"Let's go, lads!" Thursday said with a grin, clapping Necho and Kris on the back. The three of them stood at the edge of the obstacle course, eyeing the first jump ahead of them.
The gap wasn't as bad as they initially feared—a three-meter jump, not too difficult by most standards. But as they looked down into the seemingly endless drop below, Thursday gulped, his usual confidence wavering for a second.
"Yeah, it's not that bad. We don't need the help of our Data Beasts here," Thursday said, trying to shake off the nervousness, but his eyes kept darting to the illusion below, where the gap appeared much deeper.
"How about I jump first?" Kris suggested, stepping forward.
His calm confidence hadn't wavered.
He knew from his Marine Corps experience in past life that the real challenge here wasn't the jump itself, it was the illusion cast by the Esper Serpent, making the drop appear much more dangerous than it actually was.
Necho shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Kris.
"Go ahead, Kris," he said, though his voice was tight with nerves.
The illusion was clearly messing with his head.
Kris gave him a reassuring nod.
"It's not as deep as it looks," he said calmly, catching Necho's eye.
"It's just an illusion."
Necho's eyes widened in realization, and Kris could see a flicker of relief pass over his face, though the nerves didn't entirely fade.
Taking a steadying breath, Kris took a few steps back to get a running start.
He sprinted toward the edge and leaped, soaring through the air with precision.
His feet landed firmly on the other side of the gap, and he turned back to the others, giving them a confident nod.
"See? Easy," Kris said, as if the illusion hadn't affected him at all.
Thursday exhaled and grinned, the tension lifting.
"Alright, let's do this!" he said, shaking off the last of his hesitation.
Necho glanced at Thursday, then back at Kris, steeling himself.
"If Kris can do it, so can we."
With renewed determination, the three of them prepared to continue, ready to face the rest of the obstacle course.
Necho squinted at the next jump, it was the same distance as before, three meters.
"Let's go, Kris," he urged, ready to get past the illusion of the last jump.
But Kris held up a hand.
"Wait," he said calmly. He knelt down and gently placed Pyro Cub on the ground.
"Pyro, use Flame Pounce to get to the other side."
Pyro Cub meowed in response, its bright eyes focused.
Its mane ignited, flames flickering along its body as it charged up.
In a swift motion, it leaped across the gap, the flames surrounding its body as it sailed through the air and landed gracefully on the other side.
Pyro turned back, nodding to Kris, as if signaling that it was safe to proceed.
"Wait, everyone," Kris called out before Necho or Thursday could make their move.
"There's an extra 0.5 meters in this jump. You'll need to cover a bit more distance than before."
Necho and Thursday exchanged puzzled looks.
"How do you know that?" Necho asked, glancing back at the gap they had just cleared.
"When Pyro jumped, I noticed the landing took just a fraction of a second longer than the last one," Kris explained.
His calm expression didn't change as he added, "It's all about the physics."
Necho's eyes widened, impressed.
"Wow, you calculated that based on the jump? I didn't know you were into physics." He grinned and nodded, his confidence returning.
"I trust you, Kris. We'll follow your lead."
Thursday chimed in, his usual bravado now matched with respect.
"Yeah, Kris, you've got this."
"Alright, everyone, let's go," Kris said, taking a few steps back before sprinting forward and leaping across the gap.
He landed on the other side with ease, turning to watch Necho and Thursday make their jumps.
Necho followed suit, his Bolt Ape howling excitedly,
"Oohh ahh ahh!" as it hopped beside him.
Thursday, with his Tera Mantis, also jumped over, the creature swaying side to side in excitement, its antennae flicking.
But as soon as they landed, a sharp
"Meow!" caught the attention of both Data Beasts.
They turned to see Pyro, standing proudly with its tail flicking, letting out another calm meow as if to tell them to settle down.
Pyro's message was clear: "Stay focused; this is only the beginning."
Necho chuckled, patting his Bolt Ape's shoulder. "Looks like Pyro's telling you two to calm down."
Thursday's Tera Mantis shifted its stance, as if embarrassed, and nodded at Pyro.
Kris smiled slightly, watching his Data Beast take the lead. "Alright, everyone. Let's keep going. We've got a long course ahead."
After several more jumps, the group halted at a particularly wide gap. Thursday stared at it, eyes wide. "Whoa, mate, I think this is the time we'll need our Data Beasts for real."
Necho, equally uncertain, turned to Kris for guidance.
Kris, deep in thought, examined the obstacle.
He noticed other students struggling while those with flying Data Beasts were breezing through the final part of the jumping course.
His eyes traced the distance of the jump and then drifted to the nearby wall.
An idea sparked in his mind.
"Alright, everyone, back up a bit," Kris said, determination flashing in his eyes.
"Let me try something."
Wiping the soles of his shoes to maximize grip, Kris took a few steps back, then sprinted toward the gap.
With swift precision, he launched himself at the wall, running along its surface.
At the last moment, he kicked off, landing smoothly on the other side.
He rolled to absorb the impact, rising to his feet without a hitch.
Both Necho and Thursday stood there, mouths agape, stunned by Kris's agility.
"What the hell was that!?" Thursday exclaimed, his voice echoing across the course, still trying to process what Kris had just done.
Necho, equally astonished, added, "There's no way we could pull that off, right!?"
Kris chuckled, shaking his head. "Of course not. I had to measure the distance beforehand. But you don't need to do what I did—you two can jump using your Data Beasts."
He turned to Thursday first. "Remember the strategy I told you earlier? I'll let your Tera Mantis ride on Pyro, and together, they'll jump across. You'll follow right after."
Thursday, recalling Kris's earlier advice, nodded but hesitated.
"Are you sure it's safe, mate? What if Tera misses the jump?"
Kris placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Trust in your Data Beast, Thursday. Tera won't let you down."
Thursday took a deep breath, looking at Tera Mantis, who was eagerly swaying as if ready for the challenge.
"Alright, let's do this."
Kris then turned to Necho, who was waiting eagerly. "How about me, Kris? What do you want me to do?"
Kris pondered for a moment before instructing Genesis to scan Necho's Bolt Ape. The familiar sound of Genesis's processing filled the air as the data appeared.
[Bolt Ape]
Ascendant
Rank: 1
Element: Electric
Potential: Semi Gold
Abilities:
Static Leap: Leaps a great distance, charged with electricity that discharges upon landing.
Thunder Fist: Charges its fists with electric energy, delivering a powerful punch.
Charging Beat: A self-buffing move that amplifies its electric abilities.
Electro Howl: Releases a disorienting howl that can confuse nearby enemies.
Additional Notes:
Weaknesses: Ground-type, Ice-type
Strengths: Water-type, Flying-type, Metal-type
Evolution: Can evolve into a more powerful form at level 3 with sufficient experience.
Special Evolution: [LOCK]
Kris examined the data on his screen, and something caught his attention.
"Semi Gold? What does that mean, Genesis?" he asked, intrigued.
Genesis responded in its calm, automated voice. "Semi Gold refers to a Data Beast's potential. It means Bolt Ape is on the cusp of having gold-tier potential but hasn't fully unlocked it. It's an indication that Bolt Ape has the capacity to grow stronger and evolve into a higher-tier Data Beast, though it has yet to reach that point."
Kris nodded, taking in the explanation.
"So, Bolt Ape has untapped potential... Interesting." he muttered
Kris then instructed Necho "Your Bolt Ape should have Static Leap. But it wont be powerful enough to carry you both to the jump, so We'll need to use its Charging Beat to help you amplify the static leap ability."
Necho's eyes lit up. "A combo command? That sounds like it could work!"
He looked at Bolt Ape, confidence returning to his expression. "Alright, big guy, let's show them what you've got!"
Kris smiled. "Alright! lets start with Thursday!"
Kris observed Thursday's nervous energy, sensing the tension before the leap. He knew Thursday could pull it off, but the moment needed focus.
"Alright, let's do this, Thursday. Terra Mantis has got your back," Kris reassured.
Thursday closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and calmed himself.
As he exhaled, he opened his eyes, determination settling in.
His gaze met Terra Mantis's, the bond between them evident as Terra waved its arms, signaling its readiness.
"Okay, Terra, let's go!" Thursday shouted, setting into a sprinting position.
He dashed forward with full force, leaping at the gap. As he neared the peak of his jump, he shouted,
"Now, Terra!"
At the perfect moment, Terra Mantis unleashed Pebble Assault at Thursday's soles, propelling him forward with an extra boost of force.
The surge carried him further than he could've jumped alone, allowing him to land safely on the other side.
Kris was quick to catch Thursday, steadying him. "You did well, buddy," he said, patting Thursday on the back.
Still feeling the rush of adrenaline, Thursday pumped his fist into the air.
"Woooohooo! That was awesome!" he yelled, his excitement palpable.
Kris grinned. "Great job. Now, Necho, it's your turn. Ready to make that combo work?"
Necho nodded, his eyes filled with focus. "Bolt Ape, let's show them what we've got!"