As they approached the next course, a loud buzzing filled the air.
Kris and his friends looked up to see hundreds of hovering drones swarming in chaotic patterns above them.
"Hey! Get out of the way!" one student shouted in panic, colliding with another as he tried to dodge the incoming drones.
"Why are you following me?!" another student angrily pointed at someone, their frustration rising amidst the chaos.
"What do you mean? I'm just trying to avoid getting hit by these things!" the other student defended, their eyes darting nervously between the drones.
"F*ck! Move!" someone screamed as a drone hurtled toward them. In desperation, he shoved another student aside, trying to escape.
"AAAHHH, this hurts!" cried a student as a drone smacked into them, sending them stumbling.
Kris and his friends arrived just in time to witness the scene of chaos.
Students were getting struck by the drones left and right.
Those who had breezed through the jumping course with their flying Data Beasts now found themselves trapped in this nightmarish challenge.
The sheer number of drones and their erratic movements made it impossible for slower flying Data Beasts to navigate the air safely.
Thursday glanced nervously at the swarm of drones.
"Mate, what are we going to do? I don't think we can pass through here like we did earlier." His voice carried a note of worry.
Necho shook his head, a teasing grin forming on his face.
"Looks like we'll have to leave you here, Thursday."
"What?! Don't you lads feel the brotherhood we shared on the jumping course?" Thursday exclaimed dramatically, waving his hands in exaggerated despair.
Kris couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head at the banter.
"Don't bully Thursday, Necho. He might actually believe you." His friends never failed to entertain him, even in tense moments like this.
Suddenly, Kris felt a gentle poke at his side. He turned to see Selina standing next to him, her eyes wide and teary.
"Uhm… Kris?" she said softly, her voice laced with hesitation. "I think… we need your help here too. I'm sorry, Kris." Her demeanor had completely shifted from their earlier disagreements.
Now, she looked up at him with the vulnerability of a puppy seeking comfort.
Kris sighed, his resolve firming up.
"Alright, let's figure this out together." He glanced at the drones and then back at his friends.
"We're getting through this. I have a plan."
Kris, now fully in command, shared his plan with his friends, his serious tone and natural leadership exuding a calm confidence.
Belle and Selina found themselves captivated, each glancing at him in awe.
To them, this side of Kris was undeniably charming, he is someone they could rely on in moments of chaos.
Selina, still shaken from her earlier near-fall, looked at Kris with admiration.
The image of his strong hands catching her and those amber eyes locking onto hers in reassurance kept replaying in her mind.
'I think I really did fall back there', she thought, a soft blush rising to her cheeks.
Belle, too, felt her heart race as she kept stealing glances at Kris.
Her mind flashed back to when he had caught her during their previous obstacle, the feel of his touch lingering longer than she expected.
'He's like my prince charming,' she thought, her smile growing mischievous. 'I'm definitely not sleeping tonight.'
Kris, oblivious to the effect he had on the girls, kept his focus on the obstacle course ahead.
"There should be switches scattered throughout the course that could deactivate portions of the drones momentarily. Follow my lead, and we'll clear the way," he instructed.
He turned to Necho and Belle.
"I need you two to guard the rear. Necho, use Electro Howl to disorient the drones. Belle, can you command Tide Hound to use its Water Cannon when the drones get too close?"
Before Belle could respond, Tide Hound barked and spun in excitement, as if already accepting the task.
Kris chuckled and ruffled Tide Hound's fur.
"Thanks, Tidy."
Next, Kris glanced at Selina and Thursday.
"Thursday, your job is to guard our sides. Selina, you'll be up front with me, helping to clear the way. Are you okay with that?" He met Selina's eyes.
Selina, caught off guard by Kris's gaze, quickly looked away, her cheeks reddening. She nodded shyly.
"If I'm with you, I'll do it," she muttered, barely audible but sincere.
"Alright," Kris said, giving her a confident nod.
"I saw a switch up ahead that might disable some of the drones. We'll head there first." He pointed toward the distant switch as his friends nodded in unison.
Just as they prepared to move, a voice interrupted them.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing? It's unfair for the five of you to team up!" A student with green hair stepped forward, his face twisted in annoyance.
Thursday, who had been nervous but now felt irritated at the interruption, shot back.
"What, you wanna fight us, you mug?"
The green-haired student didn't even bother responding to Thursday.
Instead, his gaze shifted to Belle and Selina, and his expression shifted to a cocky smirk.
He flexed dramatically, trying to show off.
"Hey, ladies, the name's Terrence Wong. With my Galeadillo, we could get through this course in the blink of an eye. How about it?" He tapped the back of the large armadillo-like Data Beast beside him, its hard green shell gleaming.
Kris narrowed his eyes at Terrence, sensing the arrogance in his tone. But he held his composure, glancing at Belle and Selina to gauge their reactions.
"No, thank you. I think I'm more comfortable with my classmates here," Belle replied firmly, her voice carrying a note of finality.
She glanced at Kris, a small, satisfied smile tugging at her lips.
'See? I'm super loyal to you,' she thought, hoping Kris noticed.
Selina nodded in agreement. "Yeah, wherever Belle goes, I'll go."
Her gaze lingered briefly on Kris before she turned back to Terrence, making it clear that their decision was final.
Terrence, still refusing to take the hint, persisted. "Are you sure? With my Galeadillo's abilities, we could pass this course easily," he boasted, casting a glance at Kris and his companions. "I don't think you'll be safe with them."
Belle rolled her eyes, giving a quick glance at Kris. "I'm good, thanks."
'Why would I go with you? I'm with my Kris?'
Necho, who had been silently watching the whole exchange, decided it was time to step in. "Dude, the girls don't want to be with you. Why don't you move on and skedaddle?"
Terrence's face turned red with frustration, but before he could respond,
Thursday shot him a calm but unwavering look. "You heard them, you mug. Move along."
Terrence huffed, glaring at Kris one last time before turning on his heel, muttering under his breath as he and his Galeadillo stormed off.
With the distraction gone, Kris looked at his friends, the corner of his mouth twitching into a faint smile. "Alright, let's get back to the plan."
The group resumed their focus, ready to face the challenge ahead as a team.
As Kris and his team executed their plan with precision, they moved forward seamlessly.
Necho's Electro Howl disoriented the drones from the rear while Belle's Tide Hound blasted them with well-timed Water Cannons, keeping their sides safe.
Meanwhile, Kris and Selina cleared the path ahead, getting closer to the switch.
"Are they lost?" one student mumbled as they watched Kris's group.
"The exit's that way."
"I think they've gotten overwhelmed by the drones," another student speculated, shaking their head.
From a distance, Terrence noticed the murmurs and glanced towards Kris's group.
With a smug expression, he muttered to himself,
"See? If they'd come along with me, they'd have finished the course by now."
He strolled confidently beside his Galeadillo, its Wind Armor forming an impenetrable force field that repelled the incoming drones.
But just as he basked in his confidence, something unexpected happened.
A swarm of hundreds of drones began to surround him, moving in quickly.
Terrence laughed, his arrogance on full display. "You can't penetrate my Galeadillo's Wind Armor! It's impenetrable!"
His bravado faded as he noticed something odd, the drones weren't retreating.
Instead, they hovered ominously, waiting for something.
He looked down and saw his Galeadillo straining, its legs trembling under the pressure.
"Stop playing around! Move forward!" Terrence snapped, giving the rear of his Data Beast a sharp kick.
What he didn't realize, however, was that abilities no matter how powerful had endurance limitation. The once-solid barrier around them flickered, weakening under the continuous barrage of drones. Galeadillo groaned, struggling to maintain the Wind Armor.
Terrence's face drained of color as the realization dawned on him.
His so-called invincible defense was on the verge of collapsing.