Nova made his way back to his apartment, his legs heavy from the morning workout. The sun had climbed higher, and its light fell directly into his eyes whenever he looked up. He would normally have appreciated the warmth, but at the moment, every step reminded him of the exercises he had put himself through.
Nearly three hours of push-ups, sprints, and dodging imaginary obstacles in the park had left his body aching. His shirt clung to his back, his thighs were sore, and even lifting his arms felt like unnecessary work. Still, beneath all that exhaustion was a feeling he had begun to enjoy.
Pride.
He had done something difficult without relying on his divinity, and although the results were hardly impressive by his old standards, he had earned every bit of progress himself.
Well, I suppose this is what training feels like when you aren't already stronger than everyone else, he thought. I hate it. I love it. And I'm starving.
He kicked off his shoes and went straight to the cardboard box where the kittens slept. They had spread themselves across the blanket in a disorderly little pile. One occasionally stretched its paws or shifted against the others, only to settle down again.
The black kitten with white paws, whom Nova had started calling Smudge, cracked open an eye. He let out a lazy yawn, looked at Nova for a moment, and immediately went back to sleep.
Nova chuckled, although the sound came out rough through his dry throat.
"You guys have it so easy," he muttered as he headed toward the kitchen. "No taxes, no monsters to fight, and you don't even have to worry about paying rent. All you do is sleep, eat, and look cute. Ay, ay, ay. What a wonderful life."
He filled a glass with water and drank it almost in one go, then poured himself another. His stomach growled so loudly that he glanced down at it.
"Yes, yes. I heard you."
Talia's leftovers were still in the refrigerator, but he would have to be careful with them. There was enough food to stretch across the next couple of days if he rationed it properly. After that, he had no reliable way to feed himself, much less the kittens.
Talia had already done more for him than he had any right to expect. She had helped him find a place to live, brought him food, and treated him kindly despite knowing so little about him. Nova appreciated her generosity, but he didn't want his survival to depend on it forever.
The tournament offered him a chance to change his circumstances. If he performed well enough to attract the American Guild's attention, he might find a way to earn money while learning how this world worked. Until then, though, he still needed to eat.
He took out the leftover rice and chicken, transferred some to a plate, and put it inside the microwave. He set the timer for two minutes before sinking onto the floor. His new couch was only a short distance away, but he was so tired that even the thought of moving toward it irritated him.
When the microwave beeped, he dragged himself up and tested the food. The middle was still lukewarm, so he returned it for another thirty seconds.
"Of course," he complained quietly. "Even my food wants more effort from me."
This time, he stayed beside the counter until the timer finished. The plate was hotter than he expected, and he quickly set it down on the table before shaking his fingers.
After the plate cooled, he began eating, grateful for a few moments of relief from the morning's exhaustion.
Training wasn't only about pushing the body until it failed. He needed proper nutrition, enough rest, and a plan he could follow without injuring himself. Muscles grew stronger through repeated effort and recovery, not through exhaustion alone. If he ignored those limits, he would spend the days before the tournament recovering instead of improving.
As he ate, his thoughts returned to the children he had watched playing tag in the park. Their movements had been irregular and difficult to predict. One would suddenly turn, another would duck or stumble, and a third would change direction for no apparent reason. None of them were following a carefully planned fighting style, but their unpredictability had interested him.
To confuse your enemy, you first need to make your movements difficult to read, he thought. Those children don't even know what they're going to do next. That's what makes them so troublesome to catch.
Perhaps he could use a similar principle during the tournament. Instead of relying on obvious movements or repeating the same attacks, he could practice shifting his weight, breaking his rhythm, and responding from awkward positions. Of course, being unpredictable meant nothing if he lost his balance and fell flat on his face.
So I need control first. Then I can work on confusing people.
Nova finished eating, washed the plate, and glanced at the clock. It was 11:45 AM.
His muscles were practically begging him to lie down, but he had already slept enough the previous night. What he needed now was a less demanding activity, and the library seemed like the best choice. Talia had mentioned one nearby, and he intended to learn everything he could about awakening, the American Guild, and the tournament itself.
He checked the kittens one more time, making sure their water was available and their sleeping area was comfortable. All of them were still resting peacefully.
"I'll be back later," he told them. "Try not to destroy the apartment while I'm gone. That's supposed to be my specialty."
After putting his shoes back on, he opened the front door and nearly walked into Talia.
She was standing just outside with one hand raised, apparently about to ring his doorbell. Her hair had been styled differently, and there was an unmistakable excitement in her expression.
"Oh, sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to surprise you. I was going to ring the bell."
Nova looked at her raised hand, then at the doorbell, before giving her a sly grin.
"I wasn't accusing you of peeping, you know."
"I didn't say I was peeping."
"You sounded suspiciously defensive. Now I'm curious. How long have you been standing here watching my door?"
"Nova!" She gave him an exasperated look. "I came here to ask you something."
He laughed. "I'm listening."
Talia shook her head, though she was smiling again. "Do you want to come grocery shopping with me? I figured you still don't have much food, and I was about to head out anyway."
"Groceries?" he repeated.
He had been so focused on the library that he had nearly forgotten about the ten-dollar bill he had found in the park. It wasn't much, especially with several hungry kittens depending on him, but it would be foolish to leave it unused when he needed supplies.
The library can wait a little longer. I need food first.
"Yes, of course," he said, suddenly much more enthusiastic. "I was going to head out, but this is a better idea."
"Good. There's a store about five minutes away."
"Then lead the way."
They headed downstairs together and stepped into the afternoon heat. The temperature was already around ninety-two degrees Fahrenheit, and Nova immediately regretted how little energy he had left. Talia noticed the stiffness in his walk after only a few steps.
"What's wrong with your legs?" she asked.
"Training."
"How much training?"
"A few hours. Running, push-ups, agility exercises. Things like that."
She looked at him again. "You only started yesterday, didn't you?"
"Today, actually."
"And you've already done a few hours? Nova, you need to ease into it. You'll be too sore to move tomorrow."
"I'm already too sore to move today."
Talia laughed. "That doesn't make it better."
"I never claimed it did."
They arrived at Rooted Foods, a Swiss-founded grocery store known for organic products and fresh produce. Vegetables stood near the entrance, with neatly arranged shelves beyond them.
He had seen markets throughout countless civilizations, but entering one with only ten dollars in his pocket changed the experience considerably.
Talia picked up a basket and looked toward him. "What do you need?"
"Food for the kittens first. Then something for me, if there's enough left."
"You should buy something proper for yourself too. You can't keep training on leftovers."
"I know. Unfortunately, my budget doesn't seem interested in cooperating."
"How much do you have?"
"Ten dollars."
She stopped walking. "That's it?"
"It's nine dollars more than I expected to have this morning."
They compared a few items, looking at prices and portions while Nova considered what the kittens would need. He selected some food for them before choosing a small portion of chicken for himself. Talia bought red meat, vegetables, snacks, and dairy products for her own apartment, occasionally pointing out which items were worth their prices.
At one point, Nova couldn't find something he wanted and approached a female employee nearby.
"Excuse me," he said. "Where would I find the rest of the pet supplies?"
She pointed him toward another aisle, explaining which shelves to check. Nova thanked her and started back toward Talia, only to notice that his friend was still watching the employee. There was an unmistakable appreciation in her expression.
Nova glanced between them, recalling a term he had heard mortals use but had never bothered to understand properly.
"Talia, are you a lesbian?"
She turned toward him. "Yeah. Why?"
"I thought so," he replied, looking rather pleased with himself. "I learned something new today."
Talia stared at him for a moment before laughing. "You really don't know how to ask normal questions, do you?"
"Was it an abnormal question?"
"It was a little sudden."
"Ah. Then next time I'll announce that I'm about to ask one."
"Please don't," she said, still laughing. "That would somehow make it worse."
Nova smiled and followed her toward the counter.
After another ten minutes of shopping, they paid for their groceries. Nova counted his money carefully and found that he had only one dollar left. He looked down at his small bag, then at Talia's fuller collection of purchases.
"Being mortal is expensive," he murmured.
"Being alive is expensive," Talia corrected. "Wait until you start getting bills."
"That was not the encouragement I needed."
Outside, they started the short walk back to the apartment building. Their conversation wandered from groceries to the tournament, then to the exercises Nova planned to do once his body had recovered.
"You're serious about entering, aren't you?" Talia asked.
"Of course. It's one of the reasons I'm training. If I manage to awaken, I might have a real chance of being recruited."
"And if you don't?"
Nova thought about that for a moment. "Then I'll find another way. I'm not going to give up because the first thing I try doesn't work."
Talia nodded slowly. "Good. Just don't hurt yourself trying to prove something."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"You say that now. I saw the way you were walking earlier."
"My legs and I are currently having a disagreement. We should resolve it by tomorrow."
"I hope so," she said with a chuckle.
By the time they returned to the apartment building, their conversation had drifted back to ordinary things. Nova thanked Talia for accompanying him, and they agreed to see each other again the next day.
He carried his groceries inside, relieved to have a little more food for the kittens and himself. He still intended to visit the library, but for the moment, he allowed himself to appreciate one small success.
He had trained, fed himself, and bought supplies without using his divinity.
It wasn't much by the standards of the Supreme God of Destruction. For a mortal with one dollar left in his pocket, however, it was a start.