"Transformer Girl!!"
Ethen shouted toward the shape-shifting woman. "Come back!"
"Ah? Yes, Ethen!"
The alien jogged back to him, panting. "Did you find a mechanical object I can fuse with?"
"Fuse with the Love Watch—it's the only mechanical thing here, and it's high-tech!"
"Your power comes from the Love Watch, so it shouldn't reject you."
Ethen raised the pink watch on his wrist, eyes filled with confidence.
The Love Watch was a mechanical object too.
So why couldn't it be possessed?
Although Ben never tried anything like this in the original show...
Ethen dared to experiment!
"Alright, let's give it a try."
The Transformer Girl took a deep breath and began to cover the Love Watch with part of her body.
A small section of her form wrapped tightly around Ethen's wrist, while the rest coiled up his arm.
"How's it feel…?"
Ethen's eyes gleamed.
SHOOOM!
The Love Watch began to glow—bright pink energy condensed into the shape of a giant heart!
The alien gasped in awe.
"Ethen, I think I can control the Love Watch's energy!"
"What functions do you have? Explain while you show me."
Ethen gave quick, steady orders.
Click-click!
The Love Watch pulsed with DNA energy that reflected across Ethen's body!
Dark green armor formed around him, wrapping him completely and giving him incredible strength.
This was—
The Transformer Girl's power forming DNA Armor around him!
"Besides," she said excitedly, "I can also channel the power of my nine sisters!"
Ethen blinked. Biotech energy symbiosis? This was beyond anything he'd seen before!
"Alright then…" He turned toward the towering lightning giant in the distance, "Give me the power of XLR8!"
As soon as the words left his mouth—
SWOOSH!
DNA circuits flared in his ankles, simulating XLR8's pulleys.
His body blurred into motion, rocketing forward at impossible speed.
"???"
The lightning giant turned, eyes wide, hurling bolts as thick as tree trunks—
but every strike missed. Ethen was too fast.
"What's happening?! Did Ethen just become a female alien or something?" Gwen gasped from afar.
ZOOOM!
Ethen skidded to a stop in front of the lightning giant.
"Simulate—Ghostfreak!"
His armor turned lighter, semi-transparent, his form phasing between worlds.
"Die!!" the lightning giant roared, launching a thunderbolt—
—but it passed right through Ethen.
He drifted upward, ghostlike, until he hovered above the giant's head.
"Wha—?!" the giant stammered, firing lasers upward, but none hit.
"At last…"
Ethen's eyes burned with focus.
"Give me the power of Heatblast!"
BOOM!
Flames erupted across his body, the armor morphing into a blazing suit of fire.
He looked like a flaming tokusatsu hero—unstoppable, heroic, radiant.
"Fire Fist!!"
He shot forward, landing an explosive uppercut straight into the giant's head—
KA-BOOM!!
Flames burst outward, scattering arcs of electricity and light fragments across the park.
Gwen stared, jaw dropped.
"That pink watch… I want one too, Ethen!!"
Why could that pink Love Watch make him look so cool—like a real-life Kamen Rider hero?!
"Man, he actually looks awesome," Ben muttered.
Ethen hovered midair, flames flickering around him, grinning.
"Fighting with your own body—it's the best feeling."
And the best part—he could switch states instantly.
The Love Watch was unstoppable.
"Ahh!!"
"Damn it!!"
The other light-creatures struggled to their feet, crackling with electricity again.
"Simulation—Diamondhead!"
Ethen landed smoothly, raised both hands, and the DNA armor shifted—his arms turning into shining crystalline blades.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Without hesitation, he fired crystal shards in rapid succession.
Each beam struck true, knocking the light-creatures unconscious one after another.
In moments, the entire group was down.
"Ben, Gwen—mission complete."
Ethen smirked.
Ding!
Congratulations, Host—Mission Complete!
Reward: +20 Points!
"Ethen…" Gwen floated closer, eyes wide with curiosity. "Your armor looks so cool—I wanna touch it!"
"Ah!"
The Transformer Girl squealed shyly, retracting her body from that section of the armor.
"You can't even touch it?" Gwen pouted, tears forming in her eyes. "That's unfair!"
"Ah, sorry for the mess. I'll handle clean-up!" The manager of the theme park rushed over, bowing repeatedly, "Thank you, hero!"
"What a cool hero!"
"Wow, he's like Kamen Rider!"
"What's your name, mister hero?!"
Tourists surrounded him, cheering.
Ethen coughed lightly, trying to play it off.
"I do good deeds anonymously. Gotta run!"
He leapt away, DNA armor still active, savoring the incredible rush of power.
Finally, in a quiet alley—
Click.
The Transformer Girl separated from him, collapsing weakly to the ground.
"What's wrong?" Ethen knelt beside her, worried.
"Covering the Love Watch drains my strength—and some of the watch's energy too… I can only maintain it for a few minutes," she murmured.
"A few minutes is more than enough." Ethen clenched his fist, "Next time, I'll finish faster!"
"Alright then… Ethen, let's fight together again next time!"
Her eyes shone as she held up her pinky.
"Next time…"
Ethen's smile faded slightly.
After midnight, the Love Watch's template would disappear.
And when that happened… there might not be a next time.