(Ninja Academy)
Zayne sat atop a giant boulder, his helmet removed and resting beside him. He stared calmly at the sky, his thoughts hidden behind an unreadable expression.
Beneath him lay the unconscious Sensei, sprawled on the ground with no visible wounds on his body. He didn't look like someone who had just suffered a crushing defeat—rather, he looked like a man enjoying the best sleep of his life.
It had been almost fifteen minutes since their battle concluded, and Zayne had successfully captured the remnant will Mephisto had placed within Sensei. To say he wasn't shocked was an understatement.
As far as Zayne knew, for one to come into contact with Mephisto, it was either through a summoning ritual or succumbing to the devil's temptations. Zayne was certain it was the former that led Sensei into this predicament. His backstory made that much obvious.
Ever since he arrived in this realm, Zayne had been puzzled by how easily Sensei became irritated whenever the gem was mentioned. It was completely unlike him. The disparity between what Zayne had read about Sensei in the comics and how he behaved in this reality was vast—but now, he understood a large part of the cause and effect behind it. As for the full context, he hoped Sensei Watanabe would explain everything once he regained consciousness.
While Zayne was lost in thought, a sound snapped him out of it, prompting him to glance behind him. Tommy approached, and in his hand was the black Dino Gem. If Zayne could see Tommy's expression beneath his helmet, he would have noticed the bright smile etched across his face.
The mission was complete. Although it had come at a cost that made his pockets ache, Tommy was genuinely happy.
He quickly made his way to Zayne and gave him a full report of everything that had happened during the mission, holding nothing back. Even the "favor" he had promised Cameron—Tommy told him everything.
Tommy had complete trust in Zayne's decision-making. He had always believed that a kid who could wield such immense power—and use it effectively—was bound to be a strong leader and a capable strategist.
Zayne listened patiently to Tommy's detailed account. He was somewhat relieved that Tommy felt at ease around him and could openly share information about his private dealings with Cameron. Although the contract Zayne had them sign prevented betrayal, it didn't strip them of free will or turn them into mindless followers.
Now, he understood why the Grid carefully screened potential candidates before allowing him to recruit them.
"So, he wants information on the Dino Zords, huh," Zayne muttered, finally understanding why Cameron had requested that specifically.
He rubbed his chin in thought. "It seems he's already finished developing the Ninja Morphers. Another Ranger team will emerge on this chaotic planet soon. Sigh… I really hope I won't have to babysit again. This team consists of young adults—they should be more mature, right?"
Snapping out of his thoughts, he turned to Tommy. "I understand, Dr. O. We'll talk more about this when we get back to the base."
Tommy nodded, accepting the plan, then shifted his attention to the unconscious Sensei.
"What are we going to do about him, kid?" Tommy asked, gesturing toward the fallen old ninja.
Zayne replied instantly, his gaze locking onto the figure beneath him. "He'll wake up soon. I have some important questions to ask him."
As if the universe affirmed his words.
Sensei Kanoi Watanabe stirred.
A faint groan escaped his lips as his fingers twitched against the cold stone beneath him. His breathing deepened, uneven at first, then steady. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open.
The first thing he felt was pressure.
Not physical—no pain wracked his body—but something heavier, denser. A presence that pressed against his instincts, sharp and unyielding, like standing at the edge of a blade.
His vision cleared.
Before him stood two Rangers.
One was clad in a crimson red suit, standing calmly atop a boulder, arms relaxed, posture loose—yet the sheer pressure radiating from him made the air feel thick. It was the kind of presence Sensei had felt when he was being battered some moments ago.
The other stood slightly behind and to the side, wrapped in a white tiger-themed suit. Watching him with eyes so deep, it could swallow one's soul (A/N: It's Dinosaur will radiate from his hands. I'll explain that in later chapters)
A predator waiting for the slightest opening.
Sensei's pupils shrank.
So this was how it ended.
In an instant, memories of hours ago flooded his mind—his loss, his collapse, the fog that had haunted his mind finally lifting like a shattered illusion. He pushed himself upright with a grunt, ignoring the lingering dizziness, and without hesitation, bowed deeply.
"I owe you both an apology," Sensei said, his voice low and sincere. "And my gratitude."
He straightened, meeting their gazes with clear eyes for the first time in a long while.
"I allowed darkness to take root within me. I endangered my students. I endangered this academy." His hands clenched briefly at his sides. "Yet you stopped me… without killing me. For that, I thank you."
Tommy exchanged a glance with Zayne before nodding. "You're alive. That's what matters."
Zayne said nothing at first. He simply watched.
That alone made Sensei uneasy.
After a brief exchange—words of acceptance, understanding, and quiet restraint—Zayne finally stepped down from the boulder. Each step he took felt deliberate, controlled, as though the ground itself acknowledged his presence.
Then he stopped a few feet away.
"Sensei Watanabe," Zayne said calmly, his voice even, almost casual. "Why did you make a deal with the devil?"
The words landed like a hammer.
Sensei froze.
A chill crawled down his spine, cold and sharp, piercing straight into his bones. His breath caught, and for a brief moment, his composure shattered. His eyes widened—not in fear of judgment, but in shock.
"How…?" His voice wavered. "How could you possibly—"
No one knew.
No one had ever known.
That secret had been buried deeper than any scroll, sealed behind shame and grief. He had never spoken of it—not to his students, not to allies, not even to himself.
And yet—
Beneath Zayne's helmet, Sensei felt it.
That gaze.
Unyielding. Absolute. As if the Ranger before him already knew the truth and was merely giving him the courtesy of confession.
Sensei exhaled slowly.
"…I see," he murmured.
There was no escape from it.
Twenty-five years ago," Sensei began, his voice heavy, "I fought my twin brother."
Tommy's posture stiffened slightly, but he remained silent.
"That battle… changed everything. My wife was caught in the aftermath. A curse—ancient and insidious—took hold of her. One that no spell, no art, no technique I possessed could unravel."
Sensei clenched his fists as memories surged forward.
"I searched everywhere. Sacred lands. Forbidden realms. Places even demons feared to tread. I begged, I bargained, I stole knowledge that should never have been touched." His voice cracked. "But I failed."
His shoulders sagged.
"She held on longer than anyone should have. Longer than fate ever intended." A bitter smile tugged at his lips. "Long enough to give birth… to our child. A child we had been searching for hundreds of years."
Silence hung heavy in the air.
"Then… she died. Leaving me alone and the child we both promised to raise together."
The words were barely audible.
"I couldn't accept it," Sensei continued, his voice hollow as a tear fell from his old eyes. "I couldn't accept a world where I would never hear her voice again. Never feel her hand in mine."
He looked away.
"So I committed the ultimate taboo."
Sensei raised his eyes once more.
"I used a forbidden Ninja technique and summoned a demon."
The air seemed to darken at the word.
"He called himself Mephisto."
Tommy's breath hitched for just a fraction of a second. His jaw tightened, eyes narrowing as something old stirred behind them—but he said nothing.
"His price was outrageous," Sensei said bitterly. "He asked not for gold, nor blood… but for a portion of my destiny."
Zayne remained silent.
"I had no other options," Sensei whispered. "So I agreed."
A humorless laugh escaped him.
"He did not resurrect her. Instead, he showed me something else—the Black Dino Gem. Its power. Its potential. He claimed it was the only force capable of rewriting the fate I sought to defy."
Sensei's eyes darkened.
"But before he left, he said two things."
He swallowed.
"First—he said he hoped I would be strong enough to subdue the gem."
Zayne's fingers twitched slightly.
"And second…" Sensei closed his eyes. "'When one eats with the devil… he should wield a long spoon.'"
The silence that followed was suffocating.
"From that day on," Sensei continued quietly, "after I found the gem and failed to control it… my thoughts began to change. Slowly. Subtly. Anger where there should have been patience. Obsession where there should have been balance."
He let out a tired sigh.
"I thought it was grief. I thought it was regret." He shook his head. "But now I understand. It was Mephisto. He had already begun collecting his payment."
Tommy looked away, his expression unreadable, as if an old memory had resurfaced—one he had no intention of sharing.
Zayne, however, remained still.
Everything aligned.
The corrupted will. The distorted behavior. The hidden influence, buried deep within Sensei's soul.
His hypothesis was right.