The wooden floor creaked under Charles's feet as he followed the others, adjusting his bandages to keep them secure.
The warm-up had been grueling, though not as bad as he'd expected.
First, basic stretches: legs, arms, neck, all to wake the body.
Then, deep breaths that Neymar insisted were "key to connecting with your element."
Charles had rolled his eyes but complied, stunned by the result—he could see his stored power inside his body for the first time.
'It's blue…' he thought, watching the energy pulse through his veins.
Things got serious after that: wide lunges, push-ups that left him sweating, lateral shuffles to dodge imaginary attacks, and torso twists that warmed his muscles.
'With this, my stored energy's gotta be near 100%,' he thought, wiping sweat from his brow with his black tunic's sleeve.
Now came the big part: the Storm Clan's basic stances.
Neymar had explained they were the foundation of all combat, from defense to channeling elemental power.
