Part-208

  Kashem’s words rang true. James could feel it in his own body—the fatigue had crept in faster than he expected, and his throws had cked power ier moments of the match.

  “For the week, we’re fog on building your endurand strength,” Kashem said, gesturing to the far side of the room where a variety of training equipment y. “Follow me.”

  James and Ryan plied, following Kashem as he led them to the ditioning area. The phase of training was brutal. Kashem had them doing exercises desigo test their limits—push-ups, squats, medie ball throws, and various forms of cardio. There was no break betwees, and as soured from their bodies, James felt his muscles burning in a way they hadn’t in a long time.

  Despite the exhaustion, James pushed himself harder. He khat this wasn’t just about getting stronger for Judo. It was about preparing himself for what y ahead. The memories of his time in the dungeon and the Lamp of Time were still fresh, and he khat if he wao survive the challenge—whether it was in the real world or the straherworldly one—he needed every bit of strength and endurance he could build.

  Ryan, too, was struggling but determihe petitiveness between them fueled their efforts, each pushing the other to go harder, faster.

  By the end of the hour, both boys were drenched i, their muscles ag, but there was a sense of aplishment. Kashem looked at them with approval, though his expression remaiern.

  “That’s enough for today,” Kashem said, his tone less harsh now. “You’ve both worked hard, and it’s clear you’re serious about improving. Keep this up, and you’ll be ready for the National Judo petition at the end of the summer.”

  James and Ryan both oo tired to speak but grateful for the guidance.

  As they left the dojo, the exhaustion of the day started to settle in. James felt a mix of fatigue aement c through him. Training at the dojo had been harder than he expected, but it was exactly what he needed. He g Ryan, who was equally wiped out but grinning.

  “You ready for more of this tomorrow?” Ryan asked, his voice tired but teasing.

  James smirked, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Yeah. Let’s get ready to win that petition.”

  As James walked home, the familiar sounds of the bustling city surrounded him, but his mind was elsewhere. The notification that popped up earlier still lingered in his thoughts: *[gratutions! You have gained 1 due to your stamina training under Kashem Chowdhury's guidance.]*

  It was a subtle yet important reminder of how closely the real world and his mysterious experience had begun to iwine. His efforts in the physical world—training hard under Kashem’s rigorimen—had somehow directly influenced his stats, just like in a video game.

  James couldn’t help but grin. “So, it’s really that easy to increase stats now?” he thought to himself, the excitement bubbling uhe surface. Of course, the training with Kashem wasn’t easy by any means, but this clear feedback made all the sweat and exhaustion worth it.