[Host, Sync Buff can now be used.]
As Luca drove in P9, Trampos'' cheers grew louder, annoying opposition spectators. They couldn''t help but chant tedly, cheering Luca on toplete hiseback.
He was making aeback, wasn''t he? This was the 42nd Lap, with 13ps to go to round up the final Grand Prix of the season. It''d be a great disappointment if Luca''s momentum just happened to falter halfway and he didn''t make it up to P5 at least.
However, Luca had other ns in contrast to Trampos'' fears behind the supportive chants.
This wasn''t a simple sh of brilliance to beter forgotten and only remembered in rewind clips. Neither was this going to be the extent of how far Luca would go.
Sync Buff was full, sparkling and vibrating in its bar containment as if ready to drain its umted energy into Luca''s veins.
Momentum would increase from here—that much, he wished he could assure everyone at Trampos. The only trouble he might have was time, the single factor that never waited for anyone.
[Stamina +1]
[Ding!]
[The Stamina Attribute has entered a new stretch]
[Ding!]
[All Attributes are close to 30+]
[Generating...]
[.... sessfully generated]
[Strength: 28
Stamina: 31
Endurance: 28
Agility: 28
Intelligence: 28 ]
"Wow."
I had no idea they had gone up this high, Luca thought as he drove through the rain, battling the water.
Afterpleting the task for the Daily Quest andpleting the Daily Quest itself, it was more than reasonable that all his attributes were on the brink of a new threshold.
A threshold where he''d unlock yet another skill.
But for now, Luca was still fascinated by the recent skill he''d unlocked.
[Slipsense & Rainborne: 2]
Luca now had 12 skills in his arsenal, with 3 already maxed out and still providing minor boosts, while the remaining 9 were actively being leveled up.
He figured that navigating the remaining 10+ps on the wet Sris circuit might just earn him another point for Slipsense & Rainborne, pushing it to 3.
But how exactly was this skill supposed to work? Was there a specific technique to activate it, or was it simply about making effort and pushing his limits and adapting? The more he adapted, the easier it would be, as the skill point increase would make each subsequent effort smoother than thest.
Luca asked the system to give him a full breakdown of Slipsense & Rainborne.
[Retrieving Data on Slipsense & Rainborne...]
[...Data Retrieved]
[Slipsense & Rainborne enhances the host''s ability to navigate wet and slippery conditions by improving tire grip and visibility. This skill allows smoother cornering and greater control during heavy rainfall, reducing the risk of aquaning or spinouts. Effectiveness starts at 2% and can increase up to 40%, granting a significant edge in adverse weather conditions.]
[Execution of Slipsense & Rainborne:
–Anticipate weather-induced changes in track conditions
–Adapt to lower grip levels and recalibrate braking zones
–Focus on maintaining traction through subtle steering adjustments
–Position the car to utilize rain grooves on the track
–React swiftly to hydroning scenarios, adjusting throttle and steering bnce
–Capitalize on improved visibility and tire performance to overtakepetitors safely]
"Ahh.... I see. Makes very perfect sense."
Luca would have to acknowledge the wet changes and begin to deliberately drive to adapt to it. This deliberate driving would help him hone whatever number value of the Skill.
Luca took a deep breath and mentally swiped the interface to the basic disy that had the track analysis before him and his Operational Status.
[DATA DISPLAYED IN REAL TIME:
-Car Speed: 295 km/h
-Heart Rate: 110 bpm
-Operational Status: 75% (Good)
-Breathing: Calm & Steady
-Distance covered: 235500m
-Time: 1hr 2min.]
After just 9 Laps?!
Luca couldn''t believe his Operational Status was sitting at 72% after just nineps since hisst pitstop, his tires practically yawning in gradual exhaustion toe.
That didn''t exactly scream "solid percentage" for fueling his Dara with Sync Buff—especially since Sync Buff at Rookie, Intermediate, and Advanced Bundles only buffed him and not the car.
Making a quick calction, Luca figured his Dara would wear out before the end of the race due to Sync Buff''s influence, prompting another pitstop. And a pitstop at the closing moments of a race was never a good idea.
Imagine charging through the pack with Sync Buff, catching rivals left and right, only to end up broken down in the middle of Sris, rain pouring down, tires dead. Laughable.
And Luca didn''t also want to risk a pit now, as it jeopardized his P9, making it harder to climb again.
"Urghggghhhhh!" Luca groaned inside his helmet, slicing through the wet track as the circuit droned another announcement.
He thought about calling his engineers, maybeying the problem on their table, but no. That wasn''t going to work.
They were F2 Dara-engineering experts, sure, but they all believed his car could make it to the finish with its current status. They didn''t know he had a system. They didn''t know about Sync Buff, the way it pushed him into full-throttle chaos.
What was he even supposed to tell them?
"Hey, guys, thinking of flipping on Sync Buff... you know, where I basically go feral on track? Yeah, I might need a pitstop for that."
Nope. Not at all.
Luca tightened his grip on the wheel. If he wanted to make this work, he''d need to figure out something else.
After a while of pondering and deep calction with his system, Luca came up with something simple.@@novelbin@@
Simr to his evaluation during the Spanish Grand Prix, Luca calcted the number ofps left and the duration of Sync Buff, aligning it with the lengths he could push his Dara at its current Operational Status.
No Sync Buffing until the 49th Lap!
Luca wasn''t sure he could wait that long, as the brimming bar in his system''s interface was tantalizing. Moreover, he was utterly tired of battling the relentless rain and the slick, unforgiving track.
At times, whenever his rear tires threatened to slip away, Luca half-wished the water would just sweep him and his car off the track, carrying them away like a canoe adrift on a river.
But in truth, to avoid a breakdown or an untimely pit stop, Luca had to stick to his n. Activating his Sync Buff at the 49th Lap was the ideal move—and, reluctantly, he agreed with himself.
[Analyzing Dara (F2 04) and host''s distance from 8th Position]
[You are 3 seconds away, host.]
"Who''s ahead?" Luca asked his engineers.
**Walding** Mr. Ruben replied. A pause and he added, **Volyinski in P7 as well**
"Alright, cheers."
[Analyzing 10th Position''s distance from host and Dara (F2 04)...]
[9th Position is 3.5 sec away, host.]
Luca had built enough delta from De Klerk. Now, he could drive safely and unthreateningly behind Dani Walding, focusing on maximizing tire performance and conserving ERS.
And until the start of the 49th Lap...
"…and we are steadily cruising toward the thrilling finale of this French Grand Prix here in Le Castellet! The drivers are pushing their limits in sync with the rhythm of the rain, battling through a track soaked to chaos, a track that has already imed four spinouts this dramatic afternoon! It''s the 43rdp in France, and the F2 championship trophy is teetering on the edge of destiny!"
"…although Rennick has wed his way up to P9, it''s simply not enough for Trampos! Erik Haas remains stranded below P10, and the points table currently tilts in favor of Bueseno Velocità Jnr. If they hold on and cross the finish line with these standings, thendies and gentlemen, we will be crowning our champions!"
"WOOOOHH!"
[45th Lap]
"…we''ve been watching Rennick trailing behind Walding for quite a while now. Could he be setting up for a move soon?! Could he manage to slim down Velocità''s points and somehow keep Trampos alive in this championship battle?!"
"…and by doing that, wouldn''t it be ironic? He''d unintentionally be keeping Squadra''s hopes alive too!"
"...but no matter what position Luca Rennick currently upies, we''re yet to see him pose any real threat to Dani Walding. Jon, what''s your take on this? Could it be the car? A questionable team strategy? Or just the rain working against him?"
[47th Lap]
**Come on, Lucaaaaa! I know you''ve got this** Mr. Moritz urged through the team radio.
The entire crew sat in suspense,pletely unaware of Luca''s true intentions. From their perspective, it just seemed like he was struggling to overtake Walding.
More than threeps—almost eight minutes—had passed, and it was unlike Luca to hold back in the middle of the pack. The hesitation felt strange, almost unsettling, for a driver known for his awesome driving that made the crowd cheer.
Luca replied to his team engineers with a few understandableints and some queries, making sure not to keep them in the dark while he drove to conserve energy and maintain tire wear.
[48th Lap]
Luca adjusted, locking in and zeroing his focus.
He gently began to ease on his controls after being neutral for a long time.
This quickly broke out a second from the delta between him and Walding.
[Analyzing Dara (F2 04) and host''s distance from 8th Position]
[You are 2 seconds away, host.]
The rain was relentless now—a silver curtain might have been a better description.
The once-beautiful track was blurred, and so was Luca''s vision—both straight ahead and in his periphery. He had entered the radius of Dani Walding''s spray, further worsening the adversities against his survival on the track.
Walding''s Dara squirmed, and Luca could tell from the distorted, ring brake lights that shed and shook.
Luca shifted his eyes to a spot on the track, hoping he could discern whichne had fewer chances of hydroning, the same hydroning that had almost consumed Walding.
However, the relentless downpour limited track calctions by his system, forcing Luca to take a risk and drive past.
Continue your journey with empire
Managing it didn''t mean there weren''t more dangers ahead, so Luca decided to keep an eye on Walding, dropping back slightly.
This adjustment would help him anticipate better and avoid the blinding spray.
Both drivers sped down the Drop at a safe delta, drifting dangerously through its corners. Dani Walding almost suffered the same fate as his teammate—his right tires ran over the grass while the left remained on the curbs. At least he managed to get back on track before Luca fully exited the Drop and mmed into him.
Funny enough, if that had happened, it wouldn''t have been a penalty.
[Straightaway ahead]
"Home straight," Luca whispered, gripping the base of his wheel tighter.
This was it—the 49th Lap he''d been patiently waiting for to y his cards right.
Now, watching Dani Walding disappear down the storm made Luca smile as he pulled out the panel of his Sync Buff.
[ACTIVATE SYNC BUFF?]
[Y / N]
"Yes, let''s do this."
[INFUSING....]
[Strength: 28 ???? 50
Stamina: 31 ???? 50
Endurance: 28 ???? 50
Agility: 28 ???? 50
Intelligence: 28 ???? 50 ]
[You can only select three skills]
[Reflexes/ Overtaking Skill/ Track Awareness/ Pitstop Prodigy/Corner Chopping/Straightaway Chopping/Spatial Awareness/ Night Mastery/ Grid Launch/ Slipstream Mastery/ Side-by-Side King/ Slipsense & Rainborne]
It was customary for Luca to take his time, pondering deeply before deciding which Skills deserved a buff. But this time, his choices seemed clear, almost instinctive.
First, Slipsense & Rainborne. This would help sharpen his ability to adapt to the treacherous wet conditions on the track, granting him better control and stability with the rain being so unforgiving.
[Slipsense & Rainborne selected!]
Second, Spatial Awareness. Crucial for managing tight corners and anticipating the movements of nearby cars or anything around him.
Third, Side-by-Side King. This one had had him thinking a bit, but Luca had this feeling he might need it. After all, Track Awareness, Reflex and Overtaking Skills were maxed and he believed he could use his real values.
So, Side-by-Side King would give him that extra edge in wheel-to-wheel battles, ensuring he maintained his line andposure when fighting for position with Sync Buff. After all, he still needed to climb.
[Sessfully Selected!]
[Slipsense & Rainborne: 2 ???? 50
Spatial Awareness: 7 ???? 50
Side-by-Side King: 6 ???? 50 ]
[INFUSION SUCCESSFUL!]
[You have 4 min. 59 sec left for Sync Buff]
As soon as [INFUSION SUCCESSFUL!] vanished from the system''s interface, Luca''s eyes widened with disbelief.
Where did the rain go.....?