Morphin' Sentai Dragon Hunters vs. Dragon Keepers
Naruto x Ranger Reject/Sentai Daishikkaku
In which Naruto leads a new generation of Sentai Rangers to end the charade of the Dragon Keepers.
Spoiler warning up to Ranger Reject Chapter 142
In a world of Rangers and Invaders, this is a story about those who hunt them…
Thirteen years ago, the Nefarious Invader Army, or Invaders for simplicity's sake, descended from the stars and settled on Japan, intent on making the island nation its main base for world domination. Consisting of 12 Executives modeled after the Zodiac animals, they lead their shadowy immortal Footsoldiers, known as Dusters, into battle to devastate the land, causing untold chaos and hundreds dead from their rampage, which rivaled the end of the Second World War. To the Executives, no cost was too high to realize their invasion of Earth and turn it into a world of their desires.
But when those that cause chaos come calling, the will of the human spirit will always ensure there are those who will resist.
Enter Red Keeper, Blue Keeper, Yellow Keeper, Green Keeper, and Pink Keeper. These five were clad in colorful suits with black lines of different patterns on the upper part. Their helmet visors were their respective colors, and most of them had open mouth areas, except for Green. In addition, they also wore white capes.
Together, the five made up the Ryujin Sentai: Dragon Keepers.
Once a Sunday morning Tokusatsu show, they had become reality. Led by the charismatic Red Keeper, the colorful Squadron used their Divine Dragon Tools to fight for peace and justice against the Invader menace. They were instrumental in the Human-Invader war, leading the charge against the Executives and their expendable black-and-white Duster mooks. No matter how many times the Monsters-of-the-Week knocked them down, the Rangers would keep fighting, and they would win.
And in one year, after the climactic battle against the Incader's ultimate Monster, the Giga-Invader Death Messiah, the Ranger prevailed, ensuring peace and justice for all.
"Whoops! Sorry about that. Hey, no need to stop eating. The food's getting cold."
Or so the story goes.
'What…the hell…what is this?!'
[A Few Days Earlier]
"We are… the Dragon Keepers!"
"Go, Dragon Keepers!"
"Yeah, kick their butts!"
"We love you, Dragon Keepers!"
As the crowd whipped themselves up into a frenzy at the sight of their heroes appearing against the villains, a guy with spiky blonde hair, blue eyes, whisker-marks on his cheeks, a blue ninja headband tied around his head, and dressed in an orange and black tracksuit, was watching the proceedings from afar, leaning on a railing of a rooftop building.
"Hmm, it's the beginning of the week again," he murmured with a bowl of ramen in his hand and slurped the noodles with chopsticks. "I wonder if those Rangers and Invaders are going to do anything new."
UZUMAKI NARUTO
It was Sunday, and that meant it was time for the usual weekly battles, where the Dusters and their Executive of the Week invaded the surface from their Sky Fortress, looking for a fight- only for the Dragon Keepers to arrive to save the day, naturally.
It was like a massive once-in-a-lifetime sporting event seen on pay-per-view. The crowd bought tickets and packed themselves into the arena. Vendors inside and out were selling food and drinks to keep the guests refreshed and well-fed. Companies and stores sponsoring the Dragon Keepers were advertising their wares. The crowd was energetic, keeping the energy up as they witnessed their beloved heroes in action.
And it all ran like clockwork.
The Keepers fight, the Dusters get creamed, the Ranger Cadets handle any stray Dusters that get past the Keepers, the Executive gets the upper hand on the Rangers (briefly), the crowd gives the Rangers a miracle boost with cheers, and the Rangers take out the Executive and the Dusters with their Divine Tool Dragon Blaster. The Rangers rule, the Invaders drool, and everyone goes home happy until next week.
And it's all so boring.
"Same old, same old. And here Ero-Sennin wanted to write a Ranger version of Icha Icha? Gimme a break." Naruto sighed, finishing his ramen. "How has no one gotten bored of it? It's as scripted as professional wrestling at this point. At least switch it up a little." The phone rang and he answered. "Moshi moshi. Ginga Detective Agency."
"Hello, Uzumaki Naruto. I am at your door. waiting to give you my request," a feminine voice said before hanging up.
"That's one way of offering a job." Naruto mused before heading downstairs.
Naruto was a shinobi who worked at Ginga Detective Agency, a private detective firm based in Amanogawa City, the main battleground for the Human-Invader War. The agency was founded by his godfather Jiraiya until his passing, leaving everything he owned to Naruto in his Will. Not only did Naruto own the detective office and the building housing it, but he also owned the IP to Jiraiya's smutty adult novel series, Icha Icha, with the latest based on the Ranger adventures stalled. It was slow going for obvious reasons, so Naruto mostly focused on running the detective agency, using his unique set of skills-
Ninja skills. It was ninja skills.
Like Jiraiya, Naruto hailed from a hidden ninja village within one of Japan's many deep forest areas. He never knew his parents, with only his godparents Jiraiya and Tsunade to look after him. As a kid, he'd enjoyed pranking others, tending to gardens, and enjoying many bowls of ramen, until Tsunade got him to eat healthy for his ninja training. After failing multiple times at the academy, he was home-schooled by the two of them, finding much more success under their tutelage instead of the average teacher and their boring lessons. He managed to pass the exams and become a ninja, but opted to be an independent shinobi instead of being tied to the village, taking a vow to never divulge the village's secrets, even at the cost of his life.
And now Naruto was thriving in the big city beset by constant attacks from the Invaders; at least in the eyes of normal people. Being a ninja trained by two of the Three Great Sannin, Naruto knew that the Sunday battles were nothing but a charade. The Rangers always won, and the Invaders were running out of ideas, especially with their fake Executives. The latter group always attacked the same (suspiciously set up) area, and the big crowd always cheered on the Keepers to win.
Every Sunday, every week, without rest, the Sunday battles always took place to no end; even when one or two Keepers, or even Red Keeper, took the day off. Sure most kids would enjoy the spectacle, but even some of the teenagers and adults would develop a low tolerance. Still, the Dragon Keeper events were popular, and they were practically celebrities, so the Sunday battles were infuriatingly here to stay.
They made too much money for everyone.
Naruto entered the office, frowning at the young woman at his desk who resembled one of his best friends, and she was petting his red-orange cat that occupied the building along with other cats. She was 5'2", had long, light-blonde hair and pale pink eyes, and wore the classic set of red and white miko robes with a sizable bump in her chest; another reminder of his friend and her sister.
"I assume you're the one who called, Miss…?" Naruto asked, after looking around for traps or an ambush.
"Dragon Priestess Shion. You can call me Shion." the blonde beauty said as the cat then jumped away.
SHION
"And I have a job for you. One that will pay handsomely."
"That's what they all tell me. They tend to exaggerate, though. It's a wonder the lights are still being kept on here." Naruto said as he sat at his desk.
"Don't be modest. Your godfather left you this building with everything paid." Shion pointed out with a smirk.
"That's an interesting thing to point out off the bat," Naruto said with a frown, folding his arms. "What's your story, Shion-san?"
The young woman smiled. "All in due time. All you need to know for now is that the Rangers and Invaders have overstayed their welcome, and you're one of the few I can count on one hand to put an end to their farce."
"Uh-huh, sure. If you know about me, then you need to know that all Ranger and Invader-involved cases always have a dead end. Even with my skills, the five Ranger Battalions enjoy special protections from the government," Naruto said as he wheeled his chair towards a window. "They're extra secretive about those that go missing under their watch, especially their fellow Rangers."
"I can help you there."
"..." Naruto spun back around to stare at Shion. "Excuse me?"
"Well, more than help, I can show you," Shion said as she looked at her phone. "If things happen as usual at their little summits, I guarantee that you'll be all in." She tugged out a piece of paper (from between her boobs) and handed it to Naruto.
The paper bore the name of a building, along with a map, patrol routes, and a star that led to an important room.
"Once you've seen all you need to see, we shall meet again," Shion said and stood up to leave.
"Say I entertain this, Shion…what will I see?" Naruto inquired, crumpling the paper. "Some extravagant party of asskissers?"
"You will see that great power does not come with great responsibility," Shion said as she left. "You'll only find such humble characters in fiction."
Naruto hummed and looked at the paper again, seeing that the place he was to infiltrate was the Dragon Keeper's main headquarters.
[Present Time]
'What the fuck! This can't be real. I knew this whole Ranger vs Invader business was a sham, but this…!'
It was all too easy to get into the main headquarters, identified by the eyesore that is the golden statue of the Dragon Keepers. Miraculously, there was a plumbing service that had been called in for a work order on the same day the Dragon Keepers were having one of their "Holy Banquets". The blonde sneaked in alongside them, dressed in their uniform, and quickly navigated the building using Shion's crudely drawn map. After avoiding some Ranger cadets, patrols, employees, and security cameras, he swiftly entered the ventilation system and made his way to the Banquet, where the Dragon Keepers were having a meal with their Junior First Class Rangers, their second-in-commands, alongside them.
And from his position in the vents above the room, he got more than he bargained for with a first-hand look at how the famed Dragon Keepers really are.
Pink Keeper. Not so bad…aside from the weird aura coming from her.
Green Keeper. Sounded much more easygoing, and not so battle-hungry as usual.
Yellow Keeper. Felt like a real creep, especially with that unsettling smile.
Blue Keeper. A real foul-mouth, ill-tempered asshole that was a far cry from the silent persona. Well, that was probably why they gave him that persona to begin with.
Red Keeper. A narcissistic murderer who was eating while still having the blood of his late subordinate splattered all over one fist.
All because the nervous subordinate tripped and accidentally spilled the food he was carrying to him.
'Yeah, I've seen enough. Thirteen years of this madness? This has to end.' Naruto thought as he moved to leave.
"Oh yeah, Red." Yellow Keeper suddenly spoke. "The Prime Minister called. Seems like you sneaked in some provisions in the latest ten-year contract. Care to elaborate?"
YELLOW KEEPER
"What? It gets us more authority to protect the masses," Red Keeper said through a mouthful of food. "Not my fault the PM was sloppy in hiding his closet skeletons to take advantage of. I thought you'd like that, Yellow."
RED KEEPER
"I just wish you had let me know. I had some provisions I wanted to add myself!" Yellow Keeper mused with a chuckle.
"Who gives a fuck. As long as it makes our job easier, I won't complain, and neither should the rest of you!" Blue Keeper snapped at them.
BLUE KEEPER
"Hey hey, calm down man. No complaints here. It doesn't affect my side of things." Green Keeper said, hands up.
GREEN KEEPER
"Nor does it mine," Pink Keeper also confirmed coolly, "Business as usual."
PINK KEEPER
"Alright, enough with the small talk guys. Everything's working as intended. We'll continue to be heroes, and those Dusters will continue to work for us for as long as we need them to. Besides, what choice do they have?" Red Keeper declared with a boisterous laugh.
Thankfully the laugh was so loud that none of them heard someone scrambling to get out of the vents.
[Ginga Detective Agency]
"Welcome back, Naruto," Shion said, sipping some tea as Naruto blasted open the door, slamming it shut, and bolting it.
He was panting, breathless as he had run from the Dragon Keeper Headquarters and back to the office without stopping. He slid down the door, noticing that Shion was there sitting on top of his desk, looking amused at him while kicking her feet in the air, with the cat resting on her shoulder. He stared at her and shook his head.
"The people are being sold more than a lie. Those aren't heroes. They're pretenders masquerading as heroes, almost worse than the Invaders," Naruto said as he got his breathing back in order.
"Quite the reality check, huh?" Shion quipped as she hopped off the table with a notable bounce. "So, is there something you want to do about it?"
"A single detective against a Ranger organization with battalions of Rangers at their beck and call. Sure thing, lemme get my LARPing tools and ask them to go easy on me!" Naruto growled at her.
"Naruto, you are a genuine ninja. You're capable of taking them on." Shion shot back.
Naruto froze. "Why do you even know that?" he asked cautiously, flicking his wrist and producing a kunai. "In fact, what exactly are you? No games this time."
"I'm a gal that worked with your godfather, Jiraiya," Shion revealed as she went to the nearby entertainment system, sensing Naruto's shock. "He accepted a prior request from me to investigate the Dragon Keepers. He ran into the same scene you saw during his investigation and vowed to help me. I wouldn't have gotten as far as I did if it weren't for his help."
"Is that why he was constantly disappearing the last few years?" Naruto whispered as Shion inserted a disc into the player. "Until he was found dead…"
"If my words aren't enough, then maybe his will be enough."
Shion turned on the TV and pressed play, the TV showing Jiraiya sitting at the same desk Naruto was occupying. The blonde stood there shocked, his eyes glued to the screen at one of the last pieces of footage of his godfather, alive.
"Hey there, Naruto. Hope you're doing well in my absence. By the time you get this, I'm in a coma at best, or dead at worst. I bet my demise was uninspired, but hopefully at the hands of a beautiful buxom lady in a skimpy Ranger outfit, heh heh heh."
JIRAIYA OF THE SANNIN
"Ero-Sennin, seriously?" Naruto groaned with a sweatdrop.
"But the truth is that I've been investigating the Dragon Keepers and their Ranger operations for years now. Not to get material for my inspiring research, I assure you…kinda…but because I, like many others, believe that the Keepers and Invaders have both overstayed their welcome, and the former has overstepped their authority.
It started with the odd request from Shion to investigate the death of the first Pink Keeper, Saika Momoe. As you and the public know, it was reported that Saika committed suicide, like the original actor for Green Keeper in the original tokusatsu show, but that is false. In reality, she was assassinated by her own Pink Battalion, whose true job is to 'clean up' after battles, along with any inconveniences that would expose the truth of the Invader conflict. It was there that I discovered the true faces of the Rangers, especially the Red Keeper, thanks to Shion."
Naruto looked back at Shion, who nodded as she petted the cat.
"After the war that lasted only a year, the Dragon Keepers enslaved the remaining Dusters to do their bidding, making Monsters every Sunday morning for the Keepers to put on a show. While they are victims due to the Rangers' Holy Weapons being able to kill them, we cannot discount their desire to take over our world. Worse, the last thing we need is for the Ranger organization to expand their reach beyond Japan, for that is a recipe for disaster. As long as the Dragon Keepers and their Ranger Battalions, as well as the remaining Invaders, and their Invader Rights Supporters are still active, there will never be peace.
And should I not be there, this is where I leave things to you, Naruto."
"Ero-Sennin…" Naruto murmured, glassy-eyed.
"Naruto, work with Shion to defeat and put an end to the Ryujin Sentai Dragon Keepers and the Nefarious Invader Army. No doubt there's more going on, but I'll leave it to your discretion. I know you and your future allies will succeed. Just be wary of the Invader Rights Association and half of the remaining Executives that are still alive. They've been making odd moves as of late, but it's nothing you and your future allies can't handle. Shion, keep Naruto safe. Jiraiya, out. And Naruto, good luck. I'm proud of you, and always will be."
Jiraiya disappeared as the recording ended, with Naruto staring at the blank screen with tears in his eyes. "What happened to him?" the blonde asked.
"Jiraiya was investigating the Yellow Battalion after finding out its former members now work for the Invader Rights Association. Public records show that he died in an accident, but in reality, he discovered critical information about them but got made. His frog summons delivered part of the intel he found and managed to relay, but by the time I arrived to save him, he was already gone. I'm not sure how he died, but he was fatally injured within the IRA's headquarters." Shion reported, putting a hand on Naruto's anger, feeling his anger and sadness.
"Why didn't he tell me about this? I could've helped him," Naruto murmured, sounding upset.
"It was his call. He wanted you to help take the fight to the Rangers and the Invaders once he had all the information and resources on hand. All that's needed now are some 'teenagers with attitude,' like you!" Shion said, dramatically pointing at the ninja detective. "Jiraiya did more than spy on the Dragon Keepers. He was gathering the resources needed from my wishlist to make the fight against the Rangers and Invaders possible! And the reason I'm here is that everything is finally ready. Follow me."
Naruto cautiously followed Shion out of the office and to the elevator, with his cat jumping off her shoulder to stay in the office. Calling it, it opened, and to Naruto's surprise, Shion opened a panel with some advanced-looking gizmos that he didn't know about. took out a keycard, and scanned it on the panel. She then leaned in, allowing her eye to be scanned as well.
"Did you and Ero-Sennin build a secret lair while I wasn't looking?" Naruto asked incredulously as the elevator went down.
"Something like that. You're going to need this," Shion told him, handing him a key card. As he took it, she asked. "Do you want revenge?"
"I would be lying if I said that didn't sound tempting. But right now, if everything you and Ero-Sennin said is true, then continuing this work will be my way doing that." Naruto said before noticing that the elevator went past the basement. "Okay, this is new."
"Yeah, we went past the basement and created an undetectable sub-level basement," Shion said, just as the elevator stopped and opened its doors. "Like this."
"Wait, is that…?" Naruto blinked as he noticed that the door had a star on it before it opened. "You have access to-"
"Naruto! You came!" Squealed a familiar voice.
"…Are you being funny right now, Shion?"
Liberation 01: A New Dragon in Town
[One Month Later]
It was yet another Sunday battle, with the same old scenario.
The Dusters arrive with a Monster-of-the-Week.
The Dragon Keepers arrive on the scene.
Both factions duke it out.
The Invaders had the upper hand for a while.
The crowd cheers the Dragon Keepers on, revitalizing them.
The fight continues with the Dragon Keepers making a comeback.
The Dusters and Monster-of-the-week get their butts kicked.
The Dragon Keepers take out their Divine Artifact: Dragon Buster.
The Invaders gather together and gets blasted, ending the Sunday battle.
Like clockwork.
…But…
"No more rigged matches! I'm going to take you down in a real fight!"
FOOTSOLDER D
One of the Dusters with D on his arm survived the blast, threw out a speech that was barely caught by the crowd, let out a war cry, and charged at the Rangers, confusing them and the crowd.
"...Want me to handle this?"
"Heh, all yours, Red." Green Keeper said nonchalantly.
Red Keeper snorted and declared. "What's this? A Duster with real guts! He seems like a real tough one!"
Thanks to the charisma in Red Keeper's voice, the crowd let out insincere cheers, with some laughing in amusement. It was crazy to think that a single Footsoldier was going to be a challenge to the Rangers, so no one took him seriously.
So why take the footsoldier threat seriously?
"I'll show you all a cruel, brutal, and proud Invader-!" D was saying. "GAHK?!"
A red streak descended from above and landed in front of D, causing the mook to crash into it, knocking back as the red streak reshaped into a human. D groaned as he shook the cobwebs, hearing the gasps of the crowd as it looked to see what impeded its path to destroy the Dragon Keepers.
Separating the single Duster and the five Dragon Keepers was a kneeling individual covered head to toe in dark clothing, a red jacket, red shoes, and two katanas on his back. He had a mask over his face and an Assassin-style pointed hood, covering his hair and eyes.
This mysterious individual- Of course, it was Naruto; decked out in some drip and new gear. He stood up and folded his arms, staring down the Dragon Keepers.
"What the?"
"Who is that?!"
"A ninja?!"
"No, look at his hood! It's like he jumped out of Assassin's Creed!"
"More like Ninja Gaiden! Look at that pose!"
As the crowd murmured in shock and awe at the mysterious new figure that was Naruto, more confusion registered behind the helmets of the Dragon Keepers. However, the inner feelings differentiated between them, as Red Keeper was wary, Yellow Keeper was curious, Green Keeper was interested, and Blue and Pink Keeper were concerned.
"What the?! Who the hell are you?" D demanded the newcomer.
"I admire the resolve to put a dent in the script, but you have zero chance against these bozos," Naruto told the Duster, with his attention firmly on the Dragon Keepers. "So I'm only going to say this once. Go back to your fortress, Duster."
"Huh?! Who are you to demand me to do anything while acting so cool, human?!" D snapped, hitting the ground as he got up and stomped at the masked blonde. "This ain't a place for you here! Move!"
D purposely stepped in front of Naruto to face down the Dragon Keepers, but Naruto grabbed the scruff of his neck and lifted him up.
"Ack?!"
"You're in the way. Bye."
Naruto tossed him up in the air, spun around in multiple revolutions, before executing a spinning roundhouse kick wreathed in red energy that slammed into D.
"WHAT THE HECKKKKKKKKKKK!" D wailed as he was launched upwards towards the chained-down fortress, dissolving into dust as he flew.
"Hmm, he's got spirit, that one," Naruto said, looking over his shoulder towards the floating fortress, before looking back at the Dragon Keepers. "Well, don't you think so too, Dragon Keepers?"
"He just kicked that Duster back to the Floating Fortress!"
"What power!"
"Could he be? The Sixth Dragon Keeper?!"
As the crowd cheered excitedly at the masked Naruto's prowess, the Dragon Keepers were even more concerned. They knew next to nothing about this newcomer, and the way they handled that uppity Duster, while not the best metric for judging skill, was something to keep an eye on.
"What do we do now?" Blue Keeper inquired while biting his real tongue.
Yellow Keeper shrugged. "Let's just play it by ear. Find out more about our mystery guest."
"…This is getting ridiculous. We should've been done by now." Red Keeper growled, before clearing his throat. "Amazing! Defeating a Duster with one kick?! You truly are Ranger material!"
Naruto stared at him dryly, reading his negative emotions like an open book as he folded his arms again. "Well I am a teenager with attitude…with the power of youth on my side," he quipped, referencing Bushy-Brows Might Gai to sneak diss the Rangers. "Besides, that Duster was in the way, so I sent him packing."
"I see. It's obvious that you're on the fast track to becoming a Dragon Keeper like us. But if you want that honor, you'll have to go through the recruitment phase. We just can't let everyone in like that." Red Keeper said in a chiding manner. "Let alone allow you to cut in line. What does that say to the other prospects training to be Rangers?"
"On the contrary, Red Keeper, not so much in my humble opinion," Naruto admitted as he unfolded his arms and flicked his wrists, producing a pair of red sunglasses that he put on. "But just so you know, unlike you all, I'm definitely not what you consider 'ordinary'."
"And what do you mean by-?" Pink Keeper demanded with a frown under her helmet until she noticed something. "Huh?"
On Naruto's left wrist is a stylized red-bracer device in the shape of a dragon head, which was now noticeable. It had a circular opening with buttons and a dial.
"Wait, what is that?" Red Keeper questioned, alarm in his voice.
"I'm not just any Ranger. Not by a long shot. It's Morphin' Time!" he declared, fully showing off his wrist-mounted device.
[DIVINE DRAGON MORPHER] the device announced.
Naruto opened his hand, revealing a shining, golden coin. Flicking it, it spun in front of him and landed in the circular opening in front of the morpher, connecting with a click.
[NINJA COIN LOCK IN, LINKING TO MORPHIN' GRID]
As a white line encircled him on the ground. a smirking Naruto pressed one of the buttons.
[GO] Part of a gauntlet grew from the morpher, fully encasing his wrist as he pressed the button again. [GO GO] The gauntlet continued forming, now stopping at the top of his hand as he once again pressed the button. [GO GO GO] This time, the gauntlet became a clawed gauntlet that encased his hand.
"Ranger Access, Dragon On!" Naruto chanted, pressing the primary 'change' button on the morpher.
[DRAGONIC BUSOU]
A red screen with the kanji for Ninja that was as tall as Naruto popped out and melded through him, causing a torrent of red-colored energy shaped as mini-hexagons to encase Naruto from head to toe like an egg. At the same time, the morpher shot out pure energy that shaped itself into a holographic red dragon. After orbiting around, the dragon flew into the egg, shattering the latter and itself. It only took a few seconds, but now Naruto donned a new appearance that shocked the world as everyone was on their feet.
[DRAGON RANGER: NINJA SERIES]
Naruto was now clad in the armored spandex that was his red Ranger suit; being a mix of red, black, white, and platinum. There was a big, black lightning bolt that covered most of the front with some red on the side, and a golden crest with a ninja icon in the middle. From his shoulders to wrist were gray sleeves that initiated ninja chainmail with red on the wrists; with the morpher gauntlet in the shape of a dragon claw still seen. He also wore a black utility belt with a white buckle, pouches with ninja tools, and a red jewel in the buckle. The pants were completely red with silvery-white stripes, with the combat boots being white, and a ninja tool holster on his right leg. Finally, unlike the Dragon Keepers sans Green, his streamlined helmet completely covered his face, with a black visor with golden dragon fangs on the edges and a smooth, silver mouth area.
[READY, FIGHT]
"Oh my!" one of the announcers boomed. "That mysterious young man just transformed into a Ranger before our very eyes! Look at him! He's red, he has no cape, and his suit is unlike anything we've seen before!"
"Well, this is…interesting…" Yellow Keeper mused while Blue Keeper grunted.
"Oi oi oi, someone made a new Ranger team?" Green Keeper noted in surprise. "First time I'm hearing about it!"
"How should we proceed?" Pink Keeper wondered. "There must be some reason he chose here and now to do this…"
"Well well, I never expected that we'd have a new comrade!" Red Keeper gloated, attempting to keep the annoyance from bleeding out of his voice. "But aren't you late to the party?"
"Not really." Naruto shrugged before suddenly disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"What the?" Red Keeper started to say before sensing a hostile presence behind him and the other Rangers.
"I'm here to keep the party going!"
(Cue Evil Green Ranger Beatdown theme)
What happened next horrified the crowd and everyone watching at home. The new, heroic looking Ranger suddenly threw out a punch with his gauntlet and decked Yellow Keeper, the force of the punch producing a shockwave that caught the rest of the Keepers, knocking them back. All of them yelled as they crashed to the ground with Naruto jumping after them.
"No commercial break is going to save you, Dragon Keepers!" Naruto declared and charged forward. "Time for an overrun!"
He flipped forward, kicking Pink and Green with an upside down split kick, knocking them away. He rolled away from a wild kick by Blue, blocked a strike by Yellow and knocked him down with a roundhouse kick, and parried a punch from Pink and smacked her away with a clawed strike; all in one motion. Green tried his luck, swinging at Naruto with a few punches before catching him off guard with a sudden kick, but Naruto grappled the offending limb, punched Green in the stomach, backfisted him across his helmet, and flipped him down on the ground by his leg.
Not giving the Keepers time to rest, Naruto jumped up, grabbing Yellow in a headscissors with his legs and trapping Blue in a headlock takeover. Using his weight, Naruto executed a hurricanrana leg scissors grapple on Yellow, using the momentum to send Blue rolling away hard. The new Red Ranger turned to see Pink bearing down on him, before blocking her overhead ax kick and knocked her back with a boot to her chest.
"Draco ShotSlasher!" Naruto announced, pulling out his hybrid sidearm with a sword and gun mode from the left side of his waist. "Oops!"
[SLASH]
Switching it to Slash Mode, he spun away from a giant rock Green threw at him and continued the attack. Pink tried to grab his weapon, but Naruto struck her with a backflip kick and a slash, drawing sparks from her suit as she was knocked away. The other Keepers suffered the same when they got too close, their suits suffering noticeable burn marks as Naruto parried their attacks and slashed them, herding them together.
"What the hell!" Green yelped, rolling towards the others as he was stuck.
"I don't know what you're playing out, but you've made a grave mistake today!" Red Keeper declared as the other Rangers Battalions entered the area to assist.
"No, you."
Naruto tossed the ShotSlasher at Red at high speed, the weapon bouncing off Red, who reeled from the sudden, unexpected attack. The new Ranger retrieved the weapon, sheathing it as the other Keepers charged at him, this time with their Divine Tools in hand.
"Ninja Knuckle Knives!" Naruto yelled, summoning a pair of red and black ninja knuckles knives, a cross between brass knuckles and knives. "Ninpo: Flying Swallow!"
But they never got the opportunity to unleash them as Naruto suddenly became a red blur, zipping back and forth while slashing at the Keepers. As he did so, he left a criss-cross mark in the front of their suits. When he ceased his assault, the marks detonated causing sparks flying as the Keepers cried out in pain and collapsed.
"Oh, more volunteers," Naruto muttered, seeing a bunch of angry Ranger Cadets bearing down on him, and pressed a button on his morpher. "Ninpo: Kage no Mai!" he declared, producing smoke that covered him and the Ranger Cadets.
Spinning the dial on the morpher, he pressed the 'finisher' button.
[RED DRAGON SLASH]
The cadets suddenly found themselves in a space that resembled a Japanese castle. A sliding door closed, leaving their shadows as Naruto attacked them, seemingly teleporting between the legion of helpless cadets to defend against the strikes. They all cried out in pain, sparks flying from their suits, collapsing in a heap as the technique ended.
"Stop it!" Red Keeper yelled in rage and rushed at Naruto, who turned his attention to him.
Both threw a kick that deflected off each other. Red whipped out a roundhouse kick, but Naruto ducked and retaliated with his own kick, with Red ducking this time. They then blocked each other's additional kicks until Naruto leaped off Red's foot, coming down to stab him with his knuckle knives. Red struggled to block, keeping him at bay until his opponent knocked away his block, the latter landing a rapid series of blows to his sternum with the penultimate blow being across Red's face, and the last blow being a clawed strike that sent Red skidding back to his comrades.
"Red!" Blue Keeper called out, he and the others ran up to help Red as the latter staggered to his feet.
[RED DRAGON FINISH]
"Watch out!" Pink Keeper shouted, seeing the other Red Ranger producing a large shuriken from his morpher.
"Eat this! Ranger Style: Demon Wind Shuriken! HA!" Naruto yelled and fired the large red shuriken at the Dragon Keepers.
The Keepers braced themselves and tried to dodge, but the shuriken expanded and caught them. The blades slashed at their suits, drawing more sparks as it exploded, sending the Keeper flying and flipping in the air before they crashed into the ground.
"Heh!" Naruto grinned under helmet, admiring his handiwork at the down Rangers.
Granted he caught them all by surprise, but what the heck…
[Floating Fortress]
"I…can't believe what I'm hearing. The Rangers are getting beat?"
After being blown to smithereens by the Dragon Keeper's final attack, the Dragon's Breath, the Dusters and Monster-of-the-Week reformed themselves in their lair. As the other Dusters who hadn't taken part in the battle tended to the wounds of their comrades (mostly wounded egos, since their bodies were impossible to harm without Divine Tools), the broadcaster on the radio they had was doing a play-by-play of the battles. Which is why the Dusters were suddenly thrown for a loop when they heard that a mysterious figure arrived and kicked their rogue Duster back to the fortress.
Said rogue Duster was D, being tied to a pillar.
Fear gripped the Dusters at the possibility of this being the rumored sixth Dragon Keeper. But their fear turned to shock when they suddenly heard that the mysterious new Ranger had attacked the Dragon Keepers. Almost every Duster was around the radio, hearing the surprisingly one-sided battle.
If only they had a TV that could visually show them what was happening, because it sounded so unbelievable… Some were tempted to go outside and see for themselves, but it would be a death sentence if they did and were caught outside a Sunday battle. Not everyone can transform as well as D could.
"What the hell! That should be us out here doing that!" D shouted, struggling against his Bonds.
"Quiet, D! We're trying to hear!" one of the Dusters snapped at him.
"C'mon guys, this is our chance! We can do down there right now and end this nightmare-"
One of the Dusters turned around, strode up to them, and got in his face.
"That's enough of you, D! You're already in enough trouble as it is! You came to the battle outside of your shift, went completely off script, and foolishly tried to challenge the Rangers! You could've been killed!" the Duster with the A on his arm growled at him. "Be lucky that whoever that Ranger was saved you."
FOOTSOLDIER A
"But A! I can now return the favor! Let's get out there and take advantage! We can kill the Dragon Keepers! World domination is within our reach!" D protested, but A shook his head.
"D, no! For our own survival, we cannot take that risk. That Ranger is new, but he is a Ranger, and thus, our enemy. We don't know if he's acting alone or with friends, or if they're looking to take the Dragon Keepers' place." A said sharply, before sighing. "Everything I do for those that remain, like you, is for our survival. Do not forget that the Rangers can kill us off at any time, if and when they feel like it. After what happened to X, I thought you'd understand like everyone else…"
D opened his mouth, but no words came out as the late Footsoldier X was mentioned. He looked to the side, gritting his teeth resentfully.
A looked away feeling guilty about evoking her name.
But if it was to prevent D from doing anything stupid, then there was no regrets.
[Ginga Detective Office]
Shion was smirking as she watched Naruto's handiwork while sucking on a lollipop, with her other hand holding a piece of string that the cat was playing with. Everything that was happening is actually what she envisioned, seeing the Dragon Keepers getting their asses handed to them on a silver platter, taking brutal damage that they haven't taken since the first year of the Ranger-Invader War.
"Whoo-hoo, that's what I'm talking about. Naruto's putting my babies to work!" cheered a young girl who was bouncing up and down in excitement. She had a short 5'2" mature stature with pink hair styled in thick dreadlocks, green-yellow eyes with scope-reticle irises, and wearing a pair of googles, a black tank top with a workshop utility belt, baggy black pants, and white sneakers.
"You finally did, Hatsume. You're the first to create a system that's capable of going toe-to-toe with the Dragon Keepers." Shion praised her, but Mei shook her head.
"It wasn't just me. If Jiraiya-san hadn't found the Zeo Crystals or the location of the Morphin' Grid that helped complete my Power Coins, none of them would've been possible!" Mei claimed, spreading her arms out. "It was dead-end upon dead-end until you found me!"
"Yes. You originally wanted to join the Ranger Battalion as its Cadets, but dropped out after that little test." Shion noted thoughtfully as if going through memory lane.
"I'm not much of a fighter. I'd rather be behind the lines building my babies for my allies that would use them." Mei agreed, completely unashamed, "Besides, their tests were too much for someone like me. I wanted to make my babies for them, but they weren't interested. Oh well, I guess you guys can use them instead."
"I don't blame you. I witnessed one of their testing processes to recruit Ranger Cadets and it was borderline cruel both physically and mentally. Even military training is more humane compared to what they do." Shion said, flicking the now empty lollipop stick into the trash. "That's not fulfilling dreams for those who want to become Rangers. That's building an army, and barely anyone is seeing it."
"And now with the Morphin' Grid, the Zeo Crystals, and your powers, we can finally turn the tide and end this," Mei said, giggling, holding up two morphers.
One black and the other white.
Shion nodded as she and Mei continued watching the one-sided battle until her cell phone. She smirked and answered. "So Hibino-san, you convinced now?"
[Ranger vs. Rangers]
(Cue AbareKiller White Ambitious theme)
The crowd and people at home were staring in disbelief as the new (and dangerous) Red Ranger was single-handedly dismantling their heroic Rangers and their Cadets. They yelped and cried out in horror as Naruto sent the five Dragon Keepers flying and corkscrewing in the air, a storm of exploding sparks erupting from their suits from the damage Naruto dealt them. Once again, they found themselves in a familiar position of crashing and writhing on the ground in pain as the many Cadets who could still fight surrounded the Dragon Keeper, forming a protective formation around them.
"...Once more for the road. Ninpo: Flying Swallow."
Grinding his Ninja Knuckle Knives together and drawing sparks, Naruto charged forward and turned into a blur, once again moving at high speed, weaving in and out of the crowd of Rangers, breaking down their defenses with punches, kicks, and slashes that didn't discriminate between the defending Cadets and the recovering Keepers.
"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" Red Keeper suddenly yelled out, brandishing his Divine Tool, the Red Dragon Salamandra, and successfully blocked Naruto's strike towards him with excellent timing, drawing the first cheers and positive chants since the new Red started his surprise attack.
"About time you started fighting back, Red Keeper! It wouldn't look good for you Rangers to be constant practice dummies!" Naruto taunted as he and Red Keeper deadlocked, their weapons grinding against each other with sparks flying. Red Keeper snarled, using his strength to push him back. "Woah, nelly!"
Either the Keepers or Cadets could make a move so as to not interrupt a possible comeback from Red Keeper.
"This…has gone on long enough! You got a cheap shot off, but the game ends here, fake Ranger!" Red Keeper snarled at him, gritting his teeth in anger as his true personality started bleeding out. "You think you're the star of this performance?! You're just a pretender in a costume who doesn't know his place! After today, no one will know who you are, for we, the Dragon Keepers, are justice!" he declared as his Salamandra started glowing with divine power. "Divine Tool, Manifest-!"
"Was Saika Momoe's murder by the Pink Battalion justice, Akabane Sosei?"
Red Keeper's attack stopped as the Ranger's use of his civilian name, along with the knowledge no one should've known, caught him completely off guard.
"Red, why the hell did you stop?!" Blue shouted, breaking character. "Take him out!"
Green Keeper nodded vigorously as he shakingly got up. "Come on, boss, you have him on the ropes-"
"Chidori."
"...Huh?"
"Aoshima Shougo. Sakurama Sesera. Kiritani Shinya." Naruto recited in a sudden eerie tone, striking all the Keepers dumb. The Ranger Cadets were looking confused at why their leaders suddenly froze up, as Naruto was now talking low so the Keepers were the only ones who could hear him, and discreetly pressed a button on his morpher. "I know who you are. I know the Dragon Keepers' secrets. Thirteen years…"
[READY GO]
"...Is long enough."
[RED DRAGON CRITICAL STRIKE]
Red energy traveled from this morpher into his gauntlet. Rearing it back with a yell, he shot it forward and punched the stunned Red Keeper square in the chest.
"Dragon Ranger Punch!"
The gathered energy exploded on contact, the force blowing the Keepers and Cadet back from the shockwave. As for Red Keeper, being the recipient of the devastating Ranger Punch, rocketed back with a wail as electricity arced along his suit with sparks flying. He crashed into the opposite wall and exploded, rocking the arena as the crowd screamed in terror.
The force of the final blow forced Red Keeper out of his transformation and back into his civilian form of Akabane Sosei, now bloodied, bruised, unmoving, suit torn, and surrounded by debris.
"Check." Naruto muttered and looked at his morpher. "A successful test run."
"I…I…ladies and gentlemen. I…can't believe what I just saw!" The announcer uttered, voicing everyone's disbelief. "This mysterious Ranger just invaded and defeated our heroes, the Dragon Keepers and their Ranger Battalion! Why, when he looks just as heroic as them?! Could it be jealousy? What is his true goal?!"
Naruto turned to look up at the announcer as if to say 'Are you serious?' and shook his head. Looking forward, he spotted a camera drone and pointed at it, gesturing for it to come closer. The controller of the drone complied and moved closer for everyone to hear and see him.
"Who…the hell…are you?!" Blue Keeper groaned, clearly in pain along with the rest of the Rangers.
Naruto just smirked at him under his helmet before turning his attention to the leader. "Red Keeper, Akabane Sosei: while you and your colleagues lay where you are, hopefully as uncomfortable as you can possibly be, I want you and your friends to listen up. I want you, everyone here in the arena, those mooks up there in the Floating Fortress, and everyone else watching at home to digest everything I have to get off my chest before we go to war.
"I'm sure everyone's asking 'Why' I did what I did today. Well, don't end the broadcast just yet…just listen closely. Jealousy or the desire to become a Keeper is the furthest from my goal. No, I'm here to end this circus, the circus that is the Ranger-Invader conflict that has plagued Japan, and this city, for thirteen long years."
The crowd murmured to themselves, looking confused and frightened as Naruto waited for his words to sink in, while more camera drones gathered to get different angles. Decided to sit down cross-legged, he continued.
"Week after week, Sunday after Sunday, Amanogawa City has played host to Sunday morning battles between the Dragon Keepers and the remnants of Nefarious Invader Army. The first year was a war that rocked this city, and the years after that…was nothing more than theater. And you people here, clearly enjoy the spectacle, the Dragon Keepers and the Invaders performing like it's a real-life tokusatsu show. But as there are those who enjoy being entertained, there are those like me who are tired of it all.
"Tired of the Sunday morning battles that have the same cookie-cutter conclusion. Tired of the risk of Invaders attacks threatening the lives of those that watch. Tired of the Ranger Battalions running around unchecked. Tired of the Invader Rights Association being public nuisances. Tired of the floating fortress above us. And definitely tired of being forced into silence when some of us know the truth."
For the majority, the new Ranger was speaking crazy nonsense like a terrorist would, especially after beating down their heroes.
But for those of the silent minority, Naruto's words were resonating with their souls as he was speaking gospel.
"If you believe in the Chinese zodiac, the Dragon represents luck and truth. And the truth will come to light." Naruto said as he stood up. "Ryujin Sentai Dragon Keepers, this was only a demonstration of what awaits you in the future. Consider yourselves my prey, for I am one of many hunting you down. You ask who the hell I am? Well…
I'm the Morphin' Ninja Ranger, Red Hunter.
And soon," he pulled out four different colored Divine Dragon Morphers, drawing 'Ohs' and 'Ahs' from the crowd.
Blue. Yellow. Green. Pink.
"My team will stand in judgment of you. Your time is up, and our time is now."
"Making us your enemy, trying to take us down, makes you no different from an Invader!" Pink Keeper shouted at him, holding her arm.
Naruto snorted as he pocketed the morphers. "I am no friend of Invaders that still desire to take over the world. Those that even think of world domination like the ones that got away-" Naruto replied dryly, shocking the still-conscious Keepers that he knew that particular secret, "Will be dealt with in short order. And the Invader Rights Association? I have something special planned for them. Just like those wastes of place, you and the Invaders should start counting your days. Nurse your wounds, and get ready for the next beating. Your era is coming to an end."
With that, Naruto pressed a button, becoming encased in pure red energy before shooting upwards into the sky, leaving behind a stunned and frightened crowd, children crying, most of the Ranger Battalion still down, and the Dragon Keepers struggling to get to their feet; with Sosei still down and out, breathing but unmoving.
For most, it was a dark day in the history of the Dragon Keepers. But for some who were enthralled by the words of Red Hunter, a new day was dawning.
As for a certain Junior First Class Yellow Cadet who was barely involved in the battle, she looked towards the sky where the new Red Ranger retreated, frowning at this new development.
"Divine Dragon Morpher… Could it be…" she murmured. "Have some of you survived, my fellow…?"
She'll have to adjust her plans accordingly.
[Amanogawa City]
"Well, looks like there's another chance to be a Ranger. This time, I'll make you proud, Gramps…"
…
"Heh heh heh, I know that was you, Naruto. It's about time you take down those glory-hog Rangers. And I want a front-row seat!"
…
"...You know what? I think that I won't have to press the nuclear option and sell my eyes and balls off like I thought. If he can deal with my Yakuza problem, then I'm all in."
…
"...I can't run anymore, not after what I saw. I don't know who you are, but I'll fight alongside you…for my friends who did nothing wrong…who they failed to save…"
[Floating Fortress]
"Sounds like it's over," A commented as the broadcast finally ended. "It still doesn't feel real."
"So let's go down there and finish them!" D suggested, still tied up, but A shook his head.
"No. We can't just jump into the unknown like this."
"He's right, D. That's a new Ranger, and its only him. It means that he has a team." said a chunky Footsoldier with F on his arm.
FOOTSOLDIER F
"But from what it sounds like, he doesn't have that team yet. And even without a team, that new Ranger managed to defeat the other Rangers by himself." a Duster with a feminine voice and L on her arm said as she patched up a Duster.
FOOTSOLDIER L
"What should we do, A?" inquired the Duster with a Z on his arm, and the one who played the fake Executive.
FOOTSOLDIER Z
"We will have to watch and see what happens." A decided grimly. "From what it sounds like, we're not the new Ranger's main targets, as long as we don't plan on world domination like our leaders."
"Which means…the others who have escaped this life will be safe," F said, looking outside.
"They're cowards! If we were all together-!"
"We'll lose." A cut across D. "And I rather try to protect those that remain than being senselessly killed- Huh?"
A mass of red energy appeared from the sky and landed in front of the opening of the room where the Dusters were gathered. The energy formed into Red Hunter, Naruto, who stepped inside as some of the Duster took a step back out of fear.
"Hello, Dusters. I am Red Hunter." he greeted them and noticed the radio they had. "You missed a great show today. I'll get you all a TV on my next visit."
"Uh, hi. I'm Footsoldier A." A greeted him warily, "Red Hunter, did you really defeat the Rangers?"
"Took them to school. And unlike your Sunday battles, the battle was real and unscripted." Naruto boasted and looked at the still struggling D. "What's his deal?"
"You! You took away my time to shine!" D shouted at him. "I had Red Keeper right where I wanted him! And that kick hurt, dammit!"
Red Keeper stared at him. "I saved your life. You had no choice. Besides, better me than you. If you're so gung-ho about sticking it to the Dragon Keepers, then use that energy to protect your friends here."
"You're my enemy! Why should I listen to you?!" D snapped at him. "In fact, why should we listen to you?! We're Monsters, and our goal is to take over the world!"
"Hmm, I was right, you got spirit. You kinda remind me of me when I was a brat." Naruto chuckled. "But that won't happen, because you should listen to what I have to say. You've all been dealt a bad hand, which is why I'm giving you all mercy."
"I'm sorry about D. We all don't share his goals. We're just trying to live." A said, hands raised. "But what exactly do you want with us?"
"To tell you that half of your Executives are still alive." Red Hunter said grimly.
"What?" A gasped.
"No way!" D protested
"But how?!" L asked.
"You'll have to ask them. They left you guys to suffer under the Dragon Keepers. Surely that doesn't warrant your continued loyalty?" Naruto said before turning away. He stopped outside and added. "You have two choices, after the Dragon Keepers and their Ranger Cadets are defeated. Live among us in different disguises, and you'll be safe. Continue on the path of world domination, and you'll die. I hope you make the right decision."
Naruto teleported away, leaving the Dusters to let the information sink in.
"It…can't be…it's impossible… If…if they're still alive…then…then…WHAT WAS THE LAST THIRTEEN YEARS ALL FORRRRRRRRRRR?!" D yelled, voicing his fellow Dusters' despair.
[Amanogawa City]
Naruto teleported to a random building. Pressing a button on his morpher, he de-transformed and looked upon the giant billboard of the posing Dragon Keepers.
"Ero-Sennin." Naruto said, reaching his hand out. "I will finish what you started. Not just for revenge, but its the right thing to do." he said, clenching his hand. "My comrades and I will remind the world what true Sentai Rangers are!"
This is a story of Rangers and Invaders, and those that hunt them…
"Morphin' Ninja Ranger, Red Hunter!"
Uzumaki Naruto has become Ninja Series Morphin' Red Hunter to set things right.
He must defeat the 5 Dragon Keepers, their Ranger Battalions, the 5 Execetives, their Dusters who side with them, and the Invader Rights Association.
But he will not be alone, for a Sentai is a team.
"Morphin' Engine Ranger, Blue Hunter!"
"Morphin' Jungle Ranger, Yellow Hunter!"
"Morphin' Dino Ranger, Green Hunter!"
"Morphin' Magic Ranger, Pink Hunter!"
"Morphin' Tech Ranger, Black Hunter!"
And armed with the power of those that came before, the world will be reminded of what real heroes do.
It is now time for a new Task Force to take the stage.
"Unleashing the Dragon to Hunt the Darkness of the World!"
Rangers Together
Defenders Forever
"Morphin' Sentai… Dragon Hunters!"
End of Chapter 01
The alternate title for this story is Power Rangers Dragon Morphers.
The story with deviate heavily from the main canon plotline.
This chapter is inspired by the Green Ranger and White Dino Ranger running the ones with the other Rangers on their respective debuts. RIP Jason David Frank.
The original idea was for Naruto to be a Sixth Dragon Keeper who is left for dead by Red Keeper and comes back years later as a Kamen Rider to get revenge. It got binned after I binged the manga. The more some of the arcs dragged, the more I lost steam for the idea.
This story won't be following the primary storyline to a tee. Because of the new Rangers, things will be different.
The team was originally going to be one guy and all girls, but I'm saving that for another story.
No lemons, limes, or citrus is planned…for now.
The suits are based on TokuJay's Furious Sentai Cosmicranger.
Primary Rangers: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Pink, Black. The roster has already been chosen.
Extra Rangers: White, Orange, Violet, Silver, Gold. These Rangers and their motifs have yet to be chosen.
A few variation Rangers (such as Monster Hunter and X Hunter) are planned too.
Possible Rangers to be determined (Highly doubt, but possible depending on the main manga): Crimson, Navy, Cyan, Teal, Gray, Brown. Again, highly doubt.
The Divine Dragon Morpher is a homage to the wrist-mounted morphers.
The Power Coins are a homage to the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers.
The Zeo Crystal is a homage to the Power Rangers 2017 movie.
If you have any other suggestions, let me know in the reviews.
Special thanks to NorthSouthGorem for the beta.
Other Sentai Ranger crossovers under consideration (under Power Ranger names, still working on the Sentai name):
-Power Rangers Spirit Charge (Naruto x Date a Live)
-Power Rangers Summon Force (Naruto x Fate Grand Order)
-Part of a sub-group in my upcoming (and long-overdue) Naruto x Symphogear story
And one more thing… "Go Go Loser Ranger" is the dumbest and most inaccurate localized title I have ever seen!
Released: June 28, 2024 (Two days before my birthday)