(Rodova Military Academy – The Day Before the Breakthrough)
After reaching the threshold for his breakthrough, Leo finally took a full day off—just as Major Hen had advised.
It was the first time in months that he allowed himself to stop, and only in the stillness of rest did he realize how much his body had been screaming beneath the surface.
The aches weren't sharp, but deep and systemic—settled into his bones like a second skin. Every joint throbbed dully, his muscles felt like tightly wound cables fraying at the edges, and even his breath carried a lingering heaviness that he had grown too used to ignoring.
That day, Leo slept.
Not the shallow naps he'd been surviving on between training sessions, but true, uninterrupted rest.
For seventeen hours, his body remained still—his mind silent—as the accumulated strain of relentless grinding bled away.
When he finally opened his eyes the next morning, his body felt light. Focused. Alive.
