As weeks turned to months, Vlad embraced the principles of progressive overload, a concept as timeless as his own tactical genius. He drew upon elements of his real heritage—his father’s draconic insignia symbolizing unassailable strength—to fuel his training regimen. Mornings were dedicated to compound lifts: squats that built the foundational power of his legs, much like the sturdy walls of Poenari Castle he once fortified; bench presses that honed his upper body for the metaphorical battles ahead; and deadlifts, his favored exercise, where he envisioned pulling the weight of empires from the earth. Nutrition became his ally; he consumed hearty meals of grilled meats and root vegetables, evoking the feasts of Wallachian nobility, supplemented with modern protein elixirs to aid recovery.