Chapter 12 Ladder of Fortitude

"Unlike the tests conducted yesterday, today's test will eliminate those unable to pass the 50th step. What does it mean? Any one of you who cannot make to the 51rst step will be eliminated and your masks and names will be forfeited. Your Credit points will not be refunded." Memo-rise explained.

Some of the faculties and staffs where there to watch the test too. Both Bubbles Up and Horseman went there to observe and the Fatty Cook of Medicine went too.

"The first 50 steps will test your will, your steadfastness of your soul, emotions and consciousness or mentality. Some whose weak on their state of mind will go crazy in this stage and it is not allowable for a hero whose state of mind is weak so they will be eliminated. This stage where you are going to fight your inner demons,If you can't handle your inner demons, how will you handle those real demons? It's only good for you to be eliminated. But if you have strong faith and clear conscience this test is just a peace of cake. The remaining steps will test your strength and perseverance. It's a physical torment. And from the 90 steps will test your undying courage, heroism and endurance.

If you reach the 100 steps, it means you can go against fate and has the ability to change it. But no one has reach the 100th step ever since this ladder was fallen from heaven" explained by the Emcee Memo-rise.

"It's a heavenly artifact?" The candidates where Surprise

"It' s look is deceiving you right now, you might be even thinking; ' how do I go to the next step?' Others may think of relying on thier flying ability but I say to you, flying won't work on the ladder and can only be achieved by walking step by step. Do not even attempt to jump because you can't do it." The Emcee told them.

The ladders steps are separated by approximately 300 meters from each other that would make it impossible to take the second step without flying or jumping.

"Then how do we go to the next step?" Damon asked.

"Just simply carry on, and walk and walk and walk till you go over the next step and the next" replied the emcee.

Just at that time a strong pressure fall from the sky all of a sudden, It was Director Xavier and Academy Superintendent coming down.

The Candidates can't hold thier breath due to the pressure then the Dean appeared above them and shielded them from the pressure coming from the Director who is an SSS+ Class hero.

"Is this the strength of a SSS plus? A candidate asks in astonishment.

"The Director of the Academy is an SSS plus? Cried the others.

"The strength of the SSS plus hero is like this? Why I dont' fell it?" Null said and is wondering what others feel and he is the only unaffected one.

The Dean made a sudden glance at him who is the only one amongst the candidates who is unaffected by the pressure. With that one look, he understands he can only be no other than Null with the strongest defense boost amongst them.

"You have finally come" he said to the Director and the Supirentendent of the Heroes Academy while bowing at them.

"The Candidates gives respects to the Director and the Supirentendent." Greets the candidates. The faculties also bowed to them as well as the Emcee.

Then the move to thier seats in the stage.

"Continue!" He ordered the emcee.

"What brought you here?" Asked the Dean.

"I'm sure you know it already without telling you." The director said.

Deep inside the Dean knows it is because of the candidate who got a 100% durability.

"Now that I have given you the pointers and have explained to you the rules it's all up to you now. Be sure to pass the 51rst step so you can pass this test." Said the emcee.

"Hi, we see each other again"

That was Lucky Zero waving his hand as he comes closer to Null. Vanessa was walking beside him.

"Did something happen to you both?" Asked Null.

The two glance at each other. "What should happen to us?" Asked Vanessa.

"It's not like that, What I mean, you know" Null tried to explained but it becomes more complicated.

"What? That we should do like couples do?" Vanessa cover her mouth but it was too late before she knew she should not say that and now she is ashamed.

"Did the God of emotions shoot an arrow for the two of you?" Null was wondering. Vanessa then felt more ashamed so she fall silent behind Lucky Zero.

"I was just confuse, since yesterday you are enemies but now, the way I look at it is totally different." Null explained.

"No, it's a misunderstanding. We are actually friends" said Lucky Zero.

"Only friends?" Asks Vanessa then realizing her misspoken words again she felt ashamed so she pinched Lucky Zero's ear.

"Ouch! It hurts! I did not say anything wrong this time" he cried.

"You're an idiot" she said.

"That was like yesterday's scenario" Null said while laughing.

"Let the tests Begin, Now all of candidates can start climbing the Ladder of Fortitude" declared the emcee.

"Let's go!" Everyone cried.

"Finally it starts" said Null.

"Let's go together brother" said Lucky Zero.

"Alright, this will be fine. I only need to moved on till the 51rst step to pass, Is that right?" Vanessa asks the both of them.

Null make a nod.

"Yeah, but if you have the strength, why not try and break the record as well. See that golden door at the top of the Ladder? That will be my goal" said Lucky Zero while pointing the golden shining door at the top.

Faculties got excited as the test of fortitude begins. Many of the students were already affected by the illusion of the Ladder as they step on the first step.

As Lucky Zero step on the first step of the Ladder of about 10 meters wide and a kilometers tall he saw a giant stairway to heaven and he was standing on the first step.

Its height is approximately 100 kilometers and width of about 3 kilometers.

"What a magnificent site!" He shouted.

On the top of the stairway is a huge golden gate standing about 800 feet and width of 100 feet.

But at the blink of time the scenario has change. His body has change into that of a young boy aged 4 years old,he was crawling in ithe snowy plain. A monster apeared with tentacles eating some people. He look for a place as he was terrified by the site, his whole body was shaking. He covered his mouth with his hands. He was so careful not to make any noise. Then he saw his elder sister. She was holding a rusty old sword facing the monster, he want to shout and told her to get out and run away but he was too afraid to make a noise. He just hide there in the hole trembling and shaking until he saw his sister was eaten by the monster. Then the scenario switch, he was already at home, then his fathe punched him and kicked him. He cried "it's not me! It's not me!" But his father won't listen to him he kicked him and knocked him off.

The scenario switched again, her mother is transformed into a monster right infront of him. The same monster that killed his sister,

"It was you, you killed your own daughter! Why?" He said.

Then he became angry, he was holding his saber coat it with ice and stab his mother's heart as the monster lay dying it returned into its human form then it died just as his father see them who was looking for him. Seeing him killing his own mother. "What kind of demon did I raise?!" Then he slashed his back with a saber. He fall unconscious and when he wakes up his father was dead. Something has pierced his heart. Beggining that day, people was calling him a demon.

Then, the scenery becomes dark and his inner demon appeared. It looks similar to him however he was dark and develish including his aura.

"Why would you like to become a hero where you cannot even save your own sister? Why would you want to be a hero when you are not brave enough to help her? Why not become a demon instead?" Said his inner demon.

"Shut up!" Shouted Lucky Zero.

"Do you call yourself lucky? You are not, You are doomed the moment you are born. Don't become a hero, you are unfit." Said the Inner demon.

"Shut up! It's not true!" Anwered Lucky Zero.

"That is the truth! You just can't accept it but that is the truth" Replied his inner demon.

Everyone was looking at the candidates performance but Lucky Zero had become the center of attention since everyone has left the lower steps and now at the 5th step and only Lucky Zero has not moved from the first step.

"As you can see, everyone has to the next step but one candidates remained on the first step and looks like he is caught by his inner demon" said the emcee.

"It's still early to judge" said the Director of the Heroes Academy.

"Look, there is the candidate Null, who had climb the highest as of now and he continue to move forward and Who is that? Someone is running his way challenging Null and pass him by. Ah that is Fox Slayer who is running through the steps." As told by the emcee.

The candidates won't hear anyone from the outside whatever is said. It's like, they are in another world as they stepped in the ladder of fortitude.

Null look at Fox Slayer who was running ahead of him.

"Hey! Foxy!" He waved after her but she ignored him so he run after her that shock everyone who were watching.

"That boy is unaffected at all but the fox is still under illusion, I think this test is going to the most interesting part." Declared the emcee.

"My apologize, I forgot to tell them onething. As someone is closer enough to another candidates in the 10nth step onward, that person will become a character of another's illusions and vice versa. They can be a character of the inner demon of another candidate." Told the Emcee.

"Running after her is not a good idea boy" whispered the Dean.

"Foxy!" Null shouted but the fox seemed to be a deaf. Until he reached her and grab her hand. They are at the ninth step.

"Huh, What is going on? What happened? Where are we? Who are you? Why did you stop me? I'm chasing those fox" Asks Fox Slayer.

"It's me chasing after you, and you were the fox, do you have some amnessia?" Null also asks.

"Oh no! So this is the Ladder of Fortitude. We are still in the test." Surprised Fox Slayer

"That means, that was all an illusions?" Then she look around at other candidates who had fallin for it. They just standing still on the stairs. Some are crying, others are terrified some was reasoning out and someone like Damon is beating the air.

Null turned to look at Damon who was beating the air. But then Damon said something nostalgic.

"Don't call me brother, I'm not your brother! I cannot accept a brother who is so soft like you. But even though you be able to be hard still I won't accept you as a brother. Never!" Damon said it out loud.

"So it was you" Null said.

"Do you know him?" Asks Fox Slayer.

"No" Null answered.

"They are in a mess" said Fox Slayer. "What about you?"

"Me? I don't even know how this ladder works that why I reached for you?" Null anwered.