To the rest of the squad, the training simply continued.

Nox kept attacking while Commander Lyra calmly handled every strike coming her way. The commander barely moved much, yet every block was perfect. Every correction came naturally.

"Too wide," Lyra said while pushing Nox's fist aside.

"Don't throw your shoulders first. Your movement is warning me."

Nox clicked her tongue and came again immediately.

This time with a low kick.

Lyra blocked again.

"Better."

Nox grinned.

Arthur could already tell the change was starting.

The mana around her legs had become smoother. Earlier, she was forcing it. Now it moved naturally with her body.

Even Ryn noticed it.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched.

"She's stabilizing faster," he muttered.

Selene blinked. "You can tell from here?"

"She's lighter now," Ryn answered simply.

And then it happened.

Lyra suddenly stepped in.

Two quick strikes aimed directly at Nox's stomach.

The first one forced Nox backward loosing her footing.

And the second came immediately after.

Nox crashed across the ground, rolling twice before finally stopping near the edge of the obstacle course.

"Ugh… damn…"

She coughed while pushing herself up with one hand.

The training hall had gone quiet for a second.

Then Torren burst out laughing first.

"You looked like a kicked sack."

Nox immediately pointed at him.

"Shut up before I test this speed on your face."

That only made the others laugh harder.

Even Commander Lyra smirked a little while lowering her fist.

But despite the light mood, every single one of them still had shock written on their faces.

Because what they just saw…

Didn't make sense.

She vanished.

Not literally.

But to everyone watching, it almost felt that way.

The floor cracked lightly beneath her step as her body burst sideways in a blur.

A faint afterimage lingered where she originally stood.

Selene's eyes opened wide.

"What the hell—?!"

Torren nearly stood up again despite his exhaustion.

Even Althea stopped practicing completely.

Only Arthur remained calm and smiling.

Well... calm on the outside at least.

Inside?

He was loving every second of it and the small smile on his face never disappeared.

He already understood what happened.

The skill had settled perfectly.

From Lyra's perspective, the change was even crazier.

One moment Nox was directly in front of her.

The next moment, her figure distorted strangely.

Not invisible.

But difficult to follow.

Like her movement skipped.

Lyra immediately turned her stance. But it was too late.

Nox appeared from the side midair, her leg already descending toward Lyra's shoulder.

Boom!

The kick landed heavily against Lyra's guard.

The sound echoed through the hall.

Nox herself froze for half a second.

She felt it too…

The difference.

Her kick carried far more weight than before.

Not brute strength.

But Momentum, and compressed force.

Arthur smiled wider.

The mana transfer from the Burst Step had worked perfectly.

But Lyra recovered instantly.

Her stance tightened and the mana around her body thickened slightly as she redirected the force cleanly.

Still, the surprise remained in her eyes.

Not because Nox got stronger.

But because it happened too suddenly.

Too naturally.

This wasn't normal growth speed.

Not even close.

But there was no time to dwell on it.

Because Nox was already moving again.

And faster this time.

She burst forward once more.

Another blur.

Another distorted step.

This time even Arthur had to admit it looked ridiculous.

Nox herself looked shocked while moving.

She could feel the smoothness in her body.

The sudden acceleration.

The way her feet responded instantly.

And because she successfully dodged earlier, the next movement became even cleaner.

Faster.

More natural.

Her grin widened immediately.

"Oh this feels GOOD!"

She kicked off the ground again.

Lyra blocked another strike.

Boom!

Then another.

Boom!

Each attack after a Burst Step hit harder than the last.

The squad watched with excitement now.

Torren laughed loudly despite breathing hard.

"She's become a damn ghost!"

Selene folded her arms with annoyance.

"Why's everyone suddenly getting monstrous?"

Ryn smirked slightly.

"You're one to talk."

Meanwhile Althea looked genuinely amazed.

"That movement... if she gets behind someone in battle..."

"They're cooked," Arthur finished casually.

Nox heard that and laughed proudly.

"You hear that?!"

"Focus," Lyra replied instantly before slipping past another kick.

Nox clicked her tongue.

The commander was adapting already.

No matter how fast she got, Lyra remained Lyra.

Her eyes tracked every little detail.

Every breathing pattern.

Every shift in weight.

And soon, she started moving too.

Unlike before where she mostly stood still.

Now she dodged.

Minimal movements.

Tiny steps.

Yet each one completely ruined Nox's attack line.

Nox realized too late.

Her speed had increased.

But attacking at full speed also made it harder to change direction afterward.

And Lyra caught onto that immediately.

Nox launched another Burst Step.

Her body blurred again.

She came from the right side this time with a fast punch.

But the moment she committed…

Lyra disappeared from her attack line.

Nox's eyes widened.

Her kick missed empty air.

And before she could fully recover…

Lyra's fist was already waiting.

Right at her stomach.

"Oh cra…"

BOOM.

The punch landed cleanly.

Nox got blasted backward again.

She rolled across the ground before finally stopping near the obstacle course.

The entire squad winced together.

"Ouch…"

Torren even saluted jokingly.

"May your soul rest peacefully."

Nox slowly raised one hand from the floor.

"I'm alive…"

That made the hall burst into laughter.

Even Lyra exhaled through her nose in amusement as she slowly lowered her fist while staring at Nox thoughtfully.

The surprise still hadn't fully left her face.

That movement earlier...

That sudden explosive burst...

It wasn't something Nox should've been able to do this early.

Yet she did it naturally.

Like instinct.

And honestly?

That was the scariest part.

Yet, during the exchange she had confirmed something…

A weakness..

Nox slowed slightly during attack transitions.

The Burst Step itself was incredible.

But the moment before impact…

Her momentum became readable.

And Lyra immediately pointed it out.