed from the space mines owned by Vulkanus. The Detrovite who attacked him once or twice before (unless it was all just a dream again) had changed after that Ben came in power.

Thanks to his father's teachings, he had discovered the ways of negotiating stuff with people that'd want him dead in another life. Vulkanus quickly became one of his most reliable sources for robotic parts and rare weapons, as long as he had enough to pay him. And if Vulkanus was paid, he was attached to his reward like a child was attached to candy.

Ben put aside those thoughts as he tapped a few commands on the Chimerian Hammer, setting a course for Earth. Now that he managed to obtain the energy cores he needed, the king could return to achieve his projects.

After that Vilgax was healed and that Kevin mysteriously disappeared after supposedly leaving a Saturn colony, Ben started working on new ways of getting stronger. Vilgax had retired and left Ben to rule, and though they often still trained, the former king was taking a well-earned rest from his time as a warlord.

Afterwards, Ben learned how to reach his limits and be threatening even with his weakest aliens. He didn't have to fear being squashed as Grey Matter or Nanomech anymore, all thanks to his armor (he still remembered running around in panic as a young boy). He may have lacked Vilgax's enhancements, but the new king made up for it with his innate talent for battling.

Now the squid lord had reinforced his rule over a decade ago, mostly due to the fear history would repeat. His people heard of what happened to him before, and so while the pacifistic ways on Vilgaxia carried on to Chimera City, it seemed the security measures Vilgax himself took were greatly enhanced on Earth.

It made sense, since it used to be Ben's secondary home for a while, he knew what dangers were hiding on this planet. He knew he couldn't trust the Plumbers to be less of an annoyance, especially not at his current state of power.

He had to hurry if he didn't want to be late, Kenny wouldn't like it if he missed another of his birthdays.

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"Are you sure we're allowed in there?"

"For the last time, Billy," said Gwendolyn to the orange alien, "Dad said Kenny could bring friends over this time."

The young Chimeran hybrid snorted as his older sister and friends followed. On his previous birthdays, he always went out to have fun instead of staying home. His father always came back late from whatever political stuff adults usually dealt with, especially when his father was a galactic overlord.

Gwendolyn said she had no interest in taking the throne and would rather practice her sword fighting as a princess than ruling over the universe, so Kenny didn't even need to ask or fight her for it. The young prince looked forward to the day his own father would retire and he'd becoming king himself, both in excitement and slight worry.

"It's our danger alert." said Kenny, pointing to a big computer in a part of the HQ. "The call comes in and my dad takes off to... y'know, kick any tough rebel's butt."

"Wow! My dad's just a boring old dentist." said the young Maxatomar.

"And someday, I'll be right beside him!" proudly declared Kenny.

Suddenly, the roof above opened. Only Gwendolyn and Kenny weren't startled when they saw a big flying alien, looking similar to a pteranodon, land inside with a jetpack on its back. Astrodactyl squawked warmly as he looked at the children.