(Fred Finely is giving a report in Ninjago City.)
Fred: And now a Ninjago News special report. Arcade Apocalypse! Prime Empire. It's not just a video game craze sweeping the city, but something far more sinister. We're receiving reports that players who reach the 13th level are mysteriously vanishing! Where are these missing players? Who's taking them? And more importantly... will I win a Peabody Award for this hard-hitting report? Stay tuned!
(A police officer is taking Prime Empire out of Benny's Arcade Emporium.)
Benny: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you doing? You can't take that! I've made more money on that game in two days than I have in the last two months.
Ninjago City Police Officer: This thing's dangerous.
Benny: Oh, come on, that's ridiculous. It's just a game—
(At Kryptarium Prison, the guards are keeping watch over the prisoners. The Noble passes by Soto, Ultra Violet, and stops at the Mechanic's prison cell.)
Noble: Welcome back, Mechanic? (Chuckles.) We kept your usual cell for you.
The Mechanic: Shh! You feel it? Change is in the air tonight.
Noble: That's just a draft.
The Mechanic: Soon, I'll be on top, again.
Noble: (Chuckles.) Oh, yeah. Top bunk, if you're lucky. (The lights immediately flash out. All of the screens from the security cameras connected to the computer white out.)
Kryptarium Prison Officer #1: Huh? What?
Noble: There's something wrong with the security system. (He runs off and the microphone is taken over.)
Unagami: Unagami requires your assistance. Will you serve Unagami?
The Mechanic: Yes! I'll be more careful this time. I won't let you down.
Unagami: If you fail Unagami a second time, it will be game over. (He opens all the cell doors.)
Kryptarium Prison Officer #2: Oh, no, let's get out of here! (The prisoners race out of their cells and chase away the officers.)
Soto: Ha-ha! We be free at last!
The Mechanic: Captain Soto! Ultra Violet! All of you! Come with me. Work for Unagami and you will be rewarded handsomely.
Fugi-Dove: (Gasp.) All of us?
The Mechanic: Uh, not you, Fugi-Dove. (Fugi-Dove sinks back into the crowd sadly.)
(The ninja and P.I.X.A.L. arrive at Borg Tower.)
Lloyd: I really hope Cyrus Borg's figured out what's going on with that game we found in the Mechanic's lair. (They take the elevator.)
Elevator Voice: Welcome to floor 100.
Cyrus Borg: Ah, ninja. Your little game has kept me quite busy.
Nya: What have you discovered?
Cyrus Borg: A new appreciation for the designer, Milton Dyer.
Kai: He designed a pretty killer security system on Dyer Island, too.
Cyrus Borg: Wh-wh— More-More impressive than mine?
Kai: Do you have robot dogs? Because he had robot dogs.
Cyrus Borg: Yeah, well, ahem. I've run diagnostics on the cabinet and this game is far more complex than anything I've ever seen. Even more than my ill-fated Digiverse. (He presses a key.) It's a virtual world, made up of different zones inside the game.
Nya: So Jay's in one of those zones?
Cyrus Borg: Not just Jay. The game's play account has exploded. (Nya gasps.) Over 800 players are now trapped inside the game.
Kai: All the people who reach level 13 and disappeared into the cabinet!
Cyrus Borg: (The game zones show red on the screen and Borg pulls out a familiar signature.) The world inside, Prime Empire is controlled by Unagami.
Zane: And Unagami is Milton Dyer.
Cyrus Borg: Which means there are two ways to deal with this. Find Dyer in real life and stop him or... enter the game, just like Jay did, and stop Dyer's avatar, Unagami.
Lloyd: I think we should divide up and go for both at the same time.
Cyrus Borg: I'm afraid Zane and P.I.X.A.L. cannot enter the game. The Prime Empire code is so complex, they could overwrite your programming.
P.I.X.A.L.: I... like my ones and zeroes just the way they are, thank you.
Zane: Then we'll stay here and track down Dyer in real life.
Cole: And I'm gonna reach level 13 and crack this baby wide open! (He starts up the game.)
(Below, the gang of prisoners have arrived at Borg Tower.)
The Mechanic: The original Prime Empire cabinet is somewhere in this building. And we'll search every floor until we find it.
Ultra Violet: Bet you wish you had Fugi-Dove now. He could've just flown up there. (Fugi-Dove is shown relaxing as he walks down the street. Meanwhile, the gang of prisoners rushes up to the doors of Borg Tower. In the rush, two security guards are immediately tied up. A security drone flies down and turns red. The ninja watch the prisoners getting on to the elevator through its screen.)
Zane: How did the Mechanic get out of Kryptarium? And there's Captain Soto, and Ultra Violet!
Nya: They must have broken out of prison, but why did they come here? (Borg presses a button and the elevator stops working.)
Elevator Voice: Powering down. Borg Industries requests you leave the premises at once. Or you will be sorry.
The Mechanic: To the stairs! (They leave and start climbing up the stairs.)
Kai: Let's go fight em' off!
Cyrus Borg: Uh, no, wait! I'm initiating my buildling's defenses. It'll attack anything that moves, including you if you go down there!
Lloyd: We're ninja. We can't just sit out a fight.
Cyrus Borg: Fight the opponents in the game. You must reach level 13 before the real enemies get up here. (They immediately rush over to Cole's side while Borg works on the defenses.)
Nya: How's it going?
Cole: (Sighs.) Harder than expected, but I'm almost done customizing my avatar.
Kai: Wha—? Y-You haven't even started the game yet?
Cole: Winning's all about confidence. I gotta look cool when I'm fighting. (He continues searching for the right outfit.)
Cyrus Borg: Now we'll see who has the better security system. Hmph, robot dogs! (Scoffs.) Robot dogs are for amateurs! (He activates the Nindroid Sentries. The march out to face the oncoming prisoners.)
The Mechanic: This the best you got, Borg? Gonna take more than a few wind-up toys. (The fight commences, both with Cole against the game and Nindroid Sentries against the prisoners. The surviving prisoners make up to the next level. The first prisoner runs ahead and is zapped.) Watch out! Invisible lasers!
Ultra Violet: Send the least important recruits first. (She pushes one of the inmates and they both cringe as they watch him get hit with lasers.)
Soto: Methinks we should have brought Fugi-Dove. Anybody have his number? He's probably not doing anything too important.
(In Ninjago City, Fugi-Dove is feeding pigeons.)
Fugi-Dove: (Hums.) One for you, and... one for you, and yes, one for you!
(Back at Borg Tower, the prisoners watch another recruit get zapped. The security drone backs up, making its way around the lasers.)
The Mechanic: (gasps) Those security drones know where the lasers are. (The Mechanic leaps around lasers' paths. The others follow him, doing the same thing, except for Soto who slides himself across the floor slowly. Cole continues leveling up in the game. Meanwhile, the prisoners have reached another door and it appears to be blocked by a brick wall.)
Ultra Violet: It's bricked off. We can't go any further.
Soto: Ugh. Shiver me sails! (He takes a fire hydrant and angrily throws it at the brick wall. The bricks disappear and the security drone behind it flashes red.)
The Mechanic: Nice try! Almost fooled us. (Cyrus Borg glares at the screen. The prisoners speed their way up the stairs. Suddenly, the steps slope down but the Mechanic manages to grab on. Two unlucky inmates slide down and out an emergency exit. The Mechanic pulls himself up and they make it to the top.)
Cyrus Borg: Aw, should've got robot dogs.
The Mechanic: Floor 100. I said I'd be on top again.
Cole: I'm so close.
Kai: Yeah, well, so are they! (Kai and Zane leap forward and they both aim their Elemental Powers at Soto, who gets splashed with their combined powers.)
Soto: (Laughs.) Well, blow me down! You made a wee puddle. (Zane zaps the floor with ice and Soto slides away between them. Lloyd and Ultra Violet jump back as Soto crashes into the desk.)
Nya: Lloyd! Industrial strength caution tape!
Nya and Lloyd: Ninja, go! (They Spinjitzu around Ultra Violet wrapping the tape around her.)
Cole: Spin kick! Thunderbolt punch! Maximum damage! (In the background, Kai spins and leaps on top of one of the inmates. Zane takes on the Mechanic, but he punches him into the air. Soto runs up to Cole, but Lloyd Spinjitzus him away. The Mechanic makes his way to Cole, but Lloyd Spinjitzus to a stop and presses him against a machine.)
Lloyd: Going to great lengths just to play a video game. Why are you doing this for Unagami.
The Mechanic: He's pressing the "Start" button on a new revolution... (He quickly flips Lloyd into his spot.) I will be player two, serving at his side! (Lloyd shoves him down on to the floor.)
Cole: Yah! Guys, I did it! Level 13!
Nya: (Groans.) Ah, that's great, but a little busy here. (She swings Ultra Violet around.)
Game Voice: Would you like to enter Prime Empire?
Cole: Ninja, let's go! (Kai stops fighting Soto and they both rush for the game. Nya sees them coming and lets go of Ultra Violet. Startled by the sudden release, she rushes forward and crashes into Soto and an inmate. Lloyd finishes with the Mechanic and leaps on top of another inmate, threatening Borg.)
Nya: Jay better be safe in there, you dumb game. (She runs inside.)
Cole: Come on, Lloyd! (Lloyd takes one last look at Cyrus Borg and P.I.X.A.L. before running over to join Cole. The Mechanic runs in front of Lloyd's path, but Zane pushes him away.)
Zane: Go on! Good luck finding Unagami! (Borg and P.I.X.A.L. give Lloyd a nod.)
Lloyd: Good luck finding Milton Dyer. (They exchange high-fives before Lloyd and Cole disappear into the game. The door closes on them.)
Cyrus Borg: To the roof! My private helicopter awaits! (P.I.X.A.L. pushes Borg into the helicopter and Zane runs in. Soto starts to make his way to the elevator, but the Mechanic stops him.)
The Mechanic: Let them go. They aren't what we came for. This is. Unagami will be proud. (He presses a button, but it doesn't start up.) How can this be?!
(Meanwhile, Cyrus Borg starts up the helicopter and they fly away.)
P.I.X.A.L.: I worry what damage the Mechanic will cause now that he has the original game.
Zane: (Sighs, relieved.) I'm not worried. Ugh. They won't be able to do anything without this! (He takes out the Prime Empire motherboard, tossing it and catching it.) I yanked it a second after Cole went through.
P.I.X.A.L.: The Prime Empire motherboard.
(Inside the game, Cole is processed into it.)
Cole: (He lands on the ground and gets up to join Kai and Nya.) Whoa! (They take in the view as Lloyd joins them.)
(End of the episode. For more information, click here.)