Michael and Jen rode atop Shockwave in his sleek bike form, with Ferox perched comfortably on Michael's head. Behind them, Kevin and Gwen followed closely in Kevin's car, the hum of the engines filling the quiet night air.

"Nothing says quality time like tracking down a mystery transmission," Kevin called out, pulling up beside Michael.

"Ja, denn entweder handelt es sich um ein Aliensignal oder um eine weitere Invasion, die unmittelbar bevorsteht." (Yeah, because it's either an alien signal or yet another invasion waiting to happen) Michael replied dryly. Jen's grip around his waist instinctively tightened.

"It's not an invasion," Shockwave interjected, his face appearing on the bike's digital interface. "But the energy readings are... unusual."

"Let's just hope it's not some massive energy weapon," Gwen added with a sigh.

Ferox chirped, shifting slightly on Michael's head, while Jen, still clinging to her husband, all but melted into him, her body relaxed against his.

They drove in silence the rest of the way until they arrived at their destination—a museum, looming against the night sky. Kevin parked the car, and he and Gwen stepped out, stretching after the ride. 

Meanwhile, Michael and Jen dismounted as Shockwave transformed back into his towering Decepticon form with a whir of shifting metal.

Michael stretched his arms as he glanced up at the towering museum entrance. The building loomed over them, its grand architecture illuminated by the dim glow of streetlights. A faint hum of energy pulsed from within, sending a chill down his spine.

"Alright, so where exactly is this transmission coming from?" Michael asked, cracking his knuckles.

Shockwave's optic flickered as he scanned the building. "Deeper inside. The signal is originating from an underground chamber, beneath the main exhibition hall."

Kevin crossed his arms. "Great. That means we have to sneak past security, or worse—deal with whatever's hiding down there."

Gwen looked at the massive structure, her eyes narrowing. "There's something...off about this place. The mana here feels—unsettled."

Jen, still holding onto Michael's arm, nodded. "I feel it too. It's like something's been disturbed."

Michael sighed. "Well, standing around won't get us answers. Let's move."

They approached the entrance cautiously, Ferox leaping down from Michael's head and sniffing the air. The doors were locked, but Shockwave made quick work of the security system, hacking the controls and granting them access.

"Looks like we found our way in," Michael muttered as the door clicked open.

Inside, the museum was dark and silent, the exhibits standing like frozen sentinels in the dim emergency lighting. Their footsteps echoed through the grand hall as they made their way toward the basement access.

Shockwave scanned ahead, his optic glowing faintly. "The signal is coming from below."

The group descended a flight of stairs into the basement, the air thick with dust and something else—something ancient.

"Creepy museum basement. Figures," Kevin muttered, Shockwave paused before a stack of crates. "The energy reading is strongest here."

Gwen ran her fingers over one of the crates. "Something's inside this one. Maybe we should find a crowbar—"

Before she could finish, Kevin slammed his fist into the crate, splintering it apart. "What? We already broke in."

Gwen sighed. "Sometimes I forget how much you lack subtlety."

Michael and Jen stepped forward, brushing aside the broken wood. Inside the crate lay a circular object, covered in strange, glowing symbols.

Shockwave's optic widened. "Get back!" he ordered.

Before anyone could react, the artifact crackled with energy, violet lightning arcing through the air. The room was suddenly bathed in eerie purple light, and the walls trembled.

From the blinding violet light, shadows emerged. Figures clad in sleek, ninja-like armor materialized from the energy field, their movements eerily silent as they spread out across the basement. Their blackened visors concealed any expression, but their intent was clear.

Michael's instincts kicked in. He activated the Ultimatrix, its green glow illuminating his face as he prepared to transform—

But the ninjas ignored him.

Instead, they lunged straight for Jen.

Jen's eyes flashed, her body tensing. In an instant, black tendrils erupted from her back, sharp and writhing like living spears. Venom had awakened. The first wave of attackers was sent flying, their bodies crashing into the surrounding crates as the symbiote lashed out in defense of its host.

Kevin growled, his Ultimate Swampfire arm ignited, burning with molten blue flames. "Oh, so we're doing this now?" he muttered before thrusting his hands forward. 

A torrent of fire roared to life, engulfing several of the ninjas in an inferno that sent them scattering, their armor sizzling under the intense heat.

Gwen reacted instantly, her fingers glowing with arcane energy as she conjured a shimmering blue mana bubble. It expanded outward, trapping a group of ninjas mid-air before she clenched her fist—causing the bubble to contract, slamming them into each other with bone-crushing force.

Shockwave analyzed the battlefield in a fraction of a second. "Hostiles identified. Engaging." His massive frame pivoted, railguns charging with a high-pitched whine before unleashing a devastating barrage. Two ninjas were blasted off their feet, their armor sparking as they crumpled to the ground.

Ferox let out a guttural snarl from his perch, his small frame rippling as he morphed into his monstrous form. With a single powerful leap, he crashed into the enemy ranks, his claws raking through armor as he slammed two attackers into the ground with brutal force.

Michael dodged an incoming ninja, rolling to the side as he twisted the Ultimatrix's dial. "Alright, you wanna ignore me? Fine—let's change that."

With a flash of emerald energy, his body melted away, reforming into the gelatinous, form of Goop.

The ninjas hesitated for the first time.

Michael grinned—at least, as much as Goop could. "Yeah, not so tough now, huh?"

A trio of ninjas lunged at him, their blades slicing through the air. But Michael's amorphous body split apart, letting the strikes pass harmlessly through before snapping back together.

He retaliated by expanding outward, tendrils of slime whipping in every direction. One ninja was flung into a wall, another slammed headfirst into the floor, and the third was enveloped completely, struggling as Goop's acidic touch corroded their armor.

The black symbiote coating her body retracted slightly, her form shifting. With a flash of green energy, she transformed—this time into Echo Echo.

A single Echo Echo stood where Jen had been. Then, with a high-pitched "Echo!", she split into three identical copies.

"Let's see how you handle surround sound," the Jens said in unison.

A sonic shockwave erupted from them, distorting the air with a deafening pulse. The ninjas recoiled instantly, clutching their heads as the vibrations rattled through their bodies. One collapsed outright, their armor cracking from the sheer force.

Michael's gelatinous form pulsed as he expanded outward, stretching his slime-like body to engulf the remaining ninjas. They struggled, thrashing within the sticky mass, but his grip held firm.

"Jen! Now!" Michael called out.

Without hesitation, the Jens—still in their Echo Echo forms—took a deep breath and unleashed a synchronized sonic blast.

"ECHO!"

The air trembled as the sound waves rippled outward, shattering the basement's dim lighting and sending a deafening force through the room. The ninjas stiffened as their bodies convulsed under the onslaught of vibrations. In seconds, they crumpled into unconscious heaps within Michael's grasp.

Silence fell over the chamber.

Kevin cracked his knuckles, surveying the fallen enemies. "Huh. That was easier than I expected."

Michael reformed back into his human self, his gaze narrowing as he stepped closer to the unmoving figures. "Sie sehen nicht so aus, als würden sie zum Foot Clan gehören..." (They don't look like they belong to the Foot Clan...) he murmured.

He crouched, examining the sleek black armor. Though their visors concealed their faces, something about their build struck him as... odd. Their frames were slender, their body proportions subtly different from typical warriors.

His brow furrowed. 'They're... feminine?'

Before he could dwell on the thought, he was suddenly tackled from behind—by Jen.

Or rather, the Jens.

"Darling~!" they cooed in perfect unison, their arms locking around him in a tight embrace.

Michael let out a long, tired sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Jen, please..."

The Jens simply clung tighter, nuzzling against him playfully. Kevin snickered at the display, while Gwen rolled her eyes, arms crossed.

But before anyone could comment further, the room was filled with a sudden pulse of violet energy.

The fallen ninjas shimmered, their bodies consumed by the same eerie light that had brought them into this world. Within seconds, they vanished—whisked away as if they had never been there.

Michael ran a frustrated hand through his hair as the last traces of the mysterious ninjas vanished into thin air. 'Just great.'

"Oh, come on," he muttered, his annoyance evident.

Jen, now back in her human form, didn't seem to share his frustration. Instead, she remained clinging to him, hugging him from behind with an affectionate, almost lazy grip. Her chin rested on his shoulder as she sighed dreamily.

"What's the big deal?" Kevin said, brushing dust off his jacket as he sauntered up. "We kicked their butts. Win's a win."

Michael shot him a deadpan look. "They escaped. And we have no idea who sent them or what they wanted." He turned to Shockwave, his tone sharp. "Do you have any idea what that thing is?"

He pointed at the circular object resting on the floor—the very artifact that had unleashed this chaos. It still pulsed faintly with an ominous energy, crackling with remnants of purple lightning.

Before Shockwave could answer, another voice chimed in.

"Yes, that's the Hands of Armageddon," came the ever-unbothered voice of Professor Paradox.

The group whipped around to find the eccentric time traveler standing there, hands tucked into his lab coat pockets, wearing his usual impish grin.

"...Is what Shockwave was going to say," Paradox added, tilting his head as if enjoying some private joke.

Michael pinched the bridge of his nose. "Because of course you show up when time nonsense is involved."

Gwen crossed her arms. "What does it do?"

Shockwave's optic flickered as he processed the question. "The Hands of Armageddon is an ancient artifact said to exist simultaneously across time and space. It acts as a cross-dimensional gateway, allowing travel between different realities."

Silence.

Everyone stared at the object with a mix of awe and concern.

Kevin raised an eyebrow. "So... it's basically a big, shiny 'Portal to Bad Ideas'?"

Michael groaned, already dreading where this was going. "Great. We're back to time travel and dimension-hopping. My favorite."

Paradox's usual playfulness faded as he stepped toward the artifact, his gaze unusually serious. He reached out, brushing his fingers against its smooth surface.

The air hummed.

"We take it with us," Paradox said simply. "It's the source of our troubles."

Michael exhaled, rubbing his temples. "Why do I feel like this is only the beginning of a much bigger mess?"

Paradox smiled. "Oh, Michael... you have no idea."

The hum of the engines filled the air as Shockwave's ship soared through the sky, cutting through the clouds with ease. Inside, the group worked quickly.

Jen as Fourarms gripped the Hands of Armageddon tightly, her massive red arms securing it in place. Beside her, Michael as Humungousaur—tightened the last of the straps, making sure the artifact was firmly secured to the ship's containment unit.

"All strapped in," Jen said, dusting off her hands as she and Michael reverted back to their human forms.

The two made their way toward the control room, where Shockwave and Kevin were, as usual, piloting the ship. The soft glow of the control panels illuminated their faces, the endless sky stretching beyond the front window.

Kevin, hands on the controls, glanced at Paradox through the corner of his eye. "You sure about this? We're headed to the middle of nowhere."

Paradox, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, offered his usual cryptic response. "One only hopes it's far enough."

Gwen, huffed in frustration as she lazily twirled in midair. Her energy-like hair flickered and swirled with every movement. "Nothing ever makes sense when you show up."

Paradox chuckled, clearly unfazed. "That's a fair criticism."

Michael dropped into one of the pilot seats, exhaling as he leaned back. Before he could get comfortable, Jen plopped onto his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck as she nuzzled into him.

Michael let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "Jen, do you have to?"

Jen's lips curled into a playful smile. "Yes," she said simply, hugging him tighter.

Kevin snorted from his seat. "Get a room, you two."

Michael sighed but didn't push her away. Typical Jen. Even in the middle of an interdimensional crisis, she always found time to cling to him.

Kevin leaned forward from the co-pilot seat, arms crossed. "Okay, so... mind explaining exactly what the Hands of Armageddon does? And what do you mean by 'cross-time'?"

Paradox turned his gaze toward the ship's viewport, watching the endless expanse of the sky drift by. His voice, as usual, carried an unsettling calm.

"As Shockwave explained, the Hands of Armageddon is a gateway—a bridge between infinite realities," he said, his fingers tapping together thoughtfully. "Whoever controls it gains access to countless universes, each branching off from the tiniest of changes. For example..."

Paradox turned toward the group, his expression unreadable. "There exists a reality where Jen is an Anodite, and Gwen found the Omnitrix. Another where Kevin never had to absorb the Ultimatrix's power to defeat Aggregor. A world where Albedo won his duel against Michael."

He gestured vaguely as if reaching into the unseen fabric of existence itself. "Et cetera ad infinitum."

The group absorbed this in silence. The sheer scope of what he was saying weighed on them.

"These worlds..." Paradox continued, his voice growing somber, "are every bit as real as our own. But they cannot—must not—be allowed to bleed into ours."

A tension filled the air.

Shockwave, who had remained quiet, finally spoke from the cockpit, his deep mechanical voice breaking the moment. "Which brings us to our problem."

"Eon." Paradox's voice carried a weight that made everyone pause. Michael, Kevin, and Gwen exchanged wary glances.

"They're a being who was cast into cross-time—trapped between infinite realities."

Michael crossed his arms, his expression skeptical. "How?"

Paradox turned to him, his usual smirk absent. "An alternate version of you and Jen fought him once. You thought you destroyed him when you destroyed the Hands of Armageddon... but in reality, he was cast into the void of cross-time."

Jen's grip on Michael tightened instinctively.

"In an act of revenge," Paradox continued, his tone darkening, "he began hunting every version of you, using the Hands of Armageddon to move between dimensions."

Michael frowned, processing the weight of those words. "So... he's been targeting me across the multiverse?"

Paradox nodded. "And he almost succeeded—until a future version of Jen fought him and managed to send him away."

Jen's eyes widened. "Wait... me?"

Paradox smirked slightly. "Oh yes. I tried to bring her along to help us, but she refused, saying—" He cleared his throat, mimicking her voice in a dry tone. 'I have my kids to take care of.'"

Before anyone could react, Jen immediately latched onto Michael, hugging him tighter than before and peppering his cheek with kisses.

Michael groaned, half-annoyed, half-amused. "Jen, really?"

"Yes, really." She smiled sweetly, nuzzling into his neck. 

Shockwave scoffed, leaning back in his seat. "Yeah, yeah. Can we focus on the part where some time-hopping psycho wants to kill us?"

Paradox checked his pocket watch, then turned toward Shockwave and Kevin. "If you two could speed up, that would be lovely."

Kevin raised an eyebrow. "Wow, that's a first. Nobody ever tells us to speed up."

Without hesitation, Shockwave pushed the ship's thrusters to maximum, the engines roaring as they rocketed forward.

Paradox chuckled. "It's just that a cross-chronal warp is opening nearby."

Before anyone could react, the ship began shaking violently.

Gwen grabbed onto a chair for support, her Anodite energy flaring instinctively. Ferox clawed at his own hair, struggling to keep himself from flying across the room.

"In the cargo bay?!" Gwen shouted over the turbulence.

Paradox simply smiled. "I'm afraid so. I'll see you good people on the ground... probably."

Before anyone could stop him, he vanished in a blink of light.

The ship lurched dangerously, alarms blaring as the Hands of Armageddon pulsated ominously in its containment.

Michael, Gwen, Jen, and Ferox rushed into the cargo bay, the doors sliding open with a hiss.

A deep purple energy seeped out of the Hands of Armageddon, its glow intensifying with each passing second. The ship rumbled beneath their feet, the air thick with static.

Then—a blinding flash.

From within the swirling energy, figures clad in dark, ninja-like armor erupted into the room, landing with silent precision.

"Yeah... that's never a good sign," Gwen muttered, her hands crackling with mana.

Before anyone could react, the Hands of Armageddon broke free from its containment. It hovered ominously, pulsating with raw power before releasing another burst of light—summoning even more ninjas into the already cramped cargo bay.

Michael groaned, rolling his shoulders. "I figured we were toast as soon as Paradox bailed."

Without hesitation, he slammed his hand onto the Ultimatrix, the device flashing green as his body morphed and grew. Within seconds, he was Shocksquatch, his fur crackling with electricity as his massive frame towered over the intruders.

Jen followed suit, her Ultimatrix flaring green as she transformed into Water Hazard, armored plates snapping into place as water surged around her.

Ferox growled deeply, his form twisting as his body expanded, fangs elongating, claws sharpening—his monstrous transformation taking hold.

The ninjas froze for a split second, their bodies tensing as their masked