The dull thud of my foot meeting stone echoed through the training hall as my kick shattered the golem's core, sending its massive frame crumbling into dust. Another enemy neutralized. But even as I moved on to the next, my mind wasn't fully present.
My body responded automatically, weaving through the battlefield with practiced precision, striking at the weak points of each construct with ruthless efficiency. But my thoughts… they were still caught in the aftermath of Eleanor's evaluation.
'You've developed habits.'
I side-stepped a golem's massive fist, feeling the air pressure shift an instant before the impact landed. My blade slashed upward, severing its arm before it could retract.
'You've trained yourself to react to superior forces—not by clashing with them, but by adapting before they even press down on you.'
It wasn't a lie. In fact, it was probably one of the most accurate assessments anyone had made about me.
