Hyper Dash : Road to glory

At the end of the meeting, Lyra then led them to an advanced simulator, a kind of virtual training field.

"This is where you'll begin to get to know each other," she explained.

"The training won't be easy, but you need to get used to the team synergy. You're not just individual Dashers. You're a team."

The team members took their positions. Zane stood on the defense line, ready to block any attacker. Mira began analyzing the environment and formulating a plan, looking for strategic positions. Ren, still a little hesitant, took his place as a Collector next to Darren, who gave him a friendly smile that helped calm him down.

The trial began. Ren surged forward at full speed, like a flash of lightning, using his exoskeleton to leap over obstacles and reach the crystal. But as he got closer, an adversary appeared out of nowhere. Zane, ever watchful, blocked the attack with a charge.

Zane: "Not so fast, my friend."

This allowed Ren to continue his mission. Mira, on the other hand, was managing the situation, directing the movements and anticipating the attacks.

In his earpiece, her calm but determined voice guided her teammates:

"Ren, listen carefully. Darren is two steps from the crystal, but he's blocked. The enemy Collectors are lying in wait, concentrating their forces on the left. If we want him to pass, you need to draw their attention to you."

Ren hesitated for a moment. His exoskeleton was a basic version, nothing like the top-tier models of the other Dashers. But Mira believed in him.

Ren took a deep breath; this was his moment to prove he deserved his place.

"Got it. I'm on it."

Mira pressed a hologram, sending a visual signal to Ren. He jumped off a platform and activated his boost, creating a luminous trail in the air as he reached an incredible speed. He dashed toward the left side, where the two enemy Collectors were lying in wait. One of the adversaries, surprised by Ren's speed, launched into pursuit.

Mira: "Good job, Ren. Now, make some noise."

As Ren ran, he activated a sound grenade that emitted high-frequency sound bursts. The remaining Collector, believing it to be an attack, turned his attention to the noise, creating an opening for Darren. Mira watched the scene with a satisfied smile. She pressed another channel.

"Mira: "Darren, now. The path is clear."

Darren emerged from the shadows. His black exoskeleton, almost invisible in the gloom, propelled him toward the Nexus crystal. He leapt over a moving obstacle and, in a fluid motion, grabbed the crystal.

Ren, out of breath, dodged an attack from the enemy, his energy nearly depleted from the two skills he had just used.

But it was a perfect ballet, each one playing their part to perfection, and in the end, Darren moved between the traps and obstacles with devilish ease and precision.

Ren: "Incredible... despite his speed, his movements are still fluid and precise."

As the enemy Guardian neared Darren, the latter, with precision, threw the crystal to Ren, surprising him with the gesture.

Darren: "Welcome to the team, buddy," he said with a smile.

Ren didn't miss this opportunity. He tapped into his reserves, activating a stronger propulsion than before and reached a great speed, sliding between the two other Collectors, grabbing the crystal, and finally bringing it back to base.

"Well done," Zane said, smiling.

"We're off to a good start."

Ren smiled, his heart swelling with pride. He knew the road ahead would be tough, but now he had allies. And together, they could accomplish great things.