Chapter 252: Chapter 252: When Growth Becomes Obvious

He hadn’t even finished processing the first run.

Now she was going again.

This time faster.

Cleaner.

More confident.

Arthur glanced back at the interface, his eyes moving to one line.

Adaptive Growth Trigger.

He stayed on it for a second longer.

"...So that’s how you’re doing it."

The more she pushed, the more she gained.

Not later.

Now.

That meant this kind of training wouldn’t just help her slowly.

It would stack.

Build.

Every second.

Arthur leaned back slightly, a small smirk forming on his face.

"...Lyra’s going to lose it."

He could already imagine it.

The way she would react once she fully understood what was happening.

Because this wasn’t normal.

Even for talent.

This was something else.

Arthur looked back at Mel again.

"...You really hit the jackpot."

But even as he said that, he knew the truth.

She earned it.

Every step.

Every struggle.

The system only followed her intent.

It didn’t create it.

And she had made hers clear.

She wasn’t stopping.

Arthur’s expression softened just a little.

"...Good."

Then..

"Arthur."

Lyra’s voice cut in.

He turned his head.

She was already looking at the course.

At Mel.

Her brows slightly drawn.

"...You’re seeing this, right?"

Arthur scratched the side of his head lightly.

"...Yeah."

But she didn’t look at him.

Her eyes stayed on Mel.

"I watched her struggle with that weight minutes ago."

Arthur nodded.

"So did I."

"And now.."

Mel cleared another obstacle cleanly.

Lyra’s eyes sharpened.

"...That’s not normal."

Arthur didn’t answer immediately because she wasn’t wrong.

But he couldn’t explain it either.

Not in a way she would accept.

"...She adapted."

That was all he said.

Lyra finally looked at him.

"And you’re saying that like it explains everything."

Arthur shrugged slightly.

"...It kind of does."

She didn’t look convinced.

"If this was just adaptation, it wouldn’t be this fast."

Arthur met her gaze this time.

"She pushed for it."

A small pause.

"She didn’t stop."

Lyra’s expression didn’t change.

But she didn’t argue either.

Because she had seen it.

Arthur continued,

"You said it yourself."

He nodded toward Mel.

"Pushing too fast can be dangerous."

Lyra’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Yes."

"But stopping too early can be worse."

That made her pause.

Arthur looked back at Mel.

"She chose to push through it."

His voice stayed calm.

"I just let her."

Lyra exhaled slowly.

"...You’re both troublesome."

Arthur smiled faintly.

"...We’re getting that a lot today."

Before she could respond.. Mel finished another run.

This time, she didn’t turn immediately.

Instead, she rushed straight toward them.

Fast.

Much faster than before.

Arthur’s eyes widened slightly.

"...Whoa."

She closed the distance in seconds.

And then.. Jumped.

Arthur barely had time to react before she crashed into him, front paws against his chest as she pushed herself closer.

Her tail wagged wildly.

Her energy... completely different now.

Arthur laughed softly as he caught her.

"Alright, alright.."

He steadied her.

"...Easy."

But she didn’t calm down immediately.

She pressed into him, snuggling close, clearly excited.

Proud.

Arthur felt it clearly through the bond.

"...Yeah, I see it."

His hand moved over her head, rubbing gently.

"You did good."

Mel leaned into it more.

Arthur chuckled.

"Not just good."

He shook his head slightly.

"That was crazy."

She responded with another push. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Arthur smiled wider this time.

"...Okay, okay. You’re amazing. I get it."

He didn’t hold back.

Not with her.

"You handled it."

His voice softened just a little.

"You didn’t give up."

Mel stilled slightly at that.

Then nudged him again.

Arthur let out a quiet breath.

"...I’m proud of you."

Behind him, Lyra watched the whole exchange.

Silent.

Observing.

Her gaze moved between the two of them.

The cub.

The boy.

Then back to the course.

"...Absurd."

She muttered it under her breath.

Arthur didn’t hear it.

He was too focused on Mel.

His attention completely taken.

Even when Lyra spoke again, he barely reacted.

"That kind of growth..."

She paused.

"...I’ve only seen that under extreme conditions."

Arthur finally glanced back.

"...Guess she likes those."

Lyra shook her head slightly.

"...Or she was built for it."

Arthur didn’t argue that.

Because right now..

Watching Mel snuggle closer, her tail still wagging like she hadn’t just pushed herself to the limit.. he was starting to believe it too.

Arthur hadn’t even finished going through the interface.

Mel had already crashed into him.

He laughed under his breath as his hand stayed on her head, fingers brushing through her fur while she leaned into him like she had just done something small.

"...You don’t even give me time to read, huh?"

Her tail wagged harder.

Of course she didn’t care.

To her, the run mattered. The feeling mattered. The fact that she had pushed through and made it work.

Arthur shook his head lightly, still smiling.

"Alright, alright... you did good."

He kept petting her, slower now, more deliberate. His attention split between her and the floating interface still hanging in front of him.

His eyes moved to the last part again.

Pack Pace Instinct.

He paused there.

"...So that’s what this does."

He read it again, this time properly.

When chasing or running alongside Arthur, stamina drain is reduced.

Arthur’s expression shifted slightly.

"...That’s actually huge."

Not just for now.

Not just for training.

For everything.

He looked down at her again, still leaning into him.

"You’re telling me you can keep going longer just because I’m around?"

Mel gave a soft response through the bond. Not words, but feeling.

Yes.

Arthur exhaled slowly.

"...That’s unfair."

But he was smiling.

Because it wasn’t just about advantage. It meant something else too.

She ran better with him. Stayed longer with him.

With that she didn’t fall behind.

His hand slowed slightly as that thought settled in.

"...Good."

That was all he said.

No long speech.

No overthinking it.

Just that.

He finally dismissed the interface with a small flick of his gaze. It faded cleanly, leaving only the training hall in front of him again.