Weeks passed like this, the rhythm of pain marking the passage of time. Every day the strikes came, and every day Max endured them. His skin grew tougher, his muscles denser, his bones heavier, until even he began to sense the change.
At the end of the first month, a surprise awaited him.
As he stood once again with his arms stretched and his body beaten raw, he noticed two familiar figures entering the training grounds. Nina and Evan walked carefully, their steps far steadier than before. Their faces carried relief, and though they still bore signs of strain, they moved with ease that had been impossible when they first arrived at the giants' camp.
"Max!" Nina called, her voice filled with both joy and shock as she saw him standing under the rain of blows. Her hands trembled slightly as she covered her mouth. "What are they doing to you?"
