Day 9: Sisyphus

She would have much better luck with the rookies than with Kraven. Her aching body screamed and begged for her to relent, but day after day, she kept returning. The water healed her of any injuries and it kept her stable in the face of little food and water. An ounce was the minimum she could earn and for the past week, it seemed like the max.

On the first day, MJ had tried hiding in the trees, but she'd been easily found.

On the second day, she tried to simply outlast him by dodging his attacks. But he was so much faster.

On the third day, she tried attacking, but was laid flat.

On the fourth day, she waited. After the third day, she had opted to follow Sergei around the camp and to learn about him. She needed to know more about her enemy and how he operated. When she got into the arena with him, she made sure to keep a close eye on his movements— even when he was pummeling her.

On the fifth day, she paid careful attention to her surroundings. She visited the training arena before their usual bout. MJ noted the large, football-field-sized arena; she noted its foliage, its hiding spots, its open areas. And still, she was beaten within a minute.

On the sixth day, Mary Jane started making changes to the arena. Even if it hurt her, she moved the traps. Kraven knew the entire arena with his eyes closed, of that she had no doubt. She couldn't introduce anything new without him noticing, much like he knew of any and all hiding spots. So, she would change the field of play. As much as he was a hunter, she'd discovered that he was also a creature of routine and habit. If she could disrupt that habit, then she could exploit it.

On the seventh day, she lasted two minutes.