The glitch in the matrix

She could've tightened the noose already, squeezed until his bones creaked under the force, but she was still managing the weight—adjusting, reacting. It was a decision, not a failure. That meant she wasn't just relying on brute force. She was reading him, just as he was reading her.

A contest of control.

Noah exhaled slowly, his mind shifting from endurance to action. He needed to break out of his own reasoning. He had spent time analyzing, feeling out her technique, but now it was time to test it.

He adjusted his stance slightly—not to resist, but to probe.

The response was immediate.

The pressure doubled down on his left side, tightening against his ribs, forcing his spine into a locked position. The shift was too fast, too efficient to be anything other than conscious reinforcement.

'She's watching my weight distribution.'