"Do you think this is easy for me?" the actor said, his voice breaking slightly. "Every day, I fight this battle inside my head. Every smile, every laugh, it's a lie — a mask I wear to keep from falling apart."
Cain mimicked the actor's posture, sitting forward with his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped tightly together. He noted the way the actor's shoulders tensed and then relaxed, the way his gaze flickered as if he were looking into the distance, lost in thought.
He replayed the scene several times, absorbing every detail.
Fifi watched as Cain's expression shifted, mirroring the actor's perfectly. He practiced the line over and over in his head, each time getting closer to the original performance.
Finally, Cain stood up, took a deep breath, and delivered the line. "Do you think this is easy for me?" His voice wavered, exactly like the actor's. "Every day, I fight this battle inside my head. Every smile, every laugh, it's a lie — a mask I wear to keep from falling apart."
Fifi's eyes widened. Cain's imitation was perfect, down to the last detail. His voice carried the same weight of emotion, his expression the same tortured intensity. It was as if he had become the character himself.
[ACQUIRED Skill! Acting LV. 5]
Cain glanced at the screen, seeing the new skill pop up. He nodded, satisfied. "Looks like I'm getting the hang of this."
Fifi was speechless for a moment before she recovered. "Cain, that was . . . incredible. But wait . . . Why is it that it's only level 5?"
Cain shrugged, utterly clueless.
Fifi hovered in the air, her tiny brows furrowing in concentration. "What could this be . . . ?" she murmured, her curiosity piqued.
Suddenly, a flash of light enveloped Cain.
[ACQUIRED Skill! Sharp Mind LV. 40!]
[Hidden Talent Unlocked!]
[OBTAINED +5 Idol Points!]
Cain blinked, startled by the sudden notifications. "What . . . just happened?" he muttered, still processing what he saw.
Fifi's eyes widened as she stared at him in shock. "You . . . you just unlocked your hidden talent!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with awe and disbelief.
Cain glanced at his hands, feeling a strange surge of confidence. "Sharp Mind, huh?" He checked his stats for more information.
|| C A I N ||
CHA +5
DEX +10
CONS +10
TALENTS:
Fighting LV. 20
During a fight your constitution and dexterity increase by 20%.
Singing LV.1
You're tone-deaf. Please improve more.
Dancing LV.10
When you dance there's a 10% increase in CHA, DEX and CONS.
Playing Guitar LV. 2
There's a 2% chance that you will captivate your audience with your guitar skills.
Acting LV. 5
There's a 5% chance that your acting will captivate your audience with your acting skill.
Sharp Mind LV. 40
You have a one-of-a-kind brain that can memorize anything if you focus on it. There is a 40% success rate of copying anything you try to focus on.
|| E N D ||
"This is it!" Fifi gasped, excitement bubbling over as she zipped through the air. "That's why you're decent at acting, even at level five! It's all because of your hidden talent, [Sharp Mind]! You can replicate anything you see if you focus on it! But the kicker is — your actual acting talent is nonexistent! You're like a genius and an idiot rolled into one!"
Cain raised an eyebrow, and deadpan. "Make up your mind — are you praising me or insulting me?"
"But this is it!" Fifi exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "This is the key to solving our problems! We can use your [Sharp Mind] to boost your other skills by copying techniques from the net! This could skyrocket your progress!"
Cain rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "So that's why I've been able to mimic my opponents' moves . . . This is perfect. I can level up my fighting skills exponentially with this."
Fifi flicked him on the forehead, cutting his thoughts short. "Nope! Focus on your idol talents first, you trash! Otherwise, you'll be taking a one-way trip to hell!"
Cain grumbled, rubbing the spot she hit. "Fine. I'll do it tomorrow."
"What?" Fifi blinked.
"I'm going to bed," Cain said, heading off to take a bath and get ready for sleep.
Fifi could only watch him go, her excitement deflating with a disappointed sigh. "What happened to your earlier enthusiasm?"
"I found my hidden talent, so I'm calling it quits," Cain replied, already halfway to the bathroom.
"I can't believe you. One minute you're all fired up, and the next you're ready to crash." Fifi shook her head, utterly exasperated.
=== ⭐ ===
The next morning, the daily tasks arrived as scheduled, but this time, they were accompanied by a special mission, adding an extra layer of excitement to Cain's day.
|| DAILY TASKS ||
1. Maintain Daily Hygiene: Take a bath, brush your teeth, and keep your body clean to maintain overall health. [+1 Idol Point per day when completed]
2. Run 2 Kilometers Daily: Complete this for one week straight. [+2 Idol Points per day for consistency]
3. Create a Social Media Account: Establish your online presence. [+1 Idol Point]
4. Gain 100 Subscribers: Reach your first milestone. [+10 Idol Points]
5. Upgrade Your Wardrobe: Elevate your style. [+5 Idol Points]
|| END ||
|| SPECIAL MISSION ||
1. Boost Your Charisma (CHA) to 10. [+5 Idol Points]
2. Increase Dexterity (DEX) to 20. [+5 Idol Points]
3. Enhance Constitution (CONS) to 20. [+5 Idol Points]
4. Level Up Singing Talent to 10. [+100 Idol Points]
5. Raise Dancing Level to 20. [+200 Idol Points]
6. Master Guitar Playing to Level 10. [+100 Idol Points]
7. Advance Acting Skill to Level 10. [+50 Idol Points]
|| END ||
Cain groaned, already feeling a headache forming as he glanced over the long list of tasks ahead of him. The silver lining? A special mission had been added on top of the daily grind, promising a hefty boost in Idol Points if he could pull it off.
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|| A/N ||
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