The swordsmanship class had begun, and Leonardo and I were now running side by side on the training field, completing our 20 laps. The sun was climbing higher into the sky, its rays casting long shadows across the field. The rhythmic sound of our footsteps blended with the distant chatter of other pairs training in the background.
We were on our 17th lap, and I could feel the burn in my legs. My breath came a bit heavier, but I wasn't about to slow down. This was part of the training, after all—and compared to 50 laps of Instructor Gord, this is nothing. I glanced over at Leonardo, curious about how he was faring.
To my astonishment, he showed no signs of fatigue. His breathing was steady, his pace consistent, and his expression calm, as though this were just a casual jog. Was this the gap between a first-year and a fifth-year student?
