Chapter 103 - The Coordinates of the Old Continent

The Tokyo chill seeped through the exhaust fans of the Shibuya training complex with a gélido insistence, cutting through the early morning air. The ice of the main rink looked pristine—a gray-blue surface reflecting the structure of tubes, steel beams, and industrial spotlights from the ceiling. At seven in the morning, the facility remained in a deathly silence, far from the hustle and bustle of fans and the press. There was no orchestral music or background applause; only the sharp, rhythmic, and constant crunch of blades cutting the frozen surface in a long, precise lane.