[Congratulations on acquiring the role!]
[Mission 1: Secure a role in any production within 24 hours.]
Reward: 500 XP, 1 Skill Token
Failure: System Deactivation
[Mission cleared, obtained 1 skill token and 500 XP, note XP can be used to make purchases in the system's store!]
Ethan slapped himself, unable to believe this was actually happening. "I got the role? I actually got the role?"
"Yes, you idiot, you actually got the role," Riley said, his voice practically bouncing off the walls as he pounced on Ethan the second he walked out of the audition room. "Holy shit, Ethan, you're gonna be famous! Well, not famous-famous, but you know—like, slightly less broke-famous!"
Ethan groaned, prying Riley's arms off him. "Can you not strangle me right now? I'm still trying to process the fact that I didn't completely bomb that audition."
[Correction: Host succeeded by a margin of 67%. Your performance was sufficient but not outstanding. Recommend improvement for future auditions.]
Ethan's eye twitched. "Yeah, thanks for the pep talk, system."
Riley raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Nothing," Ethan muttered, shaking his head. "Just talking to myself. You know, normal post-audition mental breakdown stuff."
Riley snorted, slinging an arm around Ethan's shoulders. "Well, congratulations, Mr. 'Normal Breakdown.' Drinks are on me tonight. By drinks, I mean water from my tap, because we're both broke."
"Tempting," Ethan said dryly, "but I think I need to just go home and—"
[New mission: Begin building your professional reputation. Task: Deliver a stellar performance on your first shoot. Time limit: 72 hours. Reward: 1000 XP, 1 Mystery Spin Token. Failure: Role terminated.]
Ethan's stomach dropped. "What the hell? Already?"
"What's already?" Riley asked, peering at him like he'd just grown a second head.
"Nothing! Forget it!" Ethan snapped, his voice too sharp to not be suspicious.
Riley squinted at him but eventually shrugged. "Whatever, man. Anyway, I'm serious about celebrating. This is your first step, Ethan! HollyMedia isn't some run-of-the-mill agency. You're working with the best. Even if it's a small role, you've got your foot in the door now."
Ethan nodded absently, his thoughts elsewhere. He couldn't shake the looming threat of the system's new mission. It was like having a ticking time bomb strapped to his career. One wrong move and—poof—back to square one.
He exhaled sharply, letting Riley drag him out of the building as his mind raced.
Guess there's no turning back now. Time to figure out how to actually act like someone who belongs here.
When Ethan got home he was slightly buzzed from Riley paying for a few bottles of drinks, his phone was ringing and he just knew it was his mother.
He stepped into his house immediately catching a leak from his roof. Water dripped down his ceiling.
He groaned. "Mother fucker,"
With a sigh he made his way towards his "couch", the contraption of planks and foam he had stolen from his mother's garage. At this rate he might as well just move back home.
He slumped on his couch, looking at the water that kept dripping down his roof. "I should probably do something about that," he muttered.
"Fuck it," he breathed. "Hey system. The XP thing, you said I could purchase things with it? Like a game right?"
[Affirmative. The system store allows the host to exchange XP for various items, abilities, or enhancements to aid in completing missions and improving overall performance. The current balance is 500 XP.]
Ethan frowned, staring at the damp patch growing on his ceiling. "What kind of stuff are we talking about? Like… tools to fix my goddamn roof?"
[Negative. The system does not provide mundane household solutions. The host may, however, purchase skills, traits, and items related to personal development and career growth.]
He groaned, rubbing his temples. "So, no 'Fix Leaky Roof' skill, huh? Figures. Fine. Show me what you've got."
[Accessing store… loading options based on available XP and host's current needs.]
Ethan blinked as a translucent panel appeared in his vision, scrolling through an array of items and skills. The interface was sleek, with icons and descriptions that seemed to float in mid-air.
There were categories like:
• Acting Skills
• Emotional Resonance: Enhance the ability to express authentic emotions. (300 XP)
• Physical Adaptability: Improve control over body language and physical acting. (200 XP)
• Traits
• Charisma Boost: Increase natural likability and stage presence. (400 XP)
• Voice Modulation: Perfect tonal control for diverse roles. (350 XP)
• Utilities
• Audition Prep Pack: A curated skill boost for cold readings and memorization. (450 XP)
• Confidence Surge: Temporary boost in confidence for high-pressure situations. (100 XP per use)
• Special Offers
• Mystery Box (Tier F): Contains one random skill, item, or trait. (500 XP)
"Great," Ethan muttered, squinting at the options. "Just what I needed—life decisions in a video game format. What's next, loot boxes?"
[Correction: Mystery Box is not a loot box. It is a randomized acquisition tool. Odds of receiving an optimal item are 67%.]
He snorted. "Oh, so better odds than the lottery. Comforting. But… damn, this all looks expensive."
Ethan leaned back on his makeshift couch, the choices swirling in his head. His eyes flicked back to the ceiling, where water still dripped steadily onto the floor. He sighed again, dragging a hand down his face.
"Alright, system, let's put a pin in this for now. I'll figure out what to buy later. I need to sleep this off before I end up spending XP on something stupid."
[Understood. Store access will remain available at all times.]
"Great. Now shut up."
The system went silent, leaving Ethan alone with his thoughts—and the persistent drip, drip, drip of his ceiling.
Tomorrow was another day, and he had 72 hours to not screw this up.
Morning came fast. Far too fast, and Ethan woke up with a very recurring thought. "I need to get a job, hey system, is there any way you can help me get a job."
[I am the Entertainment Mastery System, not the Business Management System, that would be Error 3378. Although I do have a feature that help you narrow than minial jobs around the vicinity.]
Ethan blinked, still half-asleep, staring at the crack in his ceiling. "What? A feature for jobs? What's it called? 'Losers Like You' search engine?"
[Negative. The feature is not yet accessible. The host must progress further in the Entertainment Mastery System before additional support tools are unlocked.]
"Of course," Ethan muttered, throwing an arm over his eyes. "Figures. Why make my life easier when you can just dangle solutions like carrots?"
[Host's current trajectory requires focus on missions to build credibility within the entertainment industry. Diversions are discouraged.]
Ethan groaned but decided not to argue. "Fine. Forget I asked. What's the deal with this 'daily spin' thing Riley we did before?"
[The daily spin is a randomized reward mechanism designed to enhance host performance or provide valuable resources. Each spin has the potential to yield XP, items, traits, or unique skills. One spin is granted every 24 hours. Would the host like to activate today's spin?]
Ethan sat up, his sleepiness evaporating. "Wait, so it's like a free chance to win stuff?"
[Affirmative.]
He rubbed his hands together, grinning despite himself. "Okay, system. Let's do this. Spin the wheel."
[Initiating spin…]
A glowing wheel appeared in his vision, divided into colorful sections. Each segment was labeled with rewards ranging from basic XP boosts to mysterious icons Ethan couldn't decipher. The wheel spun with a satisfying click-click-click, the anticipation sending a small thrill through him.
"Come on, big money," he muttered under his breath, watching the wheel slow down.
The pointer hovered, teasing him as it edged past "150 XP" and "Charisma Boost." Finally, it clicked onto a section labeled with a bold "=."
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Fuse (=). This ability allows the host to combine two cards into a single, upgraded card. Compatibility and results may vary based on the cards used.]
Ethan frowned, trying to make sense of it. "Fuse? Like… card fusion? What am I, in some kind of trading card game now?"
[The Fuse ability is highly versatile. By combining two cards, the host can potentially create a more powerful or unique skill set tailored to specific needs. Would you like a demonstration?]
"Uh, sure, but I only have one card right now, right? Ordinary Background Officer or whatever."
[Correct. Additional cards must be acquired through missions, the store, or other system rewards. Fuse will remain dormant until two cards are available.]
Ethan slumped back on the couch. "So, you're telling me I got something cool, but it's useless for now. Classic."
[Incorrect. Fuse is a foundational tool for advanced system mechanics. It is advised to consider card synergy when acquiring new cards to maximize its potential.]
"Yeah, yeah, synergy. Whatever." Ethan waved a hand dismissively. "At least it's not another bill to pay."
He glanced at the time on his cracked phone screen. It was barely 7 a.m., and the weight of his upcoming shoot was already pressing on his chest.
No pressure, Ethan. Just your entire future riding on this.
"System," he muttered, pulling a pillow over his face, "tell me there's something I can do to not screw this up."
[Preparation is key. Recommendations: Review script thoroughly, research character nuances, and utilize available system resources to enhance skills.]
"Resources I can't afford yet," Ethan grumbled into the pillow.
[Alternate suggestion: Practice lines in a simulated environment. System can generate basic scenarios for rehearsal purposes.]
Ethan peeked out from under the pillow. "Wait, you can do that? Why didn't you lead with that?"
[Host did not inquire. Would you like to begin simulation now?]
He sat up, rubbing his hands over his face. "Yeah, let's do it. Might as well see what this system can actually do."
[Simulation initiating…]