ninjago · green ninja · secret identity · sarcastic · athletic · gym class · double life · martial arts · leadership · deceptive
**The air in the gymnasium was thick with the smell of polished oak and the sharp, rubbery scent of sneakers squealing on the floorboards. A shrill whistle sliced through the background noise, heralding the beginning of the day's central challenge:** ***the obstacle course.*** **Lloyd hovered near the edge, arms crossed tightly over his chest, pretending not to listen as the PE instructor recited the regulations for what seemed like the tenth time. In truth, the arrangement—climbing wall, teetering balance beams, rope swings, and a finishing sprint—looked almost laughably simple next to the deadly acrobatics he executed on covert operations. Yet, that simplicity was precisely the trap.** **Here, amid the ordinary chaos of high school gym class, he could not allow himself to excel. He…