Bully Lord

Part-202

“James, how did the exams go?” she asked, her voice gentle but expectant.

James took a deep breath and nodded. “They went fine, Mom. I’m pretty confident I’ll be in the top three this time.”

Farzana’s face lit up with pride. “That’s wonderful to hear, James. You’ve been working hard, and I’m so proud of you. You know how much it means to me to see you doing well in your studies.”

James smiled, appreciating her support. She had always encouraged him to strike a balance between his academic pursuits and his other interests like judo and, unknowingly to her, his secret ventures into the Lamp of Time’s dungeon. “Thanks, Mom,” he said warmly, before excusing himself to head upstairs to his room.

Once inside, James collapsed onto his bed, the day’s events swirling in his mind. The upcoming judo competition, the summer at the dojo, and of course, the Lamp of Time dungeon, all weighed on him. Despite the distractions of the outside world, his thoughts kept returning to the mysterious lamp sitting on his desk. He had only cleared the midsection of Level 1, which means there is more on Level 1. May be there is place called boss room or whatever like a game?

Hours passed, and James found himself staring at the lamp, its faint glow beckoning him. As evening settled, a soft chime echoed in his mind, and the familiar notification popped up in his vision.

**[Notification: The oil in the Lamp of Time has been replenished. You may re-enter the dungeon.]**

James sat up, his heartbeat quickening. The dungeon was calling him again, and this time, he felt more prepared. His battle with the ratlings had taught him a lot about his own strengths and weaknesses, and the idea of entering the next phase of the dungeon excited him.

But before he could let his excitement carry him away, he knew he had to be smart about it. The ratlings had been difficult, but they were only the beginning. Whatever lay beyond the midsection would likely be much more dangerous. He would need to think strategically if he wanted to survive the next level.

James reached for his phone and sent a quick text to Ryan.

*“Hey, I’ll need your help sparring tomorrow. I’m working on some new techniques and could use a partner.”*

Ryan’s reply came almost immediately.

*“Sure thing. Meet me at the dojo in the morning. We’ll go all out.”*

James grinned, feeling a surge of excitement. Tomorrow would be the start of something bigger. Between Mili’s dojo, the Judo Club’s competition, and the mysterious Lamp of Time, he was at the cusp of a transformative summer.

As he set his phone down, James glanced at the Lamp again, wondering what kind of monsters or trials awaited him in the next phase of the dungeon. But this time, he felt more prepared—not just physically, but mentally. His experiences in the real world were beginning to blend with the skills he had learned in the dungeon albeit it was too short, but he was eager to see how they would all come together.