"System, show me suit options. I need a new one."
Sephiroth Outfit – Final Fantasy VII (55,000 pts)
Shin Ultraman Suit – Ultraman (70,000 pts)
Vergil Outfit – DMC (75,000 pts)
I stared at the prices; most of them tripled what I currently had."Show me the cheap ones," I sighed in resignation.
Mob's School Uniform – Mob Psycho 100 (200 pts)
Kaneda's Red Jacket – Akira (600 pts)
Shinra Kusakabe's Outfit – Fire Force (800 pts)
Spike Spiegel's Suit – Cowboy Bebop (900 pts)
I didn't look twice and kept scrolling, seeing several options, but none caught my attention enough — until I stumbled upon one that would be perfect for me.
Red Hood Armor – DC Comics (12,000 pts)
"Twelve thousand," I whispered. I only had 4,580 points.
"System, is there any other way to earn points quickly?"
The interface blinked with a notification.
[TWO GOLD BARS DETECTED. WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXCHANGE THEM FOR SYSTEM POINTS?]
The gold bars I had stolen from Killgrave.
"I could trade them for real money and make a fortune," I thought, looking on the bright side. "But it would raise too many suspicions if a teenager suddenly had two gold bars." That was the downside.
"Oh well, I need the suit — and if I'm lucky, I'll get more in the future when I take down more gangs."
Without further hesitation, I accepted the transaction.
[Transaction Complete: Sold 2 Gold Bars]
[Points Added: +10,000 PT]
[Total Points: 14,580 PT]
I bought the suit immediately. The System's blue light flashed, and the outfit was stored in my inventory.
I ran to my room and pulled the suit out.
The suit was a masterpiece. The armor was matte dark gray with a red bat emblem. Its crimson mask gleamed, with two white slits where the eyes went, and a brown jacket that added even more style to the look.
When I put it on, I was surprised — the armor wasn't heavy at all, and I didn't feel any stiffness or discomfort.
"It doesn't slow me down at all," I thought with relief. The suit was a pure upgrade.
I looked at the clock above my desk and realized it was already late afternoon. I took off the suit and got ready to head to the dojo.
[MISSION: TRAINING!]
Complete another day of training
[REWARD: 100 EXP, 50 SHOP POINTS]
Maybe because it was still a bit early, the place was quiet — but sensei was watching, so I quickly started my katas. Later, I'd have to practice with the nunchaku.
Two and a half hours later, I was exhausted but satisfied.
[MISSION: TRAINING!]
Complete another day of training
[COMPLETED] [REWARD: 100 EXP, 50 SHOP POINTS]
When I got home, the house was silent. I took a shower and reheated the food my mom had left for me. I was flipping through the TV channels, but nothing interesting was on, and my food was already getting cold. I grabbed my phone and dialed a number.
"Hey, are you busy?"
Felicia's reply came almost instantly.
"Never for you. I was a little worried since I didn't see you at school."
"Yeah, I was running late. Want to come over?"
"I'll be there, give me twenty minutes."
I finished eating and washed my plate when I heard a knock on the door. When I opened it, there was Felicia — wearing a short black jacket, cargo pants, and a red shirt. She smiled the moment she saw me, and without saying a word, hugged me. We stayed like that for a while before heading inside.
Once in, we put a VHS movie on. The hum of the player filled the room. I ended up lying down with my head on her lap while Felicia gently ran her fingers through my hair.
"I can't believe we're finally watching it," she said, smiling. "Everyone in class says Scary Movie is hilarious."
"Yeah, the Wayans brothers made a fortune with this one," I replied. "You'll laugh way more than you think."
Felicia crossed her arms, pretending to be serious. "We'll see about that. If it doesn't make me laugh once, you owe me a pizza."
"Deal. But if you do laugh, you owe me one," I said, eyes still on the screen.
The first few minutes went by, and as soon as the opening scene ended, Felicia burst out laughing, almost making me lose my composure.
"God, this is so dumb," she said between laughs. "How can someone be that stupid?"
"That's the point," I smiled. "It's a parody."
"Well… it's working." She absentmindedly stroked my hair. "Though I'm surprised you like something this ridiculous."
"Why's that?"
"I don't know… you always look so serious. I thought your favorite movies were those weird black-and-white ones."
"Hey, I'm not old," I said, pretending to be offended.
"Not old, but definitely with the soul of an old man," she laughed.
I didn't respond, just smiled. She kept laughing every few minutes, and honestly, I enjoyed watching her more than the movie itself.
"I don't know whether to laugh or feel bad for Brenda," she said during a particularly absurd scene.
"Laugh. Nobody's judging you," —at least not in these years.
"So which character do you like most? Shorty or Ray?"
"Definitely Buffy," I replied without hesitation.
Felicia gave me a light smack on the shoulder. "You're impossible."
"And yet you still let me rest on your lap."
"Only because you're being still," she teased. "Move too much, and you're on the floor."
I chuckled softly. "Fair enough."
We spent the rest of the afternoon laughing and talking. When the movie ended, it was already night, and to my dismay, Felicia had to go home. In the end, we kissed before she walked out the door.
Time dragged slowly after that. I had dinner alone and then sat at my desk with an open notebook. I needed to focus — I needed to remember some lyrics to add to the album. I had three years to do it, but if I released an album earlier and it became a hit, I'd get a new contract — this time, with a bigger payout.
I picked up a pen and started writing the first song that came to mind. I began transcribing "Just The Way You Are" by Bruno Mars — a total hit in my previous life, and I had no doubt it would be one here too.
When I see your faceThere's not a thing that I would change'Cause you're amazingJust the way you are
I kept writing until I heard my mom come home. I went downstairs to greet her and warm up her food. We chatted for a while as she ate, and then, tired, she went to bed.
I jumped across rooftops, looking for a criminal to hunt. I hoped tonight would be just as productive as yesterday.