I pushed off the weight rack, feeling the burn in my muscles as I stepped forward. The cool air of the training room caressed my sweat-damp skin, a welcome relief after the set I'd just completed.
Every eye in the room tracked me. Some curious, others wary, a few openly hostile. I could practically feel Raphael's glare burning into the back of my neck. The "Stray Dog" was on stage now, and I needed to play this role perfectly.
"Satori Nakano." My voice came out flat, deliberate. I scanned the faces around me, gauging their reactions. "Thermal Incision. I cut things, then I burn them. Simple but effective." I rolled my shoulders, allowing a hint of predatory confidence to leak through. "My goal is to build an empire from the ground up, using every resource at my disposal. And the thing I hate most?"
