Oliver stood in front of the Mystic Association, the heart of Amano City. He felt that the busy city in front of him was calling him; it was begging him to explore it. Unsure why, he quickly started to venture outward into the unknown city before him. The buildings that reached the artificial sky and flying trains moving through the sky, everything felt unreal to him.
Oliver couldn't stop a smile from forming on his face. However, could you blame him? Things taken from a fantasy novel were before his eyes, and he even had the potential to realize such tales found in fairy tales.
He walked down the streets next to a crowd of people looking through the phone he had gotten. On it was a map of the city and some popular spots. He eventually found one and raised his hand for a taxi.
Oliver found himself in front of the place, a small cafe that was overflowing with customers. He slowly made his way in and was quickly greeted by one of the seaters.
"Hello, Master! Is it just you, nya?"
"Y-yes, it's just me," Oliver stammered slightly as he stared at the twitching dark blue cat ears. The girl in front of him was wearing a traditional maid outfit; her eyes were a shade of yellow and had catlike pupils. Her hair was a midnight blue that extended to her waist, where a sly cat tail swung around. On top of her head were a pair of fluffy cat ears that twitched with every sound.
"You're in luck, nya! We have a single table open."
Oliver nodded and followed behind her. As he was walking to his table, he noticed other women with cat ears, dog ears, wolf ears, and even fox ears. They all seemed to be wearing maid outfits, and while most were more human than animal, some were more animal than human. As he sat down, he was handed a menu. The girl who had led him here seemed to also be a server, as she quickly asked,
"Can I get you anything to drink, nya?"
Oliver quickly looked through the menu, more specifically the drink section, and found an enjoyable carbonated beverage. After he ordered, he asked,
"I was wondering, do you have anything you might recommend to do here?"
"Nya? Maybe the red light district?"
Oliver stared at her innocent expression and didn't know what to say. As he tried to respond, she cheerfully left, leaving Oliver stunned and worried about a few things.
He quickly looked down and noticed his clothes. They were tattered and stained with blood; moreover, a decent amount of his skin was exposed. His face took on a faint reddish hue, and he quickly looked through the menu. After waiting a few minutes, his waiter returned with his drink, and he quickly went to clarify the situation.
"H-hey, I'm not that kind of person."
"Nya?"
"I was involved in something and didn't notice my clothes were this bad. Why, why the hell didn't either of them say anything!? Ahem, anyway, I was wondering if there were any good clothing places nearby?"
"You can probably try the Fenrir Store nearby; it's probably the most popular clothing store in the city. Hehe, I've heard it's quite popular in other cities too, nya."
"S-so, anything about my other question?"
"Nuh-uh, Master. You first have to tell me what you want to order."
"Alright, I would like the Wolf's Banquet."
"Ooo, the Wolf Banquet? Very well, it will be out shortly."
For the next hour or so, Oliver stayed in the cafe, talking with the servers and staff there. In total, he spent a hundred or so dollars on himself; however, he didn't mind the expense. Moreover, he also learned about a popular attraction in this hidden city: a dangerous game of tag! The game itself is called Prey or Predator. A popular game that puts you and someone else in a large area, usually with multiple obstacles or objects around. It's there that you have to compete with each other; the goal is to touch your opponent's back.
However, before he tries to enjoy the entertainment in the city, he needed to fix his appearance first. As such, at the moment, he was standing in front of a massive luxurious building. The entrance was fitted with spinning glass doors, and its name was highlighted by a silver echo.
Fenrir Store, a store that has an almost perfect rating and is even a proud partner of the Mystic Association. Oliver ventured inside, but a slight problem arose before he could even enter the building.
"I'm sorry, sir, but please go beg somewhere else."
Although Oliver had run into quite a few annoyances in his life due to being an orphan, this was a first. His eyebrows started to twitch ever so slightly, and he twisted the urge to hit the guard in front of him. He let out a few breaths to calm himself and pulled out a small card. Although the guard thought it might be something to invoke pity, his eyes bulged as he loudly stuttered,
"R-r-rank 2!?"
Although Oliver still wasn't exactly sure about how much authority it held, it didn't mean he felt nothing at the face-slapping he just did. The guard quickly moved out of the way from Oliver and even seemed to be talking into a radio on his uniform.
Oliver stared at the beautiful interior of the store with awe. The floors were made with marble, and everything was expertly laid out. Employees seemed to be regularly walking through the aisles, ready to help any customers or clean up any messes. The merchandise itself was appealing, and some of them were more than just simple clothing.
As Oliver was taking in the store's view, a middle-aged man came up to him with his hands running against each other.
"Is there anything I can help you with, valued customer?"
"Hmm, I'm looking for some clothing."
"I see, I see. If you could tell me your preferences, I can show you whatever suits your needs."
"I'm in need of a suit, a few t-shirts and long-sleeve shirts, along with pants and shorts. Moreover, I would also like to look at your accessories. Oh yeah, I've heard that a Rank 2 Associate gets discounts in most places."
"That is correct, valued customer. A Rank 2 Associate receives a 10% discount along with a single free battle option on purchases."
"Battle options?"
XI