Evantra and Noelle trailed Ade as he showed them the facilities in the lower quarters.

  It had a name.

  The Training Grounds.

  It was all housed in one large, open area bordering the food court. It seemed like anyone who was really serious about their fitness levels came down to the lower quarters to train, irrespective of whether they had access to the facilities of the middle and upper quarters.

  The people around them were in peak physical form.

  Those who could afford it openly consumed physical enhancements developed by Dionysius Group – who were making an entry into the fitness industry. Beyond bubbleflash gum and tripout soda which were their latest breakout products, they had a lot on offer that could hasten muscle development, replenish electrolytes, or improve general conditioning.

  Of course, the benefits came with a catch, and depending on how wealthy you were, the ability to manage the side effects varied drastically.

  Every so often, they glimpsed someone with cybernetic enhancement. It ranged from people who had received top-class cybernetics, who undoubtedly lived on the top levels of the megabuilding, to complete organics like Ade.

  Not only were class barriers broken down, but so were cultural ones. It was a melting pot of different people, all engaged in different activities – from boxing, martial arts, to HIIT training. United by a common goal, to build themselves up and to hone their bodies into something more.

  Evantra smiled when she saw Noelle staring at the people around them with wide eyes. Despite the overwhelming amount of stimulus – the sweat, scent of food from the stalls, the mass of people engaged in various physical activities – there was a clear undercurrent of electricity in the air.

  It was the same reason Ghostslayers from all over the globe were drawn to Elsecaller City.

  This was where you came to be reforged – no matter your background, your wealth, or your identity.

  “Coach! Got some newcomers to introduce you to.”

  Ade’s coach was not what Evantra had expected.

  Coach Senju was an elderly, diminutive Japanese man who rose to about her clavicle. He had a distinct hunch, and they had chanced upon him while he was shouting directions to a pair of his students who were sparring on a mat. He barely paused to acknowledge Ade, entirely focused on the two rookies who were battling it out on the mat.

  When Senju eventually turned, she noticed that Senju had optics.

  Beyond that, he had scars.

  Ex-Ghostslayer.

  A gash ran diagonally across the length of his face, over a single eyelid. Senju’s eyes bore into hers, the man looking her over in the span of a few seconds. Guinevere had been a competent instructor, teaching her about the basics of close combat, shoring up glaring weaknesses. In the scheme of things, she had still been a Ghostslayer on the lower end of the totem pole.

  The way that Senju was assessing her, Evantra had the distinct impression that he was analysing her. Systematically deconstructing her capabilities, identifying weaknesses and shortcomings in the simple manner in which she stood. She felt her skin prickle under his attention, and felt something churn in her when he simply shifted his gaze to Noelle without a second glance.

  As if she simply had nothing worth offering.

  “You wish to train with us?”

  Evantra found herself nodding before she winced.

  “We… might be interested in the future. We’re just settling down; we might not have the funds—”

  Ade grinned at her words as if in anticipation, and Evantra and Noelle exchanged a look of confusion.

  “I don’t care about money,” Senju said, his words carrying a faint Japanese accent, while his eyes were locked on the pair of rookies.

  “You.”

  He pointed at Noelle, and Evantra watched the girl pale.

  “Sally,” he called out with a gruff voice.

  They stared as a lithe, blond woman who looked to be about their own age dressed in a black sports bra and tracksuit pants approached them with a smile. She gave them a cheery wave. She had bright blue eyes, which, upon further scrutiny, weren’t glowing because of any intrinsic quality.

  Sally, as young as she was, had cybernetic implants.

  “Hey! It’s nice to meet you guys! You're friends of Ade’s—”

  “Go,” Senju called, with a sharp wave of his hand.

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  Sally rolled her eyes.

  “I’ll go when I want to go, grumpy man. C’mere,” Sally lightly chastised Senju as she guided Noelle to a weight station close by.

  Evantra turned to Senju.

  “Do you want me to—”

  Senju cut Evantra off with a wave of his hand, silencing her. His eyes were on Noelle as Sally guided her to some dumbbells. Evantra watched as Sally proceeded to teach Noelle squat technique. After almost collapsing to the ground in exhaustion, Sally immediately moved Noelle on to the bench press, providing her with a pair of dumbbells to use. Evantra watched as Noelle tried desperately to complete her reps without deviating from the technique that Sally had instructed her on.

  One exercise after another, Sally’s cheery, energetic persona never faltered as she led Noelle from one gruelling exercise to the next.

  Evantra stared on in fascination.

  “Enough.”

  Noelle struggled to her feet, dropping from a pull-up bar after failing to execute a single pull up. Sally had been cheerfully clapping her on from the floor below, but as supportive as she was, Evantra noticed how the girl made no move to help Noelle to her feet.

  It’s clear that he has some sort of criteria.

  If it was basal physical fitness levels, Noelle would have been ruled out immediately. Scratch that, I would have been ruled out immediately too, if his other students are anything to go by.

  If it isn’t that… maybe it’s a test of resilience? Maybe it isn’t a matter of Noelle’s objective results, but how far she’s willing to push herself before tapping out?

  Senju walked up to Noelle, halting before her panting form. She was splayed out on the ground, chest heaving as she greedily gulped at the humid air of the training grounds.

  Eventually her eyes opened, and she groaned as she pushed herself upright, before struggling shakily to her feet.

  Senju graced her with a smile.

  “Run two kilometres.”

  On second thought… maybe he’s just a sadist.

  Think Evantra.

  He was watching Noelle’s form closely. It’s also possible that he’s assessing whether she has the discipline to adhere to the technique that Sally was teaching her, watching to see if she would crack and take a shortcut. The more tired you get, the easier it is for your form to break down.

  Noelle stared at Senju in alarm, before shaking her head. She didn’t do so to reject Senju’s instruction, but to clear her head. Evantra took an involuntary step forwards as Noelle stumbled in the direction of the treadmills, barely managing to stay upright.

  “No.”

  Senju’s response was curt and immediate, and brooked no argument. Evantra felt a chill as his eyes settled on her, before returning to Noelle in the distance. The girl had risen from her prone position too rapidly, her blood no doubt rushing to her head. Still, she somehow managed to find her way to the treadmill, knees shaking from the physical exertion. Sally had advanced to her treadmill and was inputting the pace and distance. Ade watched on with a measured expression.

  “Mister Senju, my friend isn’t accustomed to—”

  “No.”

  Maybe this is my test.

  To see whether I’ll be willing to comply with his instructions at Noelle’s expense.

  Evantra gritted her teeth as she watched Noelle wipe away tears brought from her fatigue. She glimpsed steel in her green eyes that she had seen twice before.

  The first, at the range with Trevor for their very first lesson.

  The second, before his grave.

  The pace that Sally had set for Noelle was blistering. She watched as Noelle ran with the grace of a drunk, bipedal hippopotamus, desperately grabbing for the stabilising handles on either side, almost pulling herself forwards in an attempt to keep up.

  Her breathing had grown ragged, and even from a distance away, Evantra could hear her gasps. Noelle was straining to suck in the oxygen as if it would somehow allow her to surmount the impossible hurdle that Senju had set for her.

  After all, she was barely a tenth of the way into the run.

  Evantra dashed forwards when she saw the girl’s ankle buckle, heedless of Senju’s outstretched arm. She lunged forwards into a crouch, ensuring that Noelle’s head didn’t slam into the concrete ground below as she slid off the treadmill. Evantra’s grip slipped on Noelle’s sweaty skin, but she caught her in a firm grip, pulling her upright and throwing Noelle’s arm over her shoulder.

  Sally walked forwards with a bright smile, holding out a bottle which Noelle weakly accepted.

  “Nicely done, Twig. Your ankle okay?” Evantra muttered under her breath as Noelle panted. She had until the point where it seemed like a stray breeze would topple her over. Evantra was surprised that she was even standing after the non-stop workout that Senju had put her through.

  “Y-yeah.”

  Senju strode forwards, halting before Noelle and Evantra.

  “You are accepted. I will teach you if you come again,” Senju said, pointing at Noelle, before his gaze shifted to Evantra.

  “You are not.”

  Evantra felt a mix of reflexive desperation, anger and incredulity rise in response to his words.

  Was it because I disobeyed his instructions?

  “D-did you fail because of me?” Noelle’s voice came out as a whisper. She was still panting with her hands on her knees, but her eyes were fixed on Evantra.

  “It wasn’t you. I don’t think he liked the look of me. Probably came off as too arrogant or full of myself. Preachers, you know?” Evantra gave her an easy grin.

  Noelle’s expression darkened.

  “I’m going to decline—”

  “Hey, listen. If the only reason you’re doing that is because he rejected me, then that’s a dumb decision. I don’t know about his criteria for selecting students… but if you have any interest in physical training at all, then you’d be an idiot not to accept.”

  Noelle’s eyes widened.

  “But—”

  “At the very least, he trained Ade. I saw him in action during the Veilsurge. His fundamentals are better than mine. You’ll get a six-pack like his in no time. I’ll have to upgrade you from Twig to sturdy wooden plank,” Evantra grinned.

  "It might even get to the stage where you're more qualified to get into the academy then I am. Think about rubbing that in my face."

  Noelle’s gaze hovered over her before she eventually relented when Evantra continued to push her in Senju’s direction.

  Noelle straightened her back, walking in the direction of Senju, Ade and Sally who were speaking together.

  Evantra took a seat at the back of the gym, waiting while Noelle sorted out the administrative arrangements. With any luck, Noelle might be able to persuade Senju to grant free access to the gym to Evantra as well. If the look on Noelle’s face and the gestures she was casting in Evantra’s direction was any indication, it seemed like she was certainly trying.

  “What were the odds. The old master picking Noelle, while rejecting me straight off the bat. Urgh, I sound like a prick when I put it that way.”

  “Indeed, Wraith. Pride is folly, and self-awareness is the antidote.”

  “Wha—”

  Evantra rose with a jolt of alarm, twisting to stare at the young man who melted out of the darkness behind her.

  She watched as a familiar young, Asian man clad in the light orange robes of a monk strode out of the shadows.

  He sported a cybernetic limb on his right arm and eyes that captured a childlike innocence and brightness that she remembered envying the first time that she had met him.

  He gave her a shit-eating grin.

  “If you would like a lesson in humility, you only have to ask, Wraith.”

  Evantra flung a stray towel at Benjamin Yang.

  The cybernetic monk.