"Ughhh..."
A groan escaped my lips as I rolled out of my bed.
Reaching for my phone, I turned off the alarm and squinted at the screen to check the time.
It was 6:30 AM and I overslept.
"..."
Scratching my back, I quickly checked the stocks and discovered that my portfolio had skyrocketed overnight.
It was exactly as I had expected.
"Good"
Without hesitation, I quickly closed all the positions, reinvesting in other opportunities I knew would yield even higher returns.
However, as I was about to go to the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee, a notification popped up on my phone.
My eyes automatically locked on the sender and my heart skipped a beat.
"Eric..."
A growl erupted from deep within my chest.
I was instantly filled with anger and frustration.
Eric was one of my friends who had betrayed me in my past life. It was even more painful because we were once like brothers, supporting each other through thick and thin.
Thud...
I slammed my phone down on the table, unable to contain my rage.
"What does he want!?"
Muttering through gritted teeth, I reluctantly opened the message from Eric.
Apparently, he wanted to meet up and just go out for a couple of drinks, stuff we've always done in the last life.
"Heh..."
A stiff laugh escaped my lips as I read his message.
"He wants to meet up? Sure!"
I quickly responded with a simple "Yes". In this timeline, there was no reason for me not to go out with him.
Of course, I could've cursed him out but where is the fun in that?
I smirked, knowing that I held all the cards now.
"Calm down..."
However, I soon controlled myself. Although I wanted revenge on Eric for his betrayal, I realized that there simply was no point in doing so.
Yes, I might feel slight happiness at the thought of seeing him squirm, but in the end, it wouldn't change the past or bring me true satisfaction.
"He can go fuck himself."
I sighed, deleting my previous message and sending a sentence full of curses before blocking him.
Putting my phone down, I walked to the bathroom to get ready for the day.
As I glanced at the mirror, I saw a reflection of my own face, with dark hair and grey eyes. Two dark circles lay beneath my eyes, signifying my unique sleep schedule.
After washing up, I got dressed in a simple black shirt and jeans. I grabbed my wallet and phone and headed out the door.
The city was already bustling with activity, even at this early hour. I walked briskly down the street, dodging the throngs of people. I stopped at a small street stall and bought a quick breakfast of a steamed bun and a cup of coffee.
Sipping my coffee, I stared at the people passing by. Most of them wore expensive suits, however, from time to time, I noticed students with stylish uniforms.
"I should buy some clothes..."
I looked down at my own outfit, realizing that I was a bit underdressed compared to the people around me.
I couldn't care less about how other people see me, however, my clothes were truly worn out and in need of replacement.
After, I finished my breakfast and continued exploring the city.
Tap... Tap...
I arrived at the shopping district and took a deep breath. I was never a big fan of shopping, but I knew that I needed to buy some new clothes.
I walked into the first store I saw and started looking around.
I picked out a few shirts, pants, and a jacket. I also got a new pair of shoes. When I went to the checkout counter, the total came out to over a few hundred dollars.
I didn't even flinch as I paid the bill. I knew that these clothes would last me a long time, and they were worth the investment.
After leaving the store, I felt much better.
"I won't look like a homeless person anymore..."
Stretching my back, I yawned.
Since I had nothing left to do in the city, I began to head back home.
Although I had a little less than a month before the Realm of Legends launched, I needed to do a lot of preparations if I wanted to even compete for the top rankings.
I needed to buy a new gaming pod, buy some real estate to set up all of the equipment and gain the necessary money to do so, of course.
Playing from my current motel was not an option due to the size of the room and the noise from the neighboring rooms.
"So much work..."
While walking back, I sighed.
If everything went according to my plan, then maybe, just maybe, I would fit the timeframe.
"..."
Looking at the sun hovering overhead, I smiled.
"I'll do it."