"What?! How's this possible?!"
A low scream of shock tore from Necrolai as she stared at the unaffected pair before her.
No human had ever resisted her illusion spells. Never. The only way such a thing could happen was if the target was stronger than her—and she was absolutely certain the two girls standing there were nothing more than ordinary teenagers. She had personally used a special scanning spell the moment they stepped into the castle.
What she didn't know—what she couldn't know—was that Zayne's base contract was already at work, sealing Gwen and Kira from all forms of external probing.
Gwen was the first to move.
She stepped forward slowly, her eyes locked onto Mary Jane, disappointment and hurt burning beneath her calm exterior.
"Why did you do this, MJ?" she asked through gritted teeth.
Mary Jane shuddered under that gaze.
What could she even say?
She knew she was wrong. Some part of her understood that clearly. But another part—louder, darker, irrational—kept whispering that she was right. That everything she did was for their sake. That she was giving them power.
Yes. Power.
I can't keep this power all to myself. My friends have to share in my glory too.
Mary Jane clung to that thought, mentally seducing herself with it. The fear in her chest slowly faded, replaced by certainty.
Kira noticed the shift instantly and frowned.
…Was her friend bipolar?
Mary Jane inhaled deeply, steadying herself, then lifted her head and met both Gwen's and Kira's eyes.
"I did this for our friendship," she said slowly. "Didn't we promise we'd stay together forever? This is our chance. Immortality. Power. All from a single bite. You don't have to resist. Become one with the queen, and all our wishes will be fulfilled."
Her eyes flashed red as she spoke, stunning both girls.
Even Necrolai, seated beside her, felt a flicker of satisfaction. She had been wise to place a loyalty seal when she turned Mary Jane. It was subtle, gradual—but it was working beautifully.
Kira's expression darkened.
Hearing those words made her chest feel unbearably heavy.
She had noticed the changes in MJ the moment they reunited. Anyone would have.
The pale skin. The unnatural coldness. That seductive, predatory aura.
...
(Hours ago)
"Why is MJ's hand so pale… and cold?"
Kira had noticed it then.
From a biological standpoint, anyone with skin that cold was either sick—or dead.
She was certain her friend was neither.
The doubt gnawed at her as they drove. Even while laughing, even while eating junk food, even while smiling, the unease never left her. Worse still were the fleeting glances MJ kept giving them.
Those eyes were terrifying.
It felt like a merchant staring at a priceless commodity.
Kira considered using the base's scanner on her—but hesitated. Some truths couldn't be taken back once revealed. The truth, after all, was often bitter.
So she did the most reasonable thing she could think of.
She sent a telepathic message to Gwen through the base's comm device—tiny, discreet, almost nonexistent within their ears.
{Kira: Gwen?}
{Gwen: Uhn… Kira, what's up?}
{Kira: Babe, don't freak out… but I think something's wrong with our friend.}
{Gwen: MJ? Yeah, I noticed. I wanted to scan her too, but I held back. Who knows what I'd see. I don't want to be shocked again. This month's already been too much.}
{Kira: But what do we do then? We can't just ignore something this off.}
{Gwen: Hmm… alright. Let's do this then. So, we—}
They planned quietly. Nothing overly complicated—just enough.
MJ's behavior suggested she was leading them somewhere strange. So instead of panicking, they chose to follow. To confront the source directly. To question their friend face-to-face.
Whatever came next, they would deal with it together.
...
(Present)
"Sigh… we noticed something was off from the moment we started driving here," Gwen said calmly. "It was obvious. At first, we thought it was a prank. But when you used that strange spell on us while we were asleep, that confirmed it."
Necrolai shot her a sharp glare.
Gwen didn't care.
She could feel Necrolai's power—undeniably strong—but after being crushed in sparring sessions by Zayne over and over again, this pressure barely registered. Kira felt the same.
Their composure only deepened Necrolai's confusion.
She had already tried a stun spell through her eyes.
Again—nothing.
Who exactly am I dealing with?
Mary Jane, having heard Gwen's explanation, paled in embarrassment. Every scheme she had woven had already unraveled before her eyes.
Only one question remained lodged in her mind.
"How?" MJ asked quietly.
Kira's lips curled into a playful smirk. "How what, dear friend?"
MJ's eye twitched in irritation. Kira always did this—teasing her at the worst possible moments.
"Hoo…"
Mary Jane exhaled slowly, forcing herself to calm down.
"How did you see through everything?" she asked again.
Silence followed.
Even Necrolai leaned forward slightly, curiosity piqued.
Then—
"The power you assumed we lacked," Gwen said evenly, "was always a part of us."
Mary Jane froze.
Necrolai's eyes narrowed.
Especially Mary Jane—her entire worldview felt like it had just shattered.
They had powers?
Since when?
How?
Why didn't they tell her?
Questions flooded her mind, but they all collapsed into one burning scream.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" MJ shouted. "Didn't we promise to share all our secrets?! Aren't we supposed to be best friends?!"
The last words tore out of her throat, raw with anger and hurt.
Gwen and Kira felt a sharp ache in their chests.
They had promised.
But this secret was different.
Revealing their identities wasn't just dangerous—it was catastrophic. Anyone who knew would become a target. Friends included. Chaos would inevitably follow.
They had enemies everywhere.
And Mary Jane wasn't listening anymore.
Her agitation spiraled. Her emotions boiled over. Her eyes turned feral, glowing blood-red in the dim throne room. Her breathing grew heavy, like a starved lion ready to pounce.
She had lost herself completely.
Gwen and Kira barely had time to react before Mary Jane vanished in a blur, elongated fingers slashing forward with lethal intent.
She couldn't recognize her friends anymore.
All that remained was raw, animalistic instinct.
The moment Mary Jane moved, the air itself screamed.
Her body blurred, vampiric speed tearing through the throne room as elongated fingers slashed forward with lethal intent. There was no hesitation, no restraint—only raw, feral instinct driving her attack.
But Gwen was already moving.
Her feet dug into the ground, muscles coiling as she met MJ head-on with nothing but her physical body. No webbing. No gadgets. Just strength, timing, and a body forged under Zayne's brutal training.
Clash.
Gwen caught MJ's wrist mid-lunge, the impact sending a shockwave rippling across the stone floor. Cracks spider-webbed outward beneath their feet as the two slid back several meters, locked in a deadlock of pure strength.
MJ's crimson eyes widened—just for a fraction of a second.
"How—?!" she hissed, baring her fangs.
Gwen didn't answer. She twisted sharply, using MJ's momentum against her, flipping her over her shoulder and slamming her into the ground hard enough to crater it.
BOOM.
Dust and debris exploded upward.
Gwen landed lightly, breathing steady. Her heart pounded, but her stance never wavered.
"Kira!" she shouted without looking back. "I'll hold her. Deal with the queen."
Kira didn't argue.
Across the hall, Necrolai had been watching everything unfold with cold amusement—until she heard Gwen's words.
A sneer curled her lips.
"Arrogant," the vampire queen said disdainfully. "Do you truly believe any hero here can stand against me?"
She rose slowly from her throne, her presence expanding, ancient power rolling outward like a suffocating tide.
"I am Necrolai. Queen of Vampires. Ruler of the Night. Far beyond the likes of humans and their fragile tricks."
Her crimson eyes flicked toward Kira, dismissive.
"The only ones who have ever posed a threat to me were the Mystic Force Rangers… and they are not here."
She spread her arms slightly, confidence absolute.
"So tell me, child—what makes you think you're any different?"
Kira stopped walking.
Then calmly, she tapped the side of her watch.
"Dino Thunder… Power Up."
FLASH.
A pillar of golden-white energy erupted around her, lightning cracking through the air as the familiar morphing sequence ignited. Armor formed in layers, plates snapping into place with sharp mechanical precision. The visor slid down, glowing with predatory intensity.
In seconds, the girl was gone.
Standing in her place was the Yellow Dino Thunder Ranger.
Necrolai's sneer froze.
"…Another Ranger?" she muttered, genuine disbelief flashing across her face.
Her thoughts spun wildly.
"Another one?!"
"Am I in the wrong damn server?"
Kira didn't give her a second to recover.
She launched forward, the ground shattering beneath her feet as she closed the distance in a blur. Her fist came screaming toward Necrolai's face, enhanced by Ranger strength and combat training.
Necrolai barely managed to block, crossing her arms as the impact sent her skidding backward across the hall, stone pillars collapsing behind her.
The vampire queen's eyes flashed—no longer amused.
So be it.
Grace dropped away like a discarded mask.
Dark energy erupted from her body as her form twisted violently. Bones cracked, wings tore free, and black membranes unfurled with a thunderous WHUMP. Her features sharpened, ears elongating, claws extending as she transformed into a monstrous half-human, half-bat abomination.
Her aura turned vicious.
Ancient.
Hungry.
She screeched, sound vibrating through the hall, and shot forward to meet Kira head-on.
The two collided mid-air.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM.
Fists, claws, kicks, wings—each exchange was a blur of violence. Every impact detonated with enough force to pulverize stone. They slammed into walls, pillars, and the floor, trading blows faster than the eye could track.
Kira was momentarily surprised.
So she's not all talk…
Her base scanner flickered to life in her visor, rapidly analyzing Necrolai's fluctuating aura.
Target: Necrolai
Race: Vampire (Ancient Variant)
Threat Level: D- (Sealed)
Status: Stable
Kira's lips curled beneath her helmet.
Same level as me…
Good.
Necrolai slashed downward, claws aimed straight for Kira's throat. Kira twisted, narrowly avoiding the strike, and countered with a brutal knee to the vampire queen's abdomen, sending her crashing through a stone archway.
Necrolai recovered instantly, wings beating as she hovered mid-air, blood-red eyes locked onto Kira with murderous focus.
"You dare strike me like this?" she snarled. "You are nothing but a child playing hero!"
Kira raised her fists, stance steady, voice cold and unwavering.
"Maybe," she said evenly. "But this child shall be your doom."
She took a step forward.
"And I hope you're ready to suffer the same pain my friend did… when you turned her."