A technologically advanced vehicle sped through New York's traffic. Its black, lustrous paint gleamed under the afternoon sun, while the bold letters SPD stood prominently on the left side of its armored frame.
Squad A of the SPD force had been deployed to the museum roughly thirty minutes ago. That alone was unusual—far slower than the completion time of other missions at a similar threat level. As for why the response was delayed, only the members of Squad A themselves knew the real reason.
Inside the vehicle, the Red Ranger sat comfortably behind the wheel, steering with one hand. His relaxed demeanor stood in stark contrast to the supposed urgency of the situation. Anyone watching would think he was simply driving home after a long day.
The rest of the team wasn't much different.
One was dozing off. Another stared lazily out the window. Someone else rested their chin in their palm, half-bored, half-disinterested. The only thing that made them stand out was the fact that they were all suited up—though their ranger forms were locked in Squad Mode.
Squad Mode was more than just a transformation state. It was a mark of authority. A source of enhanced power unique to Squad A alone.
"Sigh~ Are you sure this is going to work, Red?" the Blue Ranger finally asked, sitting up straight. His tone carried a hint of concern beneath the casual phrasing.
Red glanced at him, a grin forming beneath his helmet. "Trust me, Blue. This operation is going to be a success. And when we get promoted to Elite level…" His voice lowered slightly, filled with ambition. "Our power, fame, and influence within SPD will skyrocket. Even Cruger will have to bow before us."
It was as if his words carried magic.
The rest of the team—excluding Yellow and Pink, who were still half-asleep—felt their eyes light up with fervor and expectation. Their breathing subtly quickened.
Elite status.
It meant absolute authority. The right to take command of any SPD sector across the galaxy. With it came overwhelming power, endless resources, and total control over every agent stationed on that planet.
That was the position Doggy Cruger currently held on Earth.
Who wouldn't want it?
From the moment they joined Squad A and learned the deeper secrets of the galaxy, they had all coveted that title. They had considered seizing it from Cruger before—but the thought never went far. He was stronger than them in every conceivable way. Any rebellion would end before it even began.
Now, however, this mission had presented them with a rare opportunity.
And they intended to seize it—no matter the method.
The vehicle fell into silence after Red's speech, but the hearts of the squad burned with anticipation. To them, that coveted position already felt within reach. Close enough to taste.
Red's expression hardened behind his visor. He glanced at his overly relaxed teammates with faint disgust and spoke coldly.
"Cadets, wake up. We're almost at the mission site. You wouldn't want to miss this opportunity… would you?"
The enticing yet threatening undertone in his voice jolted Pink and Yellow awake instantly, while Blue and Green straightened up without another word.
"Hmph." Red snorted inwardly, a sneer forming beneath his helmet. "If you weren't so useful to my plan, I would've eliminated all of you long ago."
The atmosphere inside the vehicle returned to silence—but this time, it was different.
The squad was alert.
Their minds buzzed with strategy, ambition, and visions of reward. Every one of them was already planning how to complete the current "mission"… and what they would claim afterward.
Too bad for them, their growing overconfidence had already blinded them.
Another group of Rangers—and heroes—was already assisting with their mission.
--- ✦ ---
It's getting worse.
The thought flashed through Zayne's mind as his gaze remained fixed on the four alien historical statues before him. Something had felt off the moment the chaos erupted. The being that instigated the commotion wasn't a mindless brute acting on instinct—it was intelligent. Calculating.
And Zayne was about to find out exactly what it was.
"Stay alert, team," Zayne said calmly. "It's not over yet."
At his words, the team followed his line of sight. Their grips tightened around their weapons, muscles coiled and ready, senses sharpened for any sudden attack from any direction.
Seconds passed.
Too many seconds.
Zayne's heart stirred with unease at the unnatural silence. Receiving no immediate reaction, he scanned the statues for any sign of life—
Then—
A translucent panel flickered to life above his morpher.
[Alien species detected]
[Name: Idolon
Species: Zerg
Abilities: Multiplication, Possession, Biological Manifestation
Weaknesses: The main body is extremely fragile. Its abilities are weakened under intense light. It feeds on the blood of insect-type aliens, preferably arachnids, for energy and becomes unstable at the scent.
Danger Level: Medium
Summary: A tricky entity capable of duplicating itself to possess statues and manifest roughly half of its abilities. However, once the main body is identified, it can be destroyed with ease.]
"Hmm… tricky, but not complicated," Zayne murmured inwardly.
He immediately transmitted the information to his team—excluding the weaknesses and the solution. He didn't want to rely entirely on the Grid's knowledge. This mission was also a test. A chance to sharpen his team's judgment and decision-making under pressure.
The moment the data synced, gasps of surprise and unease rippled through the group.
For Zayne, dealing with the alien wouldn't be difficult. But for the rest of the team, it was a different story. The listed abilities alone were enough to make anyone uneasy.
A creature that could duplicate itself, possess statues, and manifest their power?
It sounded absurdly overpowered. Like something straight out of an SCP file.
"Leader," Kira spoke first, her voice steady but cautious, "this alien is extremely tricky. Is there any way we can deal with it?"
The others leaned in slightly, ears perked, waiting to hear what their leader had planned.
"There is," Zayne replied without hesitation. "We find the main body."
"And how exactly do we do that?" Ethan asked.
Zayne turned to his team and smiled mysteriously beneath his helmet. "Easy. We lure it out."
"Uh… how do we lure an intelligent mosquito out of its nest?" Peter asked, his tone half-teasing, half-nervous.
"You'll find out soon, Spidey," Zayne said, locking eyes with him.
Something about that gaze made the rest of the team shiver.
Minutes later—
"This is NOT a good idea!!" Peter screamed as he narrowly dodged a massive punch aimed straight at his head.
Boom!
The floor caved in as the blow struck beside him. Peter fired his webs instinctively, using them to create distance as debris rained down around him.
"Damn it, damn it—why did I agree to this?!" Peter cursed inwardly as he sprinted and leapt across the museum walls, webs snapping and sticking wherever he could latch on.
Behind him, four towering figures gave chase.
The alien pioneers.
The statues that once symbolized sacrifice and refuge now moved with terrifying intent. Their stone forms were animated, eyes glowing an eerie blue as they advanced relentlessly.
The museum's dim lighting worked in the Idolon's favor. Under normal circumstances, it could manifest up to fifty percent of a statue's power—but here, it was limited to roughly thirty. Even so, that was more than enough.
Punches. Kicks. Crude energy blasts.
The statues attacked with brute force, tearing through the interior as if it were paper.
The rest of the team had already positioned themselves outside, lying in wait. The moment the alien revealed itself fully, they would strike—no hesitation, no restraint. Every duplicate would be annihilated in one overwhelming assault.
"Shit, shit, shit…" Peter muttered as the exit finally came into view. "I'm going to die. I'm actually going to die."
This was unlike anything he'd faced before. The confident, selfless Spider-Man of the future hadn't fully taken shape yet. Right now, he was terrified.
But he kept running.
He couldn't stop. His team was counting on him.
"Calm down, Pete," he whispered to himself, forcing his breathing to steady. "You're stronger than you were a month ago. You can do this. You can do this."
Those words grounded him.
His breathing evened out. His focus sharpened. His movements became cleaner, faster.
Roar—!
A furious bellow echoed through the building, shaking it as if a minor earthquake had struck.
The Idolon was furious.
For minutes, it had chased this human, trying to consume him—yet every attack missed. The prey was too agile. Too slippery.
Enraged, it made a decision.
The statue with the single vertical eye raised its sword, energy surging violently along the blade. With a deafening hum, it swung toward Peter.
A chill ran down Peter's spine.
He glanced back—and swore.
"Shit!"
Without hesitation, Peter webbed one of the museum's pillars, tore it loose with all his strength, and hurled it directly into the incoming slash.
Boom!
Crack—!
The attack dispersed in a violent explosion, the pillar shattering into countless fragments.
Roar—!
An enraged howl erupted from the statue—no, from the Idolon itself.
Desperate now, it commanded the remaining statues to block Peter's escape. It had to consume this human.
Seconds later, Peter burst through the exit, the statues close behind.
"Now!" he shouted as he made a final leap out of the building.
"Apocalypse Descent!"
"Dino Thunder—Full Power!"
Two overwhelming attacks collided head-on with the charging statues. They tried to resist, stone limbs raised in futile defense—
But it was hopeless. Either the duplicated or the main body. They were all pulverized under the overwhelming attack from Zayne and the Dino Thunder team.
Shriek—!
A piercing scream echoed through the area, then abruptly faded.
As the smoke cleared, nothing remained.
Only ash.
Only dust.
"Woohoo! We did it!" Peter cheered, jumping in the air.
The rest of the team shared his relief—especially Zayne. He had half-expected Peter to panic and abandon the plan. Instead, he'd proven his courage, tenacity, and the early spark of the hero he would one day become.
As they regrouped, preparing to power down and return to their classmates—
An angry voice rang out behind them.
"Stop right there!"
--- ✦ ---
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The next chapter is going to be a clash between Zayne and the SPD's Squad A. Stay tuned.
Please, Power Stones, guys. I have never made it to the ranking before, and I want to either this week or the next. Please help, guys.