The Zenith Academy wasn't too far from Aurora, but it would still take two weeks for Damien to get there. For this reason, he decided not to leave just yet.
He was about to head to a prestigious academy to gain the title of supreme genius, so he figured he shouldn't show up in the fantasy world version of an Adidas tracksuit. Before anything else, he went to the commercial district and visited a clothing store called "Averci" which was a designer brand of Apeiron. Entering the store, Damien was greeted by rows of pristine shelves lining the walls and clothing of all kinds. He gazed around in wonder before he was greeted by an attendant.
"Good afternoon, sir. How may we help you today." Although this attendant had noticed Damien's shabby clothing, he didn't look down on him at all. There were many precedents of people whose looks didn't match their strength and authority. This attendant wasn't an idiot like the one Damien met in the Nightingale.
"Hello," Damien politely responded. "it's pretty obvious how bad my sense of style is so I don't think it'd be a good idea to pick for myself, but I'd like to buy 5 sets of clothes. I want full outfits from outerwear to shoes if you could recommend something for me."
The attendant smiled seeing that he was correct in acting respectfully. 5 sets of clothes weren't anything cheap, especially if every piece of clothing was handpicked by specialists like him. And since he would get a commission for large purchases, he had no reason not to be happy.
The attendant led Damien through the shop as he looked at the various clothing and designs and he had to admit that they were much more stylish than earth. The style of these clothes was also similar to 21st-century clothing which Damien was satisfied with.
"Do you have any preferences for clothing, sir?" The attendant asked. He would need a basis to provide Damien with the best options he could.
Damien thought for a moment. To be completely honest, Damien's fashion sense was atrocious. On Earth, Elena would constantly have to accompany him when he shopped so he could buy wearable outfits. Thinking this far, he decided to keep it simple.
"I don't want anything too flashy, and black would be best. Otherwise, dark colors work fine."
The attendant nodded and got to work. 2 hours later, Damien came out of the store with a few thousand less gold in his wallet and looking like a new man. There's a saying that clothing can change a person, and it was certainly true.
Damien was very handsome and the way he carried himself made him stand out from the crowd, but his clothing tended to blend him back in. He was just a strong adventurer in people's eyes. However, when he stepped out of the store, many eyes immediately fell on him.
Damien was wearing a black turtleneck and long black pants with a belt. The belt was also black but the buckle had an intricate gold design on it that added a minimalist aesthetic to his look. He also had on a black coat that's length reached his knees which also had small gold designs swirling its surface.
His shoes were similar to black Air Force 1's, giving him a slightly dangerous vibe. And to finish off the outfit was a simple gold chain around his neck. By the urging of the attendant, Damien also had a silver cross-shaped piercing hanging from his ear.
He never thought he'd one day get his ear pierced, but after he saw himself in the mirror, he had to admit that he looked damn good. If he had to describe his new look in one word, he truly had to say that he was covered head to toe in drip.
This new outfit mixed with his unique yin-yang irises and black hair with streaks of silver that was tied up neatly in a ponytail at the moment made him look like a truly supreme individual.
The clothes he had on now weren't just for show though. The designer brands in this world were so popular not just due to style, but functionality as well. Damien's clothes were filled with invisible runic inscriptions that made it on par with an SS-tier artifact armor. He also had 4 more full sets of clothes in his inventory.
Damien wasn't one to wear armor. In the first place, his body was so tough that most armors were useless, but he would never give up the opportunity to guarantee his safety, especially if he could look stylish while doing so.
With his new look secured, it was time to leave Aurora. He teleported directly out of the city and traveled on foot for a few hundred meters before calling Zara out of his shadow.
"Say, it would be a lot quicker if you just flew us there right?"
Zara was a little annoyed since she could tell Damien just wanted to laze around during the journey, but she soon relented. Zara didn't get the opportunity to fly much in the first place since they were usually inside a city.
She would use this opportunity to enjoy the freedom that comes with cruising through the air. With Damien laying down on her back, Zara took off in the direction of Zenith Academy.
***
Within a large meeting hall, a beautiful pink-haired girl could be seen speaking with her family. "Father, I would like your permission to go to the Zenith Academy so I can earn my place in the upcoming Nexus Event."
Being within the confines of her own home, Katherine had dispelled her disguise and walked around freely. Even if she hates her siblings, she was the strongest among them so they couldn't touch her.
Katherine's father looked at her deeply before sighing in resignation. This daughter of his was always his favorite due to her hard-working personality and immense talent. The only problem was that she had also inherited the adventurous spirit he had when he was younger. If she was a bit less unrestrained, she would be the perfect successor, but he knew it was impossible. Once again sighing, he responded to her request.
"Fine. I know that I won't be able to convince you no matter what I say, but you must be extra careful this time. In addition to using your disguise and the name of Katherine Hart, you must take Rhea with you and allow her to accompany you at all times. Last time, the supremacist faction sent a 3rd class after you, so I won't allow you to move freely without a 3rd class protector."
Katherine was satisfied with his response, as she knew she wouldn't be able to push him any more than this. Her stubbornness was also a trait she inherited from her father.
Their many similarities were the reason she was able to speak freely in front of him while the rest of her siblings could only speak with respect and reverence.
Besides, Rhea had been her protector since she was a child, and was like an older sister to her. She wouldn't mind having her come along. Katherine slightly bowed to her father before leaving the room to prepare for her upcoming journey.
After she left, Katherine's father fell into thought. According to the reports of the guards he had sent with her last time, Katherine's survival from the attack was due to a certain adventurer she had hired as an escort. He was also told that the two had gotten very close during their travels.
Summing up his thoughts, he raised his head and spoke into the seemingly empty room. "Zero, find any information you can on that boy and make sure he's trustworthy. If you find anything suspicious, report it immediately."
A shadow swiftly appeared in front of Katherine's father with its head bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty." Leaving these words, the shadow promptly disappeared, leaving the room empty once more.
Meanwhile, Katherine had finished gathering her things and had left for the academy. This time, she didn't hire an escort, instead choosing to use a flying beast to speed up her travel time. While flying to the academy, she couldn't help but think of a certain young man.
"I wonder if we'll finally get to fight this time around." She wondered with a smile on her face.