Martial arts masters are renowned for their harsh training. They'll tell you you're "never good enough" because it's "tough love" & that's how you get "really good."

Not Dex.
Dex is patient, understanding & kind.

In the System everyone comes back to life but there are no therapists. There are people walking around carrying trauma from 1000 years ago. Dex is the best fighter in the System *because* she understands that, in the long run, your self-worth *matters*