Chapter 303 | Traning Begins

Chapter 303: 303 | Traning Begins

Dexter sat in his vehicle without starting it, his hands resting on the steering wheel. For several moments, he stared through the windshield. Then he laughed under his breath, Fifty million dollars. He has already calculated what he was going to buy with the money but now, it’s seemed it had been just a pipe dream.

The laugh faded as he opened the banking application.

The balance had not changed, neither had the restriction. He took screenshots of the notice, the account balance, and the record of his branch visit before putting the phone down.

He would need them—not to beg the same people again, but to make sure that when he eventually moved against this, he had more than anger.

His fingers tightened around the steering wheel, and the material creaked. Dexter released it immediately and looked at the small mark his thumb had left. Then he leaned back and closed his eyes.

Mira had been right. He had not even reached the cashier before trouble started.

A faint vibration came from his phone. For one unpleasant instant, he expected another message from the bank. Instead, it was Lyra.

She sent a photograph of the egg, this time, there was two more cracks on the egg making six cracks. Under the photograph was a message:

Lyra: ’Look! Its still lazy.’

Dexter stared at it, and a little of the tension left his face as he smiled and typed back: ’It definitely takes after you.’

The response arrived quickly: ’Bully! I’m telling Mira.’

A second message followed: ’Did you eat?’

Dexter looked at the food container on the passenger seat. He had forgotten it.

He opened the lid. The food was still warm inside its insulated wrapping, and for a while he ate in silence, almost forgetting what had happened.

Just enjoying fhe meal Lyra had put into his hands.

He sent a brief message home: ’The bank is taking longer to resolve than expected. I’m safe. Heading to training. I’ll explain when I return.’

He considered adding more, then decided that explaining the whole thing through messages would only leave them worrying without the chance to ask questions properly. Cole’s booking details were already waiting Titan Training Center, two o’clock. Dexter checked the time, it was still a bit early.

He started the vehicle.

The Titan Training Center looked exactly as he remembered—reinforced walls, wide entrance, a steady stream of registered heroes moving through the security checkpoints.

Dexter slowed as he approached the gates. His last visit with Violette rose briefly in his mind. He had come here to test himself.

Today, the task was different, he was training with his new teammates.

Cole stood near the entrance with Gridlock. He noticed Dexter first and raised a hand. "Youre early."

Dexter smiled as he stepped out of the vehicle. "You should disappointed."

"I had a whole speech prepared."

"Save it for Blitz."

Gridlock looked at his watch. "He’s already here."

Dexter raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"He arrived seven minutes early."

Cole laughed, and Dexter found himself smiling despite the morning. They completed registration and entered the facility. As they walked, Cole glanced at him.

"Everything all right?"

Dexter was quiet for a moment, then said, "Family problems."

Cole’s expression changed slightly. "Do you need to postpone?"

"Nah, it’s nothing I can’t handle."

Cole considered that, then nodded. "All right. But if you wish to head out early, tell me. "

That was a reasonable request.

"No problem."

Cole gave a small nod and they continued walking.

The arena was way larger than the room Dexter had used for his earlier spar.

Several movable partitions stood along its edges, and reinforced floor panels could rise into obstacles while projectors mounted above the walls generated targets and marked areas of danger. A control station overlooked the space behind protective glass.

Blitz was stretching when they entered, Bulwark sat on a bench with his enormous arms folded, and Bullet Spear Man leaned against the wall with his collapsed weapon resting beside him. He looked up when Dexter arrived.

"Thought you’d forgotten."

Dexter glanced at the clock. "We’re early."

"Wasn’t talking about the time."

Cole stepped between the conversation and whatever it might become. "We’re all here. Good."

Gridlock placed a case of training markers on the floor. Blitz straightened. "Are we finally fighting something?"

"After we discuss what we’re doing."

Bulwark made a sound that might have been a laugh, and Dexter looked around the group.

Cole activated a display, and a simple formation appeared above the central table. "Today isn’t a competition to see who can destroy the largest target," he said.

Blitz looked disappointed.

"We know we can fight individually. We need to find out whether we can move together without making each other less effective."

Gridlock nodded, and Cole continued. "I’ll handle the broad calls unless someone sees an immediate danger. Bulwark takes the front when we need a fixed line. Gridlock protects movement and controls access. Blitz scouts, retrieves, and interrupts." His gaze moved to Bullet Spear Man. "You handle ranged pressure and exposed targets." Then Dexter. "You’re our flexible close-range fighter. If a flank collapses, you respond. If we need an opening widened, you take it."

Dexter studied the arrangement. It made sense. It also placed him in a position where restraint would matter as much as speed.

"What’s the first objective?"

"Escort three civilian markers through a damaged street."

Blitz pointed at the display. "Those things?"

Three human-shaped training dummies appeared on the screen. "One cannot move without assistance," Cole said. "Another is slow. The third is mobile but will follow the route the simulation assigns."

"Meaning it might run the wrong way," Gridlock said.

"Exactly."

Bullet Spear Man rolled his shoulders. "And the opposition?"

"Constructs and projected attacks. The facility will register hits through these."

Cole distributed small monitoring bands, and Dexter secured one around his wrist. The band flashed, read his energy, and settled to a dull blue.

"Keep your attacks controlled," Cole added. "We’re testing our combined coordination. Nobody needs to reveal every technique they possess. Alright, let’s move."

They moved into position as the lights changed, and sections of the floor rose, forming a broken street bordered by low walls and damaged building fronts. Three rescue markers appeared behind them.

"Ding!"

The exercise began.

[A/N: Special Thanks to reader JUSTIN_COSARO for the Spacecraft and the Magic Castle. I truly, truly, truly do appreciate the gift. Thank you once more ???????????????]