Part-214

  James stared at the wooden sword in his hand, giving it a few test swings. The weight felt bahe handle smooth in his grip, but there was nothing particurly special about it. To him, it seemed like any ordinary wooden sword, its "double pain" attribute likely only noticeable when actually nding a blow. Still, James wasly an expert in sword fighting, and he wasn’t eager to rely on something so unfamiliar, especially not when he had more reliable skills in his arsenal.

  After a moment of ption, James sighed and strapped the sword to his back. It would serve as a backup, nothing more. He couldn't afford to lose focus, especially with what y ahead—Level 2.

  He moved forward, entering the Normal se of Level 2. The air here was thicker, the temperature colder, and the ambianenag. The walls, now a sickly green stone, seemed to pulse with an eerie glow. As James stepped into the first room, his senses heightened, eyes sing for any signs of danger.

  And then, he saw them—four humanoid greeures with short, stocky bodies and sharp, gleaming eyes. Goblins. They stood around, brandishing crude ons like rusted swords and jagged clubs. Their faces twisted into snarls as soon as they noticed him.

  James ched his fists, his body tensing as adrenaline surged through him. He had faced plenty of enemies before, but these goblins seemed different from the Ratling Sgers. They were smarter, faster, and more coordinated.

  Without hesitation, the goblins charged at him. James quickly activated **Sloth View**, his surroundings slowing to a crawl. He sidestepped the first goblin’s wild ssh, tering with a **Snake Jab** to its side. His fist ected, but the creature barely flinched, rec almost immediately and swinging its club with surprising speed. James dodged again, but the oblins were closing in.

  Despite his best efforts, the goblins' coordination overwhelmed him. Oer aheir attacks chipped away at his defenses, and soon James found himself ered. Desperately, he activated **Crisis Mode**, allowing his body to automatically react with perfect precision. His movements became fwless, dodging and tering with smooth efficy, but even this wasn’t enough. The goblins were relentless, and their attacks were wearing him down.

  Within minutes, James was defeated.

  He respaw the beginning of the Level 2 Normal se, frustration gnawing at him. "What am I doing wrong?" he muttered to himself, rubbing his temples as he repyed the fight in his mind. The goblins were different from anything he had faced before. They were faster thalings, and their teamwork made it hard to isote them one by one.

  James realized that brute ford quick reflexes weren’t enough. These enemies required strategy. If he was going to survive and progress, he o rethink his approach. The key, he figured, was to exploit their weaknesses while minimizing his own.

  He took a deep breath and reviewed his abilities once again. **Sloth View** was a lifesaver, allowing him to slow time, but it wasn’t effective if he couldn’t nd decisive blows. **Crisis Mode** owerful, but it drained his stamina too quickly, and against multiple fast-moving enemies like the goblins, it wasn’t enough to turide.