Chapter 4: Shine at the SkyLounge
The dawn in Aurora City had a different color that morning. The reflection of the sun slid over the glass skyscrapers, bathing the holographic ads that flickered with promises of success and luxury.
Blake woke up with a mental clarity he hadn't felt in a long time.
The blue interface unfolded before his eyes, a reminder that the change had only just begun.
> [Current balance: $2,100.00]
[Active mission: Shine at the SkyLounge event.]
[Secondary objective: Improve your personal presentation to enhance social projection.]
He stared at the message for a few seconds. Then, he got up, showered, and looked at himself in the mirror.
The reflection still showed the same guy as always —dark hair, tired eyes, sharp gaze— but there was something new now.
A subtle change in his posture, an energy that hadn't been there before.
—It's not spending—he murmured, reviewing the numbers—It's investing in the character I'm building.
The system flickered, as if it had heard him.
> [Comment: "Your first impression defines the game."]
Blake took the train toward Lux Avenue. This time, he wasn't rushing or hiding among the crowd.
The fashion ads and shop windows no longer intimidated him; he looked at them with curiosity, like someone beginning to decode the language of power.
---
He walked into a boutique with a black façade and golden letters: "Nero & Vale."
The air smelled of new leather and high-end perfume.
The salesman, a slim man in a gray suit, approached immediately.
—Welcome, sir. Looking for anything in particular?
Blake scanned the hanging clothes, the mirrors, the soft light that made everything gleam.
—I'm looking for something that says I stopped living day to day… without having to say it.
The salesman smiled faintly. —I understand perfectly.
He showed him a black jacket with clean lines, a white open-collar shirt, and dark gray trousers.
Blake tried them on in front of the mirror and, for the first time, didn't see a guy trying to look like someone else.
—This is the one I want —he said finally.
The salesman nodded. —And perhaps something to match the presence? A fragrance?
He led him to a glass counter where an assistant sprayed a sample.
—"Noctis," notes of dark wood, bergamot, and amber —she said—. Confidence in a bottle.
Blake smelled the paper and smiled.
It was the kind of scent that didn't shout for attention, but demanded it.
—Perfect —he said, decisively—. I'll take it.
He paid without hesitation.
The system vibrated softly.
> [Mission completed: Improve your personal presentation.]
[Reward: +5 Charisma / +2% passive income.]
He walked out of the store, feeling the air brush against the new fabric.
His footsteps sounded different on the sidewalk.
---
Blake's phone buzzed.
It was a message from Valeria Chen.
> Valeria: "SkyLounge, 8 p.m. Don't be late. It'll be fun."
Blake smiled.
—Is that an invitation or a challenge?
> [New mission: SkyLounge Event — Project authority among high-status figures.]
He looked at the clock: he had a few hours before the event.
Enough to prepare the right mindset.
---
Night fell, bringing with it the golden glow of the SkyLounge.
A terrace suspended 200 meters high, with a panoramic view of the city's skyline.
Soft music, floating glasses served by drones, and people who smelled of money and power.
Blake arrived with a steady stride.
Nothing in his body showed nervousness.
The system recognized the environment.
> [High-status environment detected.]
[Skill "Social Persuasion" activated.]
[Projection effectiveness: +15%.]
At the entrance, a holographic guard scanned his digital invitation sent by Valeria.
—Welcome to the SkyLounge, Mr. Blake.
Inside, everything was a choreography of smiles, glasses, and expensive suits.
Valeria stood out in the center, dressed in a silver outfit that reflected the city lights.
She was speaking with a group surrounding a man with a cold stare and a sharp jawline: Ethan Voss.
Ethan was young, arrogant, and the owner of a tech startup that had multiplied his fortune in a year.
His presence dominated the conversation.
And when he noticed Valeria turn toward Blake, he smiled smugly.
—And who's this? —Ethan asked, not bothering to hide his tone—. Don't recall seeing you at any event of this level.
Blake approached slowly, still smiling.
—Relax, I don't blame you. I wouldn't remember someone I just met either.
A small silence followed, then a quiet laugh from Valeria.
Ethan looked at him, trying to measure him.
—Quick tongue. But that's not enough here.
—I know —Blake replied calmly—. That's why I make sure to have quick reflexes too.
> [Dominance projected: +6%.]
[Social respect gained: 3 units.]
Ethan studied him with a forced smile.
—Interesting. Maybe the kid's got some fire.
Valeria intervened, amused.
—That's why I invited him. Sometimes this place needs more than speeches about cryptocurrency.
The group laughed softly, and Blake used the moment to move among them.
His tone, his posture, his gaze —everything spoke of control.
He wasn't pretending to be one of them; he acted as if the world already belonged to him.
---
For the next hour, Blake talked with two young entrepreneurs about innovation and digital trends.
The system gave him subtle assistance.
> [Social Persuasion: adjusting tone.]
[Confidence projection +8%.]
There were laughs, nods.
Some even began to ask for his opinion.
Valeria watched him from afar, between sips of her drink.
She was surprised by how naturally Blake moved through the golden shadows of the place.
He no longer looked like an outsider.
He looked like someone who knew how to play.
---
Later, as he approached the bar, Ethan reappeared.
He had a drink in hand and a measured smile.
—Not bad for your first time here —he said—. But don't get too comfortable. This world isn't as easy as it looks.
Blake looked at him without flinching.
—It never is. But if it were easy, you wouldn't be so worried about keeping your place.
For a second, silence fell over the group.
The line hit with surgical precision.
Ethan let out a short, humorless laugh.
—You've got guts, I'll give you that. But sooner or later, guts don't pay the bills.
Blake raised his glass.
—You're right. But vision does. And right now, mine looks pretty clear.
> [Dominance projected: +9%.]
[Respect level in environment increased.]
Some guests laughed. Others nodded, intrigued.
Ethan just smiled, but behind his eyes, something deeper appeared —rivalry.
---
The Shine
Valeria approached, smiling.
—Do you always know what to say at the exact right moment?
Blake turned to her.
—Not always. But when I do, I make sure everyone hears it.
She laughed softly.
—I don't know how you do it, but you make everyone believe you already belong here.
Blake looked at her calmly.
—Maybe because I believe it first.
The system pulsed softly.
> [Mission progress: 100%.]
[Reward: +$3,000.]
[Temporary title obtained: "The Man Who Doesn't Bend."]
---
Past midnight, Blake stepped out onto the SkyLounge's outer terrace.
The view of Aurora City was hypnotic: endless lights, cars sliding across aerial bridges, the distant hum of a city that never slept.
He lit a cigarette he couldn't have afforded a month ago and let it burn slowly between his fingers.
He didn't feel like a winner yet.
But he did feel like a man who had crossed an invisible line.
Blake smiled, seeing the reflection of the lights in his eyes.
—Just wait —he whispered—. I'm only getting started.
End of Chapter 4.