The time for the meet up at the arena slowly approached, with spectators already beginning to gather despite the delayed start time. The energy around the resort was palpable as people prepared to witness what promised to be an exceptional final match.
Thirty minutes before the scheduled bout, Noah received an unexpected call from Ichigo. Seeing his former opponent’s name on the phone screen brought a smile to his face.
"Ichigo! How are you feeling?" Noah asked immediately upon answering. He had given Ichigo the bread to help him heal, and he wasn’t sure about the effects it had on him yet.
"I’m doing great, actually," Ichigo replied, his tone surprisingly upbeat for someone who had been hospitalized just days earlier. "Much better than I expected when they first rushed me to the hospital. The doctors here are really good."
"That’s such a relief to hear," Noah said with obvious sincerity. Noah didn’t expand on it, he didn’t need to remind Ichigo about his loss to Kenzo.
"Thanks for those bread loaves you gave me before I was sent to the hospital, by the way," Ichigo continued with obvious appreciation. "They tasted absolutely amazing. Seriously, where did you get them? I’ve never had bread that good in my life."
Noah smiled at the genuine enthusiasm in Ichigo’s voice. "It’s a limited number I had from a special bakery. Actually, I gave you the last two I had available, so I’m glad you enjoyed them." Updates are released by novèlfire.net
The premium bread from his shop had clearly made a significant impression, though Noah couldn’t explain that it was actually an enhancement item from another world rather than simply exceptional bakery products.
"Thank you once again for that gesture," Ichigo said warmly. "It really meant a lot that you thought of me while I was recovering."
"How are you feeling physically? What did the doctors say about your recovery?" Noah asked, wanting to understand the full extent of the medical situation.
"Actually, much better news than we initially thought," Ichigo explained with obvious relief. "The doctor told me my arm has a high chance of returning to its previous state. Turns out the damage wasn’t as bad as initially diagnosed by the medical team at the resort. The hospital’s more advanced equipment showed that my healing is much faster than others, although it slowed down to normal recently for some odd reason. I guess my luck ran out, haha."
"But forget about me for now," Ichigo continued with renewed energy. "Congratulations on reaching the finals, bro. You absolutely better win it. Show everyone what you’re really capable of."
"I appreciate that, Ichigo. Your support means a lot," Noah replied.
"Alright, I will leave you to it. Your fight is approaching, and you need to be in a good state of mind," Ichigo said with understanding, recognising that Noah needed to focus on the crucial match ahead.
After the call ended, Noah felt a sense of closure regarding his new friend.
Noah started making his way to the arena, moving through the resort grounds with purposeful calm. Although his enhanced attributes and magical abilities meant he didn’t technically need to warm up for an opponent at the level of Kenzo, he decided to go through his preparation routine anyway. The familiar motions would help centre his mind and maintain the appearance of a conventional martial artist.
He walked to the designated training ground adjacent to the main arena, where several practice areas were available for competitors to prepare and practise in their free time. The space was already occupied by other fighters and spectators who wanted to observe the finalists’ pre-match preparations.
Unfortunately for them, None of the finalists had come. So, they had planned to leave, but when they saw Noah, they decided to stay.
After grabbing a wooden sword from the rack, Noah began going through the fundamental stances that formed the foundation of his martial arts training. Low strikes, high strikes, defensive positions, and various feints that could misdirect an opponent’s timing and reactions. Everything was performed at a deliberately slow speed, emphasising perfect form over impressive speed or stunt work.
The assembled competitors all watched him intently, wanting to learn something from the person who had become the most favourable candidate to win the entire tournament. They had all underestimated him initially, dismissing him as an unknown quantity without obvious credentials, but now they recognised that he wasn’t simple or ordinary in any way.
The more they observed his practice, the more shocked they became by what they were witnessing. Although everything was executed at a slow speed, Noah’s perfect foundation became increasingly apparent with each movement. Every stance was textbook precise, every transition flowed with mathematical efficiency, and every technique demonstrated understanding that went far beyond basic competency.
His enhanced intelligence allowed him to execute each movement with absolute precision, while his magical training had refined his body control to levels that appeared abnormal to observers who didn’t understand the source of his capabilities.
Tanaka watched with growing fascination from his position among the spectators, his experienced eye immediately recognising the exceptional quality of what he was observing. As Noah’s former master, he felt pride in his student’s development, but also curiosity about the techniques that exceeded what he had taught.
Watching his student go through the basic stances at slow speed suddenly gave Tanaka unexpected inspiration. The perfection of Noah’s foundational movements triggered insights about his own practice that had eluded him for decades. The level he had been stuck at for years suddenly seemed surmountable as new understanding appeared in his mind.
The revelation was so profound that Tanaka immediately moved himself from the group of spectators and went to retrieve a wooden practice sword. He needed to explore this sudden inspiration while it remained fresh and clear in his consciousness, recognising that such moments of breakthrough were rare gifts that shouldn’t be wasted.
As Tanaka began his own practice session, working through techniques with new understanding inspired by his student’s demonstration, the other observers realised they were witnessing something extraordinary—not just a fighter preparing for a match, but a master inadvertently learning through pure example.