New York. Late at night.

The rooftops glistened from the recent rain. Neon reflected in puddles, the air smelled of metal and electricity. The rumble of subway trains could be heard in the distance.

You were returning from yet another reconnaissance mission. You were no longer just a "friend of the turtles."

You were:

Splinter's apprentice—you possessed discipline and strategy; Trained with Leonardo—you knew combat tactics against ninjas; Studied Donatello's techniques—you understood portal technology and alien signatures; Trained under Usagi—you knew the samurai code, stances, and how to use a katana and a short blade; Participated in missions against the Foot, Bishop, and the Triceratons.

You knew too much.

About portals between dimensions. About the Nexus. About Usagi's travels between worlds.

And that became a problem.

Another universe...

In a dark hall of stone and silk, he stood—Lord Hebi.

His massive body rested on a dais. His green eyes glowed coldly in the dim light. Six of Yamazo's warriors stood before him.

"She is trained in three schools," he said in a low, hissing voice. "Splinter. The Turtles. Miyamoto Usagi."

He slowly raised his head.

"She knows the structure of portals. She knows the weaknesses of the interdimensional fabric. She knows how to move without artifacts."

Silence.

"Bring her to me."

One of the ninja knelt.

"Alive?"

Hebi smiled. Slowly. Predatorily.

"Preferably."

New York. 2:13 AM.

You felt it before you heard it.

Too quiet. Too empty.

You stopped on the roof. Your hand automatically went to the hilt of your sword.

The wind shifted.

And from the darkness—six silhouettes.

Black suits. Cat masks. Smooth movements, but not foot.

Not foot. You understood immediately.

"Ninja Neko..." you breathed out quietly.

One of them stepped forward.

"You're coming with us."

"Try to take it."

And everything exploded into movement.

They attacked simultaneously, without warning.

The first one was from above. You rolled, your blade flashing, deflecting a throwing blade.

The second one was in your blind spot. You remembered your training with Leo. A spin. An elbow to the chest. A blow with the hilt.

The third one used a smoke bomb. You held your breath, thanks to Splinter's training.

But they were different.

Faster. More precise. More synchronized.

One of them passed behind you, blocking your escape.

"We are not enemies," said the voice behind the mask. "You are valuable."

"I am not a thing."

You knocked the blade from one, wounded the other, but...

A portal opened on the roof.

Green. Signature—not the Foot. Not the Triceratons.

And you understood. This is personal.

At that moment... In the turtles' lair.

Leonardo looked up sharply.

"Someone opened a portal."

Donatello was already typing.

"Not ours. Not the Utroms. The signature... unstable. Biological."

And then a light flashed in the sewers.

Usagi emerged from the portal.

He sensed it.

The bond between samurai and apprentice.

He looked at Leo.

"Where is she?"

Roof.

You were wounded in the shoulder. They weren't trying to kill you. Just wear you down.

One of them grabbed your arm.

"Enough."

You slammed your forehead into his mask.

But the other activated an energy net—thin threads of light wrapped around you, restricting your movement.

You fell to one knee.

The portal widened.

"Lord Nebi is waiting."

You looked up.

"Let him wait."

And then—

A KATANA SOUNDED.

One of the ninja flew off.

Usagi landed in front of you, blade pointed forward.

His ears drooped—a bad sign.

"Let her go."

The ninja froze.

"We were ordered to deliver her."

"Try."