The New Ninja Read online

  TITLE PAGE

  FROM THE JOURNAL OF SENSEI WU

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  IT TAKES A NINJA! CONTEST-WINNING STORIES

  “FORGIVE ME”

  “WAKE UP”

  COPYRIGHT

  Just as the water ebbs and flows with the ocean’s tide, so, too, has Ninjago™ seen evil ebb and flow from its shores. All seemed lost when Morro — a vengeful ghost and my former pupil — escaped from the Cursed Realm. He gained control of the Realm Crystal and unleashed a powerful monster unlike any Ninjago had ever seen: the Preeminent. This terrible beast contained the Cursed Realm inside it. Once unleashed, it threatened to consume Ninjago and all the sixteen realms forever.

  Yet when the tide of evil seemed too much for even the ninja to overcome, a new hero arose: Nya. As the Master of Water, she had the ability to destroy the Preeminent, as water is the only weapon against which ghosts are powerless.

  But the Preeminent was strong. Even the ocean was not deep enough to stop it. Nya needed to unlock her true potential to create a wall of water powerful enough to defeat the beast. And in the final battle, she did just that. Ninjago was safe once more.

  Now Cole, Jay, Kai, Lloyd, and Zane have a new ninja by their side. And yet, I wonder. Is Nya prepared for the challenges that she will face as a ninja?

  I do not worry about her strength, but rather her independence. Nya has always been an important part of the team, and yet in many ways she has always been separate from the others. She has come to the team’s aid many times as Samurai X, but always on her own terms. Being a true team member requires not just individual strength, but the confidence to know when group strength is required.

  By unlocking her true potential, Nya proved herself worthy as a ninja. Will she succeed now as she steps forward to join the others? I believe that she will. But time is the only master that can answer this question …

  Nya, I need your help!”

  It was Cole. He was in trouble!

  “Just a second!” Nya raced ahead as fast as she could.

  “Nya — a little help please?” This time, it was Kai.

  “Stand by!” Nya shouted. She was almost there!

  “Nya, we’re in the other direction,” Kai exclaimed. “Where are you going?”

  “Just one … more … second …”

  DUN DA DUN! The video game in front of them played a victory melody. “Record delivery score ACHIEVED!”

  “Yes!” Nya pumped her fist. She had delivered her final video game pizza in the nick of time. She’d beaten her own personal record — thirty-two pizzas in under three minutes! Now she could go help Kai and Cole.

  But as she turned around …

  KA-BOOM!

  “Ha! Gotcha!” Jay exclaimed.

  The screen displayed a bright explosion of colors as Kai’s and Cole’s delivery trucks were destroyed. Their avatars spun upside down, and their eyes turned into little Xs.

  GAME OVER, the television screen announced.

  “Zane and I win!” Jay cheered, doing a silly dance. “Score another round for team Pizza-Go!”

  Cole, Jay, Kai, Nya, and Zane were seated around an oversized television screen onboard the Destiny’s Bounty. They were playing Ninjago’s most popular new video game: Delivery Trucks vs. Zombies: Pizza Party of Doom.

  Cole, Kai, and Nya were on one team, while Jay and Zane were on the other. Each team was supposed to deliver as many pizzas as they could before the zombies caught up with them. But every time they played, Jay used his pepperoni cannon to stop Kai’s and Cole’s delivery trucks. For seventeen games in a row.

  Kai grumbled as digitized zombies carried his and Cole’s avatars offscreen. “Look, sis.” He turned to Nya. “We can only win if we work together.”

  “But I delivered all my pizzas,” Nya insisted. “In record time!”

  “Yeah, but Jay keeps stopping us from delivering any of our pizzas,” Kai said.

  Nya shrugged. “I can’t help it that Jay has gotten so good at this game. Ever since we defeated the Preeminent, he’s spent twelve hours a day playing Delivery Trucks vs. Zombies.”

  “Thirteen hours, twenty-seven minutes, and thirty-two seconds a day, to be precise,” Zane noted.

  Jay beamed. “What can I say? Ninja never quit! And that includes video games.”

  Kai shook his head. “Nya, the point of the game is that we have to deliver the most pizzas as a team. That’s the only way to win. You’re a ninja now. We work together in everything. Even in video games.”

  “All right, all right,” Nya said. “Let’s play another round. This time, I’ll make sure I’ve got you guys’ backs.” She winked. “And I’ll beat my personal record again.”

  Cole nudged Kai. “It would help if Jay stopped targeting our delivery trucks and went after Nya once in a while.”

  Jay gulped.

  Nya’s cheeks turned bright red. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Not long ago, Nya and Jay had kind of, sort of been a couple. But now that she was the Master of Water, Nya wasn’t sure how she felt. Between training with Sensei Wu and unlocking her true potential and saving all of Ninjago from destruction (again), she had a lot on her mind. For now, she just wanted to focus on being a ninja.

  “I already told you guys,” Nya said. “Jay and I are just friends. It’s never going to happen.”

  She didn’t mean for her words to come out so harshly. A hurt look crossed Jay’s face. But none of the other ninja noticed.

  “Anyway …” Jay said, quickly changing the subject. “Do you think the kids at the hospital will like Delivery Trucks vs. Zombies as the finale to our ‘Ninja for a Day’ video game tournament?”

  “They’re gonna love it!” Cole exclaimed. He grabbed a gooey slice of pizza from a box on the floor. “It’s gaming. It’s pizza. It’s zombies. What’s not to love?”

  Cole was right. The kids at the hospital were sure to be very excited about the event, and not just because of the video game fun. Ever since the ninja had defeated the Preeminent, they had become celebrities around New Ninjago. Their friend Dareth had even offered to be their agent. As Dareth had said, “You need someone to navigate you through the sticky waters of celebrity. And I, Dareth, award-winning karate master, owner of Dareth’s Mojo Dojo, and the legendary Brown Ninja, will be your guide.”

  For the most part, the ninja didn’t really want to be in the limelight. But when Dareth suggested they host a “Ninja for a Day” program to cheer up the kids in the hospital, everyone agreed it sounded like a great idea. This weekend was the kickoff event, ending with a video game tournament to determine the ultimate Ninja for a Day.

  “It was pretty cool of Dareth to set it up,” said Nya. “Even if it’s only because he wants to make us more famous.”

  “I wonder how Lloyd is doing with the setup down at the hospital,” Jay said, grabbing a slice of pizza for himself.

  Suddenly, lights began flashing on the bridge. An urgent message was coming in for the ninja!

  “Hold that thought,” Kai exclaimed. “Looks like it’s go time!”

  Guys, come in. Can you hear me?”

  Lloyd’s voice came through the intercom as the ninja raced onto the bridge.

  “Lloyd, is that you?” Kai asked, switching on the monitor.

  “What is it?” Jay asked eagerly. “Is there danger? Action? Trouble? An army of bad guys for us to take down?”

  Lloyd shook his head. “Not exactly. But I do need your help.” He shifted the camera to show a group of hospital children behind him. They were going bananas. D
espite their casts and bandages, the kids were clamoring around an enormous stack of crates.

  “Dareth went overboard with the ‘Ninja for a Day’ giveaways,” Lloyd explained. “There are fifty crates of ninja action figures here. And the kids found them …”

  Lloyd ducked as something flew over his head.

  “Oooh, was that a Kai action figure I just saw go by?” Kai asked, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.

  “Not another box of red ones!” A kid’s disappointed voice wailed over the intercom. “Where are all the Green Ninja? WHERE?”

  “Aw.” Kai sighed.

  Lloyd turned the camera back on himself. “Can you guys come down here to help me get these crates away and finish setting up?”

  “Of course,” said Zane. “We will even bring the video game system for installation. See you soon.”

  As Lloyd disconnected the call, the game console behind Cole, Jay, Kai, Nya, and Zane sparked. Pfffzzzzzzt!

  “That didn’t sound good,” said Jay.

  “It’s okay.” Nya grabbed her box of computer tools. “I had to tinker with the operating board when I interconnected all the video games for the tournament. There’s probably just a quick bug to fix. You guys go help Lloyd. I’ll work on the console and bring it over in a flash.”

  “Oh, okay.” Jay watched as Nya got to work. “You sure you don’t need any help? I’m pretty handy when it comes to fixing things. I grew up in a junkyard, after all.”

  Nya shook her head. “I’m fine. I got this.”

  Half an hour later, Nya was humming as she finished rewiring the video game console.

  “Hello? Can anyone hear us?”

  Nya wheeled out from beneath the console and lifted her goggles. “Hello?” she called. “Who’s there?”

  “Oh, they can hear us, Edna!”

  “Very good, dear. Tell them we need help!”

  It was Jay’s parents, Ed and Edna, calling the Destiny’s Bounty. Nya hurried to the bridge.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked.

  “Oh, hello, Nya!” Edna brightened when she saw her. “How are you doing, dear? Is Jay there?”

  Nya shook her head. “It’s just me. The others are down at the children’s hospital helping set up for ‘Ninja for a Day.’ ”

  “Oh, dear,” said Edna. “We were hoping you all might be able to come.”

  “You see, we’re in a bit of a pickle,” Ed added.

  The screen suddenly went staticky. When it came back on, Jay’s parents were gone. Instead, a Nindroid was walking straight toward the camera!

  “Terminate … terminate!” it repeated.

  “Ed! Edna!” Nya called.

  There was no answer. A moment later, the screen went black.

  Nya gasped. Jay’s parents were in trouble! She had to get to the junkyard.

  “No time to call the others,” Nya declared, lowering the hood of her gi. “I’m a ninja now, and ninja take care of business. Like Kai said … It’s go time!”

  Nya skidded up to the entrance of Ed and Edna’s Scrap n Junk, kicking up a cloud of dust as her DBX flyer screeched to a halt. She leaped out of the driver’s seat.

  “Ed! Edna!” she called. “Where are you?”

  “Terminate! Terminate!”

  Nindroid voices echoed from every corner. Nya ran through the gates and gasped. A large conveyor belt in the center of the junkyard was running all the way up a tower of rubble. At least a dozen Nindroids were swarming the bottom of the belt. And Ed and Edna were trapped at the top!

  “Oh, look, Ed!” Edna pointed at the ground. “It’s Nya!”

  “Hiya, Nya!” Ed called down. “Are the boys with you?”

  “No — it’s just me,” Nya said. She narrowed her eyes at the Nindroids. “But don’t worry. I’m a full-fledged ninja now. I’ll take care of these Nindroids, no sweat.”

  “Oh, well, you see …” Edna started.

  But Nya didn’t hear her. “Ninja-GO!” she cried.

  With a running leap, Nya bounded right on top of the first Nindroid’s head! “Mind if I step in?” she quipped. Using the first Nindroid to propel her, she bounced from one to the next. One … two … three … she knocked them down like a row of dominoes.

  “Hi-ya!” Nya flipped into an awesome kick, taking down another two Nindroids. “I can see why the guys are always eager for action,” she said with a confident smile. “This is fun!”

  Suddenly, seven more Nindroids swarmed out of the junkyard workshop. “Terminate! Terminate!”

  “Looks like you guys need to cool off,” Nya said. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes.

  “Nya, dear!” Edna called down. “I don’t think you understand …”

  But Nya was too focused on summoning her elemental powers to hear. Dark clouds appeared overhead. There was a big whoosh, and a wall of rainwater poured down.

  The Nindroids sizzled and sparked. “Terminate … terrrrrrrmmmmmiinnnnnnn …”

  The Nindroids shut down.

  “Well, that takes care of that,” Nya said, pleased with herself.

  Suddenly, she heard a rumbling behind her.

  The force of the storm was too strong for the mountain of rubble. It was starting to collapse!

  “Oh, no,” Nya exclaimed. “Hang on, guys!”

  Nya took a deep breath, and then concentrated on forming a big pool of rainwater. As the pile of debris collapsed, Ed and Edna splashed safely into the water. A moment later, they popped up, soaked through.

  “Sorry about that,” Nya apologized. “But hey, I took care of those Nindroids pretty well, right? Are you guys okay?”

  Ed wiped off his glasses. “You sure did, you betcha! You’re one strong ninja. Too bad I’ll have to repair them, though …”

  Ed looked at the bent and twisted conveyor belt that had collapsed along with the pile of junk. “And my new conveyor belt.”

  “Huh?” Nya asked, confused.

  “You see, dear, those Nindroids were helping us,” Edna explained. “Ed here managed to rewire them after the Digital Overlord days —”

  “Whew, those were a doozy!” Ed said.

  “And they were doing chores around the junkyard,” Edna continued. “We built this new conveyor belt to stack spare parts, but we got stuck at the top.”

  “Those Nindroids were helpful, but they weren’t the brightest,” Ed said. “They knew they needed to ‘terminate’ the conveyor belt from going up so we could climb down. But they didn’t know how to turn it off.”

  “We were hoping the boys could use their Air-u-jitzu-witzu to get us down,” Edna said. “And that Zane could reprogram the Nindroids to be a bit, well, smarter.”

  “Ohhhhhhhh …” Nya looked around at the mess she’d made in the junkyard. Her face fell.

  “It’s okay.” Ed patted her shoulder. “Nothing we can’t fix. And hey, those were some pretty nifty ninja moves you showed off there!”

  “Thanks.” Nya rubbed the back of her neck, embarrassed. “Do you mind doing me a favor, though? Don’t tell the boys. They’ll never let me hear the end of this.”

  The next day, Lloyd sat cross-legged in the middle of the Destiny’s Bounty. The other ninja had prepared an obstacle course filled with training dummies to help with his sensei training.

  “We’re on top of a mountain,” Kai told Lloyd. “And we’re faced with an army of skeleton warriors.”

  “We’re surrounded,” said Zane. “What would a sensei tell us to do?”

  “Um …” Lloyd thought. “He’d probably tell you to make some tea.”

  Kai grinned. “Ready, sis?”

  Nya nodded. “You know it!”

  Nya sent a blast of water straight at Kai, who used his fire power to heat the water into steam. Instantly, the training course was shrouded in a thick, white cloud. The sound of dummies being pummeled echoed through the ship. When the steam cleared, the ninja had taken out all the dummies in one shot!

  “Nice job, Sensei,” Jay said to Lloyd. />
  “Yes, that was indeed sound advice,” Zane said. “Worthy of Sensei Garmadon himself.”

  “Thanks, guys.” Lloyd smiled a bit sadly and looked down at his gi. It was his father’s. In order to save Ninjago, Sensei Garmadon had stayed trapped inside the Cursed Realm. When the ninja destroyed the Preeminent, the Cursed Realm had been lost along with the beast.

  Lloyd didn’t know where his father was now. But he liked to think that one day they’d be together again.

  “I miss my dad,” Lloyd admitted. “But I think he’d be proud.”

  Suddenly, the lights on the bridge lit up. Another message was coming in for the ninja.

  Cole sighed. “I guess we’ll have to put Lloyd’s training on hold. Again.”

  Nya jumped up. “You guys keep practicing. I’ll go see who it is. It’s probably just Dareth letting us know about another publicity stunt or something.”

  Nya hurried to the bridge. She was right — it was Dareth calling. But he wasn’t calling about publicity.

  “It’s out of control down here!” he cried through the intercom. “I’m at Ninjago Film Industries. Big trouble! Massive trouble! We need the ninja!”

  “Are you sure?” Nya asked doubtfully. This wouldn’t be the first time Dareth had called the ninja insisting there was trouble, only for them to show up and find a camera crew waiting for an interview. “Is this another publicity stunt?”

  Dareth shook his head. “I swear, this time it’s real. We’re on the set filming an unauthorized documentary, Way of the Ninja: The Rise of Ninjago’s Greatest Heroes. But things have gone bad. See for yourself!”

  Dareth turned his phone’s screen to show the scene behind him. Kruncha and Nuckal, two skeleton warriors, were there, arguing loudly with the crew.

  “I told you, intern.” Kruncha knocked a tray of drinks out of a young studio aide’s hands. “No pulp in my orange juice! And you!” Kruncha whirled on the movie’s director. “How dare you cast us as extras?! Don’t you know who we are?”

  “Yeah!” Nuckal said. “Don’t you know who we are?” A blank look suddenly crossed his face. “Uh, who are we again?”

  Kruncha bopped Nuckal on the head. “We’re two of the most feared skeleton warriors in Ninjago. We deserve to be cast as leads in this movie!”