Part-203

  He leaned back against his bed, his mind wandering to the Judo petition. The thought of peting at a national level thrilled him. It wasn’t just about winning—though he certainly wao make his club proud—but about testing his limits.

  But also the idea of training at Mili’s family dojo, uhe watchful eye of masters like Kashem and Tia Chowdhury, made it even more appealing. They weren’t just regur martial artists; they were legends in their field. If anyone could help him refine his teiques and elevate his skills to the level, it was them.

  James smiled to himself. The summer ahead was going to be intense, but in the best possible way. There were endless opportuo grow stronger between his friends, the dojo, and the Lamp of Time.

  But first, he o prepare for what was i in the dungeoood up from his bed and approached the Lamp, the soft glow refleg off the surface of the a relic. Its power was vast, but so were the risks.

  He ed his fingers around the Lamp, feeling the slight warmth that pulsed from it. He had learhe hard way that rushing in recklessly would only lead to disaster. This time, he would approach it with a pn. Before returning to the dungeon, he would study the teiques he had learned in judo and in Mili’s dojo. Every move, every strike, and every block would be refined until they became sed nature.

  With the oil replenished, he knew he could return to the dungeon at any time. But instead of rushing back immediately, he decided to wait. There was o rush.

  James pced the Lamp ba the desk and pulled out his notebook. If he was going to face whatever was waiting for him in the dungeon, he needed a strategy. He began to jot down the various teiques he had been practig, both from judo and from the moves he had used in the dungeon, like **Thundercp** and **Crisis Mode**. Each had its strengths, but they also had weaknesses—weakhat could be exploited by the set of enemies.

  Tomorrow’s sparring session with Ryan would be key. Ryan’s years of experien judo, bined with his familiarity with the dojo’s teiques, would help James identify the gaps in his strategy.

  James closed his notebook and y ba his bed, staring at the ceiling. Tomorrow would be the beginning of a neter—both in the real world and in the mysterious dungeon.

  As sleep finally began to overtake him, ohought lingered in his mind: **What lies beyond the midse of Level 1?**

  Whatever it was, James was determio be ready.

  -----

  A few days ago, at the Fire Fly Headquarters, the Managing Director’s office was its usual hive of activity. Stacks of reports y ly on the desk, framed certificates lihe walls, and the soft hum of city traffic filtered through the rge, tinted windows. Mr. Rahat, the Managing Director, sat behind his polished mahogany desk, going over some paperwork when his personal assistant, Ali, knocked lightly on the door aered.

  "Sir," Ali began, a hint of tension in his voice, "the AIGP, Mr. Sam, wants to meet with you."