Chapter 195

• Three Weeks After the Beginner’s Showdown
• The euphoria of winning the Beginner’s Showdown faded quickly as life resumed its usual pace. Training with Carlo late into the night became my new routine—our sessions often stretching beneath the stars until exhaustion pulled us apart. During the day, Sofia and Enrico pushed me harder than ever, driving me to my limits until every muscle ached and bruises marked my skin.
• Where I once stumbled through training, struggling to keep up with the others, I now held my ground. My skin toughened, and I began using the sting of pain as fuel, something tangible to focus on. But even the ache in my muscles wasn’t enough to dull the deeper wounds.