Chapter 221: The competition Noah felt his heart warm. "You’re impossible." "Impossibly charming? I guess so," she suggested with an innocent expression that fooled absolutely no one. "Impossibly persistent," he corrected, though his tone lacked any real annoyance. "I prefer ’dedicated to my craft,’" Lola replied with mock dignity before breaking into genuine laughter at his expression. Noah glanced toward the two new premium item displays, noting they weren’t fully stocked to twelve units since the twenty-four-hour production cycle hadn’t completed yet. However, eight items sat ready on the shelf—enough for his immediate needs. "I need to take some inventory for personal use," Noah announced, reaching to take a single stock from each premium item available on the shelves. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺 "Planning something special?" Lola asked with curiosity, her ruby eyes tracking his hands as he collected the enhancement items. "Not really. I just need to use the benefits and store some for emergencies," Noah replied as he stored the precious items in his dimensional storage ring. "Better to have them available when needed rather than wish I had them later." The collection included instant coffee, mystical herbal tea, protein bars, energy drinks, beef jerky, and rice cakes. A complete arsenal of temporary and permanent enhancements that could prove invaluable during unexpected challenges. Noah spent some pleasant time hanging out with both Lola and Leo, enjoying the simple companionship that had become such an important part of his life. The casual conversation and Leo’s playful antics provided a refreshing contrast to the competitive tension building for the upcoming tournament. Before leaving, Noah decided to make productive use of the idle room’s daily availability. It would be wasteful not to utilise such powerful training capabilities when they became accessible. After considering his options, Noah chose to invest all four available hours into his swordsmanship skill advancement. The logic was straightforward—he had a swordsmanship tournament beginning soon, making this the optimal time to push his blade techniques toward the next level. "Four hours into swordsmanship," Noah confirmed as he accessed the idle room interface. "Level 10 to level 11 advancement." The cost was substantial—$100,000 per hour at his current skill level, totalling $400,000 for the complete session. But with his enhanced financial resources, the investment felt justified for the potential competitive advantage. [$400,000 deducted from account] After initiating the training program and watching his avatar begin intensive sword practice, Noah prepared to return to Earth. He didn’t want to risk missing any sudden announcements or having fellow participants search for him during his absence. But as he prepared to step through the portal, a sudden question occurred to him about the time differential mechanics. The idle room would require four hours to complete its training cycle in the magical world, but given the 2:1 time ratio between dimensions, would the process only take two hours on Earth? "System," Noah asked mentally, "with the time differential, will the idle room training complete in two Earth hours rather than four?" [Affirmative. Time differential applies to all system functions. Four magical world hours equals two Earth hours.] Noah nodded in understanding. Appearing back in his luxurious Japanese-style room, Noah checked his phone to confirm the schedule. Time had passed steadily during his interdimensional visit, and the appointed hour for gathering in the courtyard was approaching rapidly. He took a moment to ensure his appearance was appropriate for whatever orientation activities Yamamoto had planned, then made his way toward the door to join his fellow competitors in what promised to be the next phase of their tournament experience. The idle room training would complete its work while he participated in the evening’s events, potentially providing enhanced capabilities just when he needed them most. Noah decided against immediately consuming the enhancement items he’d collected. There was no urgent need, and using them purely for the permanent attribute gains would waste their more valuable temporary effects. The increased comprehension speed and spiritual sight abilities were strategic advantages best saved for when they would provide maximum benefit during actual competition or training. Even with idle makers producing replacements, timing remained crucial for optimal effectiveness. Noah made his way through the resort’s traditional corridors toward the designated meeting area, passing other participants who moved alongside him; unlike Ichigo, they all looked like serious martial artists preparing for a significant competition. The courtyard aw an impressive open space surrounded by traditional Japanese architecture, with carefully maintained gardens and stone pathways that created an atmosphere of tranquillity. Paper lanterns hung from wooden posts, their soft glow beginning to illuminate the gathering dusk. As participants assembled in the courtyard, Noah took the opportunity to assess his competition. He counted carefully and discovered there were sixteen contestants total, including himself. The number wasn’t surprising—gathering practitioners of sufficient skill level for a tournament of this caliber required extensive networking and reputation within the martial arts community. Most dojos might produce one exceptional student every decade or so, making sixteen participants represent a significant achievement for the organizers. The assembled group displayed remarkable diversity in age, background, and apparent training philosophies. Some carried themselves with the confidence of traditional practitioners, while others showed the harder edges that came from competitive fighting experience. Yamamoto stepped forward to address the gathered competitors, his authoritative presence immediately commanding attention from the entire group. The conversations died away as everyone focused on the tournament organizer’s instructions. "The tournament will begin tomorrow morning at precisely eight o’clock," Yamamoto announced with military precision. "Any unwarranted fighting or hostile confrontation before that time will result in immediate disqualification from competition." His tone carried absolute authority, making it clear that this rule would be enforced without exception or appeal. "I shouldn’t have to say this to practitioners of your caliber," Yamamoto continued with slight disappointment in his voice, "but unfortunately, it has happened before. Past tournaments have been disrupted by participants who couldn’t control their competitive instincts." Several competitors exchanged glances, recognizing the wisdom of such a rule given the intensity that martial artists could bring to their rivalries.