Chapter 8: The Career Mission
The evening sky was painted in hues of orange and gold, the last light of the sun sinking slowly into the horizon. The glow spilled through the half-open curtains of Leon's room, bathing the walls in a warm yet fleeting radiance. The air was calm, carrying the quiet hum of cicadas from outside, the kind of stillness that only deepened once the university day had ended.
Leon sat at the edge of his bed, his posture slightly slouched, his eyes fixed on the fading brilliance of the sky. His breathing was steady, thoughtful, as if the silence itself carried weight. Slowly, almost as though rehearsing something, he leaned back, resting his shoulders against the wall. His lips parted, and in a slow, deliberate whisper, he spoke a single word, one that carried command and familiarity:
"System."
For a brief moment, nothing happened. Then, with a soft chime that only he could hear, the air before him rippled, bending as if reality itself had been tugged aside. A dark-colored panel materialized in front of him, glowing faintly, its surface etched with sharp digital lines. The letters that appeared were crisp and precise, unyielding in their clarity.
> New mission has been assigned.
Leon's eyebrows twitched upward. He leaned closer, narrowing his eyes as the words shifted across the panel.
> Mission: Spend a total of 50 million in one week.
His heart skipped a beat. "Fifty… million?" His voice was low, incredulous. His gaze hardened on the glowing panel. "What? I thought the missions were only available once per week…"
The panel pulsed in reply, as though the system itself were speaking directly to his thoughts.
> Correction: Standard missions are weekly. This is a career mission. It was triggered the moment you set your goals.
Leon sat up straighter, the fading sunlight catching the sharp line of his jaw. A realization slid into place within his mind. So it's because I set my goals… that means I can trigger career missions myself.
"I see," he murmured, more to himself than the system. His voice carried a mix of awe and control, a quiet acknowledgment of power. "So I can trigger missions too, huh…"
He paused, then straightened, his tone sharpening, commanding. "What's the reward?"
The panel flickered, then reshaped itself, new words spilling across its surface.
> Mission: Spend more than 50 million in one week.
Reward: Unlock an S-Rank skill.
Leon's eyes widened, his calm composure cracking for a moment. An S-Rank skill? His heart thudded against his ribs. The gravity of the words weighed heavily on him. Slowly, almost reflexively, he pushed himself off the bed and stood, his legs tense, body charged with anticipation.
"What are the skills?" he demanded.
The panel shifted again, cycling through an array of options.
> Available S-Rank Skills:
– Cooking Master (S-Rank)
– Driving Master (S-Rank)
– Memorization (S-Rank)
– Singing Master (S-Rank)
– Acting Master (S-Rank)
– … etc.
Leon's gaze locked instantly on one of them. His throat tightened. Acting.
The very word seemed to radiate significance. Out of everything presented, it was the one that mattered, the one that could change everything. His eyes lingered on it, burning with intent.
But his curiosity gnawed at him. "System… can I see the description of the acting skill?"
The panel pulsed once, then coldly rejected his request.
> No. Descriptions can only be viewed after the skill is obtained.
Leon's shoulders slumped ever so slightly, disappointment flashing across his face. "…I see."
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling softly. "So, how much have I spent now?"
The panel wasted no time.
> Current spending: 22 million.
Leon froze, blinking. "What? That's… exactly the amount I had." He fell silent, staring at the glowing letters as the truth sank in. "I see. So the amount I spend… it's doubled, huh."
His pulse quickened. Wait. If I can get the acting skill before the auditions… won't that give me the perfect chance? His chest tightened with excitement, the thought electrifying his mind. But hold on. If I send someone money, will it still double? Or does that not count?
The room felt heavier with his speculation. He snatched his phone from the desk, his fingers gliding swiftly across the screen. There's only one way to find out.
He typed in Lenora's account details and entered the smallest amount possible.
"One credit," he muttered, hitting send.
The confirmation message blinked on his phone. Leon's eyes flickered from the glowing screen to the dark panel, his breath held in suspense. A minute passed. The system remained still, unchanged.
"…I see," Leon whispered finally, the corners of his lips tightening. "So the money doesn't double if I send it to someone." His voice was calm, thoughtful, tinged with mild frustration. He leaned back against the desk, tapping the phone absently against his palm.
Then what's the best way?
His gaze shifted downward, his eyes catching the faint glimmer of an investment app pinned on his screen. Slowly, deliberately, he tapped it open. Graphs and numbers filled the display, jagged lines showing the day's market trends.
"Gold," Leon muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing with intent. "Oh… it's quite low." His lips curved faintly, a spark of opportunity lighting within his chest. "I think it will rise… from the day after tomorrow. That means…"
He trailed off, his thoughts aligning. His fingers tapped swiftly, navigating the app with precision.
"So I just have to invest more." His tone was almost childish, almost playful, betraying the weight of the moment.
"Twenty-two million… sent."
The confirmation blinked on his phone.
The system responded instantly.
> 22 million spent detected. 44 million has been transferred to host's account.
A sharp smirk pulled at Leon's lips. "Perfect." His eyes gleamed with satisfaction. Now I have 42 million invested. Just 8 million more.
Without hesitation, he entered the numbers, his fingers steady, his breath calm.
"Eight million… sent."
The panel chimed almost immediately.
> 8 million spent detected. 16 million transferred to host's account.
Leon exhaled, a soft chuckle escaping him. He lifted his head, eyes shining in the dimming glow of the sunset. "So now I have 52 million in my account… and 50 million invested, huh."
His smirk widened. Done.
The panel flickered brightly, as though in celebration.
> System Notice: Host has spent a total of 50 million.
Reward unlocked: Choose an S-Rank skill.
Leon's heart raced, adrenaline flooding his veins. He stepped closer, his breath shallow, his eyes fixed hungrily on the glowing words. The list reappeared:
> – Cooking Master (S-Rank)
– Driving Master (S-Rank)
– Memorization (S-Rank)
– Singing Master (S-Rank)
– Acting Master (S-Rank)
His hand trembled slightly, but his voice was steady, resolute. "I will choose… Acting Master."
The system pulsed, the choice locked in.
> Skill obtained: Acting Master (S-Rank).
Description unlocked.
The letters reshaped themselves, lines of text unfurling like a curtain before him. Leon's eyes scanned every word.
> Acting at the master rank is not about performance; it is about becoming.
It is the ability to fully inhabit a character's essence, dissolving the actor's own identity and will.
This skill goes beyond mimicry or emotional recall. It is a form of profound empathy and psychological metamorphosis.
A master-rank actor does not "play" a role; they live it — from the flicker of an eye to the subtlest shift in weight.
Leon's breath hitched. His chest tightened with awe, his pupils dilating as he read the words again and again. His entire body seemed to tremble with a mix of fear and excitement.
"Whoa…" His voice was barely audible, shaken. "This… this is…" He broke off, pacing across the room, running a hand through his hair in disbelief. "Why is this so good? I thought acting would just be about memorizing scripts and copying lines. But this…"
He stopped in his tracks, staring at the glowing panel, his reflection faintly visible in its surface. His lips curled into a slow, incredulous smile. "This is definitely better than I imagined."
A surge of determination welled up inside him. His fists clenched at his sides, his breathing deep and sharp.
"With this…" His voice steadied, calm but laced with fire. "…I don't know what will happen. But at least, I can try my best. At least… I can finally step forward to fulfill my dream."
The panel dimmed, then slowly dissolved, vanishing into the air. The room fell silent once more, save for the faint hum of the night breeze slipping through the open window. Leon stood alone in that quiet, his eyes still lit with the brilliance of what had just unfolded.
And for the first time in a long while, his heart felt impossibly light.