Alex had trained until his body screamed for mercy.
Viktor had tried to stop him around noon, concern creasing his face. "Rest is necessary, Mr. Hale. Even with your regeneration, the body needs time to process what it's learned."
But Alex had felt something different.
His muscles weren't breaking down... they were adapting. Faster than they should. Stronger than yesterday. Each exchange with Pavel carved pathways deeper, reflexes sharpening with every repetition.
So he'd kept going.
Round after round. Hour after hour.
Hellbent on seeing that number move. On watching the Battle Sense percentage climb even a fraction. On proving that the ten thousand CP he'd spent wasn't wasted.
Zero percent had mocked him all afternoon.
Every time he checked... after an hour, after two, after three... it remained stubbornly, frustratingly the same.
[BATTLE SENSE: 0%]
By five-thirty, he'd almost given up.
