"Ten minutes?! The guy broke his own record, he's a machine!" - Kai said in shock.
The ninjas were undergoing underwater training. Expanding their lung capacity and increasing the amount of time they could go without breathing could become an advantage in battle, especially underwater, and also boost their endurance.
"That... is truly amazing," - Moon murmured, looking out at the sea they were in.
Zane was the one who stayed underwater the longest, even surpassing the Purple Ninja.
He then resurfaced.
"So? Did I break the record?" - he asked with a smile and, impressively, without panting.
"You crushed it!" - Kai exclaimed with a grin, showing the timer.
"Alright, listen—are you all thinking what I'm thinking?" - Jay placed a hand on Kai's shoulder -"We've been training for so long that I don't think we can get any better! Think of everything we've achieved so far!" -.
A flashback showed Kai crossing a path of basically flaming stones, celebrating his progress.
Another scene showed Jay hanging upside down by one hand during a storm... on one of the tallest buildings in Ninjago.
Another memory came, where Cole added the maximum weights to his training belt, then had Nya and Jay sit on it while holding heavy objects—and he still lifted them with no issue.
Now came a scene with Moon. She had a thick blindfold over her eyes and was fighting an automated training dummy.
The dummy attacked at impressive speed, but Moon dodged by flipping and sliding. She launched off a wall, flipped in mid-air, and knocked the dummy's small hat off, shutting it down.
Moon removed her blindfold and bowed slightly with her hands together.
"Let's ask ourselves—have we already reached our true potential?" - Zane asked with a smile.
"Hey Moon, what was it like to unlock your true potential?"--Jay asked - "Any tips for us?" - He seemed genuinely excited.
"Uh... Be yourself? One with... your body and element? I honestly don't know how to explain it," - Moon shrugged.
The ninjas sighed but understood. In these past weeks, Moon had surprisingly become more open with the group, holding conversations and even helping them with training.
They continued chatting and headed toward their Sensei. They found him deep in thought, and all of them put their hands together and bowed respectfully.
"Forgive us, Sensei. We interrupted you," - Zane said.
"Ah... Apologies if I've been distant," - Sensei Wu sheathed his katana - "My thoughts are elsewhere ever since Lloyd disappeared," - Moon looked down after that - "How can I help you?" -.
"Sensei, what if we've trained enough to reach our True Potential? What if we're ready?" - Cole asked.
"Ha. Physically, you may be in top form, but you still need to unlock your inner potential. Inside each of us, there are obstacles that hold us back. Only when that fear is conquered does your heart become free—and only then can you unlock your true potential. Only then will we have a chance to stop the serpents from releasing the Great Devourer," - Wu explained.
(The Great Devourer... A snake that grows larger the more it eats... A creature capable of destroying the world) - Moon remembered a line from a book she once read - (I wonder how that... place is doing...)
"The Great Devourer is much more than what you've told us, isn't it, Sensei?" - Zane placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I too have obstacles in my heart," - Sensei Wu said with a sigh - "There's a story I've never told you... and I believe not even Garmadon told you, Moon." -.
Now the ninja was giving him her full attention.
"Long ago, when I was still a boy... Garmadon and I were more than brothers, we were best friends," - Sensei Wu began, but Jay interrupted.
"Wait! I know you were brothers, but hold on—the king of cruelty, the harbinger of destruction, the captain of chaos? You two were friends?!" - Jay raised an eyebrow.
"Please, don't interrupt," - Sensei Wu asked - "Understand. He wasn't born with a wicked heart..." -.
Though Moon doesn't use Aura power, she could feel that Wu was shaken as he shared this story.
"One day, I lost this katana. Knowing our father would be furious, my brother told me to retrieve it," - which was fair - "But I refused. He told me not to put off what can be done today and went to get it himself. When our father found him, he was very ill, having been bitten by a legendary snake that grew stronger as it fed. A great evil had entered my brother's heart, for the snake's venom could corrupt even the purest soul," - Moon noticed Wu gulp, likely a painful memory - "That snake is of the same kind the serpents are trying to awaken today. It was that very serpent that took my brother away from me..." -.
"So the Great Devourer turned your brother into the Dark Lord?" - Kai looked saddened for Wu.
Moon felt sorry for Sensei Wu's loss, but unlike the others, she didn't let it shake her—after all, she had her own painful experiences that made her a ninja early on.
"And it was my fault..." - He closed the katana box for now - "You've completed your training. Now you must focus on stopping Pythor from gathering the four Fangblades, but never underestimate the obstacles in your own hearts that could keep you from achieving true greatness—unlock your Potential." -.
"But how can we do that, Sensei?" - Zane asked.
"That's something each of you must discover. Now, I must embark on my own personal journey," - Sensei Wu said, walking away with the case in hand.
"But where are you going?" - Jay asked.
"To a place where you cannot follow," - which left Moon uneasy.
"If you're going after Lloyd in Ouroboros, you won't stand a chance! It's infested with serpents!" - Cole warned.
"I'm going to find someone who can help. The serpents have united and are far stronger. We'll need all the help we can get." -.
(I wonder... who and where is he going...) - Moon sighed at the thought and pushed it aside for now.
o0o0o
The ship docked on land (or rather, apparently a mountain) where Wu said he'd disembark. He would continue on foot and return as soon as possible with help.
(I hope Wu stays safe) -.
o0o0o
The serpents were gathered in a cave, staring at a wall of ancient carvings.
"There's nothing here sssaying where the Fangbladesss are hidden. Did our ancccessstorsss leave nothing? Where are they?!" - the Hypnobrai leader was growing quite irritated.
"This must be a clue," - Pythor slithered to a stone table at the center - "When the five Fangblades are gathered, the path to the Great Devourer will begin." -.
"Yesss, when the five tribesss unite. We've done all that, and nothing hasss changed! If you don't find sssomething sssoon, the othersss will sstart questioning you—and ssoon they'll think you don't know what you're doing!" -.
"I know what I'm doing! I want to release the Great Devourer! The legend spoke of a map that revealed exactly where the Fangblades are buried. There must be a clue around here... Keep looking!" -.
o0o0o
"This is ridiculous," - Zane said with a sigh.
The ninjas were putting up flyers about the blades around the city, hoping someone might know something.
"Got a better idea?" - Cole asked.
"Hey! Maybe Sensei went to get help from the samurai," - Jay exclaimed, which made Kai and Nya noticeably tense.
(Great, now Kai's going to get all nervous and either mess up or almost spill the truth) - She had noticed that in certain situations, Kai's aura would get restless and agitated.
Speaking of auras—each ninja had an aura that reflected them:
Kai's aura was wild and fiery.
Jay's aura was restless and even more frantic than Kai's—like lightning.
Cole's aura was strong and grounded—like the earth.
Zane's was strange, calm, and cold—like ice.
Nya's was a swirling storm of emotion, yet always serene.
(It's a bit ironic... But their auras match their elements perfectly.) - Moon wonders what her own aura is like.
She can't see her own aura, can't say if it reflects her personality, and her element is out of the question.
Moon snapped out of her stupor when she felt a disturbance in Zane's aura, becoming even stranger than usual.
"Something's bothering Zane," - Moon explained as she got closer to the ninjas' faces.
"Oh no, do tell us," - Kai rolled his eyes.
"Oh! It's the chatterbox! Cool! Every time we follow them, we get lucky!" - Jay smiled under his mask.
Zane, Cole, and Jay followed the falcon.
"Go back to the ship and wait for us there," - Kai told Nya.
"But... but what about you guys?" - Nya asked.
"We're following the falcon," - and with that, he followed the others.
"Moon?" -Nya turned to her, who had stayed behind.
"I'm going too. Nya, soon you'll have your chance to shine again. After all, you're anything but a damsel in distress." - And with that, Moon followed them.
o0o0o
The ninjas crossed a desert until they reached a mountain.
"I think luck is pretty far off," - Kai said with a sigh.
As they climbed the mountain, Jay was the first to give in.
"Go without me! I'm just gonna rest a bit!" - Jay panted.
They were now passing by a falling tree.
"I... ah... I'm fine! Just catching my breath! I'll... I'll catch up!" - Now Cole gave in to exhaustion.
"Man... good thing we're in top shape," - Kai stopped for a moment, trying to catch his breath.
But Zane and Moon kept going, both with inhuman and insane stamina.
Kai soon followed again. They were now in a snowy forest.
"Man! That bird doesn't stop! What do you think this is?" - Kai pointed to a sign.
Caution: Treehorns
"I have no idea what Treehorns are." -.
"Sounds familiar... Though I don't know what they are either." -.
"Maybe just some wild squirrels." -.
The falcon chirped and it seemed the path wasn't over yet.
"Hey! Don't lose sight of the falcon! I'll wait for the others to catch up!" - Kai pointed ahead.
Zane nodded and went on, Moon followed silently.
(Treehorns... They seem dangerous, but... I can't remember where I heard about them) – Moon looked at the bird – (The aura of this bird is as strange as Zane's, almost like it's not a living being.) -.
At a certain moment, the bird fell to the ground and began to short-circuit.
"It's... it's a robot?!" - Zane picked up the robotic bird.
"That explains a lot," - Moon nodded, now understanding the odd aura.
Then, the sound of something heavy moving through the snow could be heard by both ninjas. Zane looked around while Moon activated her aura vision, closing her eyes and trying to locate their enemy.
"Strange! I can't see or feel any aura!" - Moon was genuinely confused now.
Then both turned around and saw what seemed to be a robot. Moon opened her eyes and was shocked.
(Now I see...) - It's easier for her to identify the auras of living beings than inanimate objects, robot or not.
"Intruders. Prepare to be exterminated!" - The robot began shooting at them.
Zane grabbed his Golden Shurikens and activated his vehicle mode.
"Hop on!" - Moon got on the back of the bike.
Zane sped the bike forward and then turned it; Moon understood what he was trying to do. Zane dissolved the bike and Moon jumped at the perfect moment. She grabbed her Golden Staff and struck one of the cannons on the robot's back.
"I saw its control panel!" - Moon alerted Zane - "It's on its back! Between the cannons!"
Zane nodded and the ninjas dodged the shots. Zane managed to reach the robot's back while Moon distracted it and broke the control panel. The robot twitched wildly before collapsing, completely powered down.
"The same symbol," - Zane noticed on the robot and then picked up the falcon.
"Uhm...?" - Though she didn't show it, Moon was very curious about where this was going.
"Where did you bring us, mysterious friend?" - Zane approached a tree with the same symbol.
It was a fake tree that led somewhere. Moon followed Zane closely behind.
"Looks like a mix between a house and a workshop," - Moon murmured.
Zane went to a table with construction blueprints and saw one of the falcon.
"So this is your home, my mysterious friend?" - Zane noticed something on the blueprint and managed to turn the falcon back on - "You brought me here. Why?" -.
Zane saw another blueprint and picked it up, curious, but seemed to immediately regret it.
"No!" - Zane shouted in shock.
"Zane...?" - Moon blinked, confused, and came closer.
"No!" - He fell to his knees.
"Zane!" - Moon approached him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
Moon crouched down and picked up the blueprint, looking to see what had shaken him so much. The purple ninja was also shocked by what she saw, her eyes wide.
o0o0o
The ninjas soon arrived at the location and came down. Seeing Zane distraught with Moon holding his shoulder, the Red Ninja assumed the worst.
"What did you do to Zane?!" - Kai asked angrily.
It seemed that all those weeks under the same roof, sharing food and training, had gone down the drain.
"Calm down, Kai!" - Cole held him back.
"You okay, Zane?" - Jay asked worried.
Jay truly believed Moon wouldn't do anything to Zane. He also knew Kai had his reasons to be wary of Moon – after all, she had kidnapped Nya before.
Zane stood up and gave the blueprint one last look before throwing it behind him.
"What are you..." - Cole didn't even get to finish, as Zane opened a compartment in his chest, revealing gears and buttons.
This shocked all the ninjas and made Cole release Kai.
"You... You're a robot?!" - Kai asked in disbelief.
"This whole time, and I never knew." - Zane was speechless, still processing it all.
"That explains why you're so weird, huh?" - Jay gave a nervous smile.
"The reason I have no sense of humor is because my humor switch was off." - Zane then turned it on and made a few goofy jokes, then quickly turned it back off.
"That just makes you more special! Just with... gears." - Cole didn't know what to say.
"I don't care what you're made of, you're still our brother." - Kai declared with a smile.
"Actually, that just makes you an even better ninja!" - Cole said with a determined look.
"Yeah! It's kinda cool to say: Hey, my brother's a Nindroid!" - Jay said smiling.
"A Nindroid?" - Zane looked puzzled.
"All this, but there's still one thing I don't understand." - Moon finally spoke.
"Oh tell me one thing you do understand," - Kai said mockingly.
"Why is your aura like that of a living being? I mean, don't take this the wrong way, but inanimate objects and living beings emit different auras." - Moon said, leaning against the wall.
"What do you mean?" - Jay raised an eyebrow.
"I'll try to explain: The aura of an object is more solid, with almost no energy, something anyone can handle. But the aura of a living being – plants, air, animals, people – is more fluid, full of energy, something alive, which only a Master of Aura can wield freely and use as they wish." - Moon then approached Zane - "Your aura is strange. It's not like an object's, it's alive, but still... strange." -.
The ninjas, except Zane, were a bit shocked, never realizing there were different types of aura.
"Whatever, Pythor is still out there looking for the Fang Blades. We need you, Zane!" -.
"You have to go without me. Because I don't feel well." - Zane backed away, saddened.
Moon frowned. Zane's aura was hurt and uncertain.
The ninjas decided to respect his decision and left.
Moon gave him one last look.
(Reminds me... a bit... of me?) – She fought against the strong memories trying to surface - (Don't remember it, just forget it.) - Then she left too.
"Treehorns!" - She heard Kai shout.
Moon ran quickly up the stairs and saw them fighting Treehorns – bizarre creatures that looked like giant bugs mixed with trees. Perfect for camouflage in the snowy forest.
Moon grabbed her Golden Staff and charged in, but everyone was struggling.
"Remember, even if you control aura and seem invincible for it, there are still creatures that can inhibit it," - Explained a man in a hat.
"Like what?" -.
"Treehorns. They're pesky little things to fight, especially in large packs," - the man laughed - "Still remember the time I fought them!" -.
The Treehorns seemed to interfere with aura, which left Moon stunned. They kicked her into a tree, knocking her out for a few seconds.
.
.
.
.
.
"You won't hurt my friends!" -.
Moon woke to Zane's voice. She was a little disoriented from being knocked out. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in Cole's arms.
"You're awake, Moon!" - Cole seemed relieved.
"What...?" -.
"I know who I am now!" -.
A bright blue light appeared – it was Zane... unleashing his True Potential.
"Zane reached his True Potential!" -.
Zane managed to freeze the Treehorn Queen. He soon fell to the ground, exhausted. The ninjas rushed to Zane.
"So this is what it's like to unlock your True Potential," - Zane looked at his own hands.
"Could you put me down now, Cole?" - Moon asked the Black Ninja who was still holding her.
"Oh! Right! Sorry," - Cole said nervously as he put her down and scratched the back of his neck.
Kai looked at that with a weird expression. Jay held back laughter.
"What are you laughing at?!" - Kai asked Jay.
"Nothing!" -.
"I remember now!" -. Everyone turned to Zane - "Seriously! I remember everything! I remember my father and how much he loved me. I remember where I came from and I feel so much stronger for it." -.
"Man, I'm jealous! Your powers are so cool!" - Cole pointed at Moon and Zane.
"Yeah! We've got our very own Nindroid!" - The boys jumped around in celebration.
Moon stayed quiet and gave a small, subtle side-smile that lasted only a few seconds.
"Watch out, Pythor! We're coming for you!" - Zane said with determination.