Chapter 247: Upgrade

Not long after, the two of them dropped Lily off at the academy.

Along the way, Bruce contacted Lucy, letting her know he was already back and had just finished seeing Lily off. He added that he’d be home shortly. Ash remained with Lily at the academy. Somewhere during Bruce’s absence, the little dragon had grown fond of the place, and even more fond of Lily’s classmates.

Bruce liked it that way.

Lily needed Ash’s constant protection. If the academy had become a place where Ash was comfortable staying, then it was best for the dragon to remain by her side at all times.

Soon, he and Sophie reached home.

Lucy was already there.

After the initial greetings and a brief exchange of warmth, nothing dramatic, just the quiet comfort of family, Bruce felt the familiar weight settle in his chest. This was something he had been thinking about for a long time now. Something he’d put off again and again due to the frequent interruption from his busy life, of trials and everything…

He decided not to delay it anymore.

Bruce said after a pause, his tone casual but measured, “how’s the family business doing?”

Lucy looked at him, a little surprised by the sudden shift in topic, then smiled faintly.

“It’s doing well,” she replied. “Better than I expected, honestly. After the charges your relatives placed on us were finally dropped, things stabilized quickly. I was able to fully take control of your father’s magical beast transport company.”

She exhaled softly, pride and relief mingling in her expression.

“Business has been booming lately.”

Bruce nodded, as if confirming something he already knew.

“That’s good,” he said. Then, after a brief pause, he added, “Because with what I’m planning, there’s a chance to expand it even further.”

Lucy blinked.

“Expand it?” she repeated.

Bruce smiled.

“With my plan, the family transport business wouldn’t be limited to mana beast transportation anymore. Not just cargo. Not just beasts trained for hauling.” His gaze sharpened slightly. “The scope could be much bigger than that.”

Lucy frowned in thought, then shook her head lightly.

“I’ve thought about that before,” she admitted. “But the beasts we use are trained with very specific methods. The mutant beasts your father worked with were tamed exclusively for transport. Their temperament, conditioning, even their mana circulation, it’s all specialized. That’s why the company has always stayed in that lane.”

She looked at him again, curiosity beginning to surface.

“Unless…” she trailed off. “You have something else in mind.”

Bruce’s smile deepened.

“I do.”

He raised one hand slightly.

The air around him darkened.

No, his shadow twisted.

A streak of black shot out from beneath his feet, stretching unnaturally across the floor before rising up. The darkness condensed, thickened, and then…

It took shape.

A massive Shadow Wolf emerged beside him. It all happened in an instant…

Jet-black fur covered its entire body, so dark it seemed to swallow light rather than reflect it. The beast stood nearly two meters tall at the shoulder, its muscular frame coiled with restrained power. Its eyes glowed faintly from within the darkness, and a cold, oppressive aura leaked from its body, spreading through the room like a silent warning.

The wolf didn’t growl. Didn’t bare its fangs.

It simply stood there, calm, still, utterly dominant.

Lucy sucked in a sharp breath despite herself, instinctively stepping back half a pace. Her heart skipped, fear flashing through her eyes before reason caught up. She swallowed, forcing herself to remain composed as she realized the beast was standing obediently at Bruce’s side.

It looked so domineering but yet it wasn’t hostile giving off a tamed control feeling…

She slowly lifted her gaze back to him.

“With… beasts like this,” Lucy said quietly, her voice tight but steady, “I can see why you’re proposing all of this.”

Her curiosity had fully awakened now, mixed with awe, uncertainty, and something close to excitement.

And Bruce knew.

He’d said enough. For now at least…

“Is this… S-Ranked suppression I’m feeling from this beast?” Lucy asked slowly. “Is it S-Ranked?”

Bruce shook his head.

“No,” he replied calmly. “It’s SS-Ranked. SS in raw strength, and it also possesses SS-ranked authority.”

Lucy froze.

Bruce continued, his tone steady, almost casual, as if he weren’t dropping something world-shaking.

“I have many of them, actually. That’s why I’m telling you to increase the scope of the business as much as you want. With beasts like these, you can guarantee client safety at around ninety-eight percent.”

Lucy’s breath hitched slightly. “Ninety-eight…?”

“The remaining two percent,” Bruce said, “would only apply if someone was unlucky enough to encounter an SSS-Ranked beast during transport.”

He paused, then added smoothly.

“And even that can be avoided.”

Lucy’s eyes widened.

“This Shadow Wolf can detect SSS-level threats long before entering their territory and alter its route accordingly. Avoidance is built into its instincts.” He glanced at the wolf beside him. “If control is ever lost during transport, the beast can retrace its path and return here on its own. Stealing one is nearly impossible.”

Lucy swallowed.

“And its greatest advantage,” Bruce continued, “is speed. It’s several times faster than the fastest mana automobile currently in circulation. As long as the rider’s body can endure it, the wolf can move at full velocity without issue.”

The silence that followed was heavy.

The more Bruce revealed about the Shadow Wolves, the more Lucy felt her world quietly overturning. Numbers, routes, contracts, security tiers, exclusivity rights, her mind was already racing ahead, building structures atop structures. As someone with an innate business instinct, what Bruce had just laid out wasn’t merely impressive.

It was revolutionary.

Bruce wasn’t finished.

“It can also take orders,” he added, “from extremely simple commands to long, complex instructions. Full sentences. Conditional directives. This is an intelligent beast, not a trained animal.”

He gestured lightly toward the wolf.

“Go ahead,” he said to Lucy. “Try.”

Lucy hesitated for just a moment before nodding.

She turned toward the Shadow Wolf, her voice cautious but clear.

“Walk.”

The wolf moved forward immediately, smooth and controlled.

“Stop.”

It halted.

“Lay down.”

The massive beast lowered itself to the ground without hesitation, movements precise despite its size.

Lucy’s confidence grew.

“Stand. Walk five steps forward. Turn around and return to your original position.”

The wolf complied flawlessly.

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