The hallway outside Studio Room 4 was quiet.
Kai Ren sat on a long wooden bench. His hands were resting on his knees, but they would not stop shaking.
This was his thirty-first audition.
Thirty failures.
Thirty different directors.
Thirty times hearing the same words.
"We'll contact you."
But no one ever contacted him.
Kai Ren looked down at the script in his hands. The paper had become soft from how many times he had practiced the scene.
A young actor walked out of the audition room.
His shoulders were low.
Kai Ren knew that look.
Failure.
The assistant by the door called the next name.
"Kai Ren."
Kai Ren stood up slowly.
His heart beat faster with every step toward the door.
This might be the last time.
His rent was late.
His savings were gone.
If this audition failed, he might have to give up acting and find a normal job.
He pushed the door open.
Three people were sitting behind a long table.
A director.
A casting manager.
An assistant.
The director did not even look up from his phone.
"Name?"
"Kai Ren."
The director nodded lazily.
"Your scene is the emotional confession scene."
Kai Ren took a deep breath.
"Yes, sir."
"Start."
Kai Ren closed his eyes for a moment.
When he opened them again, he was no longer himself.
He became the character.
A young man who had just lost everything.
His voice trembled.
"Why… why did this happen to me?"
His eyes filled with pain.
He continued the scene with every bit of emotion he had.
Anger.
Despair.
Fear.
By the time he finished, the room was silent.
The assistant looked slightly surprised.
The casting manager leaned back in her chair.
Kai Ren waited.
The director finally looked up.
For one short moment, Kai Ren felt hope.
Then the director spoke.
"Your acting is decent."
Kai Ren's heart jumped.
"But."
The director sighed.
"You don't have star presence."
The hope inside Kai Ren slowly faded.
The director waved his hand.
"Next."
Kai Ren nodded quietly.
"Thank you."
He walked out of the room.
The hallway felt colder now.
Kai Ren sat back on the same bench.
He stared at the floor.
"Maybe I'm really not meant for this."
He had spent four years chasing acting.
Four years of training.
Four years of rejection.
His phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
Landlord:
"Rent is due tomorrow."
Kai Ren rubbed his face.
"What should I do now…"
Just as he was about to stand up—
A strange sound appeared inside his head.
DING
Kai Ren froze.
"What was that?"
Suddenly a blue screen appeared in front of his eyes.
It floated in the air like a hologram.
Kai Ren blinked several times.
The screen was still there.
Then words slowly appeared.
Fame System Activated
Kai Ren stared at the screen.
"What…?"
More text appeared.
Host Detected: Kai Ren
Occupation: Actor (Beginner)
Goal:
Become the Most Famous Actor in the World
Kai Ren looked around quickly.
No one else seemed to see the screen.
His heartbeat became faster.
"Am I dreaming?"
Another message appeared.
Beginner Reward Granted
Acting Skill +5
Emotion Control +3
Charisma +2
Fame Points: 50
Kai Ren felt a strange warmth spread through his body.
Suddenly his mind felt clearer.
The emotions from his acting practice felt easier to control.
He could almost feel the difference immediately.
"This… feels real."
Another notification appeared.
New Mission Assigned
Obtain Any Acting Role
Reward:
100 Fame Points
Beginner Skill Box
Kai Ren read the mission twice.
Then three times.
A slow smile appeared on his face.
"So even small roles count?"
The system responded.
Correct
Kai Ren stood up.
A new kind of determination filled his chest.
"For the first time…"
"I actually have a chance."
He walked outside the building.
The city lights were starting to turn on.
Actors were walking everywhere.
Some were successful.
Most were struggling.
Kai Ren looked up at the night sky.
"Become the most famous actor in the world…"
He laughed softly.
"That goal is huge."
But instead of fear—
He felt excitement.
Suddenly the system screen appeared again.
Status Window
Name: Kai Ren
Age: 19
Acting Skill: 12
Emotion Control: 8
Voice Acting: 5
Charisma: 6
Fame Points: 50
Fans: 0
Reputation: Unknown
Kai Ren stared at the number.
Fans: 0
"Let's change that."
He opened his phone and searched for new auditions.
Most roles were small.
Very small.
But one caught his attention.
Web Drama Casting
Role: Thug #3
Kai Ren laughed.
"Thug number three?"
He closed his phone.
"Doesn't matter."
His eyes became serious.
"Every legend starts somewhere."
He turned around and walked toward the train station.
Tonight he would practice again.
Tomorrow—
He would start climbing.
Online Forum — DramaWorld
ScriptHunter:
"I watched several auditions today."
DramaQueen99:
"Anything interesting?"
ScriptHunter:
"There was one guy."
FilmAddict:
"Oh?"
ScriptHunter:
"His acting was good but the director rejected him."
CinePhantom:
"That happens a lot."
ScriptHunter:
"His name was Kai Ren."
SilentCritic:
"Remember the name?"
ScriptHunter:
"Maybe."
FangirlLina:
"If he's really good someone will discover him."
StarTracker:
"The industry is unpredictable."
ScriptHunter:
"True."
"But sometimes…"
"A star appears when no one expects it."