Chapter 318: The Finals [1] Sarah’s expression immediately softened into genuine warmth as she looked down at her younger siblings. Despite her own exhaustion and the crushing weight of responsibility, her love for Matthew and Celeste remained the one bright constant in her difficult life. "Oh, poor Matthew, poor Celeste," she said with tender affection, kneeling down to their level for a moment before standing again. "Come with me, let’s make you a sandwich." She led them toward the kitchen—a generous term for the small space that contained the bare minimum of appliances and storage. Every cabinet and surface showed signs of use and conservation, the kitchen of people who made every resource stretch as far as possible. *** After Sarah had ended her stream, Noah called it a day and decided to sleep. The familiar routine of winding down felt comfortin. Especially with everything going on recently, whether the World Tree, or the scam that smith had fallen into. He didn’t think much of the donations that mysterious benefactor had been showering on Sarah—he was simply happy that she had gotten some financial support after years of struggling to build her audience. Seeing an old classmate finally experience some success, even if temporary, brought back positive memories of their shared university days. ’I will check her streams when I’m free. That wasn’t a bad stream, she has improved a lot,’ Noah thought to himself before placing his phone on the nightstand and settling into his futon for the night. The peaceful mountain air and comfortable accommodations at the resort provided the perfect environment for restful sleep. His enhanced constitution meant he would wake up fully refreshed despite everything that had happened in a few hours. ----- [Daily Income Stream: You have received $2,001,500] [Daily Income Stream: You have received Amulet of Protection] Waking up to these notifications was always a blessing that Noah never took for granted. He never knew if the system would one day dissapear, stop working or even go om a slumber. The consistent daily revenue from his shop in another world continued to provide financial security beyond anything he had previously imagined possible. Currently, he possessed four Amulets of Protection in his storage, creating a substantial defensive arsenal on earth. Unfortunately, with his upcoming expedition to the world tree. Those amulets of protection would be useless, his rivals or potential enemies weren’t at the master rank or below. Rather, they were at the grandmaster rank, at the peak of it too. The automated income system remained one of the most reliable aspects of his transformed life, providing steady growth regardless of his location or activities. Even while sleeping peacefully in a resort on Earth, his shop continued generating substantial profits without any sales. Checking out his status out of habit, Noah reviewed his current capabilities. Nothing had changed dramatically except for his accumulated wealth, which continued its steady upward trajectory toward truly astronomical levels. — Host: Noah Carter Age: 28 Shop Level: 2 Daily Revenue: $2,153,000 (or equivalent) Current Assets: $25,162,340 Shop Points: 32,890 Attributes: Strength: 90, Vitality: 140, Intelligence: 270, Agility: 90 Skills: [Level 15:] Mana Control, Aura [Level 14:] Wind Manipulation, Body Tempering [Level 13:] Swordsmanship [Level 5:] Photographic Memory, Fire Manipulation [Level 3:] Surviving on Ramen, Cooking, Finance, Gaming [Level 2:] Programming — The numbers represented more than simple accumulation—they reflected genuine transformation from his previous life of financial struggle into something else entirely. Looking at the number on the screen was underwhelming. They were just numbers, but when twenty five million dollars were placed in cash before someone, their true value would appear. Today’s final confrontation with Kenzo would demonstrate just how dramatically his capabilities had evolved beyond what any normal martial artist could handle.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ *** Noah didn’t rush to head to the usual arena, taking his time with his morning routine despite the significance of today’s final match. Since it was the tournament finale, the organizers had delayed the match by an hour to allow for additional preparation, and to build anticipation among the gathered spectators. This scheduling change meant that anticipation built up even more than usual throughout the resort. The final match would soon be played out before an audience that had grown substantially since the tournament’s beginning. The finals was now not only being watched by patrons but also by competitors themselves. Wherher it was Hiroshi, Kenji, Liam or anyone else. Most had remained to stay, except for the few that had things to do and couldn’t witness the most important event in the tournament. The personal tension between Noah and Kenzo made the stakes feel exponentially higher than a typical martial arts finale. What should have been a celebration of skill and sportsmanship had transformed into something much darker and more personal, at least from Noah’s perspective, given the poisoning attempt that none of the other spectators knew about. The gathered crowd had naturally divided into factions supporting each finalist. Some spectators had rallied behind Noah, viewing him as the tournament’s dark horse whose unexpected advancement through the ranks represented the triumph of determination over established reputation. His quiet confidence and fighting style had earned him genuine admirers who appreciated his approach. Others supported Kenzo for his flashy techniques and dominant performances, drawn to his charismatic presentation and overwhelming victories throughout the competition. His polished fighting style and confident demeanor appealed to spectators who preferred clear displays of superiority and technical excellence. Even though Kenzo had seriously injured Ichigo during their Quater-final match, using excessive force that went far beyond what was necessary for victory, his newer fans didn’t seem particularly concerned about the ethical implications. They viewed his ruthless efficiency as a sign of championship mentality rather than questionable character, focusing on results rather than methods. The moral divide in the audience reflected broader attitudes about competition and victory—some people valued honor and restraint even in victory, while others believed that winning justified almost any approach that remained technically within the rules. Noah could sense the charged atmosphere as he prepared for what he knew would be far more than a simple martial arts match. Today would be about justice, consequences, and ensuring that Kenzo’s willingness to harm others for personal gain finally faced appropriate retribution.