At 6:30 a.m. Alex is awake and take a shower. His face looked fresh, and his eyes glowed with a new determination. He wore his old uniform for the last time, with an appointment to himself that after today, his appearance will change.
"Good morning, the system," he muttered, combing his hair which was still difficult to manage.
Ting!
[Good morning, Host Alex. The mission of 'Awakening Level 1' is active. Ready to improve appearance?]
"Very ready," answered Alex.
Ibu Sari has prepared breakfast. This time, there are eggs, rice, and also a piece of fried chicken. "Eat a lot, son. Spend the money to buy good clothes, don't be cheap," ordered Mrs. Sari while slipping a few bills of hundreds of thousands to Pocket Alex. "This is just in case."
"Thank you, ma'am. But there is still a lot of money in the box, right?" Alex asked.
"Still, son. Mother has hid him well. Mother still does not believe," answered Mrs. Sari, smiling broadly.
Alex eats well before leaving. This time, he didn't walk. He took an angkot to school, something he would do was only on his way home later.
The day at school took place calmly. Kevin and Richard are still trying to tease, but Alex only replied with a cold nod or a flat look that made them lose enthusiasm. Alex's change of attitude that suddenly made them confused and a little frustrated. Alex focused on the lesson, waiting for the bell to go home.
At 15.00 exactly, Alex immediately left the classroom. He rushed to the bus stop and took an angkot to the nearest mall, Grand Metropolitan Mall.
This is the first time Alex has entered a luxury mall like this without feeling like someone who shouldn't be there. Usually, he only passes in front or enter for a while to use public toilets. But today, he walked with the aim.
"Where should I start, the system?" he asked himself while looking around which was filled with branded shops.
Ting!
[System Recommendations: Prioritize haircuts first. Neat hair appearance will immediately increase the impression. Then continue by buying clothes and shoes.]
Alex nodded. He searched for a sign board and found that there was a special floor for salons and barber. He took the escalator to the third floor.
He chose a salon that looks modern and clean, named "The Executive Cuts". A friendly receptionist welcomed him.
"Good afternoon, can I help you?" Receptionist asked.
"I want a haircut," Alex answered.
"Please sit for a moment. Our stylist will soon see you."
Alex sat on the soft sofa while waiting. A few minutes later, a man in a trendy style approached him.
"Hi, I'm Andre. Is there a desired hairstyle idea?" asked the stylist.
Alex hesitated. During this time, he only cut his hair in a barber subscribed to his mother which costs fifteen thousand rupiah.
Ting!
[System Recommendation: Host has an oval face structure that is suitable for undercut fade or classic cut scissor with side parts. Show the picture on the cellphone.]
Alex took his old cellphone and looked for images that were suggested by the system. He found an undercut fade image that looked sharp.
"I want a model like this," Alex said showing the picture.
"Wow, a good choice!" said Andre. "That will be very suitable with the shape of your face. Let's start."
For the next forty minutes, Alex sat while looking in the mirror how his tangled and irregular hair turned neat, clean, and very masculine. Andre works with experts, cutting and arranging with precision.
"It's finished. Please see," Andre said turning the chair.
Alex was amazed. He saw his reflection in the mirror. That is himself, but an older version, more confident, and far more handsome. The new haircut accentuates the line of his jaw and eyes. He looks like a model.
"I ... I like it," said Alex, almost in disbelief.
"Of course! You look very different and very cool," said Andre.
Alex paid with his new money. The price is quite expensive, two hundred thousand rupiah, but it's commensurate.
Ting!
[The first step is complete. Significant changes are detected. Continue to purchase clothes.]
Alex left the salon with a more confident step. Now, it's time to shop for clothes.
He headed to a large department store. Usually, he only sees from afar. This time, he walked directly to the men's section.
A friendly sales approach. "Can I help you, Mas?"
"I need a shirt and chino pants for everyday. Good," said Alex.
The salesman helped Alex to choose several items. Alex chose two Oxford Cotton shirts from the Van Heusen brand, one light blue and one white. He also chose two chino pants from the same brand, the colors of Khaki and Navy Blue. He tried it in the fitting room. The clothes were right on his slim and muscular body because he often worked to help his mother.
"You look very manly," said the sales.
Alex smiled. He also bought some basic polo shirts from the Lacoste brand and a simple bomber jacket from the H&M brand. He didn't want to overdo it first.
The total for the clothes spent about two million rupiah. Alex pays without hesitation.
Ting!
[The second step is complete. The quality of clothing is adequate for the current social level. Continue to the shoes.]
Alex then headed to the shoe store. He chose a shop that sells formal and casual shoes. His eyes were fixed on a pair of white sneaker shoes from the Cole Haan brand and the brown leather derby shoes from the brick brand for a more formal impression.
"Can you try the size of 42?" Alex asked the sales.
The shoes are just right. Alex bought both of them. He paid about one and a half million rupiah for the two shoes.
He also bought a few pairs of new socks and a new backpack from the Jansport brand to replace his old bag that was tattered.
He left the mall with some shopping bags in his hand. His stomach keroncong. He decided to eat at the food court.
He ordered a premium burger and french fries from a famous burger restaurant. He sat down and enjoyed his food, feeling financial freedom for the first time.
Ting!
[Mission 'Awakening Level 1' has been completed with a 100%success rate.
[Gift: 30 wealth points and 15 XPs have been transferred.]
[Updated system status.]
[Host: Alex Mahesa.]
[System Level: 1 (25/100 XP).]
[Wealth Points: 30.]
[Wealth detected: Rp. IDR 46,785,000 (estimated based on physical money and new assets).]
"Yes! I succeeded again!" Alex said to himself.
Ting!
[Host has shown extraordinary progress. Access system stores to see new points exchange options?]
"Yes, access stores," Alex ordered.
In his mind, a digital catalog reappeared. He saw the category of 'clothing & accessories'. Now, because he has bought goods manually, he can compare.
He saw the available options:
5 points = formal business shirts from the Hugo Boss brand.
8 points = leather dress shoes from the Church's brand.
15 points = Quartz watch from the Tissot brand.
25 points = automatic watch from the Longines brand.
50 points = Complete suit from the Armani brand.
"So, with points, I can get a higher brand," murmured Alex.
Ting!
[Right, host. Purchase through the system guarantees the highest quality and is often more efficient. However, physical purchases as Host do today also has its own learning value.]
Alex nodded. He decided to save 30 points for now. He wants to save for something big.
He returned home by taking a taxi online, something he had never done. He paid with an application on his cellphone.
When she arrived home, Mrs. Sari was sitting in front of the house, was picky rice.
"Alex? Son ... that ... is that you?" Ibu Sari was amazed, standing from her chair. His eyes widened to see Alex's new appearance. Her neat hair, new shirt, new pants, and new shoes. He looks like a rich kid who is lost on their path.
"Yes, ma'am. I'm home," Alex said, smiling broadly.
"Gosh, son ... you ... you look very manly! Like an artist!" Mrs. Sari hugged Alex tightly. "Your hair ... very good. And the clothes ... wow!"
Alex laughed. "I bought it at the mall, ma'am. I also bought a mother something." Alex took out a bag from the Department Store. Inside there is a simple but elegant dress and a flat shoe that is comfortable for mothers to sell.
Mrs. Sari almost cried again. "Alex ... you shouldn't ..."
"Yes, you have to, ma'am. Mother must also have new clothes," said Alex.
They both entered the house. Mrs. Sari tried her new clothes and was very happy.
That night, they had dinner with more luxurious side dishes, fried chicken complete with vegetables. They talked about plans to pay debts and might move to a better house.
Ting!
[New mission Available: Acquisition of Assets.]
[Description: Have your first tangible asset. Buy a vehicle or small investment. Assets are the foundation of wealth.]
[Gift: 75 Points of Wealth, 25 XP.]
[Note: Completion of this mission will be very close to the system at level 2.]
Alex read the new mission while lying on his bed. Vehicle? Car? That is a very big dream.
"What can I buy with 75 points, system?" he asked.
[With 75 wealth points, the host can buy an entry-level sports car like the Toyota GR86 instantly from the system store, or exchange it into cash around IDR 75,000,000 to buy a conventional vehicle.
Alex was amazed. Toyota GR86 is a dream car of many people. But, he thought realistically. He is still in school and lives in a narrow environment. Bringing home a sports car like that will cause too many questions.
"Maybe I should start with something smaller first. Motorbikes might be," thought Alex.
[Recommendations are accepted. Premium automatic motorbikes such as Honda Adv 160 or Yamaha Nmax can be a practical choice. The price is around IDR 30-35 million in cash.]
Alex decided. Tomorrow, he will go to the motorcycle dealer. He will buy a motorcycle to make it easier for his mother to sell and for him to go to school.
He fell asleep with a smile on his face, dreaming of his bright future. The changes have begun, and this is just the beginning.
Ting!
[The system is ready to support the host to reach the next level of wealth. Enough sleep, Host Alex. Tomorrow is a new day.]