The sun was shining sharply on the tall glass towers. Rows of automatic driving hovercars were speeding down fast on the streets. Clay was sitting down wearing a yellow t-shirt with red shorts as he scrolled on his phone. He was in the core of Hiten city waiting in a cafe.
"Hey Clay" Said Sans as he walked towards Clay's table. Seeing him Clay stood up and shook his hand. "What took you so long."
"Sorry had to do something." Let's order food I am hungry.
While waiting they talked...Sans was moving to planet Stylis to train with his grandpa as a family strength evaluation was coming up in a few months. Sans came from a joint family with many branches. How the youth did in this evaluation helped the main branch allocate recourses better.
"Stylis is close by. After checking out the two last dimensions on Fennec I might come." Smirked Clay.
"You will be a VIP guest of the marrow family." Sans nodded.
After Sans left Clay went to a classy restaurant upstairs. as soon as he entered he saw a gorgeous girl in a Dark-red dress with thread designs over it. This sight almost made Clay lose his composure as he had never seen her wear such clothes. To hide her voluptuous figure Tina always wore loose t-shirts and jeans.
Hiding his shock Clay smiled and walked toward her. "Ah excuse me miss have you seen a pretty girl with hair similar to yours here?" Innocently asked Clay. "Cute," replied Tina smiling.
"You look better when you are angry." Smirked Clay. "That's sad cause I am rarely angry with you." Replied the still smiling Tina. "I thought there would still be some leftover anger. This is a pleasant surprise."
"I was planning on acting angry to punish you...but I don't want to start our new relationship like that." Blushed Tina. Seeing Tina was in a serious mood Clay dropped his play and sat down. "That sounds nice. I am sorry I pushed you like that."
"What you did was necessary but I didn't like how you did it." Said Tina looking straight into Clay's eyes. "Understood. That will never happen again."
After having lunch together Clay drove Tina to her building. Tina lived with her bed-sick mother in a huge penthouse on the top floor of an expensive skyscraper. Tina's father is a Rank-6 Flame-heart Demon who has multiple wives. Being the only surviving heir of the once great Heartfelt family. Inrup Heartfelt did his best to make sure that such a situation would never happen again.
"Before you go. You gotta give me a goodbye kiss." Chuckled Clay. Tina stuck her tongue out and then tried to open the door. "Open the door, come on." Said Tina with a pleading face. "Ok but you owe me two next time." Clay unlocked the door.
Tina opened her door but before stepping out she quickly kissed him on his right cheek. "I don't like owing anyone." Saying her piece she ran away. "That doesn't count." Shouted Clay at the running girl. "I don't know which view I prefer, running towards or away. Hahaha. Laughing at his own joke Clay drove home.
***
Clay was lying on his queen size bed. His bed sheet had a flowery design. Looking out his window Clay was organizing his actions and abilities. His natural body had 5 abilities. {Experienced} and {Conversion} from Technological. {Scales of illusion} from Arboreal and {Light Bather} from Blossom. Sadly from the Musculi he only got {Thews Boasted} even though he reached 40% in it. 'If I had gotten one of those two abilities, I could have used my gift on the other and I would be able to destroy elemental beasts everywhere. Now to get this broken combo I have to kill and elite while also saving my current gift. It would be hell if I finally killed an elite and didn't get the same gift.'
'I have two options now. After getting 40 in Areolar and Blossom I can try to kill an elite in the Musculi dimension, after all with the abilities of {Fleeting Hardened-Warrior} I am my strongest there. Or I go to the nearest bone dimension and hope I get an ability related to strengthening bones.'
'If I take the fastest public ship It would still take me at least a month to travel to a planet with a bone dimension on it. It would be more effective to try and get 40% in Arboreal and Blossom than waste a month going to another planet. I also need a valid income source. I can't use that money to buy a new house or anything extravagant as the government will get suspicious of my income. AI is banned from being used in artistic stuff but they are still used in governments and businesses. The elemental cores I got from the minotaurs will earn me a good amount of money but I don't want the association keeping a close eye on me.'
'This is the path I have chosen. A safe path filled with thorns.'