"Here, take this as well. If someone asks, tell your full name and my name, and show your ID."
In front of the same café, a taxi was waiting. Max leaned in through the back window, handing Machina the ATM booth receipts, since she was carrying so much cash, along with the €42 for the taxi ride that he had gotten back from the café.
"Yes, I will."
Machina nodded her head obediently. Jennifer sat beside her and looked at Max with a smile. She was happy that Max could trust her with Machina. She tried to return the €12 she had borrowed from him, but Max didn't take it.
"Alright, buy whatever you like. See you guys at the party."
"Yeah."
"See you."
The taxi drove off, soon disappearing from Max's sight. He didn't want to accompany Machina, since he didn't like shopping very much. If it were something tech-related, he might have gone along. She might also need something personal, like undergarments.
She surely needs undergarments.
Max's face turned slightly pink as he remembered the picture she had sent him. Shaking his head, he walked back toward his apartment. He wanted to check out the local gyms around him where he could go every day.
[Unlock?]
[Yes/No]
Max unlocked his door using [Yes], since he had given the key card to Machina. He then sat inside the apartment and set up the touchscreen door lock. It was easier this way, and he didn't want to use his system powers every time he came home.
After setting it up, he ate an apple and searched for gyms on his phone. There was an Eternity Health Club. It was a very premium gym. He almost skipped it after seeing its bikini model ads, but one line caught his attention.
In the Schwabing branch, we have a former world-class UFC fighter training personally, only with a special Diamond Plus Subscription.'
Hmm? It's a little far, about half an hour by car or bike.
Max looked at the location, which was on the other end of Schwabing. He wanted to join an elite gym to get the best reward from the system, so this option felt tailored for him. It was expensive for sure, as even the posters looked very premium.
Guess I will need that bike as soon as possible for a daily workout session.
He smiled, then checked his phone to make sure his wallet was with him. He wore a black T-shirt with a light jacket, since it was warm outside, along with sports sneakers. He wanted to check this gym out now, before that special class got full.
Locking his door, he went downstairs and took a taxi. It was his first time taking one, so he checked his wallet. Seeing both cash and card inside, he felt more at ease.
He sat in the back and looked outside. He tried to memorize the road he was taking. He would also have to apply for a license next to drive around. The club area where he lived faded into the background as he entered a calmer area.
Max noticed that as he went deeper into this area, it was mostly covered with tall, well-maintained trees. The tall buildings disappeared, and expensive townhouses came into view, followed by luxurious villas guarded by huge iron gates.
T...This area is the super-rich side of the town.
Seeing only Porsches and BMWs in the area, Max was a little shocked. He didn't know this area was this rich. A smile formed on his face. He was a multi-millionaire as well, but when a Rolls-Royce Phantom rolled out of a villa like it was nothing, he knew that in this world he was still nothing.
Hehe, I guess I needed this. I've been slacking off. Time to be more hard on myself. Need to study hard and build a solid body.
Max got weirdly motivated. He didn't want that car right away. He wanted to earn it in the future. He was also interested in the modern townhouses here. They looked perfect for his main mission, but he wasn't certain he would be able to buy one just yet.
I need a good banker and a lawyer for this stuff. Let's do this one at a time.
The taxi stopped in front of a modern three-story building, and Max peeked ahead by ducking his head a little. The entire building was covered with women's posters—some in gym tights, some in two-piece bikinis stepping out of a pool, all sensual—with a big electric banner reading 'Eternity Health Club.'
"Thank you. Here, keep the change, please."
Max handed over a €20 bill and got out of the taxi. The total was €18.54, and he decided to leave a small tip. For day-to-day hard workers like this, the money wouldn't be wasted, and helping them felt just right.
Max entered the building while looking around. He wasn't sure if this was really a gym or a female bikini model agency. A door guard gave him a brief look but didn't say anything. The atmosphere inside was warm and very welcoming, and the reception desk was moderately large. Just behind it stood a huge black, high-tech entry gate meant for card access.
"Hello, sir. How can we help you today?"
Seeing Max looking around instead of using a card to enter through the machine behind the desk, the receptionist stood up with a practiced smile. Max stopped wandering and walked up to her.
"Hi, I'd like to enroll in the Diamond Plus subscription. You have a UFC athlete training here, right?"
"Y… yes, sir. This is the branch, but…"
She looked Max over from head to toe and paused for a moment. Since she looked Asian, Max couldn't tell if she was struggling with German or if she was unsure how to say it.
"But what?"
"T… there are four packages. The normal one is €25 per month, Silver is €40, Gold is €80, and Diamond is €170. But the package you're asking for is a bit special. It's €450 per month, and we only accept a fixed two-year contract with a €10,000 upfront payment. It's all-inclusive.
This way, you'll get an €800 discount, and because this class has a ten-person limit, you can learn more directly from one of the best athletes in the world."
Max nodded his head. This suited him well. It would trigger a great reward from the system, and hopefully, he would get his money's worth from the training.
"Do you take card?"
"Well, yes, of course, sir. We only have morning classes available. Evening and night classes are fully booked."
"Yeah, that suits me."
She smiled brightly when Max nodded his head. Max provided his ID first, and then she handed over the payment terminal, with €10,000 showing on the screen.
*CLING*
"Thank you very much. The class starts two days from now, sharp at 7 in the morning. We will provide you with the entry card on that day. Here is your payment receipt."
Max took the receipt. It was a small piece of paper with his name on it, along with how much he paid and which class he had enrolled in. With this, he had officially joined a gym.
[Updated]
[Side Mission: Join a Gym] [Passed]
[Passing Grade: S+]