He turned toward Gray, lightning flickering once again at his fingertips. "We've got a tournament to prepare for, Gray. So let's go all in. Let's show them what a monster really looks like."
Gray let out a low, excited howl in agreement as the two surged back into motion—a storm made flesh and fury, tearing through the training ground as their next phase of training began.
****
The forge roared like a beast, flames licking high into the air and bathing the stone walls in an orange, blistering glow.
The temperature was unbearable—molten heat that warped the air itself. No ordinary person could survive here. The room was utterly empty, save for a single figure at its center.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
The relentless ringing of hammer against steel echoed through the chamber in steady rhythm, each strike purposeful and heavy.
