Winter has begun and Hypower had clinched their first pre-league championship and now have qualified for the main Champions Academy Leauge.
"Alright everyone, I need you all to meet me at one of the lakes here so that we go ice bathing." Uno said, with the boys nodding and agreement while the some of the girls groaning.
As the girls groaned, Denise lightened up. "Come on girls, you've trained like this before I joined right?"
"Denise, we did train like this but, Uno was very strict towards that type of training. We never even gotten the chance to play out in the cold." Jada said with an annoyed tone with Uno noticing it.
"Well, maybe because the leauge was a bunch of pussies, and because none of you girls took any of my orders! The lot of you only did internet dances!" Uno yelled with his aura emminating.
The girls that were with him during those days cower, leaving Denise, Acel, Yani, Olivia and Kate watching this.
After a few minutes, Uno and Denise are currently in Uno's office preparing each other. "So, is it the time you will make everybody take the ice bath naked or, have them wear swimsuits?" Denise asked. "Well, I'm making them wear the swimsuits for the girls and for the men just shirtless." Uno said, Denise began blushing at the thought of Uno being shirtless.
"So, you want to see my abs, ey, Star?" Uno said smugly with Denise getting startled at her boyfriend's remark. "U-uhm, n-no. I mean, maybe but... I-it will be good to s-see you shirtless."
Uno chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You're adorable when you're flustered, you know that?" he said, reaching out to gently lift Denise's chin so she was looking him in the eye.
Denise's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red. "I just think it's... motivating for everyone, that's all," she said, trying to compose herself.
"Motivating, huh?" Uno replied, raising an eyebrow. "Is that what we're calling it now?"
Denise swatted at his arm playfully. "Stop teasing! You know what I mean. The team needs to see that you're serious about this training but also that you're not asking them to do anything you wouldn't do yourself."
"Fair point," Uno conceded, leaning back in his chair. "But I still want to push them, especially the girls. They need to toughen up if they're going to survive this league."
Denise nodded. "I understand, but there's a fine line between pushing them and recognizing their limits. They respect you, Uno, they really do. It's just... no one likes swimming in the cold."
Uno sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know, I know. It's just... frustrating sometimes. I see so much potential in them, but they resist every step of the way."
"They're not resisting you, they're just dreading the cold," Denise said softly. "Trust needs to be earned, not demanded."
He looked at her, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. "Do you think I've been too hard on them?"
"Not too hard, but maybe a bit too intense with certain things," Denise admitted. "But it's not too late to adjust. Show them that you care about their well-being, not just their performance. That's how you build trust."
Uno was silent for a moment, then nodded. "You're right. I'll try to be more... approachable. But they need to meet me halfway."
"And they will, once they see you're willing to bend a little too," Denise assured him. She reached out and took his hand. "We'll get through this together, okay?"
Uno squeezed her hand in return. "Together," he agreed. "Now, about this ice bath... any suggestions on how to make it less daunting for them?"
Denise thought for a moment. "How about we turn it into a team bonding activity? Pair them up and have them support each other. It might make the experience less intimidating and more about camaraderie."
