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Chapter 66 - The Hand

The Rangers quickly split up, racing across the city on their sleek, customized Dino Cycles. The night sky shimmered faintly from the smoke and sparks that still hung over the aftermath of their earlier battle. Each of them bore a single goal now—to reach and destroy the remaining mutagen rays before Mesogog's sinister plan could be completed.

The sound of their engines roared through the air, echoing like thunder as their tires tore across the cracked streets. The city lights flickered ominously, like the whole place knew something dark was stirring.

Connor, Kira, and Ethan moved like lightning bolts in different directions, while Peter and Gwen—having rejoined the mission after securing the civilians—swung through the skyline toward the fourth location. Their spider senses were buzzing in alarm, but they pushed on.

Yet, none of them expected what came next.

From the shadows of every alley, dozens—no, hundreds—of Tyrannodrones suddenly emerged. Their glowing red eyes pierced through the darkness as they surrounded the Rangers' paths. The metallic screeches and mechanical growls echoed like a chorus of beasts being summoned from hell.

Connor's eyes widened under his helmet. "What the hell—?! How did they get here so fast?"

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Ethan skidded his cycle to a sharp halt, spinning it in place and pulling out his Tricera Shield. "Damn it! Mesogog must've planned this! He's trying to stall us!"

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Kira gritted her teeth, revving her engine as she pulled out her Ptera Grips. "Then I'll just cut through them!"

The moment she said that, the air erupted in chaos. Energy blasts, laser projectiles, and shattering sounds filled the night. The Rangers at different directions clashed with the oncoming horde, the streets shaking beneath the sheer scale of the battle.

Each swing of their weapons left trails of light and force rippling through the air. Shockwaves burst out every few seconds, scattering broken asphalt and shattered steel around them.

Meanwhile, Peter and Gwen were having their own problems. The pair had landed on a rooftop overlooking the fourth mutagen ray's supposed location—a now-demolished plaza filled with strange devices and glowing residue. But before they could even breathe, a swarm of Tyrannodrones jumped from the surrounding buildings.

Gwen cursed under her breath. "Seriously?! These things again?"

Peter, in his Spider-Man suit, let out an annoyed groan. "What, did that freaking Mesogog buy them in bulk or something?"

The Tyrannodrones lunged, claws gleaming under the moonlight. Gwen spun into motion, flipping backward while firing a web-shot that wrapped around one of them before yanking it forward and smashing it with a powerful kick. Peter, on the other hand, used his agility to its fullest, darting between the drones and kicking three down in a blur of motion.

But even with their skill, there were just too many.

"Damn it, there's no end to them!" Peter shouted, narrowly avoiding a claw swipe that could've shredded his mask.

"Just keep fighting! We can't let them delay us any longer!" Gwen yelled back.

Neither of them knew the truth. Mesogog's rays were already destroyed by someone moving around the city, yet invisible to both rangers and villains.

Far away, in another part of the city, Zayne appeared in a silent flash of light.

He stood before an enormous, dimly lit warehouse. The night air was thick with the stench of chemicals and smoke. His crimson armor glowed faintly, the sigils on his Omni-suit pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. His gaze swept across the massive structure, and he let out a small, cold chuckle beneath his helmet.

"So this is where the mutagen signature is? Still a warehouse. I wonder what appeal villains find in warehouses, using them for operations like this," he muttered.

But his eyes were sharp—like blades cutting through the dark.

As he took a step forward, his mind flickered briefly to when he discovered the truth.

The flashback came like lightning. He was standing before the holographic interface in the base, arms crossed as he analyzed the data.

The grid's hologram projected several points across the city—five distinct signatures pulsing in strange, irregular patterns.

Zayne frowned, the light reflecting off his calm but calculating eyes."These aren't random placements… one on each end of the city, and the last one in the center."

The Grid's voice had chimed softly in response.

[Correct, Master. The energy signatures correspond to high-level mutagenic frequencies. If activated simultaneously, they will form an impenetrable dome that would alter the city's biological structure.]

Zayne had closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. "So that's your plan, Mesogog… turn the entire city into your prehistoric freaks. How predictable."

Even then, he'd already seen through everything.

Back in the present, Zayne cracked his knuckles slightly, his expression darkening beneath his helmet. "So you'd sacrifice hundreds of thousands of innocent lives… just to drag the world back to the Stone Age. Pathetic. But then again, can a simple lab failure twist his psyche this much? There must be something far deeper for him to act this crazy, not even valuing life."

"I'll think about it later," He lightly shook off his thoughts

His aura flickered faintly—an unseen pulse of power that rippled through the air like static.

As he stepped closer to the warehouse, his visor detected multiple heat signatures. Tyrannodrones patrolled the perimeter, but they weren't the only ones. There were human presences too—organized, disciplined, and moving with purpose.

Zayne's eyes narrowed. "Humans? What are they doing here?"

He activated his morpher, a faint hum filling the air as blue lines scanned the entire area. The data came back within seconds. His expression stiffened in disbelief.

"The Hand…?"

His voice was low and dangerous. "What the hell are they doing working with Mesogog?"

Zayne cloaked himself in faint red light and slipped closer, blending into the shadows. His senses sharpened, every movement of his body precise, silent, lethal. He soon reached the upper level of the warehouse, crouching on a beam as he looked down below.

Below him stood Madame Gao—calm, composed, ancient in aura yet sharp as ever. Opposite her stood Elsa, one of Mesogog's generals, her reptilian eyes glowing faintly green under the industrial lights. Between them was a table, and upon it—a small vial containing an eerie, glowing green serum.

Their voices carried through the air, clear and cold.

Madame Gao's tone was sharp but patient. "You promised results, Elsa. The Hand does not waste resources on uncertain ventures."

Elsa's lips curled into a smile. "You'll get your results, Gao. Once this mutagen activates across the city, you'll have more soldiers than you could ever dream of. Stronger, faster… loyal to our cause."

"Our cause?" Gao's brow lifted slightly. "No, my dear. You mistake convenience for allegiance. The Hand seeks power—your master seeks chaos. We are not the same."

Elsa's reptilian eyes flashed dangerously. "And yet you took our offer."

Madame Gao said blankly. "Because chaos, when harnessed properly, becomes power."

Zayne listened from above, his hands clenching into fists. His crimson aura flickered like a heartbeat.

'So that's it… Mesogog's trying to buy the Hand's cooperation through biological warfare. And Gao—she's only here for her own gain.'

His teeth clenched as his voice came out in a low whisper. "Disgusting."

"Then again, why would Mesogog need humans when he has enough tyrannodrones to work for him?. Strange"

Elsa continued, her tone filled with arrogance. "This mutagen will evolve your assassins beyond their limits. Imagine—immortal warriors, with the instincts of beasts. No more frail humans. Only apex predators."

Madame Gao nodded faintly. "An interesting proposition. But tell me, what stops Mesogog from turning us into his pets once the process begins?"

Elsa chuckled. "You'll just have to trust that he won't."

Gao's eyes turned cold. "Trust is a fragile currency, my dear."

The two women stared at each other, silent tension thickening the air.

Up above, Zayne's gaze turned glacial. His voice came out barely above a whisper, but the fury beneath it could have shattered stone.

"They deserve death."

The air trembled around him for a brief moment—his aura flaring like a storm barely contained. Then, without another thought, he jumped down from the beam, landing with a heavy thud that cracked the concrete beneath his boots.

Every head in the warehouse turned immediately.

The Hand's soldiers froze mid-motion, and even the Tyrannodrones halted. The faint red glow of his armor illuminated the dim room like the arrival of a demon.

For a split second, silence.

Then—panic.

"Shit! It's a Ranger!" one of the men at the entrance screamed.

The crowd instantly descended into chaos. Tyrannodrones raised their weapons, the humans from the Hand unsheathing blades, energy whips, and shuriken. The entire warehouse echoed with the metallic clatter of weapons being drawn.

But then someone from the crowd laughed mockingly. "Hahaha, it's only one! We can take him! Attack!"

Their courage, however false, flared for just a moment.

Then Zayne moved.

He was a crimson blur—too fast to follow, too sharp to react to. One of the Hand's assassins rushed forward, blade glowing faintly with chi energy. But before he could even finish his step, Zayne's fist connected with his chest.

A sound like thunder split the air.

The man exploded into a mist of blood and shattered bone, splattering the nearby drones in crimson. The metallic scent of iron filled the warehouse instantly.

The chaos froze.

Every single one of them—human and monsters alike—stared in horror at the bloody mist that hung in the air where their ally once stood.

Zayne stood unmoving, his arm still extended from the punch. Slowly, he lowered it, his head tilting slightly as his voice came out, calm yet terrifying.

"Who's next?"

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I'll be updating 2 chapters, guys. I'm sorry for the slow updates. It will change soon. 

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