"Vilgax! What are you doing here? Looking for a fight? If so, I'll gladly accompany you to the end!" Albedo roared, his eyes blazing with fury.
If it were anyone else, fear might have been natural when facing Vilgax, but Albedo showed no hesitation at all.
Diamondhead assumed a ready stance, prepared to engage in battle with the imposing figure before him at any moment.
Yet, Vilgax remained calm, even as Albedo could strike at any second. He slowly lowered his greatsword and spoke in a low, measured voice:
"My purpose is simple, Albedo. I am here to cooperate with you."
Albedo sneered. "Hmph! That's utterly absurd! Who would believe you? You tore off my spaceship's hatch, nearly killed me, and now you claim you want to cooperate?"
Despite his words, Albedo's sharp gaze never left Vilgax, remaining alert.
Vilgax continued evenly: "That was only a test of your strength, to determine whether you are capable of working with me."
Seeing Albedo still glaring, Vilgax did not insist, but explained his plan. The goal was simple: to join forces with Albedo to capture Ben Tennyson. While Albedo would keep the Ultimatrix, Vilgax intended to deal with Ben personally.
Albedo considered this silently, his expression thoughtful. After a moment, a subtle smile curved his lips—he had made his decision: he would accept Vilgax's proposal.
But his true motive was far from straightforward. With the Ultimatrix in his possession, Albedo feared almost nothing in the universe. Its capabilities far exceeded even the original Omnitrix, and his only minor limitation was in the variety of alien DNA stored.
Unlike the original Albedo, he had no personal interest in the Omnitrix. He agreed to cooperate simply because the situation promised to be… interesting.
Feigning compliance, Albedo reverted from his transformation and extended his right hand toward Vilgax with a confident smile.
"Very well, Vilgax. Let's make this cooperation smooth and productive," Albedo said, his tone calm but full of anticipation.
Vilgax's eyes flickered briefly toward the Ultimatrix. For a moment, Albedo thought he was eyeing it covetously. But a faint sneer crossed Vilgax's face. Clearly, in Vilgax's estimation, the Ultimatrix was merely a clever imitation, incomparable to the true Omnitrix.
Satisfied with the agreement, Albedo's smile widened. "Since we've reached an understanding, let's discuss another matter, shall we?"
Vilgax tilted his head, curious. Albedo's tone turned sly: "Tell me, Lord Vilgax, how do you plan to compensate me for my damaged hatch? You do realize this is a high-tech Galvan spaceship, and that door isn't cheap."
Vilgax froze, clearly unprepared for Albedo to raise the issue of the hatch. Albedo pressed on, feigning surprise: "Could it be… the conqueror of countless worlds refuses to compensate for a single spaceship hatch? Impossible!"
Vilgax, bound by pride and honor, had no choice. "I will send someone to deliver payment shortly, and then we will begin our plan," he said, leaving without another word.
Albedo waved in mock farewell. "Safe travels, Lord Vilgax. Be careful not to run into a stray asteroid!"
Once Vilgax was gone, Albedo returned to his ship, sighing as he inspected the missing hatch.
"Sigh… I really don't know where he tossed it. Time to build a new one," he muttered.
Activating the Ultimatrix, he transformed into Grey Matter.
Grey Matter scuttled to the spaceship's storage area, quickly gathering parts and assembling a brand-new hatch.
"I fix~ I fix~ I fix everything!" he muttered as pieces clicked together. Soon, the new hatch was complete and perfectly installed.
Returning to the laboratory, Albedo leaned on the table, deep in thought.
"The Ultimate Alien plot is about to unfold. In the original storyline, I cooperated with Vilgax but lost everything, including the Omnitrix. This time, I'm prepared—but I will not let Ben take the Ultimatrix. It is mine to use, and I will upgrade him only if necessary."
He carefully retrieved the unfinished Ultimatrix core from his hold.
"There's still time. Let's make something meaningful," he murmured, his eyes glinting with determination.