They followed Kris, hand in hand, trusting him to guide them through the maze.
Though a faint light hung above them, it barely illuminated the path, leaving them blind.
All they could do was rely on Kris as he expertly maneuvered through the dark maze.
What surprised them most was how smooth the journey was.
They didn't stop, and didn't hit any dead ends along the way.
It felt as though they were walking in a straight line, the maze offering no resistance.
The faint light above grew stronger with each step, gradually revealing more of their surroundings until they could finally see each other clearly.
"Tidy, we're near now!" Belle shouted with excitement.
"Woof, woof!" The Tide Hound barked back in excitement, its sounds echoing through the maze, growing louder as they approached.
"Kris, you're amazing! I don't know how you're doing this, but we're getting so close!" Chansey beamed, her voice filled with awe.
But then, Kris suddenly stopped.
"Wait…" Kris muttered, eyes narrowing as he assessed their next move.
Before them, a dead end revealed itself.
It was their first real obstacle since entering the maze.
The smooth progress they had been enjoying suddenly halted by this unexpected barrier.
"Oh no, is this our first dead end?" Necho asked, glancing around nervously.
"What are we going to do, mate?" Thursday added, his voice laced with concern.
Belle, sensing the tension, squeezed Kris's arm lightly.
"Can I still hold your hand bab... Kris?" she asked as she stumbled her words, her voice soft, though the momentary fear was palpable.
Kris didn't notice belle's blunder, he stood there for a moment, thinking.
His mind racing, stared at the wall. It seemed out of place, almost too perfectly situated in their path.
"There's something off about this…"
He placed his hand on the wall and knocked on it, feeling for any gaps or irregularities, hoping to uncover something.
Kris's instincts flared again, this wasn't just a dead end; it was part of the test.
In his augmented vision, he could still see the five silhouettes of their Data Beasts beyond the wall.
"Pyro! Can you hear me?" Kris called out.
"Meow!"
came the faint but familiar cry of his Pyro Cub, just beyond the barrier.
Kris turned to face his group, his expression serious.
"Guys, I need all of you to command your Data Beasts to attack this wall. Our Data Beasts are just right behind it," Kris said, his voice calm but firm.
"Are you sure, mate? breaking the maze? Isn't that against the rules?" Thursday asked, hesitation clear in his tone.
Before Kris could answer, Belle chimed in confidently. "Sir Ahmed didn't say anything about not breaking the maze. We're just thinking creatively. It's fine!"
Selina, who had been quiet for a while, finally spoke.
"We trust you, Kris." Her words were steady, but her mind was out of place moments ago.
She was thinking about earlier, she hadn't expected Belle to ask Kris out earlier, it had thrown her off.
They'd been friends for so long, but this was the first time she they both liked the same thing.
As she glanced at Kris, Selina felt a spark of determination.
'They are not official yet, I still have a chance!'
Everyone exchanged glances, their nervousness replaced by resolve. They knew they were close.
"Let's destroy the wall!" Kris stood firm, his confidence unwavering.
Necho, stepping up in full support of Kris, nodded. "Alright, everyone, let's get ready. On my count!"
One by one, the group readied themselves, syncing with their Data Beasts on the other side of the wall. Determination surged through them as they prepared for the command.
Necho began the countdown. "1... 2... 3... Go!"
"Terra, use Blade Strike!"
"Luminara, Wind Dance, now!"
"Tidy, Water Cannon on the wall!"
"Bolt, Strike it with Thunder Fist!"
"Ignis, Fire Stomp!"
"Pyro, use Flame Pounce!"
As the Data Beasts unleashed their powerful attacks, the maze trembled under the combined force.
The wall in front of them began to crack, jagged lines spreading across its surface.
"Tell your Data Beasts to persist! keep up the attacks!" Kris instructed, his voice firm.
The group called out to their Data Beasts, relaying Kris's command.
Fueled by the determination to reunite with their trainers, They attacked with even more vigor.
The sound of their efforts echoed through the dark maze as their attacks pounded against the wall, the bond between Data Beasts and trainers pushing them to break through, giving them motivation to see each other again.
The cracks deepened, and the wall began to give way, inch by inch. Their reunion was getting closer.
With a loud boom, the barrier finally gave way, collapsing into a cloud of dust.
The debris filled the air, obscuring their vision for a moment.
"did we do it?" Selina asked, a bit worried for the outcome.
Then the dust settled, the faint glow of Pyro Cub's fiery mane pierced through the haze, illuminating the silhouettes of the other Data Beasts.
Even though they had only spent 30-40 minutes navigating the dark maze, the emotional weight of the moment washed over them.
There, in front of them, were the companion they treasured most.
"Meow!" Pyro rushed towards Kris, leaping into his arms.
Kris caught the small creature effortlessly, and Pyro snuggled into him with a gentle purr, its warmth offering comfort after the intense moment.
The others followed suit, their Data Beasts hurling towards them in a joyous reunion.
They each embraced their companions, feeling the deep connection reignite as they were finally reunited.
After everything, they had experience they felt relief, Finally its over!
...
The five teachers watched intently from their control room as Kris's group faced the final obstacle.
They witnessed how the group rallied together with their Data Beasts as one wall was only between them, after breaking through it they saw how they embraced each others beasts with a mix of joy and relief.
The teachers exchanged glances, their expressions reflecting a growing admiration, especially for Kris's ability to lead his fellow classmate to the end of the course.
"Principal, this batch has the most potential I have ever seen," remarked Teacher Issa Abara, her gentle voice filled with pride.
She had noticed Kris from the first stage but what she saw now, during all the parts of the obstacle he exceeded her expectations.
"Kris you are amazing!" exclaimed Teacher Lea Lavigne, springing to her feet in celebration.
The other teachers looked at her, surprised by the sudden outburst.
Lea realized what she did, quickly sat back down, a hint of embarrassment creeping into her cheeks.
"Hehehe, good job, Kris!" she whispered to herself as she looked at kris hugging his data beast on the screen, a smile creeped up on her face.
Principal Geo, his hand resting thoughtfully on his chin, stared intently at the screen.
He reflected on Kris's remarkable decision-making and how he incorporated everyone in his commands.
'This kid's potential is remarkable!"
The memories flooded back to his own days fighting against the Virals, where the essence of true leadership was a matter of survival.
He recognized that same air that was coming out of kris, when he commanded his allies through the challenges, This was a quality that was born from bloodshed and sacrifices.
In that moment, he couldn't help but think that Kris would be better suited for the battlefield than the academy.