They were not prepared for what awaited them.

Behind a simple wooden door lay a massive underground laboratory—sleek, metallic, and impossibly advanced. The space stretched far beneath the house, carved deep into the earth and lined with polished steel walls. Transparent screens hovered in midair, flickering with streams of data. Thick cables ran through the walls like artificial veins, pulsing faintly with blue light. Strange machines hummed softly, alive with energy far beyond anything they had ever seen.

Star X’s eyes widened.
Shadow Light slowly turned in place, taking it all in.
Black Storm swallowed hard.

Mr. White stopped beside a thick, circular chamber door embedded in the floor and gestured toward it.

Mr. White:
“First, we’ll run some necessary tests. I need a complete record of each of your abilities—baseline data before training begins.”

He glanced at them calmly.
“Who wants to go first?”

Black Storm stepped forward without hesitation.

Black Storm:
“I will.”

Mr. White nodded approvingly.

Mr.White:
“Good. Please remove your shoes and enter the chamber.”

The heavy door slid open with a low mechanical hum, revealing a small circular room bathed in darkness. Black Storm stepped inside, the metal cool beneath his bare feet. The door sealed shut behind him with a deep, echoing click.

Black Storm (muttering):
“It’s so dark in here…”

Without warning, the lights flared to life.

The chamber flooded with blinding white light. Black Storm squinted as he realized he was standing on a raised metal circle at the center of the room. Outside the chamber, the others watched through Mr.White’s wide control screens, rows of data already scrolling rapidly.

Mr. White:
“I’ve already recorded your baseline vitals—temperature, heart rate, blood pressure.”
(pauses, adjusting the interface)
“Now I’ll observe how your body reacts when your ability is triggered. Please remain still. Initiating CT scan.”

Black Storm:
“Okay…”

Beams of light swept over his body from every direction. On the monitors, layered images overlapped—skeletal scans, thermal signatures, ultraviolet patterns—his body mapped and dissected in glowing colors.

Sun-Z (quietly):
“Is… is that it?”

Mr. White didn’t look away from the screens.

Mr. White:
“No. Now comes the real test.”

Without warning, mechanical arms unfolded from the chamber walls, snapping into place around Black Storm. Their ends glowed ominously, locking onto him like weapons.

Black Storm:
“What—what is this?!”

A split second later, searing lasers fired.

Black Storm screamed.

The sound echoed through the lab, sharp and raw.

Shadow Light slammed his hands against the glass.

Shadow Light:
“HEY! What are you doing to him?!”

Star X stepped forward, panic in her eyes.

Star X:
“He’s in pain! Stop it!”

Mr.White’s voice remained steady—almost detached.

Mr. White:
“It’s fine. This is part of the test.”

Inside the chamber, Black Storm’s knees trembled as Mr. White’s voice came through the speakers.

Mr White:
“Black Storm, absorb the attack.”

Black Storm:
“What?! Absorb it?! I can’t!”

The lasers intensified.

Mr. White:
“Yes, you can. Your ability differs from the others—and you know it.”
(lower, firmer)
“Either you stop the attack yourself… or it will continue as long as you remain conscious.”

Absorb it…?

Through the pain, memories surged—running through flames, heat licking his skin, fire forming in his fists without burning him.

His breathing grew ragged.

Gritting his teeth, Black Storm clenched both hands.

A deep crimson glow spread across his skin, pulsing in rhythm with the lasers striking him. The light intensified—then exploded outward in a violent shockwave.

Every machine in the chamber powered down at once.

The lasers vanished.

Black Storm dropped to one knee, gasping, sweat dripping onto the metal floor.

Sun-Z:
“He did it!”

Mr. White stared at the thermal data, eyes narrowing with fascination.

Mr. White (quietly):
“So… an absorber.”

The chamber door slid open.

Mr. White:
“Excellent work, Black Storm. The test is complete.”

Black Storm staggered out as his friends rushed toward him.

Star X:
“Are you okay?!”

Black Storm forced a crooked grin.

Black Storm:
“Yeah… don’t worry about it. Hehe.”

Shadow Light exhaled sharply.

Shadow Light:
“You scared the hell out of us.”

Mr. White turned calmly toward the others.

Mr. White:
“Star X, you’re next.”

Star X stiffened.

Star X:
“Yeeeeeee!”

Sun-Z clenched her fists encouragingly.

Sun-Z:
“You can do it! Fighting!”

Star X stepped into the chamber, her movements hesitant as the door sealed behind her. The white light bloomed again, reflecting in her wide eyes as she stood barefoot on the metal circle.

Mr. White’s voice came through the speakers.

Mr. White:
“Star X, please demonstrate your ability.”

Star X swallowed, then nodded.

Star X:
“Okay!”

She raised her hands. A glowing sphere of energy began forming between her palms—unstable at first, then rapidly growing brighter and denser. The air vibrated around it, humming softly as the light intensified.

Star X lifted it instinctively, preparing to slam it into the floor.

Mr. White (sharply):
“WAIT—! Do not destroy the base!”

Star X froze mid-motion, arms trembling as she struggled to hold the pulsing mass of energy in place.

Mr. White’s eyes raced across the data flooding his screens. His fingers moved quickly, adjusting parameters, isolating readings.

Mr. White (murmuring):
“Incredible…”

After a moment, he straightened.

Mr. White:
“All right, Star. Your test is complete.”

Everyone outside the chamber froze.

Everyone:
“Already?!”

Star X blinked in confusion.

Star X:
“Huh?”

Mr. White:
“Now disperse the energy—without causing any damage.”

Star X stared at the sphere, panic flickering across her face.

Star X:
“O-Okay…”

She brought her hands together slowly, compressing the sphere. The energy resisted at first, buzzing violently—then collapsed inward with a sharp flash of light that vanished into her palms.

Star X staggered back, breathing hard, her hands trembling.

Mr.white (murmuring)  :

“hmm.. that’s harder than it looks!”

The chamber opened, and Star X hurried out, immediately surrounded by the others.

Sun-Z:
“You did great!”

Shadow Light crossed his arms.

Shadow Light:
“That was way too fast.”

Mr. White turned.

Mr. White:
“Shadow Light.”

Shadow Light stepped forward, jaw set.

Inside the chamber, flames ignited the moment he clenched his fists. Heat rippled through the room as fire spiraled outward, licking the walls. Machines whirred loudly, struggling to compensate as the temperature climbed.

Mr. White:
“Push it outward. Don’t let it consume you—control it.”

Shadow Light gritted his teeth, forcing the flames into a blazing ring around his body. Sweat poured down his face as the heat intensified, alarms flaring across the screens.

With a final shout, he thrust the fire outward.

The machines shut down abruptly.

The flames vanished.

Shadow Light collapsed to one knee, panting heavily as the door opened.

Sun-Z:
“That looked brutal…”

Shadow Light wiped sweat from his brow.

Shadow Light:
“Yeah… it was.”

Mr. White didn’t pause.

Mr. White:
“Sun-Z.”

Sun-Z stepped into the chamber, calm but focused.

Mr. White:
“Activate your ability.”

She raised her hand. Instantly, the metal around her trembled. A low hum filled the air as a magnetic field expanded outward, forcing nearby devices to rattle violently. Heavy components tore free from their mounts and slammed against the chamber walls.

Mr. White adjusted the controls quickly.

Mr. White:
“Good. Maintain pressure—don’t overextend.”

Sun-Z clenched her fist, tightening the field. The machines screeched, then powered down one by one.

When the chamber opened, she stepped out, breathing steadily.

The tests were complete.

Everyone stood exhausted—except Star X, who bounced lightly on her heels.

Shadow Light glanced at her suspiciously.

Shadow Light:
“Why was her test so easy?”

Star X stuck out her tongue.

Star X:
“Jealous?”

Mr. White clapped his hands once, drawing their attention.

Mr. White:
“These results require further analysis. Your blood work and full data will be ready in one week.”

Then his expression softened—just slightly.

Mr. White:
“Now… it’s time to introduce you to your training.”

Everyone stiffened.

“Training?!”