EXT. HERO ACADEMY — DAWN

WEATHER: Cold morning fog. Pale sunrise breaking through clouds.

SOUND: Wind over steel towers. Distant alarms humming.

WIDE SHOT

A massive complex rises from the mountains—

concrete, glass, and reinforced walls carved into stone.

A glowing emblem hovers above the gates.

Luke, Tyler, and Liam stand at the base.

Backpacks light. Faces serious.

TYLER

…No way this is a school.

LUKE

Looks more like a fortress.

Liam stares forward.

Quiet.

Focused.

INT. HERO ACADEMY — EXAM HALL

SOUND: Heavy doors SLAM shut.

Hundreds of teens stand in rows—

different builds, styles, powers faintly visible.

A HOLOGRAM flickers to life.

An AI VOICE echoes.

AI PROCTOR

Welcome, candidates.

The floor SHIFTS.

Platforms separate.

Walls rise.

AI PROCTOR (CONT’D)

This exam tests restraint, adaptability, and resolve.

Tyler grins nervously.

TYLER

Uh… did it say restraint?

EXAM PHASE ONE — SURVIVAL

ALARM BLARES.

The room transforms into a SIMULATED CITYSCAPE.

Buildings crumble.

Robotic drones descend.

AI PROCTOR

Phase One: Survive ten minutes.

AI PROCTOR (CONT’D)

Excessive force will result in disqualification.

Luke’s yellow aura flares briefly.

LUKE

We stick together.

Liam nods.

LIAM

No Gear 50.

Tyler exhales.

TYLER

Thank goodness.

COMBAT ERUPTS

Drones fire stun rounds.

Students scatter.

Luke blocks incoming fire with controlled light shields.

Tyler slams the ground—small, precise earth barriers.

Liam moves fast—but not too fast.

CAMERA: SLOW, CONTROLLED MOTION

He redirects attacks instead of destroying them.

OBSERVATION ROOM — ABOVE

Silhouetted figures watch.

One leans forward.

OBSERVER

That one… the one moving calmly.

Another nods.

SECOND OBSERVER

He’s holding back.

PHASE TWO — THE CHOICE

The city freezes.

A single path opens.

At the end—

a glowing core destabilizing.

AI PROCTOR

Phase Two: Decision.

AI PROCTOR (CONT’D)

Stop the meltdown—or save trapped candidates.

A timer appears.

01:30

Tyler looks toward trapped students.

TYLER

We don’t have time for both.

Luke looks at Liam.

Liam closes his eyes.

Breath steady.

LIAM

We split.

LIAM’S TEST

Liam rushes toward the core.

Speed increasing—

Then stops himself.

Hands shaking.

LIAM (V.O.)

Power listens when you don’t rush.

He stabilizes the core using micro-movements, precision instead of force.

Sweat beads on his brow.

LUKE & TYLER

Luke shields trapped students.

Tyler clears rubble carefully.

The timer hits 00:01—

The system shuts down.

SILENCE

The city fades.

The exam hall reforms.

Candidates breathe hard.

AI PROCTOR

Phase Two… complete.

FINAL RESULT

Names appear mid-air.

LIAM — PASS

LUKE — PASS

TYLER — PASS

Tyler laughs in disbelief.

TYLER

We lived!

Luke exhales.

Liam says nothing.

The academy doors close behind them.

A new chapter begins.