Leo grabbed the tub Sarah had pointed out—a temporary fix for a long-term goal. He felt a weird sense of relief. It wasn't just about the powder; it was about the next step.

His trainer, a man who seemed to be made entirely of granite and espresso, had been blunt: "You’re breaking down faster than you’re building up, Leo. Get some L-Glutamine. It’ll help with the recovery and keep your gut from staging a protest."

"One more tip," Sarah called out as she headed toward the checkout. "Get the version. You can mix it into anything, and it doesn’t taste like a chemical fruit punch."

"I was thinking about just ordering it online," Leo admitted, rubbing his sore shoulder.

Leo nodded, heading to the register. Tomorrow, the recovery would begin.

The neon hum of the 24-hour gym was the only thing keeping Leo awake. He stared at his reflection in the sweat-streaked mirror, feeling that familiar, nagging ache in his muscles—the kind that didn't just say "good workout," but screamed "overtrained."

Now, standing in the middle of the supplement aisle at 10:00 PM, Leo felt like he was staring at a wall of hieroglyphics. Every tub promised "X-treme Growth" or "Atomic Recovery." He just wanted the pure stuff.

"You look like you're trying to solve a cold case," a voice chirped. It was Sarah, a marathoner Leo recognized from the morning sessions. She pointed to a simple, white tub on the bottom shelf. "If you want it , this local supplement shop or even a big-box pharmacy like CVS or Walgreens usually has the basics."