Improvement

She blinked, caught off guard by his invitation. 

Why wouldn't she? 

No matter how he worded it, it came off like he was asking her out. 

He rubbed the back of his neck, realizing he might've been too forward. 

Trying to recover, he stammered, "I—I didn't mean it like that. I just thought it'd be nice, you know, to go out for a meal. Not, uh... not like a date or anything." 

She giggled, cutting him off. "I don't mind going for dinner. Actually, it'll save me some time because I was planning to throw you a small party later anyway." 

For a second, her tone sounded playful.

"I'll clean the house first, then put your lunch in the refrigerator." 

"Are you going somewhere?" he asked, curious. 

"It's a surprise," she said softly, closing her eyes for a moment to show off her long lashes before turning away. 

Terrence watched her walk away and swallowed hard. For some reason, she looked even more attractive today. 

'Not good. I'm getting distracted.' 

He glanced toward his screen, then at the clock to clear his thoughts. 

If something this simple could throw him off, how was he supposed to survive what's coming? 

Not all devils were twisted or scary. The stronger ones looked almost human—some even better than that. 

Unnatural beauty, perfect bodies. Enough to make most men stare and forget where they were. That's why willpower mattered. Without it, men would lose before the fight even started. 

'Yeah... I'll just treat this as mental training. So staring at Aunt Effie isn't exactly a sin.' 

He nodded to himself, trying to justify the way his eyes kept drifting to her bottom half. 

'This for the future of humanity…' 

Even he wasn't convinced by what he just said. 

To take his mind off things, he locked the door and sat on his bed. 

Most his time were spent training and making money, so he decided to give himself a break on his birthday. 

The GPS map lit up his phone screen as he searched for a mid to high end clothing store.

Before, he hated the idea of spending too much on stuff like that—most of it was overpriced nonsense. 

But with the world heading toward destruction, treating himself didn't seem like such a waste anymore. 

Of course, he could opt for luxury brands where clothes cost tens of thousands of dollars, but that would be hard to explain later. 

'This place is not that far'

Zooming in on the map, he focused on the route. 

The store was near South Maple Street, a place known for its shops and pricey restaurants. 

He saved the location on his phone and started getting ready. 

First, a long, hot bath. Then came a white cotton shirt that finally sat right on his body, fitting better after the weight he gained. 

Black pants came next, followed by white rubber shoes. Effie gave him branded items every year, though most of it stayed untouched in the closet. 

'Not too bad. Not too bad at all,' he muttered, giving himself a look in the mirror. 

The dark circles under his eyes were gone, and his skin looked healthier, with more color than before. 

'Just need a new haircut, and I would actually look presentable,' 

Stepping onto the first floor, he didn't spot his aunt, so he quickly texted her to let her know he was heading out. 

After that, he booked a ride. The app showed an arrival time of ten minutes. 

On the porch, he tapped the railing while waiting and savored the early-morning air. 

'I should get a nice car after I have my license,' he chuckled to himself. If he was going to buy one, it might as well be a super car. 

And the best part? He could just finance it. He didn't care if the interest was high—after all, it would be gone by next year anyway. Along with society, of course. 

Of course, there was the issue with his credit score, but he already had a plan for that. 

After eight minutes, a sleek black sedan rolled up in front of the house.

The driver, a middle-aged man, gestured for him to get in. 

"Good morning," the driver said with a polite nod as he slid into the back seat. 

"Morning," he replied, settling into the leather seat. 

The tinted windows shielded him from the sunlight, offering a sense of peace as the car pulled away. 

They passed through the gated neighborhood, where every house was neatly kept, each lawn perfectly trimmed, and the streets lined with manicured trees. 

The cars parked along the curb looked just as clean and expensive as the homes, adding to the perfection of the area. 

As they drove past the entrance, the view changed. 

They passed through a park, still quiet in the early hours, with only a few joggers and dog walkers scattered along the paths. 

The car continued on, the peaceful park fading into the background as they turned onto busier streets. 

There were more people now, though the stores were spaced far apart. 

For some reason, the roads in the west were designed to encourage car travel, with large gaps between the different zones. 

Finally, they reached the urban area, where he could see the buildings up close, their towering structures rising above. 

Slowing down, the car turned onto a street lined with two- and three-story buildings. European-style facades, and cobblestone sidewalks gave the area a classy feeling. 

"Thanks for the ride," he said as he got out of the car.

Looking around, he saw young adults in branded clothes, flashing the latest phones.

Most had overpriced coffee in one hand and their other busy posting it all on social media.

'Mmm... that's the scent of wealth. Or debt. Hard to tell these days.'

He had nothing against it. The world was ending soon anyway, so there was no point in saving money. 

Honestly, if he was influential, he would probably tell everyone to rack up more debt—just to grab a slice of what the capitalist were hoarding.

As he walked farther in, a row of stores came into view, each one showcasing bold clothing for men and women.

However, he wasn't a fan of the flashy styles with loud patterns that screamed the brand.

His taste leaned toward subtle, yet classy, styles. 

Luckily, he checked the internet beforehand and discovered a good brand. 

'Suit Supply suits my taste,' he muttered with a small grin. 'My wordplay is improving,'