Martin let out a slow breath.
His Soul Swords hovered silently in the air around him, drifting in slow circles like a protective constellation.
Bits of silver light trailed behind them, fading into the still air.
He didn't sit down right away.
Instead, he began walking back and forth.
"There are some things I need to make sure are in place," he said under his breath.
"Things I won't risk my life over."
He turned on his heel and walked the other way.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
He had seen enough of these stages to know that they followed patterns… but not entirely predictable ones.
If the pattern continued, then the next stage would be worse.
"I'm expecting five thousand… maybe six thousand enemies next time," he thought.
"And that should bring me to the end of the Atmosphere Level 4 enemies."
He stopped walking for a moment, standing in the center of the battlefield.
His gaze moved slowly to the Silver Swords that hovered in the air.
His thoughts drifted ahead.
