For the first few days after leaving the competition, Alexander, Vanessa, and Katarina returned to the lobby daily to monitor the upper floors' progress. The massive screens displayed real-time updates—which competitors had advanced, who'd been eliminated, what challenges they faced.But they couldn't watch in peace.Ethan Zhang made absolutely certain of that."Oh look!" Ethan's voice rang out the second day, loud enough for half the lobby to hear. "The FAILURES are back! Couldn't stay away, could you? Had to come watch REAL competitors do what you couldn't?"Alexander ignored him, his eyes on the screens showing Floor Seventy-Eight challenges."I'm talking to YOU, street rat!" Ethan stepped directly into Alexander's line of sight. "You deaf as well as pathetic? Or are you just too ashamed to acknowledge what a massive DISAPPOINTMENT you turned out to be?""Ethan, just leave us alone," Vanessa said tiredly. "We're just watching. We're not bothering anyone.""Not bothering anyone?" Et

Vanessa's personal physician—Dr. Sarah Chen—stood in the private hospital room, reviewing Alexander's charts with a frown that deepened with every page."This doesn't make sense," she said for the third time. "Physiologically, none of this makes sense.""What doesn't make sense?" Vanessa asked, her voice hoarse from hours of crying."His heart attack," Dr. Chen replied. "It wasn't caused by blockage. Wasn't caused by disease. His cardiovascular system is actually in exceptional condition—better than most athletes. But something triggered a massive stress response. Like his nervous system was suddenly overloaded by stimulus it couldn't process."She looked at Vanessa seriously. "What was he doing when this happened? What exactly was going on?""He was..." Vanessa hesitated. She couldn't tell the doctor about the rings. Couldn't explain that Alexander had just unlocked three years of suppressed memories all at once. "He was trying to remember something. Something traumatic. From his pas

Dr. Reeves steepled his fingers, studying both of them with eyes that seemed far too sharp for his age. "Your 'friend' wouldn't happen to have amnesia, would he? Memory loss from approximately three years ago?"Vanessa and Alexander exchanged glances. "Hypothetically," Vanessa said. "Why would that matter?""Because the rings you're describing," Dr. Reeves said slowly, "they sound very much like the Five Rings of Authority. Very old. Very powerful. And very, very dangerous to anyone who isn't properly prepared to wield them."He stood and moved to a bookshelf, pulling down a leather-bound volume. "The Rings of Authority were created centuries ago. Each one grants its bearer specific abilities—enhanced strength, speed, durability. But more importantly, each ring serves as a repository. A storage vessel.""Storage for what?" Alexander asked."For power," Dr. Reeves replied. "For the bearer's own essence, you might say. Warriors of exceptional skill would infuse the rings with portions o

The guards' amusement evaporated instantly. "How do you know Mr. Konstantin's name?" the first guard demanded, his hand moving to the radio on his belt."I did my research," Alexander replied. "I know he's the best. That's why I'm here.""Research," the second guard repeated mockingly. "Right. Listen, street rat—I don't know what scam you're trying to pull, but it's not going to work here. Mr. Konstantin doesn't train beggars. He doesn't train nobodies. He trains the ELITE. The wealthy. The people who actually matter in this world.""I'm not a beggar," Alexander said firmly."Could've fooled me," the first guard shot back. "Look at you! You look like you crawled out of a dumpster! Your clothes are falling apart! You probably haven't seen the inside of a shower in a week! And you think you belong in the same space as our clientele?"He leaned closer, his voice dripping with contempt. "We have actual champions training in there. Olympic athletes. Professional fighters. Sons and daughter

Ethan Zhang couldn't believe his luck when one of his contacts mentioned seeing Alexander Howard—the same man he'd humiliated at the Twin Towers—working as a janitor at Fit Titans."A janitor?" Ethan had said, barely containing his glee. "Are you absolutely certain?""Saw him myself," his contact confirmed. "Gray coveralls, mop in hand, cleaning up after the rich kids. Looking absolutely pathetic."Ethan immediately called Lila. "You're not going to believe this. Remember Alexander? Your ex-husband? The one who made it to Floor Seventy-Six before quitting like a coward?""What about him?" Lila asked warily."He's working as a JANITOR now!" Ethan practically crowed. "At Fit Titans! The most exclusive training facility in the city! He's literally cleaning toilets for minimum wage!"There was silence on the other end of the line. Then: "You're serious.""Dead serious," Ethan confirmed. "Sterling must have finally gotten tired of carrying his worthless ass. Must have realized he was just