[Your skill Photographic Memory has reached Level 5 (Max)]
Reading through the notification, Noah looked confused. He knew for certain that skills could advance beyond level 5—his own swordsmanship at level 12 and other skills at level 11 served as clear evidence of higher progression possibilities.
"System, why does this show maximum level when I have other skills well above level 5?" Noah asked with obvious puzzlement.
[Skills have individual level caps that vary based on their nature and complexity. Some skills reach their maximum potential earlier, while others can advance much higher. Photographic Memory caps at Level 5, representing perfect visual recall abilities.]
"I see," Noah acknowledged the explanation before asking a question. "What about my Programming skill?"
[Programming skill also has a maximum level of 5.]
Noah nodded with understanding. The limitation made logical sense—certain skills like photographic memory had natural ceilings where additional levels wouldn’t provide meaningful improvement. Perfect recall was perfect regardless of whether it was called level 5 or level 50.
Combat and magical skills like swordsmanship, mana control, and wind manipulation possessed much higher potential ceilings because they involved increasingly sophisticated techniques and applications that could continue developing indefinitely.
Meanwhile, more specialized or technical skills like programming and photographic memory reached their practical limits much earlier, representing mastery rather than infinite progression.
The distinction helped him understand his development path better and plan future training priorities accordingly.
Noah headed downstairs to find Lola still deep in her training regimen. Rather than disturbing her concentrated practice, he quietly gathered several loaves of bread and other items from the shelves before using the portal to return to Earth.
He made his way to the medical facility where Ichigo was being treated, hoping to check on his friend’s condition after the brutal tournament match.
Inside the room, Ichigo lay in the infirmary bed with his eyes now open, looking pale but alert. A medical staff member remained present to monitor his condition and respond to any complications.
Noah knocked on the door, prompting the medical attendant to emerge into the hallway.
"I’m sorry, but visitors aren’t allowed at this time," the staff member explained with professional courtesy. "The patient needs complete rest for proper recovery."
From inside the room, Ichigo’s voice called out weakly but clearly. "It’s okay... let him in. Please don’t worry about it."
The medical staff member hesitated, clearly torn between protocol and the patient’s wishes. "Sir, the regulations are in place for your safety and recovery—"
"Please," Ichigo insisted with as much strength as he could muster. "Just five minutes. I want to see my friend."
After a moment of internal debate, the staff member reluctantly agreed. "Five minutes only. Any signs of fatigue or distress, and the visit ends immediately."
Noah nodded with understanding and entered the room.
Noah and Ichigo spoke with the easy familiarity of old friends despite their brief acquaintance.
"I want to reprimand you for being so stubborn out there, but you’re still in bad condition, so I’ll hold off," Noah said with gentle concern. "How are you feeling?"
Ichigo managed a smile despite his obvious pain. "I’m alright."
Noah nodded, studying his friend’s condition before addressing the difficult reality they both understood. Official source is novel⸺fire.net
"You know what this means, right?"
Of course, Noah was referring to the likelihood that Ichigo might never return to his peak competitive condition after such severe injuries.
Ichigo nodded with a smile on his face. "It means I need to bounce back from this and start training once I get better."
Noah looked at him silently, recognizing the hurt beneath Ichigo’s words. The facade of cheerful determination was slipping, revealing the genuine pain of someone whose martial arts dreams had potentially been shattered.
The broken arm, accumulated damage, and trauma from such a brutal beating would require extensive recovery time, and there was no guarantee that full competitive capability could be restored. Many fighters never returned to their previous level after injuries this severe.
Noah could see that Ichigo was struggling to maintain his characteristic optimism while confronting the possibility that his career might be over before it had truly begun.
The silence stretched between them as both acknowledged the unspoken truth about the long, uncertain road ahead.
Noah broke the silence by asking Ichigo a personal question. "How do you feel about that bastard. What would you want to happen to him?"
Ichigo looked at the ceiling before sighing deeply.
"I don’t wish anything on him. Neither bad nor good."
Noah studied Ichigo for a moment. He wasn’t certain whether this was complete truth or a partial lie, but he chose not to use the Eye of Apollo. There was no need to verify every statement—sometimes things should simply unfold naturally without dissecting every nuance.
Ichigo continued after a pause. "Had you asked me this question right after he cursed my father, I would have told you to break his legs. But now? I don’t feel much of anything toward him."
He shifted slightly in the hospital bed, wincing at the movement. "While he did break my arm, he made it clear he would if I didn’t give up. I didn’t surrender, so I can only blame my own weakness. Had I been stronger, I would have stopped him."
Noah observed the mixture of resignation and self-blame in Ichigo’s words. His friend seemed to be processing the trauma by accepting responsibility rather than directing anger outward—a response that was both mature and potentially concerning in its complete absence of justified resentment.
The conversation revealed how deeply the experience had affected Ichigo’s perspective.
Noah glanced toward the doorway where the medical staff member was clearly keeping watch. "I think our friend out there is about to escort me out with security if I stay much longer."
Ichigo laughed before wincing at the sudden pain he felt from laughing.
Noah immediately held off his mouth. Then,
he placed a black bag on the bedside table with careful positioning. "This is my parting gift. Eat it well—the sooner the better, Ichigo. I hope you recover quickly. Its not much, just a loaf of bread but a really tasty one"
Ichigo’s eyes brightened slightly at the gesture. "You bet I will. I’m actually hungry right now, so I’ll eat it soon."
"We should exchange contacts," Ichigo added with a slight smile. "I just realized we haven’t done that yet."
They quickly shared phone numbers, with Noah entering his information into Ichigo’s device since his friend’s mobility was limited by the injuries.
"Take care of yourself," Noah said as he prepared to leave. "And actually listen to the medical staff this time instead of being stubborn.
"I’ll try," Ichigo replied with a weak chuckle.
"Fine. You can ignore them if they tell you to not eat my bread but apart from that, you should listen. I’m trying to help you other here by giving you a leeway into being stubborn."
Noah departed the room with both of them laughing.
Outside he nodded to the medical attendant who had been patiently waiting in the hallway. The staff member’s relieved expression suggested they were grateful the visit had concluded without incident.
As he walked away from the medical facility, Noah felt satisfied that he had provided what help he could while respecting the boundaries necessary for Ichigo’s recovery.