"Zayne, we need your help. It's an emergency."
Kira's anxious voice echoed from the Morpher.
Zayne frowned slightly at the word emergency. Today really was filled with twists and turns. He hadn't even had the chance to properly rest, and now another problem had surfaced.
"Alright, calm down, Kira," Zayne said, his voice steady and soothing. "Explain the situation to me slowly."
On the other side of the call, Kira took a deep breath.
Foosh!
Then she began explaining everything—what she and Gwen had gone through, every detail laid out clearly and honestly. As her voice continued, the control room gradually fell silent. No one interrupted. Everyone listened intently, absorbing every word and understanding why she was asking for help.
A few minutes later—
"So… that's about it, Zayne," Kira finished. "If we don't cure her soon, she's going to go feral again."
Zayne closed his eyes, sinking into deep thought, while the rest of the team watched him closely, waiting for his decision.
"Sigh~… thank goodness it's not another world-ending problem," Zayne muttered, feeling a wave of relief wash over him inwardly.
If Kira had said the emergency was something catastrophic, he would've been completely drained—probably incapable of doing anything else for the rest of the day. Thankfully, this was still within manageable bounds.
"But there's another problem," Zayne thought. "Should I allow her entry into the base or not? From her actions alone, she doesn't seem like the trustworthy type."
He racked his brain for a few seconds before making a decision.
"Forget it. She's unconscious now. I'll make sure she stays that way during the treatment. Once I'm done, she'll be sent out immediately. No memories of this place. Kira and Gwen can make up a story after she wakes up and finds herself back to normal."
This entire chain of thought took only a few seconds.
Seeing the expectant gazes of his team—and hearing Kira's shallow breathing through the Morpher—Zayne finally spoke.
"Alright. Bring her in. But make sure she stays unconscious the whole time," he said firmly. "MJ may be your friend, but she isn't part of the team. Remember—her knowing about this place could endanger her even more, and we don't want that."
Kira didn't argue. She understood completely. That was the same reason they had never told MJ their identities in the first place. The rest of the team shared the same sentiment.
"Alright. I'll bring her in now," Kira replied.
"Mm," Zayne nodded, then ended the call while accepting Kira's teleportation request.
Click!
Almost instantly, a vortex formed at the control room's teleportation gate. Gwen and Kira stepped out, with the unconscious MJ between them.
Compared to the worn and battered appearances of Ethan and the others, the girls looked far more vibrant—clear proof that their mission hadn't been nearly as physically taxing.
"Hey, guys~" Gwen greeted with a soft smile.
Kira waved as well, though the anxiety still hadn't fully left her expression.
The boys waved back, their earlier exhaustion seemingly gone. The energy drinks really did work like a charm.
As they approached Zayne, Kira's eyes lit up with relief.
"Hey, Zayne… uhm, sorry for the trouble," she said quietly.
"Nah, it's nothing," Zayne replied with a small smile. "It's you, after all."
As if suddenly remembering something, Kira's cheeks flushed slightly pink.
Gwen noticed immediately and couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. Her friend really had landed the best boyfriend imaginable.
"It seems I'm going to be the only single one in the group soon," Gwen thought to herself, finding the situation oddly surreal.
They'd all been single for a while. Earlier this year, MJ had gotten a boyfriend—only to break up with him a month later. Gwen was fairly certain MJ would soon break up with her current one, too. And now Kira… Kira was clearly on her way to something serious.
She sighed inwardly, feeling left out.
Snapping herself out of her thoughts, Gwen gently lowered MJ so Zayne could examine her. Zayne nodded at Gwen in thanks, then activated his Morpher and began scanning MJ's data.
A holographic panel appeared before him.
[Name: Mary Jane Watson
Species: Follower Vampire
Age: 19
Curse: Servant/Loyalty Curse
Origin: Necrolai (also known as Nikki Pimvare)
Status: Extreme hunger and anger
Solution: Grid Store]
Zayne nodded in satisfaction as he reviewed the information displayed before him.
Kira watched his expression closely, anxiety bubbling in her chest as she waited for his verdict. She couldn't see the panel after all.
The same went for the rest of the team.
Zayne looked away from the holographic panel and faced Kira and the rest of the team.
"It's easy to cure," he said calmly.
For a split second, the room was silent.
Then—
A collective breath was released.
Kira's shoulders sagged as if a massive weight had been lifted off her chest. Gwen exhaled shakily, her clenched fists finally loosening. Even the others, who had stayed quiet, visibly relaxed.
"She's… she's going to be normal again?" Kira asked, her voice barely above a whisper, afraid that if she spoke too loudly, the hope would shatter.
"Yes," Zayne replied without hesitation. "Completely."
Relief washed over them like a tide.
The fear Blade had planted in their minds—that vampirism was irreversible, that MJ was doomed to a life of hunger and darkness—crumbled instantly. Gwen felt her chest tighten, then ease, emotion swelling behind her eyes. Kira clenched her fists, biting her lip to keep herself together.
They were happy.
Their friend wasn't lost.
What they didn't know, however, was that Blade hadn't lied to them.
What he said was the truth.
At least… before Zayne entered the picture.
Since the genesis of vampires, Necrolai's vampirism had been absolute. No science, no conventional magic, no ordinary sorcerer could undo it. Only Mystic Force magic—an extremely rare and specialized branch—had ever come close to reversing such a curse.
That was the rule of the universe.
And now—
Zayne was about to break it.
Without another word, he raised his hand. A translucent interface unfolded before him, glowing with familiar Grid patterns.
[Omni-Grid Store]
Kira and the others watched quietly, curiosity overtaking their anxiety.
Zayne navigated the interface with ease, filtering the results.
"Cure vampirism," he muttered.
Instantly, dozens of options appeared.
Potions. Injections. Grid-based rewrites. Conditional cures. Temporary suppressants. Full purges.
Prices ranged wildly.
50 GP.
200 GP.
800 GP.
2,000 GP.
5,000 GP.
Each option carried its own description—some cheap but crude, others expensive yet refined. Some removed vampirism completely but left the body weak. Others erased the curse at the cost of memories. A few even rewrote the subject's species entirely.
Zayne's eyes skimmed through them all.
Then he stopped.
500 GP.
His gaze locked onto the option.
[Item: Crimson Reversion Elixir]
[Effect: Removes vampirism curse while preserving physical enhancements acquired during transformation]
[Result: Human physiology with retained vampire-level strength, agility, and resilience]
[Side Effects: None detected]
Zayne studied it for a moment.
He could have bought the cheapest option. Fifty GP was nothing to him. A clean, simple cure.
But MJ wasn't a Ranger.
She was a civilian. A classmate. Someone who would return to normal life—school, streets, random dangers that heroes took for granted.
If she lost her vampiric strength entirely, she'd be vulnerable. And if trouble found her again, she might not survive it.
Although she had her inconsistencies, Zayne was a ranger after all. Necrolai might come back for her lost servant, which may, in turn, cause danger to MJ. Zayne wasn't about to let that happen.
"Purchase," he said.
[500 GP Deducted]
[Item Acquired]
A sleek, crimson vial materialized in his hand, warm to the touch and faintly glowing.
Kira leaned forward unconsciously, her eyes glued to it.
"That's… it?" Gwen asked quietly.
"That's it," Zayne replied.
He knelt beside MJ's unconscious form and gently tilted her head back. With controlled precision, he uncorked the vial and poured the potion into her mouth, ensuring it went down smoothly.
Seconds passed.
Then—
MJ's body spasmed violently.
Kira gasped, taking a step forward, but Zayne raised a hand, signaling her to wait.
MJ's limbs twitched as if electricity surged through her veins. Her back arched slightly, fingers curling as the transformation fought back.
A full minute passed like that.
Then—
"Hhhh—"
A hollow, guttural sound escaped MJ's lips.
Black smoke poured from her mouth, thick and viscous, carrying the oppressive aura of dark magic. It lingered in the air for a moment before dispersing completely, dissolving into nothingness.
The room felt lighter.
MJ's breathing steadied.
The unnatural pallor drained from her face, replaced with healthy color. The sharpness in her features softened. The curse—once deeply rooted—was gone.
Kira stared.
Gwen stared.
The others stared.
None of them spoke.
It was only when MJ's chest rose and fell in a calm, natural rhythm that the tension finally broke.
"She's… cured," Gwen whispered.
Kira covered her mouth, her eyes shining.
Then she turned to Zayne.
"Thank you," she said softly.
Before she even realized what she was doing, emotion took over.
She leaned forward and pressed a quick peck to Zayne's cheek.
The room froze.
Zayne stiffened.
The team collectively malfunctioned.
Kira blinked—then realized what she'd done.
Her face turned crimson instantly.
"I—I—!" she stammered, bowing her head slightly, fingers fidgeting nervously. "That was—uh—your reward! For helping! I mean—not like that—well—maybe like that—"
Zayne chuckled softly, a genuine smile forming on his face.
"I'll take it," he said calmly.
Kira's blush deepened.
Gwen looked away, trying very hard not to feel single.
After removing the webbing from MJ, Kira and Gwen prepared to transport MJ out of the base and return her safely home, something changed.
A vast aura suddenly surged through the headquarters.
Powerful and Familiar.
It emanated from a sealed section of the base.
From the area Tommy had gone to.
Zayne paused and turned his head slightly, sensing it clearly.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
"He succeeded."