Damian left the rooftop when he heard the bell signaling the end of recess. He descended the stairs leisurely, hands in his pockets, as if savoring these last moments of peace before heading into the battle ahead.
He had already gone over the details of the exam shared by Clara, so he knew he'd be busy this afternoon. And as he reviewed the specifics of his new life, he was aware that he'd also face other challenges: a classroom full of cold or condescending glances.
"Perfect. Another day in social paradise," he thought ironically as he pushed open the classroom door.
The noise of the conversations briefly quieted when they noticed his presence, only to resume in hushed murmurs. He didn't mind; he preferred indifference to attention. Without stopping, he walked straight to the back of the classroom and sat at his usual desk.
For a moment, he noticed Clara, who greeted him timidly, and he did the same.
Damian's original life in this world had been that of an average student—he didn't stand out in any area, apart from his good looks—but his poor judgment in confronting Samuel Lorrick, the "golden boy" of the class, had landed him in a much worse situation.
The son of a wealthy family and the grandson of legendary filmmakers, Samuel needed no introduction; his influence alone was enough to keep everyone on his side. He exploited his position to manipulate and bully his classmates, something Damian couldn't tolerate.
A week ago, he confronted Samuel in front of the entire class, pulling him away from Clara, whom Samuel had been harassing. Though the class was filled with nervous stares, no one had the courage to back him up. While Damian managed to shift Samuel's attention to him, the latter bitterly vowed that neither Damian nor Clara—who had stood up for him—would ever have a chance in the film industry. He would make sure of it.
The only person who tried to help him was Aileen Vernett, his childhood friend. A music prodigy and popular among their peers, Aileen attempted to defend him, but Damian rejected her help. He knew involving her would only hurt her. Since then, their relationship had cooled, becoming an uncomfortable memory of what they once were.
Damian activated his Panel, a holographic screen projected from his bracelet, and began browsing through his notes. He needed to focus on the exam.
"Well, well. If it isn't our outcast," Samuel remarked, approaching his desk with an arrogant smile.
Damian looked up, sizing him up like an annoying insect.
"Done rehearsing your scene?" he replied calmly. "Because if this is all you've got, your future in the industry is in serious trouble."
Samuel frowned for a moment, but quickly regained his fake smile.
"At least I have a future. You, on the other hand, don't even have a present."
Damian let out a dry laugh and turned his attention back to his Panel.
"If that makes you feel better, go ahead. Call me when it works."
The response left Samuel speechless for a few seconds, before he clicked his tongue and returned to his seat. Realizing his provocations had no effect, he resumed his smug grin.
"Rich kid with a superiority complex. How original," Damian thought, resuming his reading.
But the door suddenly burst open, and a teacher entered with determined steps. She was young but had an air that demanded respect. Her brown hair was tied in a neat bun, and her sharp blue eyes scanned the room as if she could read everyone's thoughts.
"Alright, class. I hope you've rested, because this afternoon will be intense," she said in a firm voice, silencing even the loudest students.
Damian raised his head, paying attention.
"Today, you'll face your first major test of the year: you'll create two short films. The theme and style are up to you, but both must be from different genres and no longer than five minutes."
A murmur spread across the classroom. Some students exchanged nervous glances, while others smiled confidently. Samuel, of course, seemed thrilled; these types of tasks were his specialty, and he had plenty of time to prepare. Aileen, though more reserved, also appeared calm.
"You can do whatever you want: drama, comedy, horror... anything you can imagine. But you have three hours to complete and submit it."
Damian couldn't help but show a small, ironic smile at his bad luck.
"As you should already know, we'll head to the capsule room where you'll take the exam. Remember, this is one of the three major exams that will determine your promotion to the third year."
The students stood up silently and followed the teacher to an adjacent room. The echo of their footsteps filled the air, while Damian kept his eyes scanning his surroundings, still curious about the new things in this world. However, a low whisper interrupted his thoughts.
"Do you think you'll be able to handle the exam?" a feminine voice asked behind him.
Damian turned slightly, surprised, to find Aileen Vernett. Her appearance was unmistakable: bright red hair falling in perfectly styled waves, a flawless face with sharp features, and a posture that exuded confidence, almost as if she were a diva used to attention. Instantly, the memories of the "other Damian" filled his mind, offering fragments of past interactions with her—his childhood friend from whom he had distanced himself lately.
Damian paused before responding, trying to strike a balance between naturalness and closeness.
"I guess so. I have... a plan," he said in a neutral tone, attempting to keep his expression calm.
Aileen sighed, clearly relieved, and gave him a small smile.
"That puts my mind at ease a bit. I'm sure you'll manage. Well, see you," she added with an elegant gesture before walking away to join her group of friends, who were waiting a few steps ahead.
Damian watched her for a moment as she joined the group, laughing softly with them. "Apparently, the Damian from before wasn't someone very reliable. I'll have to handle this carefully," he thought as he turned his attention back to the front and continued walking toward the exam room.
He gave Clara, who was walking next to the teacher, a brief glance and showed a small smile. The girl, though shy, still exhibited a great spirit as she diligently studied with her Panel.
Upon arriving at the exam room, the space was vast, with rows of individual capsules. Each one emitted a faint blue glow from its entrance, indicating the name of each student.
Damian positioned himself in front of the assigned capsule. His Panel emitted a soft glow as it synchronized with the system. For a moment, his eyes lingered on the capsule's metallic structure, so advanced it seemed like something straight out of a sci-fi movie.
"Such a cool design," he thought as his curiosity started to grow. He took a step forward, examining the design details: smooth lines, glowing interfaces, and a faint, almost imperceptible hum.
The Panel emitted a sound as the capsule door opened. Inside, the space was roomy enough to be comfortable, although the idea of being locked inside for hours wasn't exactly appealing.
"Well, at least I won't have to deal with anyone else," he thought as he settled into the seat.
The capsule lit up as the door closed behind him, and the robotic voice of the AI activated in a mechanical but efficient tone:
"Welcome, Damian Grant. Would you like to log in?"
"And this is the intelligence that runs the world? So advanced, but not a shred of personality. How ironic."
The AI didn't respond to his comment.
Damian took a deep breath and answered the question on the screen.
"Log in."
The capsule emitted a soft hum, and before he could process it fully, he felt as if his consciousness were being pulled into an infinite blank space. The sensation wasn't uncomfortable, but it was disorienting, like being trapped in the eye of a silent hurricane.
In front of him, a floating screen appeared, similar to his holographic Panel, but with a minimalist design. The basic options were clear: "Log out," "Settings," and a few additional buttons focused on development. He also noticed a word.
"Disconnected? I figured as much, after all, this is an exam. Looks like I'm on my own here."
The place itself seemed infinite, like floating on a blank sheet of paper. The only anchor to reality was the screen. Damian furrowed his brow as his thoughts began to focus on the current problem.
"Create short films, huh?"
That was the assigned task. Something that, for someone from his world, should be easy, since he had seen so many throughout his life. But he quickly realized it wouldn't be that simple. He leaned back into the air, surprised to feel an invisible surface supporting him.
"I could use one of those stories I remember... but here's the problem."
The human mind was incredibly fragile. He remembered fragments, ideas, and emotions from hundreds of short films, but the exact images, dialogues, and details blended together like an incomplete puzzle.
"How useless can a memory be when you really need it?" he muttered softly.
Frustration faded as an idea crossed his mind.
"Wait... if I reincarnated in this world, shouldn't I also have a system? Some kind of hidden advantage?"
As if the universe were answering his question, another screen appeared beside him. The frame was black with a metallic design, and words began to project as if they were being written in real-time.
[Welcome to the Earth Database.]
[This system collects complete information on projects, IPs, and entertainment resources created on Earth up until the time of your death.]
Damian blinked.
"...What?" His voice was a stunned whisper.
Before he could process it, the screen changed, revealing a larger menu. There were carefully organized icons: "Literature," "Music," "Film," "Video Games," "Series," and more categories that seemed endless.
At the top, a search bar floated, waiting for him to enter any term.
"This is amazing..."
Damian quickly selected a category at random: Film. An endless list of titles appeared in front of him, from immortal classics to works he didn't even recognize.
"Was this over there?" he thought aloud, his eyes scanning both familiar and unfamiliar names.
There were many titles he recognized, such as The Godfather, The Dark Knight, and Titanic, but he also found projects he had never seen, like Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Driven by curiosity, he selected a film, but instead of playing, a new message appeared:
[Unlock cost: 1000 points.]
Damian's confusion was brief.
"Of course, a micropayment system. Nothing new under the sun for these systems."
He checked other categories, like Music. He selected a free song that he was surprised to find. Instantly, the chords of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen filled the space. Damian closed his eyes for a moment, allowing the music to envelop him.
"This is... incredible. It sounds even better than I remembered, and not only can I play it, but I also feel like a lot of information about this piece has entered my mind."
"But how does the system classify what's free or paid? It's an insult to music that a piece like this is free," he sighed.
Although the concept was irritating, he couldn't deny its usefulness. He had found an infinite treasure, but he also knew he couldn't rely on it completely.
"A strange system, but it makes sense in this world. Most likely, all of this is related to my reincarnation."
Damian smiled to himself, his ironic side emerging.
"Well... it seems I'm not only the protagonist in a strange world, but I also have a library of humanity with locks everywhere. Perfect."
The screen continued to display options, inviting him to explore. Damian knew he would need to understand the system's rules to make the most of it.
"First, the exam. Then, understanding this strange system. One step at a time."
"Let's see what you've got for me, search bar," he murmured, focusing on the panel.
Damian didn't want to use his hands to manipulate the system, so he tried something else: projecting his intent directly into the system: "Filter by short films, free, duration less than or equal to five minutes." The interface responded immediately, adapting to his mental command. Damian raised an eyebrow, impressed.
"Well, at least I don't have to make weird gestures in the air like I'm dancing a strange ritual. This makes things easier," he thought, relieved.
Within seconds, the system displayed many options for free short films:
1. The Man in the Empty Park (Experimental Suspense)
2. Tuck Me In (Psychological Horror, 2014)
3. Fragments of Oblivion (Existential Drama)
4. Kiwi (Emotional Animation, 2006)
5. The Echo of the Machine (Philosophical Science Fiction)
...
Damian recognized some short films, but most seemed original to the system or simply never became popular in his world. He decided to try one he didn't know, The Man in the Empty Park. A quick preview confirmed what he feared.
"Terrible. I don't understand how anyone let this see the light of day. Maybe I could use it as an example of what not to do..."
"Well, even in my world, there was a lot of bad content, so I shouldn't be surprised to find such gems," he murmured ironically.
He repeated the process with the other unknown titles, getting similar results. In the end, he turned his attention back to the two familiar options:
Kiwi: An emotional animated short about a small bird pursuing its dream of flying, sacrificing everything to achieve it. The simplicity and emotional power of the short made it a perfect example of a brief but impactful narrative.
Tuck Me In: A horror short that, in just one minute, managed to create an unsettling atmosphere. A father, while tucking his child in, hears the child say there's "someone under the bed."
Damian crossed his arms again, contemplating.
"Both are very good and fit the parameters of the exam, but they might have concepts that haven't been created in this world yet."
With that conclusion, he selected both short films. The system responded immediately.
[Resource unlocked: Kiwi]
[Resource unlocked: Tuck Me In]
A small notification appeared in the corner of the panel, confirming the acquisition of the short films, and he felt as all the relevant information flowed into his mind. Damian let out a sigh of relief, satisfied with his decision.
"One less problem. Now, to work." He looked around the virtual space as his mind began to plan the next steps.