Emir walked towards the salon with Lyra guiding him.
[It's called Gentlemen's Salon, one of the only few saloons left that still has actual people cutting hair instead of machines.]
[Exactly what I want, some semblance to my old world,] he snickered.
[Let's just get this over with.]
….
As Emir approached the building, he couldn't help but notice its striking resemblance to the saloons of his past life—the bright neon signs and the peculiar stock images of people with fresh haircuts plastered all over the place.
It was clear that many of them had images that were taken from the internet, with some even forgetting to remove the trademarks.
'Wait, do they have copyright in this world?..... Ah, whatever.'
Entering the shop, he was welcomed by a person who looked like the very definition of a gentleman.
What most stood out about him was the crystal monocle that hung over his right eye.
'A true gentleman, a dying breed in these tough times. How spectacular, dear Sir, be prepared as you met your match, hahaha...'
'Never mind.'
Emir's poor attempt at making a joke almost made him laugh out loud in front of the gentleman he was comparing himself with.
"Good morning, Sir Hunter. Are you here to style your hair?
"If so, please, can you leave your weapons with me?" He asked, showing his hands forward.
Emir handed over his weapons to the shopkeeper, barely managing to keep a straight face.
He never had any second thoughts about handing over his weapons.
After all, there was no point in being distrustful of the shops in this district, as they were strictly monitored by the authorities.
None of them would dare do anything that went against the law.
"Follow me, sir," he said, leading Emir towards a reclining chair that looked similar to the ones commonly used in his past life.
Seating himself in the cozy chair, Emir heard the stylist say:
"Sir Hunter, it was good for you to come here. Your hair is in dire need of work. So, what do you wish for me to do?"
"I just need you to give me a fade on the sides, two to three, as for the top, I want you to cut it till the tip of my ears." Emir replied as he looked at the gentleman's reflection in the mirror.
"Understood, sir, give me a moment, we will begin shortly." He replied as he set up his equipment.
While Emir relaxed in the chair, his brain skipped through the entire process....
And half an hour later, they finally finished.
Emir looked in the mirror and saw a teenager in front of him with sharp, chiseled features that gave him a striking appearance.
His angular jawline was accented by his slightly pale complexion, making him appear almost otherworldly.
His dark eyes were so deep and intense that they seemed to stare straight into his soul as if he could see all his secrets.
The bullet graze on the left side of his head was clearly visible now that his hair had been cut, revealing a long scratch that ran from his forehead to the back of his head.
This only added to his dangerous aura, making him seem even more menacing and unpredictable.
'Wow, I expected my charm to increase, but not this much, I can safely expect it to be A+ at least, especially with this scar, which makes me look like every teenager's dream.'
Admiring himself long enough, Emir turned to face the gentleman.
"You did a great job, sir. I'll definitely be coming back to this salon on the regular."
The gentleman smiled warmly at Emir.
"Thank you, Sir Hunter. We will always be honored to have you. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?"
"No, that is all."
The barber continued:
"Very well, sir. May I have your hunter ID to process the payment? Our fee is 10,000 UC, which may be pricier than other salons, but we take pride in providing exceptional customer service."
Emir acquiesced, indicating that he had no issue with the cost.
Once he scanned his hunter ID, he handed it back along with his weapons.
"We appreciate your business, Hunter Emir. Please do come back and visit our humble establishment again."
"Thank you, sir," Emir said, leaving the saloon.
As he walked through the bustling streets towards the east hunters' meeting area, he asked Lyra a question that had been on his mind for a while:
[Hey, don't I look too old for someone my age?]
[With my connection to your brain, I influenced it so that your body would hit its growth spurt faster, the mutation unlock also played a large part in it. This is also why you aren't growing much taller now. So, expect to only grow a few more inches more in the future.]
[Thank God for that... I don't want to become a giant.]
[But how did I get enough nutrition? I know about the increase, but it can't be that much, can it? I didn't eat much different compared to my family.]
[Don't worry about that.]
[The manufactured food that you ate can handle that and much more. Although it may look less appetizing and not be as tasty as real-grown products, the food is highly beneficial.]
[Stellar Solutions Inc. right?] Emir asked, and she confirmed:
[Yes, they're responsible for most of the scientific industry.]
After asking a few more questions, he eventually arrived at the meeting area.
A few minutes later, the association official called out again, and like last time, Emir lined up in the queue and waited before reaching the front of the line and giving him his ID.
He then headed towards his assigned truck, which happened to be number 3.
Seated in a vacant spot, Emir meticulously inspected his weaponry—the powerful rail gun and reliable assault rifle—ensuring their optimal functionality.
His experienced hands ran over the sleek metal frames, confirming their solid build and precision engineering.
He checked the ammunition levels in each weapon, ensuring they were fully loaded and prepared for any encounter that lay ahead.
With practiced ease, each magazine was carefully inspected, ensuring the ammunition was properly seated and ready to be fed into the chambers of the weapons.
The click of a magazine locking into place resonated with a sense of readiness, emphasizing his focus on his upcoming mission.
Once the checkup was complete, the official signaled the start as the engine roared to life, leading the truck to begin to move.