The Gimnasio Ferro was not the kind of establishment that appeared in lifestyle magazines or attracted Instagram influencers seeking the perfect workout selfie.
Tucked away in the working-class neighborhood of Poble Sec, it occupied the ground floor of a building that had seen better decades, its facade weathered by Mediterranean sun and urban grit.
The sign above the entrance was hand-painted in fading blue letters, and the windows were covered with posters advertising local boxing matches and powerlifting competitions.
Mateo discovered it by accident during his third day back in Barcelona, while exploring the city in his System-generated disguise.
He had been walking aimlessly through the narrow streets, savoring the anonymity that allowed him to observe the rhythm of ordinary life without being observed in return.
