Sarah returned with armloads of additional options, each piece clearly selected with purpose rather than randomly grabbed from nearby racks.
Her expertise showed in the details—shirt cuts that flattered rather than merely fit, colour combinations that enhanced rather than competed.
"Try this combination," she suggested, handing Ethan an outfit that somehow managed to look effortlessly stylish while remaining completely age-appropriate.
Twenty minutes later, Noah faced a decision that would have been impossible just days earlier. The running total displayed on Sarah’s tablet made his old self want to hyperventilate. His new self simply nodded and reached for his credit card.
"Everything fits well?" Sarah confirmed.
"Perfectly," Ethan replied, still studying himself in the mirror with something approaching wonder.
"Alright, gentlemen, the price will be...$2,549." She smiled through it all, she was definitely going to be commended for her job.
Noah needed to take out his credit card to pay.
The chime of the Card reader sounded. The transaction had been processed without any issues.
"Thank you both," Sarah said, organising their purchases into elegant shopping bags. "Enjoy your new purchases, and you are welcome to come back anytime again."
She definitely wants us to come back. That commission is decent.
Outside the store, Ethan walked with the gait of someone afraid to wrinkle his new clothes.
But instead of heading toward the parking area, Noah continued deeper into the mall. Ethan’s confusion was immediate and obvious.
"There’s more? Where are we going now?" His voice carried genuine concern. "I think that’s enough—you’ve already spent a lot, Noah."
What a good kid. Worried about my finances.
Noah smiled before responding.
"We haven’t hit the technology section yet. Want anything from there?"
"I’m good, my PC works fine. Honestly." Ethan’s head shake was perhaps a little too emphatic, the protest of someone trying to convince himself as much as his audience.
That hesitation says everything I need to know.
"Ethan, tell me—are you sure about that?" Noah’s tone carried gentle pressure. "This is a one-time offer. Don’t miss it. And don’t worry about the money."
Noah had lied about the one-time offer to make the hesitant kid come out of his shell.
The internal war played out across Ethan’s features.
His old PC, eight years of faithful service, now struggled with modern games. Every gaming session reminded him of his pc’s limitations that his competitive spirit couldn’t overcome.
He was reluctant; his old PC had been bought about eight years ago, and it was struggling to keep up with the new games.
Whenever he lost due to a frame drop, he would become upset.
His dream was to become a professional player, but his computer had shut that dream down. He was incredibly good despite his bad PC, and he had the feeling that he would be able to compete at the top levels had he been using good specs.
Noah didn’t waste time; without another word, Noah gestured toward TechnoWorld’s glowing displays.
"Come on," he called over his shoulder. "Let’s see what actual performance looks like."
Ethan followed with the reluctant enthusiasm of someone being dragged toward their own birthday party. His steps quickened despite his protests.
This is what having money should feel like. Not anxiety about spending it, but joy about what it can accomplish.
Wall-mounted displays showcased the latest innovations that the tech world had come up with.
A sales associate approached them with a smile on his face. He knew when a rich customer came in, and he could tell by looking at Noah and Ethan.
"Good afternoon, kind gentlemen. Looking for anything specific today?"
Noah returned the greeting with a smile.
"We would like to buy two gaming setups. We want the top tier, money’s not a problem."
The associate’s eyes lit up with excitement. He was a tech geek, and rarely did anyone want to buy the top specs.
Having the chance to do the honours himself made him happy. Furthermore, the commission made him extra excited.
"Excellent. Let me show you our premium gaming setups."
Ethan’s protests evaporated as they approached displays that represented everything his competitive spirit had been yearning for. This wasn’t just shopping anymore—it was his wish fulfillment day. Many of his wishes were being granted by his cousin, and he was appreciative of it.
"For competitive gaming without any money issues, i would suggest the best card currently available on the market, RTX 5090, Intel i9 processor, 64GB DDR5 RAM..."
The specifications flowed like poetry to anyone who understood their significance. The waiter carried on about specification and their purposes.
By the time the man finished, Ethan was dumbstruck.
"Noah, this is insane. You can’t—"
"I can." Noah’s interruption brooked no argument. "Consider it an investment in your future career."
Ethan had told him about his ambitions of becoming a professional player, and he decided to help the little man out.
"Wireless headsets, extended mouse pads, cable management systems..." The list continued as Marcus added accessories that transformed gaming from hobby into professional-grade activity.
Noah watched the total climb with fascination mixed with horror. Although he was paying for it, and he wasn’t regretful, it was still incredibly expensive.
But a look at his status made him smile.
Daily Revenue: $3,000
Current Assets: $125,850
Attributes: Strength: 4, Vitality: 4, Intelligence: 7, Agility: 3
Skills: Swordsmanship(Level 4), Mana Control (Level 4), Cooking (Level 2), Programming (Level 2), Finance (Level 1), Surviving on Ramen (Level 3), Gaming (Level 1)
"Final total comes to..." Marcus paused dramatically, clearly enjoying his moment. "$17,250."
The number hung in the air like a challenge. Ethan’s face cycled through multiple expressions—shock, disbelief, and finally a kind of numb acceptance that this was actually happening.
Eighteen thousand dollars. That’s more than some people’s cars. Computers are really expensive..
Noah pulled out his credit card with no sign of strain on his face.
The transaction was processed with satisfying smoothness.
"Excellent!" Marcus replied, seeing the transaction going through.
"Would you like to collect everything today, or shall we arrange delivery? Your purchase has definitely reached our free next-day delivery requirement."
"Let’s go with the delivery, thank you."