The legend of the light ninja

Chapter Eleven | Tick Tock

*I DO NOT OWN THE NINJAGO UNIVERSE AND ITS PAST, PRESENT AND EMERGING CHARACTERS. AND THE PLOT OF THE SHOW. I ONLY OWN MY CURRENT CHARACTER | SAMUEL JASON HOLLAND. *

Destiny's Bounty was buzzing with the energy of a team that had been through countless battles and endless training. The ninjas stood at the edge of the ship. their eyes fixed on Zane who was currently submerged in the ocean below. Bubbles floated to the surface as the seconds ticked, but Zane showed no signs of surfacing.

Kai glanced at the stopwatch in his hand, excitement building. "Ten minutes! He just broke his record. The guy's inhuman!" he exclaimed as Zane finally reached the surface, his calm demeanour unchanged. The ninjas erupted in cheers as Zane swam towards the ship, a small fish darting away from his hand.

Cole clapped Zane on the back as he climbed aboard. "Amazing!"

Jay added with a grin, "We're not worthy."

Zane ever the modest one, looked around with a hint of surprise. "I broke the record?"

"You destroyed it!" Kai confirmed, still in awe.

Jay's mind was already racing with ideas. "Okay, okay. Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking? We've been training for so long, I don't think we can get any better than this. Just think about all we've accomplished."

The ninjas were drawn into a flashback. They saw Kai sprinting across a bed of glowing hot coals the heat barely phasing him. Then Jay, with lightning crackling in the sky, spun on a metal rod with one hand, balancing perfectly despite the storm. The memory shifted to Cole, his muscles straining as he lifted a barbell loaded with weights – and then added more, with a confident smirk, before raising high. Nya and Jay appeared next and hopped on top of the barbell each holding a set of dumbbells, making the lift even more challenging. Jay comically balanced a platter of chicken as he worked out.

As the flashback faded, the ninjas found themselves back on the deck of the Bounty, the memory of their gruelling but rewarding training fresh in their minds.

Cole, ginning, commented on his input. "You know we owe a lot to Sam for putting up with us and ensuring we stuck to our training drills, despite us hating it. He's been there with us. Through it all."

Zane's voice carried a hint of contemplation as he spoke, "The question that arises now is whether we've truly reached our full potential." The ninjas made their way through the hallways of Destiny's Bounty, their eyes searching for Master Wu. Zane continued, "Every morning, I do five hundred push-ups."

Kai, with a teasing grin, replied, "Five hundred? Try a thousand."

Jay chuckled and added, "Hahaha, I do a thousand and one."

Cole, smirking, remarked, "Is this what passes for amateur hour? Sounds like my warm-up. Sensei, what does True Potential look like if–"

Their banter was cut short when they saw Master Wu putting away a katana.

Zane quickly offered an apology, "Our apologies, Sensei. We didn't mean to interrupt you."

Wu, with a weary sigh, met their gazes. "I'm sorry if I've seemed distant lately. My mind has been preoccupied ever since Lloyd went missing. What can I assist you with?"

Cole stepped forward, his tone earnest. "Sensei, what if we've done enough training? What if we've reached our True Potential? What if we're ready for what comes next?"

Wu's gaze was steady as he addressed the ninjas. "Hm. You might have reached peak physical condition, but there is more to True Potential than mere physical prowess. Each of us harbours internal obstacles that hold us back. Only then will you truly reach your True Potential and have a fighting chance to stop the Serpentine from unleashing the Great Devourer."