In that moment of unbridled happiness, she forgot every consideration of propriety and personal boundaries. She launched herself forward from her spot, wrapping her arms around Noah in an enthusiastic hug that caught him completely off guard.
The embrace was warm and filled with gratitude. Her soft body pressed against his as she held him tightly, her relief and excitement pouring out through the physical contact.
Noah smiled at her infectious enthusiasm and returned the hug without hesitation, his arms encircling her slender frame with gentle care.
For Lola, the moment held deeper significance than Noah realised. Behind his back, her ruby eyes widened in shock as she processed what was happening.
He’s actually hugging me back. Really hugging me, not just tolerating it.
This wasn’t the casual, polite contact they’d shared during their mouth-to-mouth healing moment. This was Noah choosing to embrace her, holding her close because he wanted to, not because circumstances demanded it.
A brilliant smile broke across her face like sunrise after an endless night. Her heart raced with emotions she’d never expected to feel—not just affection or attraction, but something deeper and more precious.
He’s not pulling away. He’s not uncomfortable.
The hug lasted only seconds, but for Lola, it represented a breakthrough that meant more than any magical artefact or enhancement item ever could.
When they finally separated, her cheeks carried a faint blush that made her look genuinely adorable despite her incredible power and supernatural beauty.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice carrying layers of meaning that went far beyond gratitude for a business transaction.
[Transaction Complete!]
[Ding! First Mystical Herbal Tea sale complete!]
[Reward: Auto-HerbTea level 1]
[New Idle Income Stream: Eye Of Apollo ($110,000) established.]
Noah’s eyes widened at the system notification. The Eye of Apollo had become a daily income stream worth $110,000, adding substantially to his already impressive passive earnings.
However, Noah made a deliberate decision not to convert this particular income stream to dollars. He preferred to keep receiving the actual Eye of Apollo artifacts rather than their monetary equivalent.
Money can be earned through sales, but magical artifacts like the Eye of Apollo can’t be easily replaced. These items might be incredibly useful for future situations, or someone might desperately need them for trade.
While dollars were useful on Earth, magical artefacts held value across multiple worlds and could serve purposes that simple currency couldn’t fulfil.
His daily income had increased once again, and he had gained another valuable item to sell.
With so many different products available now, I’m genuinely excited for our adventures in whatever new territory the system selects.
With the transaction completed and nothing immediately pressing to accomplish, Noah decided to give Lola privacy for her practice session before her upcoming night shift.
She’s going to need some alone time to experiment with that instant coffee and consolidate her grandmaster advancement.
Lola departed for her room upstairs while Noah remained in the main shop area for a few more minutes. He spent five minutes playing with Leo, enjoying some simple bonding time with his companion.
"Ready for our next adventure tomorrow, buddy?" Noah asked while scratching behind Leo’s ears.
"Always ready, Father. New places mean new challenges and new prey to hunt," Leo responded with enthusiasm that matched Noah’s own anticipation.
After their brief playtime, Noah stepped through the portal and returned to Earth, leaving the magical world behind for the evening.
Back in his house, Noah immediately checked his phone for any messages or notifications he might have missed during his extended absence.
Several messages waited for him, but one in particular caught his attention. Ethan had sent a text asking if he wanted to play some games later that evening.
Noah considered his remaining schedule and realised he didn’t have any pressing obligations for the rest of the night. His training was complete, his business affairs were handled, and tomorrow would bring their departure to a new world and the time for his tournament.
Why not? I can also work on levelling up my gaming skills while enjoying myself.
The gaming skill advancement would be a fun way to utilise his leisure time.
Noah typed back a quick response: "Sure, sounds good. What time?"
Within moments, Ethan replied with obvious excitement about their upcoming gaming session, suggesting they start in about an hour.
In that hour, Noah spent quality time with his father, sharing a late lunch while discussing various topics. The conversation flowed naturally, both men enjoying the simple pleasure of family time.
Once the hour concluded, Noah excused himself and headed back to his room, settling into his gaming setup with anticipation for the evening’s entertainment.
He loaded up the game and joined Ethan’s party, immediately hearing his cousin’s excited voice through the headset.
"Noah! Let’s fight against each other for a warmup. I’ve been practising with my team, and we learned some new strategies from watching your gameplay. I might get myself a few kills on you, to save the embarrassment," Ethan declared with the confidence of someone who’d been training with professional players.
"We’ll see about that," Noah replied with amusement, as he bought one of the rifles and headed to the main combat area in the private deathmatch mode.
The match began, and within the first round, Ethan’s confident predictions of getting a few kills crumbled entirely.
Noah’s crosshair placement and reaction time produced elimination after elimination, with accuracy that left his cousin speechless.
"What the hell, Noah?" Ethan’s voice carried genuine shock. "I feel like your aim is even better than last time. How is that possible?"
Three more perfect shots landed exactly where Noah intended, his agility translating into superhuman hand-eye coordination that made every shot feel effortless.
"I’ve just been practising," Noah replied casually while clutching another impossible round.
"Practising what? Heart Surgery? Because your precision is absolutely surgical," Ethan exclaimed with obvious amazement. "My team captain is going to flip when I tell him about this."