The narrow staircase seemed to stretch endlessly upward, each step resonating with the heavy thud of Jack's boots. He could feel the bruises forming on his body from his encounters on the previous floors, his muscles aching with each step. Jack took a moment to lean against the wall, catching his breath. The sweat from his last fight still clung to his skin, and the adrenaline that had fueled him was beginning to wane.
But he couldn't let exhaustion slow him down. He clenched his fists, thinking of Lena and the mission he had set out to complete. Rico and his henchmen were waiting for him, and he wasn't about to let them get away with taking Lena or dishonoring Ethan's memory. This place—the House of Arena—was designed to break him, physically and mentally. But Jack was determined to make it out, no matter the cost.
