Bully Lord

Part-199

The same applied to his other skills. **Thunderclap**, **Snake Jab**, and **Bear Grip** were powerful, but they required precise timing and energy management. The ratlings had been overwhelming, but they wouldn’t be the strongest foes he’d face. The dungeon surely had more dangerous enemies, and if he wanted to survive, he’d need more than just raw power.

James’s thoughts lingered on the lamp. What other secrets did it hold? The dungeon had only revealed its first layer to him, and it had already tested his limits. He had cleared the midsection of Level 1, but that was just the beginning. How many more levels were there? What new challenges awaited him?

His heart raced at the thought. Despite the exhaustion and uncertainty, James felt a thrill deep within. The dungeon was an unparalleled experience—a place where he could push himself to his absolute limits, where each victory brought him closer to unlocking its secrets.

But for now, he had to wait. As frustrating as it was, the 24-hour reset period would give him time to rest, recover, and strategize.

Lost in thought, a notification suddenly appeared before him:

**[Mission 24: Congratulations! Mission Completed. Reward: +5 INT]**

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the classroom windows as James slid into his usual seat, feeling the weight of anticipation in the air. The midterms had just ended, leaving behind a buzz of relief and excitement. A 20-day summer vacation awaited them, a reprieve everyone was eagerly looking forward to. But before that, they had one last class to go over the semester’s final assignments and homework. The classroom was filled with the usual hum of chatter, students exchanging plans for the break, while some, already feeling lazy, were quietly dreading the homework review.

James, still somewhat distracted by the events of the previous day in the dungeon, tried to shake off the lingering exhaustion. Though the Lamp of Time had reset, the mental strain of battling ratlings and repeatedly facing defeat was hard to ignore. He glanced at the clock, willing himself to focus on the present.

As the teacher droned on about assignment details, James caught a glimpse of Mili approaching his desk. He straightened up, flashing her a quick smile.

“Hey, James,” Mili said, leaning casually against his desk. “What are your plans for the summer?”

James shrugged. “Nothing big yet. I’ll probably take it easy for a few days. After the midterms, I feel like I need a break.”

Mili grinned. “You should stop by our dojo over the summer. My dad’s running some special combat training programs. You’ll learn a ton. It could help you sharpen your skills.”

Mili’s family, the Chowdhurys, owned one of the largest martial arts academies in the city, a place that had produced some of the best martial artists in the region. James had visited the dojo a couple of times before but had never taken formal lessons. He always admired the atmosphere there, watching the dedication of the students as they trained under Kashem Chowdhury, Mili’s father, and Tia Chowdhury, her mother—both martial arts masters.