Chapter 15: Path of the Lion Part 1
*() – Brackets imply that someone is speaking a foreign language. In this case, Japanese.
Out in a forest outside of Dorado Bay, Jirou was standing still with his arms crossed looking up at the treetops. Leaves suddenly began rustling and caught Jirou's attention. Jirou looked up and saw Jun dashing through the trees going from branch to branch.
"I had a feeling Jun would pull ahead," Jirou said as he smirked.
Up in the branches, Mason was slowly moving from branch to branch cautiously.
"This is so stupid!" Mason said as he grabbed onto the trunk of a tree.
"You need to learn to move fast in the trees," Jirou said to Mason.
"This isn't worth breaking my neck over!" Mason shouted as Ben jumped past him.
"It isn't that bad," Ben said to Mason as he continued going across the branches.
"I think Mason is just afraid of heights," Beth said as she giggled while passing Mason.
"I am not!" Mason shouted as his face turned red.
Mason's right foot slipped causing him to fall from the branch. Mason screamed as he fell and quickly shielded his face with his arms.
"Oh no!" Jirou shouted in horror.
Mason suddenly stopped falling and floated in midair. Mason opened his eyes and gasped when he noticed he was floating.
"What the heck?" Mason said in confusion.
"You're lucky I was here!" Logan shouted at Mason from the branch above as his right hand was glowing while it pointed towards Mason.
"Thanks buddy," Mason said in relief as he safely landed on the ground.
"Nice save Logan!" Jirou said to Logan. "Your telekinesis is getting better,"
"Thanks!" Logan said as he continued moving from branch to branch.
Mason walked over towards Jirou grumbling to himself as he dusted dirt off his shirt.
"Are you not going to try again?" Jirou asked Mason.
"No, I'm going to go practice my magic," Mason said as he walked past Jirou.
"Suit yourself," Jirou said as he continued watching the others move through the trees.
Mason came out into an open meadow as he snapped his fingers causing a wand to appear in his hand.
"Let's get to work," Mason said as he began concentrating.
On the Galaxy Warriors ship, Madame Odius walked into the control room where Galvanax was watching a pair of Kudabots work on the computers. Galvanax noticed Madame Odius step into the room and rose to his feet from his throne.
"You better have something important to tell me," Galvanax told Madame Odius.
"I do actually," Madame Odius said as she crossed her arms.
"Then spit it out," Galvanax said as he snickered.
"First off, Cosmo can't find a contestant to send down to Earth to go after the Rangers," Madame Odius informed Galvanax.
"I should just send Cosmo down himself," Galvanax said in disappointment.
"Don't worry, I've been searching around Japan and found something that can help us," Madame Odius said to Galvanax.
Galvanax saw Madame Odius pull a shuriken with a black aura from her sleeve as she snickered.
"Ah, a Seal Star!" Galvanax said in amazement.
"Yes, a star that holds an ancient spirit captured by ninjas centuries ago," Madame Odius said as she nodded.
"Then how are you going to free that spirit?" Galvanax asked Madame Odius.
Madame Odius gazed over and saw a toolbox sitting on the ground next to a Kudabot. Odius threw the Seal Star and struck the toolbox with it causing it to begin glowing. The toolbox floated into the air as the black aura surrounding it formed a body.
"Welcome back," Galvanax said as the monster's body was formed.
The monster came to his senses as his yellow eyes began glowing.
"Where am I?" The monster said in confusion.
The monster gasped in astonishment as he noticed a large drill on his right arm from the elbow down.
"What happened to my body?" The monster asked Madame Odius.
"Sadly your body deteriorated over time since you were sealed in that Seal Star," Madame Odius told the monster. "Basically I inject an object with your spirit and that item replaces your body in a way,"
The monster began snarling as the drill on his right arm started spinning.
"Do you have a name?" Galvanax asked the monster.
"I can't remember," The monster said as he placed his left hand on his forehead.
"I say we call him Drillion!" Cosmo said as he stood at the doorway.
"Drillion?" The monster said in confusion.
"That's fine I suppose," Galvanax said as he sat back down.
"Fine, we'll stick with that," Drillion said as he nodded. "What is it you want me to do?"
"There's an island home to a ninja clan," Galvanax told Drillion. "Those damn ninjas have uncovered the legendary ninja's Lion Fire artifacts,"
"I've heard of the Lion Fire artifacts," Drillion said as he looked down. "I heard they were too powerful for the ninja and took his life along with the demon he battled,"
"Yes, that's them," Madame Odius said as she sat down near a monitor.
"Go to that island and obtain those artifacts before those Ninja Rangers do," Galvanax ordered Drillion as he clenched his fist.
"Yes my lord," Drillion said as he bowed to Galvanax.
Drillion followed Cosmo out of the control room as Galvanax began chuckling.
"Those Rangers are in for a whole lot of trouble," Galvanax said as gripped the arm rests on his throne tightly.
Back down on Earth in the forest, Jirou was still watching the others move through the trees getting better after each attempt. Jun reached the final tree first and dropped down in front of Jirou breathing heavily. Ben then dropped down and fell to his hands and knees gasping for air.
"I think I've had enough for today," Ben said as Logan and Beth dropped down.
"Yeah, my feet are starting to get sore," Logan said as he sat down.
"That's fine," Jirou said as he handed Ben a bottle of water. "We've been out here for a few hours,"
"I wonder if Mason is actually practicing his magic or he went back to the city," Beth said to the others.
"Oh he's out there," Jirou said as he chuckled. "I've heard him bicker out loud a few times,"
Suddenly, a pillar of blue flames shot into the air out in the distance catching everyone by surprise.
"See!" Jirou said to the others as the pillar of flames faded away.
"Well someone go get him and tell him it's time to head back," Jun said to the others.
"I'll go get him," Logan said as he walked past Jun.
Logan walked into the trees and left the others to go find Mason.
"Alright, let's start heading back," Jirou said as he grabbed his bag as his Ninja Comm began going off.
"That's probably dad," Jun said as she sighed.
"It's Jirou, what's going on?" Jirou said as he answered his Ninja Comm.
"Jirou, it's Kiyomi," Kiyomi said through the Ninja Comm. "We've uncovered something on the island and need you and the others to get over here,"
"What did you find?" Jirou asked Kiyomi.
"Something we know Norio will come after," Kiyomi told Jirou.
"What would Galvanax want from Kiyomi's island?" Ben said in confusion.
"I need to go, but use the Astro Zord to get over here quick," Kiyomi said through the Ninja Comm.
"Are we really going?" Beth asked Jirou.
"We don't have a choice," Jirou said as he sighed. "We can't let Galvanax beat us to it,"
Out on her family's island, Kiyomi was waiting on the shore for the other Rangers to arrive in the Astro Zord. Kiyomi looked out in the distance at the waves crashing as she sighed and sat down in the sand.
"I figured they would've been here by now," Kiyomi said to herself.
As Kiyomi grabbed a handful of sand and let it begin pouring back to the ground, she noticed the sun reflecting off something in the distance. Kiyomi rose to her feet and shielded her eyes from the glare.
"It's them!" Kiyomi said as she saw the Astro Zord hovering towards her over the ocean.
Kiyomi began waving both her arms trying to catch the other Rangers' attention.
The Astro Zord slowly lowered down and landed gently in the sand. As Jirou and the others exited the Astro Zord, the Astro Zord flew off into the distance and left the Rangers with Kiyomi.
"Alright, where's this item?" Jirou asked Kiyomi.
"Follow me," Kiyomi said as she began walking away. "The dig site is just up ahead,"
"This better be worth it," Mason said as he rolled his eyes.
"It is, trust me," Kiyomi told Mason as the others followed her through the tree line.
The teens suddenly came up to the dig site and saw Kiyomi's father watching over the workers.
"Father, they're here," Kiyomi said to her father as she approached her father.
"Greetings, welcome to our island," Kiyomi's father said as he turned towards Jirou and the others.
"It's an honor to meet you," Jirou said as he bowed to Kiyomi's father.
"Please, I should be the one bowing to you," Kiyomi's father said as he chuckled.
As Jirou and Kiyomi's father continued talking, Ben noticed the hole in the center of the dig site.
"What's with the hole?" Ben asked Kiyomi as he pointed towards the hole.
"That's where we found the artifact," Kiyomi told Ben.
"Down that hole?" Logan said in confusion.
"Yes, deep down inside it," Kiyomi said as she nodded.
"Let me see it," Jirou said as he walked up beside Kiyomi.
"Of course," Kiyomi said as she led Jirou over to the hole.
"Logan, can you lower us down with your telekinesis?" Jirou asked Logan.
"Certainly," Logan said as he climbed down into the dig site.
Logan aimed his hands towards Jirou and Kiyomi and began concentrating. Jirou and Kiyomi stepped over the hole and began slowly descending down into the dark hole.
"Hopefully it doesn't cave in," Beth said to the others.
Jirou and Kiyomi reached the bottom of the cavern where it was pitch black. Kiyomi pulled out a flashlight and turned it on.
"It's right over here," Kiyomi said as she led Jirou over to the podium.
Jirou noticed the black box as the flashlight shined upon it.
"This is it?" Jirou said in confusion.
"Yeah, look at the writing all over it," Kiyomi said as she handed the flashlight to Jirou.
Jirou walked closer to the box as he shined the flashlight on it.
"This writing is ancient," Jirou told Kiyomi. "I've seen it before on scrolls my grandfather owned,"
"How ancient though?" Kiyomi asked Jirou.
"More than four hundred and forty four years," Jirou said as he chuckled.
"Can you read it?" Kiyomi asked Jirou as she stepped up to the podium.
"None of it," Jirou said as he handed the flashlight back to Kiyomi.
"What're you doing?" Kiyomi asked Jirou as she saw him reach for the box.
"I'm grabbing it to take it up into the sunlight," Jirou said as he placed his hand on the box.
Kiyomi's flashlight suddenly began flickering causing her to gasp.
"Jirou!" Kiyomi said as the flashlight turned off on its own.
The writing on the box began glowing and lit up the cavern leaving Jirou and Kiyomi in awe.
"What did you do?" Kiyomi asked Jirou.
"I just touched it," Jirou said as he shrugged his shoulders.
Jirou picked up the box off the podium causing it to stop glowing.
"Let's get back up to the others before something else crazy happens," Jirou said to Kiyomi as he stepped away from the podium.
"You guys ready to come back up?" Logan shouted to Jirou and Kiyomi as he looked down the hole.
"Yeah, go ahead!" Jirou shouted back to Logan.
Logan aimed his hands down and began concentrating hard as the others stood by and watched. Jirou and Kiyomi rose from the hole and landed safely next to Logan.
"Is that it?" Logan asked Jirou as he noticed the black box.
"Yeah, but we still don't know what it does," Jirou said to Logan.
As Jirou climbed out of the dig site, Jun noticed the writing on the box.
"Man, that's some ancient stuff on that," Jun said in amazement.
"Stuff that I don't even understand," Jirou said as he showed the box to Jun.
"Do you guys have anything that can help with this?" Jun asked Kiyomi's father.
"My father left some books behind," Kiyomi's father told Jun. "Those might work,"
"Ok, I'll try and decipher what this thing says if the books help," Jun said as she took the box from Jirou.
"I'll show you to the study," Kiyomi's father said to Jun as she walked by him.
"Kiyomi, you know what's in that box," Jirou said to Kiyomi.
"Not entirely," Kiyomi told Jirou.
"Stop lying," Jirou said as he turned towards Kiyomi.
Kiyomi sighed in annoyance and stepped away from Jirou.
"It's related to one of your ancestors," Kiyomi told Jirou. "The original Grandmaster of the Takayama Ninja Clan,"
"Masaru Takayama," Jirou said as he looked over at the dig site.
"Was he special or something, aside from being the OG Grandmaster?" Mason asked Jirou.
"Masaru possessed great skills and even forged the shurikens that were used to seal Galvanax and I away," Jirou told Mason.
"Some say he sealed away hundreds if not thousands of Japanese demons that roamed the lands," Kiyomi informed the others.
"How did one guy do all that?" Beth said in confusion.
"He wasn't alone, he had a clan," Jirou told Beth. "He also had access to the legendary Lion Fire armor,"
"What on Earth is that?" Ben asked Jirou.
"Armor that increased Masaru's skills as a ninja," Jirou told Ben.
"It wasn't just armor either," Kiyomi told everyone. "He also had his own Zord,"
"Wait, a Zord?" Logan said in astonishment.
"No one knows what happened to the Lion Fire Zord, but that box might give us a clue," Jirou said to the others.
"I guess the box reacted to you because it sensed that you are part of the Takayama family," Kiyomi told Jirou.
"Yeah, but it didn't react to Jun," Jirou reminded Kiyomi.
"Yes, that was rather odd," Kiyomi said as she nodded.
"Can we go inside and finish talking about this in there?" Mason asked Kiyomi. "I'm getting drenched in sweat standing out here,"
"Of course," Kiyomi said as she began walking away. "My home is this way,"
The others began following Kiyomi away from the dig site and headed off towards her home.
Later that night, Jun was sitting in the study inside of Kiyomi's home reading a book with the black box artifact sitting next to her on a table. As Jun yawned, she turned to the next page. Jun began rubbing her left eye and sat the book on the table.
"From what I've learned, this thing is definitely related to my family," Jun said to herself as she looked over at the black box.
Beth walked into the room and knocked on the wall to catch Jun's attention.
"Oh, hey!" Jun said as Beth walked up beside her.
"How's it going?" Beth asked Jun.
"Good, but slow," Jun told Beth as she picked the book back up.
"Did you at least discover something?" Beth asked Jun.
"I know that it's actually a message from Masaru," Jun informed Beth.
"What kind of message?" Beth questioned Jun as she pulled another chair over.
"I'm not entirely sure," Jun told Beth. "I need to decipher more of it first,"
"Do you mind if I help?" Beth asked Jun.
"No, it's fine," Jun said as she went back to reading. "You can go finish copying down the markings on the box.
"Will do," Beth said as she got up from her seat.
Beth walked over beside the black box and picked up the pencil. Beth placed a sheet of paper on top of the box and began tracing the markings from the box onto the paper.
"I didn't think of that!" Jun said in amazement. "I was literally trying to write them on paper,"
"I bet we'll get this done in no time now," Beth said as she handed Jun the sheet of paper.
"I hope so," Jun said as she took the paper and set it aside.
Down the hall, Jirou was gazing out the window at the moon's reflection in the pond outside of the mansion. Mason began mumbling to himself as he adjusted his pillow in frustration. Jirou turned around and saw Mason lay back down on his pallet on the floor.
"How come Jirou gets to sleep in a bed?" Mason asked Logan and Ben who were lying on pallets of their own.
"I slept on dirt before," Ben told Mason. "Quit bickering and go to sleep,"
"Jirou's not even in bed!" Mason said as he rose up and pointed at Jirou.
"Yeah, why are you still standing over there?" Logan asked Jirou.
"I can't stop thinking of the artifact," Jirou said to Logan.
"Then I'm taking the bed," Mason said as he rose to his feet.
Mason walked over to the bed and quickly got under the cover.
"Just get some shut eye Jirou," Ben told Jirou. "I'm sure Jun will have some news for us in the morning,"
"I guess you're right," Jirou said as he turned away from the window.
Outside, Drillion instantly appeared with his eyes glowing in the darkness. Drillion looked up at the window and saw the lights go off.
"Now to find the artifact for Galvanax," Drillion said as he slowly made his way towards the mansion.
Drillion stepped up to the front door of the mansion and quietly drilled out the lock on the door. Drillion gently opened the front door and snuck inside.
"I can smell the artifact already," Drillion whispered to himself as he began walking up the stairs.
As Drillion made his way to the top of the stairs, Kiyomi turned the corner in the hallway.
"What the?" Kiyomi said in confusion as she noticed Drillion up ahead.
"Hmm?" Drillion said in confusion as he began sniffing.
Drillion turned around and gasped as he noticed Kiyomi down the hall.
"Oh no!" Drillion said in annoyance. "I've been caught!"
"I knew someone would come after the artifact," Kiyomi said as she pulled out her morpher.
"Sorry princess, but I can't let you use that!" Drillion shouted at Kiyomi as he fired a buzzsaw disc from his left hand.
The buzzsaw disc struck Kiyomi's morpher knocking it out of her hand with ease.
"Crap!" Kiyomi said in horror as she went to grab her morpher off the ground.
Drillion quickly ran over to Kiyomi and shoved her into the wall headfirst causing her to go unconscious.
"What's that racket out here?" Ben said in confusion as he and the other guys stepped out of their room.
"Hey, who let the freak in?" Mason asked the others as he saw Drillion standing above Kiyomi.
Drillion picked up Kiyomi and turned towards the boys.
"If you want the princess back, you will bring the artifact to me tomorrow at noon," Drillion told the boys.
"You're not getting away with her," Jirou said as he pulled out his morpher.
"Watch me!" Drillion shouted as he fired a barrage of buzzsaw discs at the Rangers.
The boys ducked to the ground and avoided the buzzsaw discs causing them to hit the wall in the background. Jirou quickly looked back up and saw that Drillion was gone and escaped with Kiyomi.
"He got away!" Logan said as he punched the floor.
Jirou walked across the hall and picked up Kiyomi's morpher off the floor as Kiyomi's father stepped out of his room.
"What is going on out here?" Kiyomi's father asked Jirou.
Kiyomi's father saw Kiyomi's morpher in Jirou's hand.
"I'm sorry grandmaster, we tried to save her," Jirou said as he looked down.
"What happened to her?" Kiyomi's father asked Jirou.
"A monster captured her and wants to trade her for the artifact," Ben said as he walked up.
"That can't happen," Kiyomi's father said as he shook his head.
"We don't need to trade," Jirou said to the others. "We just need what's inside that box,"
"Yeah, we can just trade the box!" Logan said as he realized the plan.
"Then get to finding a way to open the box before it's too late," Kiyomi's father said as he stormed off down the stairs.
"We have until noon tomorrow," Jirou said to the other guys. "Let's get to helping Jun with that box,"
Jirou led the others over to a door and began knocking on the door. The door instantly opened and revealed Beth standing on the other side.
"What was that commotion?" Beth asked Jirou.
"Why didn't you two help?" Mason asked Beth as he leaned in front of Jirou.
"With what?" Beth asked Mason.
"A monster just broke in and kidnapped Kiyomi," Jirou told Beth.
"Oh crap," Beth said in disbelief.
Jirou looked inside of the room and saw Jun wearing headphones while reading a book.
"Well, I can see why Jun didn't hear anything," Jirou said as he sighed and stepped into the room.
The other guys followed Jirou into the room and made themselves at home.
"What's with all these sheets of paper?" Logan asked Beth.
"It's writing off the box from each side," Beth told Logan. "Jun's been deciphering them for a while now,"
"She needs to shake a leg," Ben said as he sat down on a couch.
"Why can't we just go after Kiyomi without Jun?" Beth asked the others.
"Because that monster wants the artifact," Jirou said as he approached Jun.
Jirou grabbed the headphones on Jun's head and pulled them off.
"Hey!" Jun said as she quickly rose to her feet.
"Are you close to opening the thing yet?" Jirou asked Jun.
"Not with you messing with me!" Jun said in frustration as she snatched her headphones back from Jirou.
"Well you need to hurry because we're on a timer now," Mason informed Jun as he sat down with Ben.
"Wait, how so?" Jun said in confusion.
"Kiyomi was kidnapped and the monster responsible wants the artifact," Beth told Jun.
"We plan to trick the monster and only give him the box," Jirou said to Jun as he sat down at the desk beside her.
"Then we better get to work," Jun said as she sighed.
Jirou looked over at the box sitting on a table as Jun continued reading the book in front of her.
"Masaru, give me a sign or something," Jirou said to himself in his head as he stared at the box.
Out in a forest, Kiyomi was tied to a tree with her mouth covered. Drillion walked up next to the fire he made and looked over at Kiyomi who was unconscious. Drillion began snickering as he sat down next to the fire and tossed another piece of wood into the fire.
"In just a few hours, that artifact will belong to Galvanax," Drillion said as he stared at the flames. "With it, he will be unstoppable,"
Kiyomi began mumbling and startled Drillion causing him to jump to his feet.
"So you finally woke up," Drillion said to Kiyomi as he approached her.
Kiyomi began struggling to get her arms free as she groaned in angrily.
"You better hope your friends make the deal," Drillion said as he aimed his drill on his right arm at Kiyomi. "Or else your people won't have an heir to the throne,"
Kiyomi's eyes widened as Drillion's drill began spinning while he laughed evilly.
"Tomorrow begins the extinction of you ninja scum!" Drillion shouted at Kiyomi as he drilled out a hole in the tree right above Kiyomi's head.
The next morning, Jun had her head laid down on the desk asleep. Across the room, Jirou was examining the box while everyone else was sleeping. Jirou suddenly became frustrated and tossed the box back onto the table.
"This is stupid," Jirou said angrily as he stepped away from the table. "We're never going to get the damn thing open in time,"
Jirou picked up the box and stormed out of the room causing Beth to wake up in confusion.
"What was that about?" Beth wondered as she rubbed her left eye.
Beth rose from her seat and walked out of the room to locate Jirou.
"Jirou?" Beth said as she stepped out of the room.
Beth heard a door downstairs close and began heading down the stairs. Beth opened the front door and saw Jirou heading towards the dig site where the box was found.
"What is he up to?" Beth asked herself as she continued following Jirou.
Out at the dig site, Jirou was bickering at the box as Beth quietly walked up.
"For all I know, there's nothing inside this box!" Jirou shouted in frustration.
Jirou picked up the box again and screamed in anger as he prepared to throw it to the ground. Beth quickly grabbed the box from Jirou and hid it behind her back.
"Give it back!" Jirou said to Beth as he reached for the box.
"No, you need to chill out," Beth told Jirou as she stepped back from him.
Beth noticed the bags under Jirou's eyes as she stepped back again.
"Have you slept at all?" Beth asked Jirou.
"I couldn't," Jirou said to Beth. "I wanted to get that box open first,"
"We'll get the box open, don't worry," Beth told Jirou. "Not sleeping has done nothing but made you grumpy,"
"I know," Jirou said as he looked down in disappointment.
Jirou fell to his knees in the dirt and began crying.
"That stupid box has done nothing but cause trouble for us," Jirou said as he punched the ground in rage.
"Yes that's true, but this box will also end up helping us in the end," Beth said as she knelt down beside Jirou.
"It can't help us if we can't open it," Jirou said to Beth.
"Then let's get this thing opened before noon," Beth said as she held her hand out to Jirou.
Jirou looked over at Beth and took her hand. Beth helped Jirou to his feet as their Ninja Comms began going off.
"Hey, where is the box at?" Jun asked Beth and Jirou through the Ninja Comm.
"It's right here with us," Beth told Jun.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault," Jirou said to Jun.
"As long as it's not in that monster's hands it's fine," Jun said to Beth and Jirou. "Just bring it back here so we can continue working on it,"
"Alright, we'll be back there in a flash," Beth said as she and Jirou began heading back to the mansion.
A few hours later, Jun was hurrying through a book as the others stood by watching. Jirou looked over at the box and sighed. Mason pulled out his phone and looked at the time causing him to become nervous.
"It's almost noon," Mason said to the others.
"Shut up!" Jun said in annoyance to Mason as she continued reading.
Jun suddenly went silent and rose to her feet.
"Did you figure it out?" Jirou asked Jun.
"I know what the box says!" Jun said as she turned to the others.
Jun handed the sheet of paper to Jirou after writing down one final thing.
"Inside the box lies the unthinkable," Jirou said as he read the paper. "I, Masaru Takayama, leave this key to anyone capable of breaking this case's seal,"
"Wait, it's just a key?" Logan asked the others.
"This key will unlock the key to the demon's demise," Jirou read out loud as he lowered the sheet of paper.
Mason screamed in anger as he rose to his feet.
"It's just more problems inside!" Mason said in frustration.
"There's one last thing," Jirou said to everyone.
"What's that?" Beth asked Jirou.
"Our hearts forever burn brightly," Jirou said as he handed the paper back to Jun.
"It's our family motto," Jun informed the others.
"That still doesn't solve how to open this thing," Ben said as he picked up the box.
Jirou's eyes suddenly widened in disbelief.
"We're blind!" Jirou said as he took the box from Ben.
"Did you figure it out?" Ben asked Jirou as he watched Jirou set the box on the table.
"The key is the original Ninja Power Star," Jirou said as he pulled out his Red Ninja Power Star.
"But the Ninja Nexus Star was split into our Ninja Power Stars?" Logan said in confusion.
"Then our six Power Stars should do the job just fine," Jun said as she pulled out her Power Star.
Jirou and Ben pulled the table the box was sitting on out into the middle of the room.
"Everyone stand around it and hold your Power Stars out to it like me," Jirou said as he stepped back and aimed his Power Star at the box.
The others followed Jirou's order and aimed their Ninja Power Stars at the box.
"This is stupid," Mason said as he rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, nothing is happening," Jun said as she looked around in confusion.
The box all of a sudden began glowing faintly.
"Hey, something is happening!" Beth said as she gasped.
The box's glow filled the room with a blinding light instantly causing the Rangers to shield their eyes.
"What's going on?" Logan asked the others as the room was still filled with blinding light.
Jirou lost his grip on his Red Ninja Power Star as it was pulled away from him. Jirou peeked over his arm and saw the six glowing Ninja Power Stars lift the box into the air while circling around it.
"This is it!" Jirou said in excitement as he watched each of the Power Stars attach to a side of the box.
As the box crumbled to pieces, the light faded away. Beth opened her eyes and saw Jirou approaching the Ninja Power Stars still circling around something. Jirou reached in between the Ninja Power Stars and grabbed a new Power Star that was inside of the box.
"Guys, it was another Power Star inside," Jirou said as he revealed the Power Star to the others.
"Yeah, but where's the box?" Jun asked Jirou.
"Oh no," Jirou said in horror.
"Oh great, there is no box now," Mason said as he threw his arms up.
"Yeah, it kind of crumbled to pieces," Jirou said as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Then how do we trick the monster now?" Ben asked the others.
"We don't," Jirou said to Ben. "We defeat him,"
"Well we only have a few minutes until noon," Logan told Jirou.
"And we don't even know where to meet them," Jun said as she sighed.
Jirou walked over to the window and noticed a tower of smoke out in the distance.
"Oh yes we do," Jirou said as he smirked.
"Where?" Ben asked Jirou as he watched Jirou exit the room.
"Come on, we need to hurry," Beth said to the others as she left the room.
The others left the room and headed off with Jirou and Beth to find Drillion.
Out on a rocky beach, Drillion was holding Kiyomi with his arm wrapped around her neck waiting for the Rangers to arrive. Drillion snarled in frustration and squeezed tighter around Kiyomi's neck.
"Your friends are late," Drillion said to Kiyomi. "It seems they don't care about you,"
"That's where you're wrong," Jirou said as he walked up along with the others.
"Ah, about time," Drillion said as his drill began spinning. "Where is the artifact?"
"Right here," Jirou said as he held his hand out with a closed fist.
"Wait, you opened it for me?" Drillion said in confusion.
"That's correct," Logan told Drillion as he nodded.
"Then bring it to me," Drillion demanded as he stomped his foot.
"Alright then," Jirou said as he slowly began approaching Drillion.
Jirou walked up to Drillion and held his hand out to Drillion.
"Give it to me!" Drillion shouted as he let go of Kiyomi and went to grab what was in Jirou's hand.
"You heard him Ben," Jirou said as he smirked.
"What?" Drillion said in confusion.
Jirou grabbed Kiyomi and dropped to the ground as Ben fired an energy blast from his hand. The energy blast struck Drillion stunning him for a second as Jirou scurried away with Kiyomi.
"Let's get these off of you," Beth said to Kiyomi as she pulled the cloth away from Kiyomi's mouth.
"What happened to the artifact?" Kiyomi asked Jirou as Beth untied the ropes on Kiyomi's wrists and ankles.
"It's save and not locked inside of the box anymore," Jirou told Kiyomi.
"So you guys actually opened it!" Kiyomi said in amazement.
"You brats have made a big mistake!" Drillion shouted angrily at the Rangers.
"Here, you might need this," Jun said to Kiyomi as she handed her morpher to her.
"Thanks," Kiyomi said as she took her morpher.
"Give me the artifact!" Drillion shouted as a horde of Kudabots and Basher Bots surrounded him.
"He brought out the cavalry!" Mason said to the others as he pulled out his morpher.
"It's time to tame this lion!" Jirou said as he placed his Ninja Power Star on his morpher.
"Ninja Spin!" Each of the Rangers shouted as they activated their morphers and transformed.
The Rangers took off running towards Drillion and his army, but were swallowed in the army of Kudabots and Basher Bots.
"There's too many of them!" Logan shouted as he hit Kudabot after Kudabot. "Two more show up as I take out one!"
"Numbers mean nothing," Kiyomi said to Logan as she kicked a Basher Bot that was approaching Logan. "Teamwork puts the odds in our favor,"
"Everyone surround Kiyomi with your back to her!" Jirou shouted as he backed up towards Kiyomi.
"What're you doing?" Kiyomi asked Jirou as Logan followed Jirou's command.
"Giving us an opening," Jirou said as Mason shoved a Basher Bot away as he ran over.
"This better work," Mason said to Jirou as he stood next to him.
Beth and Jun leapt over a group of the robots and landed next to Jirou and Mason.
"Where's Ben?" Jirou asked the girls as a lightning blast struck a group of the robots.
"Right here partner," Ben said as he walked up with his Rockstorm Guitar in hand.
"Why am I the one being protected?" Kiyomi asked Jirou.
"You'll see," Jirou said as he placed his Ninja Master Mode Star on his sword.
"Oh I see!" Mason said in excitement. "It's time to slice them up!"
The other Rangers placed their Ninja Master Mode Stars on their swords.
"Ninja Master Mode!" The Rangers shouted as they activated the Ninja Power Stars.
The Rangers instantly transformed into Ninja Master Mode and quickly began hacking away at the Kudabots and Basher Bots with their Ninja Master Blades.
"Now's your chance Kiyomi!" Jirou shouted as he sliced through another Basher Bot with his sword.
"Right!" Kiyomi said as she ran past Jirou and took off towards Drillion.
Kiyomi placed her Ninja Element Star on her Ninja Star Blade as she leapt into the air.
"Ninja Water Attack!" Kiyomi shouted as her body was engulfed in water while continuously flipping in the air.
Kiyomi crashed into Drillion as Drillion stood his ground by blocking Kiyomi with his drill.
"I'm not going down that easily!" Drillion shouted as he shoved Kiyomi away.
Kiyomi landed back on the ground and groaned in frustration.
"It didn't work!" Kiyomi said as she clenched her fist.
"What the heck?" Drillion said in confusion as he noticed the other Rangers mowing down the robots with ease.
"Finish them off!" Jirou shouted as his and the other Ranger's swords began glowing.
Each of the six Rangers swung their Ninja Master Blades and blew the Kudabots and Basher Bots into pieces.
"I might be in trouble now," Drillion said as he began stepping back.
"Oh, don't start acting like a scared pussy cat now," Kiyomi said as the others ran up beside her.
As the Rangers prepared to attack Drillion, the area suddenly darkened.
"What's going on?" Jun said in confusion.
"Holy moly!" Ben said as he noticed the Galaxy Warriors Ship flying above them.
"Yes!" Drillion shouted as he raised his arms into the air. "My help has arrived!"
The bottom of the ship began glowing and released a powerful blast that struck Drillion and knocked the Rangers away with ease.
"Wait, I didn't want to grow yet!" Drillion shouted as he began growing.
"This is just making things easier," Mason said as he cracked his knuckles.
"Kiyomi, hold onto this for us," Jirou said as he handed Kiyomi the ancient Power Star.
"Is this the artifact?" Kiyomi asked Jirou.
"Yes, but you need to get it away from here before Galvanax sends someone after it," Jirou told Kiyomi as he placed his Zord Star on his sword.
"Will do," Kiyomi said as she began running away.
"Alright guys, let's send this cat packing with the Ninja Fusion Zord!" Jirou shouted as he activated his Zord Star.
As the other Rangers activated their Zord Stars, each of the Rangers Zords appeared and quickly combined together forming the Ninja Fusion Zord.
"I'm going to enjoy tearing you apart," Drillion said as he approached the Ninja Fusion Zord.
Drillion struck the Ninja Fusion Zord causing it to stumble backwards.
"This guy packs a punch," Jirou said as the Rangers regained control.
"Let's even up the odds!" Drillion shouted as he laughed evilly when two Skullgators dropped down from the ship above.
"That's not good," Ben said as he looked over at Jirou next to him.
"We'll finish them off first," Jirou said as the Ninja Fusion Zord's sword began glowing.
A Skullgator suddenly grabbed onto the Megazord's arm from behind preventing it from attacking.
"Uh oh!" Beth said in astonishment.
"Here they come!" Logan shouted as the other two Skullgators made their way towards the Megazord.
The Skullgators began striking the Megazord repeatedly with their weapons as Drillion watched in joy.
"That's right!" Drillion shouted to the Skullgators. "Destroy them!"
"What do we do?" Jun asked the others as sparks shot out of her console in front of her.
"Hang in there!" Jirou shouted as sparks continued shooting out of each Ranger's console.
"We don't have time for that!" Mason shouted at Jirou.
"This will all be over soon," Drillion said as he launched a pair of buzzsaw discs at the Megazord and struck it in the chest.
Near the battlefield, Kiyomi was climbing up a cliff with the ancient Power Star in her hand. A loud explosion went off startling Kiyomi as she reached the top of the cliff. Kiyomi turned back towards the battle and saw the others being teamed up on by the Skullgators.
"This isn't good," Kiyomi said in concern as she grasped the Power Star in her hand.
In the distance Drillion struck the Ninja Fusion Zord with his drill creating a hole in the Megazord's chest.
"They need my help!" Kiyomi said as she went to jump off the cliff.
Kiyomi hesitated and froze in place.
"I don't have a Megazord though," Kiyomi said to herself. "How do I help them?"
Kiyomi looked down at the ancient Power Star as the fight continued out in the distance.
"Wait, this Power Star might be our saving grace," Kiyomi said as her Ninja Star Blade appeared in her other hand.
Kiyomi placed the Power Star on her sword and took a deep breath before spinning the Power Star. As Kiyomi activated the Power Star the ground beneath her began rumbling viciously.
"What's going on?" Kiyomi said in confusion as the Power Star detached from her sword and flew off back towards her home.
Kiyomi turned back towards her home in astonishment.
"Where did it go?" Kiyomi wondered.
Back at the dig site, the ancient Power Star returned to the cavern. The Power Star phased through the rocky wall causing the cavern to begin shaking. At the mansion, Kiyomi's father ran outside as a tremor occurred with two of his men beside him.
"What's causing this?" Kiyomi's father asked the men.
"It's not the Rangers that's for sure!" One of the men said in horror as the ground began splitting.
A loud roar was then heard coming from the dig site causing Kiyomi's father to cover his ears.
"What on Earth?" Kiyomi's father said in confusion as he saw a large red object rise out of the ground.
"Impossible!" One of his men said in disbelief.
"It's the ancient fortress the legends spoke of!" Kiyomi's father said as the large red fortress resembling a lion began floating into the air.
The lion fortress let out another loud roar and blasted off towards the beach.
"They actually did it!" Kiyomi's father said in amazement.
Back on the beach, the Skullgators were striking the weak spot on the Megazord's chest. Drillion stepped forward and prepared to drill through the Megazord's head with his drill while two of the Skullgators held the Megazord back.
"This is the end of you Rangers!" Drillion said as he laughed evilly.
Blasts began hitting Drillion and the Skullgators knocking them away from the Megazord with ease.
"What was that?" Jirou said in confusion.
The Megazord looked up into the sky and saw the red lion fortress slowly descending to the ground.
"Is that a new Zord?" Logan asked the others.
"No way!" Jun said in amazement. "The ancient Power Star was a Zord Star!"
"Hell yeah!" Mason said as the large Zord landed next to the Megazord.
"No, it can't be!" Drillion said in horror. "It's the Lion Fire Zord!"
"Even this guy knows he's done for," Ben said to the others.
"Lion Fire Zord huh?" Jirou said as he pulled his sword from his console. "I like it,"
Jirou teleported out of the cockpit and instantly appeared inside of the Lion Fire Zord's cockpit. Jirou inserted his sword into the Lion Fire Zord's console and gained control of the Zord.
"Let's see what this beast can do!" Jirou said as the Lion Fire Zord began moving towards Drillion and the Skullgators.
As the Lion Fire Zord approached the enemies, two laser blasts fired from the Zord and destroyed two of the Skullgators with ease.
"Now that's firepower!" Jirou said in amazement as the Zord fired once more and destroyed the last Skullgator.
The Lion Fire Zord fired at Drillion and struck him with a laser blast causing him to fall back into the water.
"It's time for this chapter to come to a close!" Jirou said as the Lion Fire Zord began charging its cannons.
A blast suddenly shot down from the Galaxy Warriors Ship hitting Drillion in the water causing him to shrink back down to normal.
"Hold on a second!" Jirou said in disbelief.
Drillion teleported away as the Galaxy Warriors Ship took off back into space leaving the two large Zords on the beach. As Jirou and the others exited the Zords, Kiyomi came running up staring at the Lion Fire Zord in awe.
"So the ancient Power Star summoned that?" Kiyomi said as she continued looking up at the new Zord.
"Even Galvanax knows the Lion Fire Zord is powerful apparently," Jun said to the others.
"Yeah, but why would they save that monster?" Logan wondered.
"I'm not sure," Beth said as she shrugged her shoulders.
"They should know that freak doesn't stand a chance against us now," Mason said as he crossed his arms.
Jirou looked back at the Lion Fire Zord and noticed something exiting the Zord.
"What is that?" Jirou said in confusion.
A glowing gold orb flew up in front of Jirou's face and continued hovering in front of him.
"(Who woke me up from my slumber?)" The orb shouted in Jirou's face startling Jirou.
Jirou and the others screamed in horror as they took off running away from the orb of light.
"(Hey, I'm not done talking to you!)" The orb shouted as it flew off after the Rangers.
"Stay away from us you ghost!" Ben shouted in the distance as the Rangers continued running back towards the village.