The training began at 4:00 AM. Maya didn't use soft words or gentle encouragement. She treated Leo like a recruit in an elite special forces unit. The first week was nothing but physical conditioning—running up mountain trails with a weighted pack, hundreds of burpees in the rain, and hours of tactical combat drills. Leo's body screamed in protest, his muscles burning like they were being eaten by acid. Every time he fell, Maya was there, her voice a whip: 'Get up, Heir. The Viper won't wait for you to catch your breath.'