Zayne and his new team arrived at a wide, circular training ground deep within the base—an area completely devoid of greenery. The ground was a smooth alloyed stone, scarred faintly with old impact marks, as though countless battles had already been fought here. No wind stirred. No birds cried. It was a place made for combat, and nothing else.
Zayne stood calmly at the very center of the field, his posture relaxed but deliberate, while the rest of the group surrounded him in a loose formation—everyone present except one man.
Tommy Oliver stood several meters away, arms crossed, his sharp eyes observing everything.
"So," Zayne said at last, his voice steady and serious as it echoed faintly across the empty space, "after twenty days of simulation training… it's time for me to test your progress with a little spar."
The moment the words left his mouth, the Rangers and Spider-Heroes stiffened. Their expressions lit up with a strange mix of excitement and unease.
They had trained relentlessly. Day after day. Simulation after simulation. They had grown stronger—much stronger than before. But Zayne?
They had seen flashes of his capabilities. Hints. Fragments. Never the full picture.
They couldn't verify just how strong he truly was.
And worse—
They were fighting without morphing.
No suits. No armor. No advanced tech. No Grid-boosted transformations.
Just their bodies.
Just their raw physical stats.
Just combat awareness.
Zayne shifted his stance.
His hands came up smoothly, one palm open and forward, the other clenched into a fist near his ribs. His knees bent slightly, weight evenly distributed, posture flawless and grounded. His brown eyes sharpened instantly, losing all warmth—turning cold, fierce, and predatory.
"Go all out," Zayne said calmly. "I'll make sure not to cause you all too much damage."
The moment he said damage, a collective shudder ran through the group.
They almost never fought like this.
Even when enemies broke through their defenses, their suits absorbed part of the impact. The Morphin Grid cushioned blows. Stark tech dampened force. Web-fluid reinforced joints.
This?
This was bare flesh against something monstrous.
This wasn't just true for Rangers—it applied to nearly every superhero who relied on advanced armor or enhancements. Strip those away, and things became… terrifyingly real.
"Damn," Tommy muttered inwardly from his spot a few meters away, eyes narrowing with sympathy. "The kids are gonna suffer a little today. Oh well… it's good for them."
He sighed softly.
"What if they lose their powers one day?"
That thought alone justified everything.
Connor stepped forward, rolling his shoulders as he turned to face the rest of the team.
"Alright, guys," he said firmly, forcing confidence into his voice. "There are more of us than him. We might be able to take him down. We've trained hard—and we've taken strengthening serums these past few days, remember?"
He clenched his fist.
"We've got this."
The words landed.
Battle intent flared.
"Yes! We can do it!"
Peter nearly jumped in place, pumping a fist into the air, his confidence skyrocketing despite the tension curling in his stomach.
Even Kira felt it.
Though for her… it wasn't just about the fight.
This was a chance.
A chance to stand out.
A chance to show Zayne how far she'd come.
A chance to connect.
Zayne watched their reactions quietly, then shook his head with a faint smile—equal parts amusement and pride.
"They're growing," he thought. "But they still don't understand the gap."
His gaze sharpened.
"Good. Then I'll show them."
"If they can see how far behind they are… they'll work harder."
Connor raised his hand.
And they attacked.
Their movements were explosive.
Their strength and speed had long surpassed normal human limits. Concrete cracked beneath their feet as they launched forward in unison, closing the distance instantly.
Bang!
Zayne blocked the first wave of punches effortlessly, his arms moving with precise economy. Left. Right. Parry. Redirect. He didn't step back once—his feet remained planted where he stood, as though rooted to the ground itself.
A fist shot toward his face at lightning speed.
Ethan.
To the others, it was fast.
To Zayne—
It was slow.
He caught Ethan's fist mid-strike, fingers clamping down with crushing strength. Before Ethan could even react, Zayne twisted his body and used him as a living shield, swinging him sideways into the path of an incoming kick.
"Ow!"
Ethan screamed as Gwen's kick slammed into his ribs with unintended force. The impact sent shockwaves through his body.
If not for the serum enhancement—
His ribs would have shattered.
"Shit!" Gwen cursed internally, rushing to help Ethan up, panic and guilt flashing across her face. "I'm sorry—I—"
But before either of them could say more, their eyes widened.
The rest of the team had already been flung away.
Like paper.
Boom!
Bodies crashed into the ground, dust erupting into the air as several figures skidded across the battlefield, groaning.
Connor struggled to push himself up, disbelief etched across his face.
"What the hell…?" he thought grimly. "We couldn't even make him move?"
Zayne stood where he always had.
Unshaken.
Unmoved.
Like a pillar holding up an entire building.
His gaze swept across the fallen Rangers and Spider-Heroes, assessing them calmly. Then, after a brief pause, he spoke again.
"I'll attack now," Zayne said. "You should use everything you've got."
Then—
He moved.
Kira's eyes widened.
Fear surged through her veins.
She didn't hesitate.
"Aaaahhhh!"
She screamed at the top of her lungs, unleashing her Ptera Sonic scream. The sonic wave erupted outward, shredding the ground beneath it, obliterating loose rock and debris as it tore toward Zayne with devastating force.
The air screamed.
Zayne smiled.
With battle-honed instincts and overwhelming physical prowess, he sidestepped the attack effortlessly, the sonic wave missing him by inches as he vanished from sight.
In the next instant—
He was in front of Kira.
Bang!
His fist struck her midsection with controlled but brutal force.
"Argh!"
Kira screamed as her body was launched backward, flying several meters before crashing into the ground like a broken kite.
Trent froze.
The exchange had happened too fast.
Too clean.
They couldn't even react.
From afar, Tommy clenched his fists.
Seeing his students beaten like this hurt more than he expected.
Yet—
He didn't intervene.
"Tsk," he thought grimly. "She's gotten stronger after leaving the Morphin Grid…"
His gaze flicked to Zayne.
"But this kid…"
He sighed.
"He really doesn't hold back. Even on a girl who has a crush on him."
Still—
This was necessary.
Desperation brought out human potential.
And Gwen?
Gwen didn't care about logic.
Seeing Kira sprawled on the ground ignited something fierce and primal inside her.
Rage.
She fired her webs instantly, binding around Zayne's arm as she used the momentum to swing forward, twisting mid-air and dropping a powerful kick toward his chest.
Bang!
Zayne blocked it easily.
But he noticed her expression.
The anger.
The protectiveness.
Understanding dawned.
"She thinks I hit too hard," Zayne thought, snorting inwardly. "Naïve."
Still, the others didn't stop.
Connor blurred forward with super-speed, exchanging rapid blows with Zayne.
Ethan reinforced his arms, Triceratops scales forming over his skin, glowing blue as he swung with renewed force.
Trent attacked from the shadows, striking from camouflage-enhanced blind spots.
Peter relied on his spider-sense, dodging, countering, striking with impressive precision.
Zayne finally left his original spot.
His figure moved like a storm, matching their speed, countering their coordination. As the fight dragged on, something strange happened.
They improved.
Their timing sharpened.
Their teamwork tightened.
They adapted—mid-battle.
Tommy clicked his tongue in amazement.
"It must be the air," he joked.
And he was right.
The base was powered by the Universal Core, channeling every known energy source. It subtly strengthened all living organisms over time.
Even if a pig lived here long enough—
A-tier strength wouldn't be impossible.
The battle raged.
Bang! Bang! Boom! Swoosh! Clang!
Punches, blows, and soundwaves were exchanged at a relentless pace, each collision echoing across the battlefield. The Rangers and Spider-Heroes were dripping with sweat as they fought on, muscles burning and bodies screaming in protest. Their breaths came out ragged and uneven, yet their faces were lit with surprise—and unmistakable excitement—at the speed of their own improvement.
It was nothing short of miraculous.
Even Gwen, who was still visibly annoyed, couldn't deny what she was feeling. With every exchange, every clash, she could sense it clearly—they were getting stronger. Faster. Sharper. The realization filled her with reluctant amazement.
But as the sparring dragged on for nearly half an hour, reality caught up with them.
One by one, their movements slowed.
And then—
They were knocked away by the ever-strong Zayne.
Bodies crashed against the ground, rolling and skidding across the battlefield before finally coming to a stop.
"Damn… what a beast," Peter muttered weakly, blood dripping from the corner of his lips. "I felt like I got hit by a building."
The others weren't in any better condition.
Zayne looked over the battered group, his sharp gaze softening slightly. He was genuinely pleased with what he had seen. A sincere smile spread across his face as he spoke.
"Well done, guys," he said. "Truly worthy of being my chosen team. You're getting strong fast. At this rate, you might approach D+ tier before the operation commences."
The moment they heard his evaluation, joy surged through their exhausted bodies. Despite the pain, despite the bruises, their spirits soared.
Zayne had already explained the power tiers of the vast universe to them before. They understood the ranking system well enough to know what it meant.
D+ was strong.
Very strong.
(A/N: The ranking list is in the auxiliary chapters.)
Zayne continued, his tone relaxing. "We're done for today. You guys should get some rest. The air here is enough to heal your internal injuries."
Relief washed over them.
Then they retreated.
After they left the battlefield, Zayne turned toward Tommy, a trace of mischief curling at the corner of his lips.
"Hey, Dr. O," he said casually. "Wanna exchange moves?"
The words hit like a thunderclap.
Everyone froze.
The Rangers and Spider-Heroes stared at them in disbelief, but none were more stunned than Tommy himself. He blinked, then quickly shook his head.
"I'm not at full strength, Zayne," Tommy replied honestly. "I might disappoint you."
Zayne chuckled softly and shook his head in refusal.
"It's the seal, right?"
The moment those words fell, Tommy stiffened. Shock flashed across his face for a split second.
How did he know?
But the surprise quickly faded. Zayne had already made it clear—nothing escaped his eyes within this base. Compared to everything else he had shown, this revelation wasn't that strange.
"…Yes," Tommy admitted after a short pause. "The seal restricts my power by a lot. I can only use fifty percent of my strength right now."
Zayne's lips curved into a mysterious smile.
"I can unseal you."
Tommy's eyes widened instantly. Without thinking, he grabbed Zayne by the shoulders, his composure cracking as raw hope filled his expression.
"Really?"
Zayne was slightly surprised by the sudden reaction, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he calmly replied, "Yes. But only for two hours—just enough for us to spar. I can't remove it permanently… for now."
The excitement in Tommy's eyes dimmed slightly at the limitation. But then—
For now.
That single phrase echoed in his mind, reigniting the flame of hope in his chest.
"Zayne," Tommy asked carefully, his voice restrained but trembling beneath the surface, "when you say for now… does that mean you can unseal me permanently someday?"
The rest of the team, who had stayed behind to watch, exchanged glances. They didn't interrupt, but curiosity burned in their eyes.
Seal? Unseal?
They didn't fully understand what was happening, but one thing was clear—both Tommy Oliver and Zayne suddenly felt far more mysterious than before.
Zayne met Tommy's gaze, his expression turning serious.
"Yes," he said firmly. "I can. But it depends on your future contributions to the base. The more Savior Points you rack up, the faster that permanent unsealing becomes possible."
"Yes… yes, points," Tommy murmured absentmindedly.
Zayne had already explained the point system to them before. It was a reward structure for Rangers and future personnel alike—a way to compensate heroes for their efforts.
Heroes deserved to be paid.
And as Zayne put it, Savior Points were virtually omnipotent. As long as you had enough, there was almost nothing you couldn't buy.
Seeing Tommy's distracted, almost greedy expression, Zayne smiled inwardly.
Got him.
"He'll work harder from now on," Zayne thought. "And more importantly, this builds trust. Tommy Oliver is the mentor of legends, after all."
Tommy straightened up, his mood completely transformed. A genuine smile spread across his face.
"Fine," he said. "Let's spar. It's been a long time since I fought at full strength—even if it's only for an hour."
"Good," Zayne replied simply.
He opened his Grid Shop—visible to him alone—and began scrolling. He deliberately searched for the cheapest viable option until something familiar caught his eye.
[Grid Shop]
[Low-level Zeo Crystal – 5,000]
Zayne paused.
It was… a Zeo Crystal.
Granted, this was only a low-level fragment—but even so, it was ridiculous.
He couldn't help but recall the original.
"Damn," Zayne thought. "The Zeo Crystal… I still remember how absurdly powerful it was. The Zeo Rangers had to abandon it because it kept growing stronger. Their bodies couldn't even keep up—it would've broken them eventually."
A sudden curiosity struck him.
"Then again… what's the price of the original?"
He searched again.
[Supreme-level Zeo Crystal I – 10,000,000]
"…Damn."
Zayne nearly laughed in disbelief.
"That's fucking expensive. It's almost on the level of an Infinity Stone—and that's just one."
He mentally roared, but after a few seconds of consideration, he purchased the cheaper option.
It was more than enough for what he needed.
[Low-level Zeo Crystal purchased. Stored automatically in inventory.]
Only after buying it did Zayne bother checking the description.
[Low-level Zeo Crystal: A tiny fragment of one of the Zeo Crystals. Provides pure Grid energy. Capable of sealing and unsealing anything.]
Straight to the point.
Zayne took it out immediately and tossed it toward Tommy.
Tommy caught it midair. The instant his fingers wrapped around the familiar fragment, his breath hitched. Memories flooded his mind—old battles, old comrades, old power.
He forced himself to shake them off.
Not now.
He could've asked where Zayne got something like this, but Zayne had already warned them: don't be surprised anymore.
This was just another example.
The moment Tommy touched the crystal, instructions flowed into his mind as if they had always been there. Without hesitation, he swallowed it.
The light vanished into his body instantly, dispersing through his system and striking directly at the core of the seal bound to his soul.
Bang!
Crack!
The seal shattered.
Power surged through Tommy like a tidal wave. He couldn't help but let out a low groan of relief. For so long, he had felt incomplete—hollow.
Now?
He felt whole again.
The Rangers and Spider-Heroes instinctively stepped back as an overwhelming pressure radiated from their teacher's body. Their eyes widened in shock.
Zayne didn't waste a second.
He equipped his Morpher smoothly, energy humming around him.
"Let's go all out, shall we?"
Tommy brought out his Master Morpher, his eyes burning with pure battle intent.
"Yes," he said with a grin. "Let's do this."
Then they both morphed.
"It's Morphin time."
"Omni-morpher Lock on"
--- ✦ ---
So this is a long chapter, guys. More than 2500 words. I hope you guys are enjoying my fan fiction. Please comment, review, and make suggestions on any areas that might need improvement.
Power Stones for your lovely author readers.