The slowdown didn't happen all at once.
It crept.
First in simulation halls. Then in field rotations. By the third day of tightened thresholds, the difference was subtle enough that only instructors who cared about outcome over optics could see it.
Clear times lagged. Not dramatically. Just enough that instinct stopped appearing in reports.
Everything looked disciplined.
Everything felt restrained.
Dreyden didn't mention it.
He didn't need to.
The instructors were beginning to notice for him.
It surfaced during a high-tier mixed exercise at 10:20.
Class A leaders paired with Class B and C units. Live mana constructs. Rotating objectives. Real output tolerances.
Lucas led one flank.
Raisel commanded mid-field containment.
Dreyden remained unassigned by design—"observer participant," per admin phrasing.
He stood near the boundary markers with his arms folded, not interfering.
Watching.
The simulation began smoothly.
Lucas called forward push. Clean execution.
