Chapter 8: Lucky Discovery

Chapter 8 - Lucky DiscoveryFor the first five minutes of the mission, Fatih focused solely on perfecting his corner entries. He adopted a focused approach: on one lap, he concentrated on the odd-numbered corners (1, 3, 5, etc.), and on the next, he worked on the even-numbered ones (2, 4, 6, etc.). He repeated this cycle, drilling the initial turn-in and braking points until he felt he had made them as precise as he currently could. Next, he moved on to perfecting each sector individually, dedicating five minutes to refining his lines and flow through Sector 1, then Sector 2, and finally Sector 3. Twenty minutes of the thirty-minute mission had evaporated, yet he hadn't put in a lap time that was even within five seconds of the target (01:51:563). Surprisingly, or perhaps expectedly given his unique mental fortitude, he felt no pressure despite only ten minutes remaining. His Invictus (Ultimate) ability seemed to neutralize the anxiety, allowing him to think clearly and analytically instead of being dragged down by the ticking clock. Feeling he had integrated the sector practice sufficiently, he decided to go for a full push lap. As he navigated the final right-hand hairpin (Turn 14), he committed. The moment his Bambino kart hit the main straight, he floored the accelerator. As he crossed the start/finish line, a holographic qualifying-style timer appeared in his vision, showing sector splits and his current delta, but he ignored it, focusing entirely on the track ahead as he barreled towards the first corner. He hugged the left side of the straight approaching the fast right-hander (Turn 1), using the entry kerb before braking moderately while turning in, hitting the apex precisely with the inside wheels, and letting the kart drift wide on exit, using the external kerb under full throttle. He kept the power down until turning into the second right-hander (Turn 2), braking later this time, keeping the kart close to the inside kerb without mounting it. He positioned the kart wide for the entry of the tight right-hand hairpin (Turn 3), braked heavily, released the brakes as the kart rotated sharply, clipped the apex kerb, and powered out towards the middle of the track. He kept the steering lock applied slightly longer than usual as he accelerated through the subsequent left-hander (Turn 4). He didn't brake for the double left-hand bend (Turns 5 and 6), carrying speed through both apexes before braking on the short straight that followed. He attacked the next left-hander (Turn 7), leading into the descent, braking firmly before turning in wide, hitting a late apex, and using the exit kerb with just his right-side wheels – correcting a mistake from practice where taking too much kerb had unsettled the kart. S~eaʀᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Leaving the kerb, he immediately prepared for the descent. He braked briefly before turning into the downhill, tightening left (Turn 8), keeping it tight to the inner kerb. As he transitioned into the uphill right (Turn 9), he accelerated hard. For a split second, the rear of the kart stepped out in a small slide – about a meter and a half – but thanks to Invictus heightening his senses and Catlex speeding his reaction, he caught it instantly, maintaining a tight line. He accelerated out towards the wide right-hand bend (Turn 10), cornering smoothly near the middle of the track before braking slightly near the apex. He powered off the brakes and attacked the right-left S-bend (Turns 11 and 12) at full throttle, using the kerbs aggressively but staying within limits. He carried speed through the wide left-hander (Turn 13), staying slightly towards the center of the track to optimize his entry for the final right-hand hairpin (Turn 14). He braked heavily, rotated the kart, got back on the accelerator right at the apex, and kept his foot planted, determined not to lift until he crossed the finish line. [Lap Time: 01:50:983] The timing screen flashed the result. Sector 1 was yellow (slightly off optimal), Sector 3 was green (personal best), and unexpectedly, Sector 2 – the section where he had the slide – was purple (fastest overall)! [Mission Completed!!!!!] [+10 SP] He was so stunned by the mission completion prompt and the purple sector that he instinctively slammed on the brakes, sending the little kart into a long, screeching slide before coming to a stop. Overwhelmed, he quickly turned the kart around and headed back towards the pit lane, entering unconventionally from the track exit side. "I'm pretty sure the second sector should have been slower than optimal since I slid. Why did I get a purple sector for that one?" he asked Apollo as soon as he stopped, his voice filled with genuine surprise and confusion. "That slide is the reason you achieved the purple sector," Apollo explained, looking quite satisfied with his fast-learning student. "Inducing a controlled slide can allow for faster rotation in certain corners, effectively shortening the path or allowing earlier throttle application. It's an advanced technique, something I planned to introduce after you mastered the basics. Congratulations on successfully completing the mission, and discovering a new technique, albeit accidentally." "However," Apollo continued, his tone shifting back to instructive mode, "you are not done just because you achieved the target time once. Consistency is paramount. Go back out and give me at least ten consecutive laps under 01:51:500 before we move to the next lesson." "Copy," Fatih acknowledged. He turned the kart around properly this time and headed back out, eager to replicate his success. He consciously tried to induce the slide again through Turns 8 and 9, but this time, he overdid it. The kart snapped sideways more violently. His Catlex reflexes kicked in as he counter-steered rapidly, but he couldn't save it completely. The kart slid off the track, bumping through the grass and nearly tipping over before he wrestled it back under control, heart pounding despite the simulation's safety. Shaken but undeterred, he drove back onto the track to complete the lap. Thanks to Invictus (Ultimate), the fear vanished almost instantly, his focus returning as he started the next lap, pushing hard again. It took another focused period of driving – perhaps twenty minutes – for his mind and body to fully adapt to the constant stream of information from Invictus and the nuances of the Bambino kart at the limit. He learned to differentiate the subtle feedback, understanding how tiny shifts in weight or steering input affected the kart's balance. As a result, his driving smoothed out, and he began consistently lapping in the low 01:51s, occasionally dipping just below. Apollo, seeing the established consistency, reappeared at the finish line, waving the checkered flag once more. Fatih completed one final cool-down lap before returning to the pit lane. "How are you feeling?" Apollo asked, seeing Fatih still sitting in the kart, visor lifted, a look of exhilaration on his young face. "This is... exciting," Fatih said, his voice thick with emotion. "I can't believe I'm actually experiencing this." A wave of thankfulness washed over him for the second chance, for this incredible opportunity. "Then you must ensure you do not let it go to waste," Apollo replied, recognizing the genuine gratitude. "If you maintain consistency in your training, combined with the abilities you possess, one day people will look to you as their inspiration, just as you watched others." He knew the System was tailored for motorsport; Fatih's abilities would provide benefits in daily life, but they reached their peak potential here, on the path to Formula 1. But despite all of that, the System had no ability to force him if he didn't truly want it, hence his genuine encouragement. "Don't worry," Fatih said, his expression hardening with conviction. "I won't laze around. I rested enough in my previous life. Now it's time to achieve the dream I couldn't then." "Good," Apollo said, a smile touching his features. "Now that the basics are established, I will demonstrate a lap pushing this kart to its absolute theoretical maximum, using all available techniques. This will be your new benchmark – the target lap time you will constantly strive towards as you learn and improve. From now on, for every new car you register, I will set the optimal lap possible under ideal conditions, and your training will focus on consistently achieving times within a few tenths of that benchmark." As Apollo spoke, another identical Bambino kart materialized beside Fatih's. Apollo boarded it, ready to set the ultimate target time for this kart on this track.