The next few days were pretty normal.
I spent most of my time training.
Meanwhile, the WorldCraft game was growing fast.
In just four days, it had almost as many users as Dungeon Dashers.
Most of the players were kids, and the community kept expanding.
We even had an official DungeonDashers page for WorldCraft with over 100,000 members already.
The success of WorldCraft meant my income was doing well too.
But compared to truly wealthy people, I was still far behind.
It takes billions of coins to buy a Rank-10 artifact, if one ever goes up for auction.
They're incredibly rare, and the last time one was sold was three years ago.
If I wanted to get stronger, I'd need one of those artifacts.
That meant I had to start building up some serious resources.
Setting aside the business stuff, today was the day of Sophia's birthday party.
I was going as Professor Costine's partner.
Before the party, Ekapal insisted I visit the best beauty salon.
He said I needed to look my best since the party would be full of high-status people.
He recommended Cappiello Salon, a place his former federation master used to visit.
I asked Baksa to book an appointment for me.
Baksa had recently been promoted to Rank-10, and his reputation was sky-high.
His influence worked wonders.
Normally, you'd have to wait days for an appointment, but I got in right away.
"Welcome! Did you make a reservation?"
the receptionist asked.
"Yes, under the name Xerox Zee,"
I replied.
She checked the list and nodded.
"Right this way, sir."
The salon was already stunning, but the room they took me to was even more luxurious.
The staff asked what I wanted, but since I had no clue, I just said,
"Make me presentable for the party."
They started with a haircut, then moved on to facials, manicures, and a bunch of other treatments I didn't even know existed.
After hours of work, they were finally done.
I put on my suit and looked in the mirror.
"Wow!"
I couldn't help but say it out loud.
The messy, childish look was completely gone.
My green eyes looked sharper and more mature.
My hair was now short and neatly styled.
Even my enchanted accessories, like the Amethyst earring and Frost Bracelet, looked like elegant ornaments.
The black suit with my slick black hair was a perfect match.
If I saw a picture of myself now, I probably wouldn't even recognize me.
At that time I was like I am the most handsomest guy ever found in this universe.
RING! RING! RING!
As I admired my new look in the mirror, my phone suddenly rang.
Professor Costine's name appeared on the screen.
"Hello, Professor Costine!"
I answered.
"Where are you right now? I'll come to pick you up,"
she said.
"I'm at Cappiello Salon,"
I replied.
"Wait there. I'll be there in a minute,"
she said before hanging up.
A few minutes later, a sleek car, similar to a Lamborghini Aventador, pulled up in front of the salon.
It was an Explorer car—designed to look like a luxury car but built with materials so strong even Rank-4 monsters would struggle to damage it.
The price of this car was on par with Rank-7 artifacts.
Professor Costine stepped out of the car, and I froze in place.
Her outfit was a stunning blue dress that complemented her elegant figure.
Her delicate face, already beautiful, was even more striking with a touch of red lipstick.
Her white hair was styled perfectly, held in place by a lovely flower accessory.
She looked absolutely dazzling.
"Xerox, are you here?"
she said, snapping me out of my daze.
"Huh?"
I blinked, realizing she had been trying to get my attention.
"Sorry! I was lost in thought,"
I admitted.
"Phew! I thought something had happened to you,"
she said, looking relieved.
"You weren't responding when I called earlier. Get in the car. We'll head to the party now."
I climbed into the car, trying not to let my nervousness show.
As we drove, I glanced at her a few times, curious about something.
"Professor Costine, what's your relationship with Sophia?"
I asked.
"I don't think you're going to the party just for fun."
"You're right. Sophia was my best friend back at Eclipse Academy,"
she explained.
"Also, don't call me 'Professor' at the party. It'll sound weird."
(That makes sense. Who goes to a party with their student as their date?)
The drive took about 15 minutes.
When we arrived, the venue was already packed with guests.
As soon as Professor Costine stepped out of the car, every eye turned toward her.
Her white hair and blue dress complemented each other perfectly.
Her cold aura made her look untouchable, almost as if no one dared to approach her.
The once lively crowd fell silent.
Some stared at her with admiration, while others looked uneasy.
Even the influential guests seemed a little wary of her.
Her reputation preceded her.
She was the greatest talent of her time, once considered the person most likely to reach Rank-10.
Before Aerox came along, she had been the youngest to reach Rank-7, and she had never disappointed anyone's expectations.
Standing beside someone like her, I could feel the weight of their curiosity.
They weren't just looking at her—they were also trying to figure out who I was.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
"Nervousness, begone,"
I muttered under my breath as we headed into the party.