“Silence!” Master As’ voice boomed through the area like thunder, making everyone freeze mid-chuckle.
“If you do not believe me,” the old man continued, “then I will show you. It has been some time since I’ve done this, but every entity that wants to be my student needs a proper analysis. Not just for acting, but for their soul.”
“Their innate talent.”
The atmosphere between them had changed as Master As straightened his back and clasped his hands behind him. With slow steps, he walked forward.
He stopped in front of Doha first, his eyes scanning the young man from head to toe.
“You,” he said slowly. “You have a good body. Strong. Solid. Perfect for dancing.”
Doha’s breath hitched. “How does he know?” he muttered.
“But it’s too big now,” Master As deadpanned.
“You must have rerouted somewhere along the way,” he added, nodding to himself. “Now it seems you do dance-based exercise for a living, plus a lot of weights and protein.”
“You don’t seem sad, though, despite straying far from your initial goal. It’s good that you’re a simpleton.”
Eli felt a chill run down his spine. “I can’t explain this medically, but what he said is accurate,” he muttered.
With that, Master As turned to Eli.
“You,” he said.
Eli stood stiff, unsure of what to expect.
“You don’t want to be famous.”
Eli’s eyes widened. “What?”
“You’re not meant for the spotlight. I can see it. You are a supporter. Someone who stands in the wings, quietly pushing others forward. It’s not fear—it’s your design. You’re someone who uplifts.”
“Am I wrong?” Master As asked gently.
“No,” Eli admitted after a long pause.
“I still can’t explain it,” he whispered to Minji. “I’m gonna go insane.”
Next, the old man turned to Minji. She straightened her back, trying to maintain her usual playful composure. But Master As didn’t say anything right away. Instead, he stared at her.
“You…” he finally said. “You carry a lot of loneliness.”
Minji’s breath got caught, and she gave a weak laugh, glancing at the others. “That’s not true,” she muttered.
“You’ve buried something,” Master As continued. “There’s a dream in you, maybe more than one. But somewhere along the line, you decided they weren’t yours to reach for. Maybe you gave them up. Maybe someone took them away. Either way, it still clings to you.”
Her shoulders twitched ever so slightly, and she looked away.
“But,” Master As added, voice softening, “it’s not too late. We can fix that. Hopefully.”
Master As didn’t let the atmosphere turn awkward. Instead, he turned to Jace.
“You’re the same. An open book. Predictable, but pure.”
Jace chuckled awkwardly. “Still not good, huh?”
“Not yet,” Master As nodded. “But more determined than ever. That’s why I took you in as my student in the first place. There’s a reason you don’t have much work in acting, though,” he bluntly said, causing Jace to purse his lips.
Finally, Master As walked toward Zeno.
Everyone seemed to straighten as he stood before him.
But before the old man could speak, his body jerked.
He convulsed once like something had struck his spine. His fingers twitched, and his knees bent ever so slightly as though the ground were slipping beneath him.
“Is he alright?” Doha muttered while the old man kept convulsing.
“Eli, I think he’s having a seizure!”
Eli was sweating buckets already. He attempted to get near the old man, but Jace held him back.
“He’s okay. He gets like this sometimes.”
“Gets like what? Possessed?” Doha exclaimed.
They all watched as Master As’ breath grew ragged. His eyelids fluttered before snapping wide open.
He looked directly at Zeno.
“You…” he whispered, voice trembling, “are not from this world.”
They were silent for a while, processing Master As’ strange declaration.
Zeno’s eyes narrowed slightly, trying to read into the strange old man who had said something that was too close to the truth.
Minji suddenly chuckled and clapped her hands.
“Oh! Zeno is truly out of this world!” she said brightly. “He only started acting this year, but he’s already the best.”
“This year?” Master As echoed, turning toward her.
Eli nodded beside Minji. “He started from zero, but now he’s in so many projects already.”
Master As folded his arms. “That makes a lot of sense,” he muttered.
Zeno tilted his head. This man did not smell like a Rennis, but he did not seem quite human either. He couldn’t put a finger on it.
“That’s why you’re still awful at acting.”
They were shocked, to say the least. How could he say that?
Zeno was the calmest among them. Jace, despite respecting his teacher, was in turmoil. He had never witnessed anyone call Zeno out for his bad acting.
Well, his haters and some people still weren’t convinced, but they were anonymous, miserable people. This was his teacher talking about his rival in such a poor light!
“I mean no insult,” Master As added calmly. “It’s simply the truth. You… lack the foundation of a human.”
“You’re a good actor,” the master continued, now circling Zeno like a lion around prey, “but not because of training or technique. You’re good because you’ve experienced a lot. Too much, I’d wager. A lifetime’s worth. Maybe even more.”
“If you were a clean slate, you’d be average at best. That is not a criticism; it is an observation,” Master As went on. “What you are good at is bleeding your past into the roles you take. But that won’t last forever, don’t you think?”
Zeno felt like he was on the receiving end of what he had done to others before. How could this old man read him so well?
Master As circled around Zeno and gestured vaguely to his face. “Good face.”
Then, with a short wave down his torso, “Good body. Your proportions are ideal for camera work. You have what they call star aura. You shine even when you don’t try. And I bet you’ve been told you’re incredible. You’ve been praised for bringing something new to each role. Right?”
Zeno gave the slightest nod.
“But you are limited,” Master As said. “You cannot process your own emotions.”
Just then, a blue, translucent notification box flashed faintly before Zeno’s eyes.
[Skill Expansion Unlocked]
Acting – Now categorized by emotional capacity.
Emotion-based acting breakdown initiated.
[Anger: SSS
Fear: A+
Joy: B+
Sadness: B+
Disgust: SSS
Surprise: A
Romance: B-
Numbness: SSS
Average Grade: SS]
[Upgrade each emotion by completing given tasks]
“These emotions—do you even understand what they are, young man?”