"Eight years had passed since the tragedy in New York a night that forever changed the lives of two siblings. Johnson and his younger sister, Rose, lost their parents, Stephen and Rossoma, to a mysterious murder. The case was left unsolved, the cause of death and the strange circumstances surrounding it shrouded in silence. Since then, the children had been under the care of their aunt, Mary, who did her best to raise them.
The grief of their loss never truly left them. Johnson and Rose carried it into theirteenage years, now as high school students at New Heights High School in Las Vegas. The once cheerful siblings had become withdrawn, guarding each other fiercely while keeping their distance from others. They spoke little, avoided making friends, and listened only to their aunt's guidance, who often reminded them to stay strong."
The scene now shifts to the first day of school.
The auditorium was filled with the buzz of voices hundreds of students gathered, their uniforms crisp and new. At the front stood the principal, tall and imposing, with a bottle of water in his hand. He cleared his throat before addressing the crowd.
"Good morning, students! Welcome to New Heights High School where we produce the best and accept nothing less than excellence!" His voice rang across the hall with authority. He paused to take a sip of water, then continued. "Today, we will be conducting four types of tests. These are designed to determine not only your academic skills but also your overall potential."
The murmurs grew louder in the crowd, curiosity sparking in the students' eyes.
"The four categories are as follows," the principal announced. "A written test to assess your knowledge, a physical endurance test, an energy test, and finally… a physical battle test." His words carried both weight and excitement. Then, with a firm nod, he concluded: "Good luck."
The students were dismissed to their test rooms, and the written examination began.
Johnson sat quietly at his desk, focused on his paper. His pen moved steadily across the page, his concentration unbroken. But beside him, a boy leaned over, tapping his arm.
"Hey, hey! Pass the paper. Let me see your script," the boy whispered sharply.
It was James.
Johnson didn't lift his head. "I'm sorry, I can't do that. It's against the rules."
James clenched his teeth in annoyance. His eyes darted to the teacher at the front of the class. Suddenly, his hand shot up.
"Teacher! I caught Johnson cheating!" he shouted.
Johnson didn't react. His expression remained calm as he continued writing, but the teacher looked up immediately and began walking toward his desk.
"Johnson, is that true?" she asked.
Johnson stopped writing, lifted his gaze, and answered firmly, "No, ma'am. It isn't true."
The teacher searched his desk and to Johnson's shock, a folded cheat note was discovered lying there.
Her eyes narrowed. "What do you have to say for yourself, Johnson?"
His chest tightened. He looked straight at her and said, "I swear, ma'am, I didn't use that cheat note. It isn't mine."
James smirked, his voice cutting in with venomous satisfaction. "Didn't you now? I saw you using it. I even asked you to stop cheating, but you ignored me and said you couldn't help yourself."
The class erupted in whispers.
But before the situation could spiral further, another hand shot up.
"Mrs. Tonia?" Jerry called from the back.
"Yes, Jerry, what is it?" the teacher asked.
Jerry pointed directly at James. "Madam, James is lying. I saw him tapping Johnson earlier, trying to get his script. He was the one pressuring him."
The teacher's stern expression softened into a faint smile. "I see." She walked back to the front and raised her voice. "Fine then. Both Johnson and James will hand over their scripts. You will each retake the test—separately in empty classrooms. Johnson, I will personally supervise yours."
The room went silent.
Johnson's eyes widened in disbelief, but he quickly composed himself. With a small shrug, he muttered, "Well, I don't mind."
James leaned back in his chair, smug. "There's no way he'll get a high score without a cheat note," he scoffed under his breath.
"Follow me," the teacher instructed. She led them down the corridor to two separate rooms. Johnson was handed a new script, this time with questions far more difficult than before. Cameras were fixed at every corner, and Mrs. Tonia sat close by, her gaze locked on him.
Johnson adjusted his pen, nodded once, and whispered to himself, "Yes, ma'am."
The room grew silent. Only the sound of his pen scratching across paper echoed faintly his quiet determination filling the air.
The light dimmed, and the scene faded out.
The next day, the sun blazed down over New Heights High School's training field. Students crowded into the stands, buzzing with anticipation for the second stage of examinations—the Physical Endurance Test.
The vice principal stepped onto the podium, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd. His voice boomed with authority.
"Good morning, students."
"Good morning, sir!" the voices of hundreds replied in unison.
"Today," he continued, "we will test your strength, stamina, and determination. This examination is divided into four parts: a race, a water endurance test, a muscle endurance test, and a mental endurance test. Your first challenge… is the race."
A ripple of chatter ran through the students.
"Who's going first?" one whispered.
"After yesterday's test, I'm still shaken," another muttered.
"They say last year a boy was hospitalized after the strength trial," a third said nervously.
The vice principal raised a hand, silencing them. Then, with a list in hand, he began to call out names.
"Henry Hart!"
A roar erupted from the crowd. Cheerleaders and female students screamed his name.
"The famous Henry Hart!" one shouted.
"He's from Los Angeles!"
"His brother Tony won the Olympics!"
"And he's the mayor's son! Can you believe it?"
The girls squealed louder as Henry, golden-haired and sharp-eyed, stepped forward with a confident smirk.
The vice principal continued: "Mikeal Thompson, Victor Blakecon, Tom Edison, Mark Jenkins… and finally… Johnson Stones."
The crowd quieted for a moment, some looking confused at the unfamiliar name.
The vice principal explained the rules. "The contestants will run across the endurance track. It is eight lanes long, filled with mechanical traps and elemental hazards. You must reach the goal within the time limit four hundred and twenty-three seconds. Avoid the obstacles, or be eliminated."
The contestants took their positions. The track stretched long and perilous spiked hurdles, walls of fire, jets of water, and shifting mechanical towers awaited them.
The teacher raised the sports gun.
"On your marks…"
Henry turned toward Johnson, his lips curling into a mocking smile. "Hey, new kid. Better run as fast as you can."
Johnson glanced back, his face calm but determined. "I look forward to running with you." He gave a small smile.
Henry scoffed. "We'll see how long you last."
"Set…"
BANG!
The gun fired, and the race began.
Johnson surged forward, his body pumping with effort. His eyes focused on the obstacles ahead—spinning blades, burning towers, shifting platforms. He leapt and ducked, weaving through them with surprising agility. For a brief moment, it looked as if he was flying across the field.
The crowd gasped.
"Incredible speed!" someone shouted.
"Wait how is he passing the mechanical towers so quickly?"
Johnson advanced, but then he hit the elemental hurdles. A wall of flame burst out in front of him. He tried to sprint through, but his clothes caught fire.
"Ahh!" he cried out, tumbling to the ground as pain seared across his skin.
The crowd laughed cruelly.
"Who's that loser?"
"That shrimp is blocking the race!"
"Weaklings like that don't belong here!"
Some threw trash at him, while others hurled sharp stones and even energy blasts. One struck him hard, knocking the breath from his lungs. Johnson staggered, his body shaking from the burns and cuts.
He clutched his chest, muttering with a broken smile, "I'm sorry. I… I know I'm useless." His voice cracked. "But… I can't give up."
Slowly, his wounds began to knit themselves back together. His body, though trembling, pushed itself upright.
Up on the podium, the vice principal narrowed his eyes. "Tonia… what do you sense from him?"
The teacher shook her head, equally puzzled. "No beta energy at all. But both he and his sister… they passed the written test flawlessly. His potential isn't ordinary."
"Potential, you say…" the vice principal muttered. "If he truly survives this, place him in the Beta Exams. And if he fails, Tonia… take responsibility."
"Yes, sir," she answered, watching intently.
Meanwhile, in the stands, Rose jumped to her feet, her voice rising above the jeers.
"Johnson! You can do it! My big brother never gives up!"
Her words pierced through the noise of mockery, straight into Johnson's heart. His lips curved into a faint smile. He lifted his thumb toward her, signaling his resolve.
Something inside him ignited. With a burst of speed, he shot forward, his body moving faster than the eye could follow. He tore through the elemental traps, leapt over the mechanical towers, and in the blink of an eye closed the distance to the finish line.
Henry was already nearing the goal, his admirers screaming his name.
"Henry! Henry! Master Henry!"
But before their golden boy could cross, a blur of white and blue streaked past.
SLAM!
Johnson's hand touched the goal first. He stumbled, collapsing to the ground, his chest heaving, smoke rising from his scorched clothes.
Silence swept over the crowd.
Then whispers began.
"Wait… did that… did that kid just win?"
"Impossible… he was finished a moment ago."
"That… that wasn't normal speed."
Rose's eyes filled with pride as she whispered to herself, "That's my brother."
And though Johnson lay on the ground, weak and battered, a quiet fire burned in his eyes.
The underdog had endured.