I woke to the sound of my own gasp, the remnants of another nightmare—this time featuring a broom-wielding moon chasing me through the cosmos for unknown reasons—still clinging to my skin like sweat. Whatever, I am long used to them anyway; they are working in my favor, waking me up at the right time every day.
5:33 AM.
Good.
Rolling out of bed, I washed my face, the cold water shocking the sleep from my bones. Then, the real pain began: my daily "warm-up."
100 push-ups. 100 sit-ups. 100 squats. A 10-kilometer run.
(A certain bald-caped hero's regimen, minus the going bald part. Hopefully.)
By the time I finished, my muscles burned, but the exhaustion was familiar, almost comforting.
Then, as I returned to my room—
A familiar rip in reality.
Virion's emerald portal yawned open beside my bed, the serpent's grinning face peering through.
"Jie jie~ Ready for today's beating, boy?"
I sighed, wiping sweat from my brow. "Bring it on."
——
