Luthra woke up at 4:30 AM, which was his normal time, except now he was doing it in a bed with silk sheets.
'Still not used to this.'
He rolled out of the oversized bed and dropped to the floor, immediately starting his push-ups. One, two, three, the rhythm came back to him like breathing. The silk carpet was soft under his palms, a far cry from the splintered wood of his old apartment.
By the time he hit five thousand, the sun was starting to peek through the curtains. His arms burned, his core ached, and for the first time in weeks, he felt like himself again.
'This is what real training feels like. Not relying on magic items or system advantages. Just me and the grind.'
He stood up, grabbed the chain from the corner, and began his forms. Swing, wrap, pull, strike. The heavy links moved through the air with a whistle, each movement precise and controlled. He practiced in silence, the only sound the chain cutting through empty space and his own breathing.
