Bully Lord

Part-218

"9850 EXP," he muttered, pulling up his stat screen to check his progress. He needed more if he was going to stand a chance in the Level 2 Early Midsection. The goblins there were far more dangerous than he’d expected. He had learned the hard way that they wouldn’t give him the luxury of a fair fight. Their archers were deadly accurate, and the sword-wielding goblins worked in perfect synchronization. He couldn’t take them on without a better strategy.

As he stretched and tried to shake off the lingering tension from his dungeon run, James couldn’t help but replay the battle in his mind. He needed a way to neutralize the goblins’ ranged attacks while keeping the sword-wielders at bay. The wooden sword had proven useful, but it wasn’t enough on its own. His fists, while powerful in close combat, left him vulnerable to long-range attacks.

James considered his options. He could invest in gear upgrades, maybe find a shield to deflect the arrows, or learn a new ability that could counter the goblins’ coordinated attacks. He could also explore his skill tree more thoroughly...

But more than anything, James knew he needed patience. Dungeon-crawling was a marathon, not a sprint. Each failure was a lesson, and each death a chance to refine his approach. He had been too reckless in the Level 2 Midsection, overconfident after his previous victories. But now, with a clearer understanding of his limitations.

The next day, James met up with Ryan for their usual training session. They were in the middle of a series of stamina exercises—sprints, push-ups, and endurance drills. It had become their regular routine, pushing each other to the limits of their physical abilities. Ryan, always competitive, loved these sessions, and while James appreciated the challenge, today, his mind was elsewhere.

They took a break, chugging water and catching their breath. As they rested, Ryan’s eyes wandered to the wooden sword sticking out of James’ backpack. With a raised eyebrow, he pointed toward it.

“What’s with the sword, man? Planning on becoming a samurai or something?” Ryan joked, his usual playful grin spread across his face.

James glanced at his backpack, pulling the sword out slightly for a better look. The wooden blade, though plain, had become a crucial part of his strategy for the dungeon. “Actually,” James said, half-smiling, “I’m thinking of learning swordsmanship.”

Ryan looked at him, the grin fading into curiosity. “Swordsmanship? You serious?”

James nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. “Yeah, I figure it could help me with this game I’m playing.” He hesitated for a moment, unsure how much to share. Ryan was his friend, but explaining the whole dungeon-crawling experience might be a bit much. “I’ve been thinking it’s not just for the game either. You know, it might help in other areas. Self-discipline, focus, that kind of stuff.”

Ryan chuckled. “Man, I don’t know. The martial arts center does have a swordsmanship class, but it’s not exactly popular.” He leaned back on his hands, looking at James skeptically. “You know why?”