Editor: Veris
“Ha, again…?”
You have failed to become the greatest.
Since the goal was not achieved…
The system window floating in the pitch-black darkness.
I was staring at the text flashing with a serious expression.
Dark circles extending down to my chin, dull pupils.
The reason for my deep sigh was simple.
It was already my 10th reincarnation.
“…This should be acknowledged, shouldn’t it?”
Only one step remained until I became the greatest.
Becoming the best in the current era, the world’s number one swimmer, was the goal of this life.
In the domestic scene, I had long been at the top and even won an Olympic gold medal, but I couldn’t surpass the three-time champion record set by Phelps.
‘If only I had beaten that monster….’
Regret wasn’t just confined to this life. It was present throughout my ten reincarnations.
From soccer player to baseball player, basketball, tennis, golf, even martial arts…
With the help of the system, I nearly reached the top in various disciplines, but I ultimately couldn’t surpass the superhuman-level athletes holding their ground in each sport.
Being the world number one was not an easy feat, no matter how much advantage the system provided.
Therefore, I must reincarnate once again.
I was cursed with an endless cycle of reincarnation with no room to disobey, much like a dog.
* * *
As I closed my eyes and opened them again, a white flash descended.
It was a familiar light.
‘ Ah… it’s so blinding.’
The beginning was always the same.
Same year, same season, but always a different body.
Year 2020. Spring. Reincarnation into someone unknown.
Typically, such reincarnations led to inhabiting the body of a poor athlete from an underprivileged background. If luck was on my side and I ended up in a body with decent physical attributes, the process could be significantly shortened.
‘I wonder who the unfortunate soul will be this time.’
Excessive greed was poison. No matter how much physical strength one possessed, reckless steps often led to injuries. There had been more than a few occasions where I was frustrated by injuries I got by rushing myself right before reaching the top.
‘Alright. Let’s take it slow and steady from the basics this time.’
– Pat, pat!
I squeezed some lotion onto my hands and patted it onto my face in front of the mirror.
‘Not bad.’
Sunburned, rough skin typical of athletes, fierce eyes with a rugged unshaven look, and a face dotted with rough spots. It was an ordinary face, neither handsome nor ugly. Even for athletes, good looks were a plus for securing sponsorships.
‘Getting sponsors with this appearance would be difficult right away, but oh well.’
However, the lower half of the body wasn’t bad. With this level of physique, at least I wasn’t someone who slacked off on exercise. I had put in effort, but I hadn’t yet shone. A body showing plenty of potential.
‘Let’s see…’
I slowly looked around. Of course, even if I stayed still, the system window would kindly display the goals. But in games, the surefire method was to farm useful items first. There might be something useful in this shabby room.
Having experienced this crazy curse quite a bit, I had adapted. After all, humans are creatures of adaptation.
‘Huh… Can’t see a ball?’
The first thing that caught my eye upon reincarnation was always the ball. Soccer ball, basketball, baseball, tennis ball…
It was the easiest way to deduce which type of athlete’s body I had entered.
‘In that case, let’s skip ball sports…’
Chasing after balls like a puppy was something I had already experienced enough in my past life. Thinking about the multitude of injuries I had experienced during my soccer player days and the pain of rehabilitation, I was almost sickened.
Feeling relieved that it wasn’t a ball sport.
My gaze wandered in search of other clues.
But strangely enough, there was not a single piece of exercise equipment in the neat room.
‘…What’s this?’
In the end, a system window appeared in front of me, presenting a goal I could’ve never guessed.
Try becoming the best actor in this life. Good luck then.
“Oh… Volleyball.” (1)
Feeling something odd.
I blinked and focused on the system window again.
I had misread it the first time.
In the place where the system window had now disappeared, I saw my new reflection in the mirror. There was a man with a completely unsuitable appearance for that profession, staring back at me from within the mirror.
“…An actor?”
* * *
They say there’s always a way out even when the sky is falling.
Still, it was a good thing the owner of this body was quite diligent.
[Kang Jang-gu]
[Department of Theater and Film, Korea National University of Arts]
Checking the student ID revealed that he was a student enrolled in a prestigious art university, known for its difficulty of admission. Given that he had entered the acting department with this face, he might have been quite talented in acting.
“Hmm.”
Moreover, being an actor might be easier than being a tiresome athlete.
The problem was that this body’s face was more suitable for a sports player than an actor.
“I should start saving money.”
Of course, plastic surgery was an option. Judging by the size of the shabby room, it didn’t seem like there would be enough money for it anytime soon.
After confirming the student ID, the next thing I did was rummage through my phone. While scrolling through the mundane conversations with friends, I stumbled upon a noteworthy word.
“[Crazy Dog from Acting Department] Going to the audition?”
The contact saved as “Crazy Dog” mentioned the word “audition.”
– Ding ding.
Just then, an alarm popped up on the phone screen.
[Alarm 9:00]
[10 A.M. Audition]
The current time caught my eye at the top of the phone screen, where the alarm was appearing. One hour left.
“Why set an alarm an hour before?” I muttered to myself.
I immediately dialed Crazy Dog’s number.
“Hey.”
“Ugh. Why are you calling so early in the morning?”
“I forgot where the audition is. Remind me?”
“Are you really going?”
Despite the tough response, I could sense the eagerness in his tone.
“Dude, even if you try to act tough, you still want to go. Wait for me, I’ll pick you up.”
It seemed like at least I wouldn’t be late for the audition.
* * *
– Vroom!
As I got into the compact car that had raced across the alley, Crazy Dog, who had been trying to look cool, smirked.
‘Somewhat excessive but good looking’ I thought.
With features befitting an acting student, crisp and clear, and a small face that could fit in one hand. Although the name “Crazy Dog” seemed odd. His appearance was that of a decent actor.
With this guy’s visual, his difficulty level might have lowered a bit in auditions.
“Darn it…”
As I checked my face again in the mirror on the passenger seat, I couldn’t help but think that there was a separate “hard mode” just for me.
“Why are you checking your face? You have a free pass.”
“A free pass…?”
Surely, the god of acting was never wrong. Even when I was playing sports, the skills naturally ingrained in the body I inhabited had often become somewhat of a cheat code.
If I heard the words “free pass” at the audition with this face…
“Yeah, there’s no one better for the zombie role.”
Now I understood why Crazy Dog had been grinning so much. …Zombies.
I had heard of interview free passes and blind date free passes, but “zombie free pass” was a first for me.
“Have you practiced your crying?”
“… “
As if I had ever practiced such a thing.
* * *
Auditions for the movie Seoul Plaza: The Last Day.
There were quite a few applicants gathered at the audition venue.
Unlike me, who was auditioning for the role of a zombie, Crazy Dog or Seong Jun-won, had just finished his audition for the role of a new recruit soldier who would fight against zombies.
“Ugh… The atmosphere is grim.”
“Why?”
The grimness probably stemmed from the fact that everyone else applied for a perfectly normal role.
“No one had a hint of laughter. Looks like they’re all doomed to fail.”
Even though Seong Jun-won was speaking quietly, his smile seemed to be laughing aloud. With such a smile, it was only natural that he would fail as a soldier in the audition.
“Oh? They’re calling you. The martial arts director is here too. Probably came for the zombie role. Do well! You’re probably the hope of our Korea National University of Arts Department of Theater and Film, after all. Hehe.”
Behind the laughter of the boy, whether it was teasing or cheering, names of roles were being called out.
“Zombie A, please come in.”
Still, this movie had performed fairly well. I hadn’t had time to watch movies while dedicated to being an athlete, but still, there were memorable aspects. I even remembered the rough outline of the story.
Zombies awakening from Seoul’s palaces and attacking the protesters in the plaza, spreading nationwide. Unlike mindless zombies attacking people, these palace zombies possessed intelligence and physical abilities beyond humans. The main plot of the movie was finding a way to suppress them and stop the spread of the zombie epidemic.
So…
It seems I had applied for a fairly significant zombie role.
“Take a moment to read it, then we’ll go in.”
The staff handed out scripts to the three applicants, including myself.
There were only lines like ‘(Strange wailing) Uhh…,’ ‘(Scream) Aaaargh!’ But the first candidate started producing fairly convincing zombie wailing.
“Aaaargh! Aaargh!!!”
I eventually failed to hold back my laughter and looked at the applicant next to me, who was screaming. The martial arts director’s sharp gaze immediately fell on me.
“Kang Jang-gu?”
It was a misunderstanding. It was my first time taking such an audition. I never intended to mock the person next to me, but it seemed like I was already out of favor with the martial arts director.
“Give it a try.”
He said it in a cold voice. Then, the camera focusing on me felt unusually large. The director was looking intently at the screen, while the martial arts director was observing my movements, not the screen.
“Hmm…”
But this was undoubtedly an opportunity.
If I couldn’t take this chance, I might have to live another mundane life and reincarnate into a miserable body once again.
Then…
Something in the script caught my eye.
‘The zombie screams. The zombie with a severed leg runs forward on all fours, using both hands.’
‘…Wait, isn’t this… Acrobatics?’
None of the previous candidates had focused on this passage. They had simply read the script under time pressure and concentrated on producing screams and facial expressions.
‘Should I give it a try?’
I was confident in using my body, having undergone exhaustive training in my past life. The problem was whether this body was in a condition to embody my experiences.
“Hmm…”
As I hesitated for a moment, the martial arts director’s expression subtly changed. Meanwhile, Park Jun-dong, who was sitting in the center, looked at his watch and yawned as if bored. It meant there was no time to hesitate.
“Haaaargh!!!”
After letting out a loud scream, I performed an acrobatic movement.
‘Indeed, it works!’
My physically fit body seamlessly executed the skills from my past life. The martial arts director, who had been indifferent, showed signs of interest in my bizarre yet stable movements.
As I stood up, brushing off my hands, the expressions of the staff members looking at me had completely changed.
“…Did you say your name was Kang Jang-gu?”
“Yes.”
Park Jun-dong, who had been silent throughout the audition, finally spoke up.
“Why did you scream like a human instead of a zombie?”
Why indeed.
There was curiosity in his gaze.
Editor Notes:
-
“Oh… Volleyball.” Kang Jang-gu read “배구” (meaning volleyball) instead of “배우” (meaning actor) since the first character is the same on both words.
** hello, quick thing to note: as I’m going through and editing I may re-word things and add small bits of dialogue for clarity. There also may be instances like (1) where some things make sense in Korean and not in English that I will either replace, add dialogue to explain, or write an editor’s note on. Enjoy 🙂
interesting start