CHAPTER 88: DOWNPAYMENT

Noah returned his blade to a neutral position, sweat beading on his forehead from the sparring session.

The master had pushed him harder than any training session he could remember, yet every moment had felt like valuable education rather than simple combat.

"Your adaptation speed is remarkable." Tanaka continued, his breathing barely elevated despite the intensity of their exchange.

"Most students take months to integrate new concepts. You absorbed them mid-combat."

The watching students gradually resumed their own practice, though Noah caught several stealing glances at him.

Word would definitely spread about this session.

"Master," called one of the senior students.

"I’ve never seen anyone match your combat tempo before."

Tanaka nodded a smile on his face, you could tell that he was satisfied as his expectations had been exceeded.

"Nor have I seen someone with such natural adaptation capability. Young Noah here possesses something quite special."

"Tomorrow we’ll focus on advanced techniques. Combinations that assume exceptional physical capability rather than baseline human limitations."

Noah nodded gratefully. "I appreciate the individual instruction."

"Don’t thank me yet, advanced training means advanced expectations. I’ll push you harder than you’ve been pushed before." Tanaka smiled.

"I’m ready for whatever you can teach me."

"Good." The master nodded, placing his practice sword back on the rack.

"Your foundation is solid, your fitness is exceptional, but your strategic understanding needs refinement."

Strategic understanding. That sounds like exactly what I need for monster hunting.

As Noah gathered his things and prepared to head to the shower, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his martial development had just accelerated beyond anything he’d imagined possible.

Training with someone who could challenge his capabilities and push his swordsmanship toward higher levels on Earth was something he didn’t expect.

...

After taking a shower and changing his clothes. Noah got into his car as he drove off from the dojo.

His muscles felt pleasantly fatigued from the intense sparring session.

Training with Master Tanaka is going to accelerate my combat abilities. It was a good decision to come to his dojo.

I have $175,000 in assets. This should be enough as a down payment for a good house in the city.

The realisation still felt surreal. From dodging debt collectors to house hunting in a matter of days

Time to upgrade my living situation, I still haven’t opened or installed my new setup either, due to the lack of space.

Noah’s destination was a real estate office he’d researched online. It was a mid-range agency with good reviews and listings that covered everything from modest to luxury homes.

The office building appeared ahead, its glass facade reflecting the evening sun.

Noah parked the GT-R between two luxury car brands.

He straightened his shirt, one of the quality pieces he’d purchased during his shopping expedition with Ethan, and approached the building’s entrance.

...

The office interior was very calm. Agents sat at desks reviewing contracts while potential buyers examined property listings displayed on wall-mounted screens.

Spotting Noah entering, a man in his thirties approached with a smile full of enthusiasm.

"Good evening! I’m Noah Davidson, senior agent here."

Noah Davidson. Definitely a coincidence worth mentioning.

"Noah Carter," he replied, accepting the offered handshake. "Looking to buy a house."

"What a nice coincidence—we share the same name!" Noah Davidson laughed before continuing.

"Well, would you mind coming over to my desk? Let’s find you something perfect."

Davidson gestured toward a comfortable seating area where they could discuss details without interruption.

"What’s your budget range?" Davidson asked, pulling out a tablet loaded with property listings.

"I have one hundred and seventy thousand in cash," Noah replied directly.

"Important note, I don’t want to pay interest on anything."

Straight to the point.

Davidson’s eyebrows rose with obvious surprise. Cash buyers were uncommon, especially ones who specified avoiding interest entirely.

"One hundred and seventy thousand in cash," he repeated slowly, clearly recalculating the available options.

"That’s... well, there isn’t much you could buy outright for that amount in this market."

"However," Davidson continued, his tone brightening.

"I might have exactly what you need. Have you heard of rent-to-own arrangements?"

Noah shook his head, genuinely curious about alternative purchasing methods.

"Rent-to-Own works like this," Davidson explained, settling into his sales presentation.

"You rent the property with an option to buy later. Part of your monthly rent goes toward the eventual purchase price. No interest charges, just structured payments over time."

"The beauty is that you’re building equity while living there," Davidson continued. "And you’re lucky—I have one property where the owner specifically requires this arrangement."

"Why would an owner prefer that?"

"Religious reasons. He doesn’t believe in charging interest, considering it morally wrong. Very principled man, but it limits his buyer pool significantly."

Noah found himself genuinely interested in the arrangement. Immediate housing upgrade without interest complications, plus the flexibility to complete the purchase when convenient.

"I’d like to see the house," he said.

Davidson’s smile widened with the satisfaction of someone who’d just matched a difficult client with an unusual property.

"Great! I can show it to you right now if you’re available. It’s only about fifteen minutes from here."

"That’s good, let’s get going."

Stepping out of the office, Agent Davidson headed toward a modest sedan parked in the street.

"That’s a nice GTR over there," he commented, gesturing toward Noah’s car with obvious appreciation.

"Always wanted to drive one of those."

Noah smiled but didn’t respond, letting Davidson assume it belonged to someone else.

They climbed into Davidson’s company vehicle, its interior carrying the scent of air freshener mixed with coffee.

"The house we’re going to see is in Riverside Heights," Davidson explained as they pulled into traffic.

"It’s a quiet neighbourhood, good schools nearby, very family-oriented area."

The fifteen-minute drive passed through increasingly upscale neighbourhoods. Well-maintained lawns, tree-lined streets, and the kind of area where people took pride in their property values.

"Here we are," Davidson announced, pulling into a driveway that curved toward a house that made Noah’s apartment look like a storage closet.

This is... significantly larger than I expected.