Nero didn't allow himself to sit with the fear. He changed it into motion. Stripping off his uniform, he pulled on his simple, durable training gear. He sent a quick text to Khione:
"Training. Pocket world. Be back later." Her reply was almost instant, just a single blue heart emoji. It was enough.
He went to the academy's logistical hub, using a chunk of his hard-earned cadet credits to rent a six-hour pass to a medium-grade pocket world. He didn't choose a forest or a volcano. He selected "Frostwrath Tundra." A world of endless snow and ice. If he was going to face cold, calculated enemies, he would first conquer the cold itself.
The transition was a shock. One moment he was in the warm, stone hub, the next he was knee-deep in blowing snow under a flat, gray sky. The air was so cold it hurt his lungs. The wind howled, cutting through his gear. It was exactly what he needed—a environment that fought back just by existing.
