The training hall was a cathedral of disciplined violence. Its floors consisted of reinforced hardwood planks laid over ancient stone, a specialized construction designed to absorb the bone-jarring impact of a fall while maintaining the unforgiving consistency required for elite footwork.
As Rex stepped onto the surface, his mind immediately processed the data. The Martial Arts Mastery system flickered across his vision in ghostly amber text, automatically cataloging the floor's coefficient of friction, its elasticity, and its structural integrity.
The system began the silent process of calibrating his subconscious stance, adjusting the micro movements of his ankles and knees to match the specific give of the wood.
Twelve fighters stood in a loose, predatory formation. These were not mere soldiers; they were Aurelia's elite, the scalpel she used when the hammer proved too blunt.
