SSS Awakening: I Can Create Skills By Will

Chapter 254: New Training Equipments

Her gaze returned to the course.

Mel had already passed two obstacles without slowing down.

"...She’s already getting used to it."

Lyra exhaled slowly.

"...Unbelievable."

She turned to Arthur. but he didn’t notice.

His eyes were fixed on Mel.

Focused and sharp.

There was something different in them now.

A kind of quiet excitement. It wasn’t loud or exaggerated.

But it was there.

Lyra studied him for a second.

"...I wonder what you did."

She didn’t expect an answer. And she didn’t get one.

Arthur just kept watching.

Like nothing else mattered right now.

Like this.. Was enough.

Lyra shook her head slightly.

"...Forget it."

She wasn’t going to figure it out by overthinking it.

Some things..

You just watched and observed.

She stepped back.

"I have somewhere to be."

Arthur raised a hand slightly.

"...Alright."

Half there. Half not.

His attention didn’t leave the course.

Lyra noticed.

But she didn’t say anything.

Because she understood.

Right now he wasn’t needed anywhere else.

She turned and walked off.

Leaving them to it.

Arthur didn’t look back too. He just watched as Mel moved through the course again..

Faster.

Stronger.

Arthur didn’t realize how much time had passed.

He had been standing there, watching, timing, adjusting... then timing again.

"...Again."

Mel dashed forward the moment he gave the signal.

Arthur’s eyes followed every step, every turn, every landing. He wasn’t just watching anymore. He was measuring. Quietly counting in his head, comparing it to the last run, then the one before that.

"...Faster."

He muttered it without thinking.

It wasn’t just speed either. Her footing had gotten cleaner. Her turns sharper. Even with the extra weight, she wasn’t dragging like before.

If anything, she looked more stable now than when she started.

Arthur lowered his hand slowly as she cleared the final obstacle again.

"...That’s another drop."

He let out a small breath.

He had already lost count of how many runs she had done.

And somehow she was still going.

That was what bothered him a little.

He narrowed his eyes at her as she turned for another run.

"...You’re not even slowing down."

Through the bond, he could feel it.

Tired, yes.

But not drained.

Not close.

The skill was doing exactly what it promised.

Arthur rubbed the back of his neck.

"...This is kind of broken."

Still, he didn’t stop her immediately.

He let her run again.

And again.

Each time, he tracked it.

Not perfectly. Not with some fancy method.

Just instinct.

Just feel.

And every time she improved.

At some point, he finally looked away.

"...Wait."

He blinked.

Only then did he notice how quiet it had gotten around him.

Arthur turned his head, scanning the training hall.

The others were still there.

But not in the same state as before.

They were slowing down.

Wrapping up.

Nox had eased her pace, hands on her knees as she caught her breath. Torren stood upright again, rolling his shoulders like he had just finished taking hits for hours. Selene was checking her arrows, calmer now. And Ryn...

Arthur’s gaze paused there.

"...Still going."

Ryn hadn’t stopped.

He was moving differently now.

More controlled.

More deliberate.

Arthur watched him for a second longer, then gave a small nod to himself.

"...Yeah. He got something."

He could see it.

Even without the system.

But aside from that...

Arthur frowned slightly.

"...Nothing else?"

No notifications.

No flashes.

No new skills.

Only Ryn had triggered something earlier.

Arthur didn’t mind too much.

He understood.

They were adjusting now and catching up to the training.

It wasn’t the same pressure as before.

Only Ryn had been pushed to that edge.

Arthur glanced back at Mel again.

"...Guess you’re the only one going crazy today."

Mel kept moving.

Unbothered.

Arthur watched her for a few more seconds, then finally shook his head.

"...Alright. That’s enough."

He raised his hand.

"Back."

Mel stopped mid-run.

Turned.

Then ran straight to him.

Arthur crouched slightly as she reached him, catching her lightly as she leaned in.

"...Good."

His hand moved over her head again, slower this time.

"You’ve done enough."

She nudged him.

Like she wanted to go again.

Arthur smiled faintly.

"...I know."

He tapped her lightly.

"But there’s no point pushing when it’s not doing much anymore."

That was the truth.

The weight wasn’t enough.

He could feel it. And so could she.

Still, she settled.

Just a little.

Arthur exhaled quietly.

"...Rest."

He didn’t need to say more.

She understood.

For once, she didn’t resist.

That alone told him something.

Arthur stood back up with her still close.

"...Now what."

That was when he noticed the others walking over.

Slowly.

Not rushing. But clearly done.

Nox was the first to speak.

"Arthur... where’s the commander?"

He blinked.

"...Huh?"

Then it hit him.

He looked around again.

"...Oh."

Lyra wasn’t there.

He scratched his cheek.

"She left earlier."

Torren frowned slightly.

"Left?"

Selene tilted her head.

"She wouldn’t leave mid-training."

Arthur shrugged.

"...That’s what I thought too."

Nox looked around again, confused.

"Did she say anything?"

Arthur shook his head.

"Nope."

Then he added casually,

"Maybe she went to get something."

Ryn finally stepped closer, still breathing steady despite everything.

"...Or she got bored of watching you."

Arthur snorted.

"Yeah right."

Then he added,

"If anything, she’d stay just to complain more."

Nox laughed lightly at that.

"...True."

They stood there for a moment, the silence settling in.

Then..

The door opened.

All of them turned.

Lyra walked in.

Straight posture. Same expression.

Like she hadn’t been gone long at all.

But they all noticed.

Arthur raised a brow slightly.

"...Took you a while."

She didn’t react to that.

Instead, she walked closer and stopped in front of them.

They all waited.

Curious.

Because it wasn’t normal.

She was the last person to leave during training.

Nox spoke again,

"Commander... where did you go?"

Lyra answered immediately.

"Prepare new training equipments."

Arthur blinked.

"...What?"

Torren frowned.

"New equipments?"

Lyra’s gaze shifted to Arthur.

"It’s his."

Arthur pointed at himself.

"...Mine?"

Then she added,

"I mean the cub."