January 25, 2025.
25 would surely remember this date. What a coincidence that it even had his favorite number!
He opened his eyes and was prepared to receive his success notification. However, instead of being greeted with the 100% he had been dreaming of for the past night, he was bombarded with quite the notifications.
Too much, in fact.
“Huh,” Zeno muttered, proceeding to look at himself in the mirror.
He nearly stumbled back. What the heck? Why did he look so much better despite not being able to sleep properly due to excitement?
Zeno walked slowly toward his reflection to scrutinize his appearance further. He still looked like himself, definitely. However, a better version—like a twin that somehow got all the love from his parents.
“What the heck is happening?” he exclaimed.
And then, he saw it.
The name of his meter had changed.
[Notable Meter: 10%]
[10% away from success]
[+5 Public Perception. Captured the attention of the general public. Trended in the country.]
[+4 Job and Income. Exceptional job performance. Increased ratings.]
[+2 Talent. Improved Acting.]
[TALENTS]
Acting: B+
[Penalty item: Pretty Potion (Instant Filter)]
[Penalty quest #1: Proceed to an acting audition.]
[Penalty quest #2: Lend a hand/Do someone a favor.]
[+0.5% increase for every single day the penalty quest is not accomplished.]
His mind was a mess. Everything that he appreciated yesterday became an annoying hindrance.
The fine dust in the air made him suffocate.
Maxie’s poop in the doorway was a reminder that he had a demon dog.
And the couple a few doors down was still on bad terms, this time arguing about their daysary1.
With his chaotic mind and Maxie’s continuous barking, Zeno couldn’t process anything.
How the heck did his public perception domain increase so much? It was also ridiculous that his job and income had increased by four when he hadn’t even started on his new one! Last but not least, how could he improve his acting skills in his sleep?
“No, this must be a joke,” he said, shaking his head. He walked out of his unit and onto the wide space before pointing at the skies. The sun was out, mocking him as if everything was just dandy.
“How could I exceed my meter!?” he exclaimed. “That’s ridiculous! Are you taking the piss out of me? You really don’t want me to have my ten-year-long rest, do you? Take me back there, you fucking idiots! If I could grab your invisible balls and twist them off, I would!”
[Penalty item: Angel Voice]
Zeno was about to shout once more but bit his fist instead. The Ascendants were definitely mocking him.
This was the first time he had heard of this phenomenon. The moment one reached the end of his meter, that was it. And usually, Rennis only got penalty items and quests when their meter decreased. Now, his has exceeded!
Meanwhile, inside the second unit, Minji, Eli, and Doha were peeking through the windows with confused expressions.
“Is he preparing for another role?” Eli asked.
“I think he is,” Minji muttered. “I must say, this new role must have quite the temper.”
“He’s killing it,” Doha giggled.
“Zeno is great, isn’t he?” he added. “He is achieving the things that we could only dream of.”
Doha said the last line with glee. However, it also made the three of them reflect on their own lives.
Meanwhile, Zeno was muttering curses under his breath. He admitted he didn’t have the best patience, but he usually didn’t lose his temper like this. However, this situation called for it.
He didn’t scream up at the skies, though. The Ascendants were quickly offended. Although more than 600 years had passed, he still remembered how sore he was after his castration as an Eunuch. His colleagues were fine after a week, but he had to suffer for a whole month! He was sure it was the Ascendants doing.
“Calm down. Stop acting human,” he muttered to himself, standing still and letting out a deep breath.
“It’s only ten percent,” I said. “Let’s just regress.”
“That’s right,” Zeno said, finally opening his eyes. However, he was met with an atrocious sight.
At their humble rooftop, the view of Seoul could be seen—specifically the Central Business District. And in the middle of it all was the largest LED screen in Korea. It was currently playing the news and it just so happened to be the Showbiz section.
And there he saw a footage of himself—one that showed a very sincere, bright smile.
[+1 Public Perception. Displayed on the big screen]
[Notable Meter: 11%]
“Fuck.”
“Day Anniversary”