Chapter 241: Chapter 241: First Step of Alignment

Arthur checked the timer while Mel moved through the obstacles.

The weight still slowed her down, but it no longer disrupted her rhythm as badly.

When she finished, Arthur looked at the time again and a small smile appeared on his face.

"...Faster."

Lyra nodded. "I expected that."

Arthur glanced sideways at her. "Not this fast though."

This time, Lyra didn’t disagree.

"...No."

So they kept going.

Run after run, Mel improved little by little. Her movements became smoother, her footing steadier, and her recovery quicker each time.

Arthur tracked everything quietly while the bond fed him every detail. He could feel the strain in her body, the effort behind each movement, and the constant adjustments she was making to keep up.

But beneath all of that, he felt something stronger.

The determination to keep going.

At one point, he finally spoke again.

"You can stop if you need to."

But Mel didn’t.

She kept moving.

Arthur smiled faintly. "...Thought so."

Lyra stayed silent for a while as she watched another run finish. Then she finally said, "Check the time again."

Arthur stopped the timer as Mel crossed the finish.

"...She shaved off more time."

Lyra exhaled slowly. "Already."

She had expected improvement, but not this quickly, and definitely not this consistently.

Mel came back again, breathing heavier now, but she was still standing and still focused.

Arthur crouched in front of her once more. "You good?"

There was a brief pause before the answer came through the bond.

Yes.

Clear and certain.

Arthur nodded. "Alright. One more." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Lyra watched the two of them carefully before speaking again.

"We increase it."

Arthur looked up immediately. "Already?"

"Yes."

He glanced at Mel, then back at Lyra.

"...You’re serious."

"I am."

Arthur smiled slightly.

"...Alright."

As he reached for another small ring and added it carefully.

Mel shifted slightly as the weight increased.

More pressure this time.

Arthur met her gaze.

"This one will feel worse."

A pause.

Then.. he felt her resolve through their link.

Arthur chuckled softly.

"Yeah... I know."

Mel turned again.

Toward the course.

Slower now.. but steady

Lyra watched her go, her eyes sharp.

"...Insane."

Arthur stood beside her.

"Talented."

Lyra shook her head slightly.

"It’s more than that."

She watched Mel step into the course again, carrying the added weight without backing down.

"...Way more."

But the change hit immediately.

Mel’s movement slowed the moment she stepped into the course again.

It wasn’t subtle.

Her usual light steps turned heavier, and the clean flow she had built earlier broke for a second as her body tried to adjust to the added weight.

She missed her timing on the first obstacle and had to correct mid-step.

Arthur watched without moving.

"...Yeah, that’s rough."

Mel pushed through anyway.

Her jumps were shorter now, and her landings weren’t as clean, but she didn’t stop. She kept going, even when her pace dropped more than expected.

Lyra stood there for a while, observing in silence.

She didn’t interfere.

Didn’t correct.

She only watched.

Mel stumbled again at a tighter section, her legs dragging just a bit more than before, but she forced herself forward.

Arthur’s gaze stayed fixed on her.

He could feel it clearly through their link.

The strain.

The weight pressing against her movement.

But underneath it.. the will to keep going.

Lyra finally spoke.

"She’ll need time."

Arthur nodded.

"I know."

"She’s not used to that level yet."

Arthur glanced at her briefly.

"She will be."

Lyra held his gaze for a second, then gave a small nod.

"...She will."

After a few more moments, she turned away.

There were others to check on.

Each of them in their own space, pushing through their own limits.

Lyra walked off without another word, her attention already shifting.

Arthur stayed.

Right where he was.

Watching.

Timing.

Mel finished her first run with the new weight and slowed to a stop, her breathing heavier now.

Arthur checked the time.

"...Got it."

Not good.

Not bad either.

Just a starting point.

He crouched slightly as she came closer.

"That one hurt, didn’t it?"

Mel didn’t respond with words, but he felt it.

Clear.

Arthur smiled faintly and patted her head.

"Cool. That means it’s working."

She leaned into his hand for a second, then pulled away on her own and turned back toward the course.

Arthur raised a brow.

"...Already?"

Mel didn’t wait.

She started again.

Arthur let out a quiet breath.

"...You’re serious."

He stood up straight, keeping his eyes on her.

He didn’t take another time yet.

Not yet.

He knew better.

She needed to adjust first.

Pushing numbers too early would just mess up the read.

So he waited.

Watched her second run.

Then the third.

Each one was still rough, but there was progress.

Small.

But there.

Arthur crossed his arms.

"...Yeah, that’s it."

He could feel the shift.

Her body learning, and her steps getting more stable.

The weight wasn’t as disruptive as before, but not yet comfortable.

Arthur exhaled slowly.

Then his expression changed slightly.

His focus split.

Still on Mel.

But not entirely, as he remembered something else.

"...Right."

Before coming to the training hall, he had unlocked something new.

The ally intent system.

He hadn’t used it yet. And that wasn’t like him.

He didn’t like leaving things unexplored.

Especially something tied directly to growth.

Arthur’s gaze drifted briefly toward the others scattered across the hall.

"They already qualify..."

They had fought with him.

They had survived with him.

And more importantly..

They shared the same direction.

The same goal.

Even if they didn’t fully understand it yet.

The system had already acknowledged their intent.

So what was missing?

Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly.

"...Consent."

That was the only thing that made sense.

It matched what happened with Mel.

He didn’t force it.

He didn’t trigger it manually.

She accepted him.

And the system responded.

Arthur nodded to himself.

"...Yeah. That’s probably it."

It wasn’t something he could just activate.

It had to be mutual.

Natural.

That made things... a bit tricky.