Chapter 2: Flashback(Remake)

Disjointed images flickered before Raven's eyes—snapshots of a life that felt both foreign and oddly familiar. She saw a woman playing a violin with graceful precision, her fingers dancing over the strings, a triumphant smile lighting up her face as she performed.

The scene was so vivid and detailed that Raven felt as though she could reach out and touch it. Her heart raced as she struggled to process the disorienting intensity of the experience.

After taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, Raven came to a startling realization: what had occurred the previous day was not merely a dream.

---

Returning to her room from the therapy session, Raven was physically and emotionally drained. She lay down on her bed, the exhaustion overtaking her almost instantly, and fell into a deep sleep.

As soon as she began to dream, her nightmares took hold. She found herself reliving the chaotic aftermath of her rehabilitation journey. Her career, once thriving, had deteriorated as she was banned by the company. The once-bright future of movie roles and fame had vanished, replaced by a grim reality where she could no longer secure any new projects.

'How did everything go so wrong so quickly?' she wondered, watching herself sink into obscurity. The world seemed to move on as if she had never existed. The dreams turned darker as she grappled with mounting debts. She had to use all her remaining money to settle compensations with sponsors due to her contract violations. The contract had strictly prohibited drug use and anything that could tarnish the brand's image, and Raven's indiscretions had led to severe consequences.

'Is this how people will remember me? A has-been who couldn't handle the pressure?' she thought, despair creeping into her heart.

In the midst of her nightmares, everything around her suddenly froze, as though time itself had come to a halt. Confused and disoriented, Raven wandered through this frozen state until she was unexpectedly transported to a strange, all-white space.

"Finally, I'm free from your boring personality. I hope the newcomer isn't as annoying as you," a voice declared, breaking the silence of the white void.

Startled, Raven turned to see two figures: a man and a woman. The voice that spoke was likely from the woman, who looked at her with a mixture of curiosity and indifference.

Still bewildered, Raven asked, "Hello, can you explain what's happening? And who are you?"

The woman chuckled softly and responded, "Hello, newcomer. I'm Linda Starling, but you can call me Lindy. This is Daniel Ronald, or Dan for short."

"Welcome to the system space," Lindy added.

'System space? This doesn't make any sense. Am I still dreaming?' Raven wondered, struggling to comprehend the surreal turn her dream had taken.

Noticing Raven's confusion, Lindy offered a reassuring smile. "This space is essentially a gathering place where individuals from different worlds can come together."

Lindy continued, "Usually, we communicate through the system's chat function, and we can visit this system space only once every six months."

"You're the third person to join us here. Apart from chatting and visiting this space, the system has another feature: memory sharing."

"You can share your memories with another system member, if you choose to. It's an option available to those who are willing."

Lindy paused, giving Raven a moment to absorb this new information before adding, "You can also summon the system panel to view your attributes and see how they've been updated."

'Memory sharing? Attributes? What is happening to me?' Raven thought, her mind racing with questions.

As if sensing her thoughts, Lindy added, "Why don't you try summoning the attributes panel? It'll help you understand better."

Still feeling overwhelmed, Raven hesitated but then instinctively said, "Summon the attributes panel." Suddenly, a blue panel appeared in front of her:

[Name: Raven Blackwood]

[Occupation: Actress (A+)]

[System Level: 1] (Functions: Dimension Chat, Memory Sharing, Semiannual Meeting.)

[Power: 5] (Normal adult: 5, Athlete: 10, Peak Human: 20)

[Agility: 6]

[Endurance: 9]

[IQ: 150]

[Talent:

- Empathy (EX): Top ability to understand and share the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another person.

- Sensitivity (SS+): Superior and heightened awareness and responsiveness to emotions, both one's own and those of others.

- Stage Presence (SSS+): Extraordinary ability to command attention and captivate an audience through one's physical and emotional presence on stage or screen.]

[Skills: (1=bad, 10=peak)

- Script Analysis (Level 9): Extraordinary skill in breaking down and understanding scripts.

- Dialects and Accents (Level 5): Competent in performing various dialects and accents, with a good grasp of their nuances.

- Physical Acting (Level 4): Basic skills in using body language and physicality to portray a character, with room for improvement.

- Emotional Expression (Level 6): Proficient in conveying a wide range of emotions convincingly.

- Improvisation (Level 7): Advanced skills in improvisational acting, able to create spontaneous and believable scenes.

- Voice Modulation (Level 5): Intermediate ability to control and vary vocal tone for different characters and emotions.

- Character Development (Level 8): Strong skills in creating and developing believable and complex characters.

- Scene Study (Level 6): High proficiency in analyzing and performing scenes effectively.

- Stage Combat (Level 4): Basic skills in safely performing fight scenes and physical confrontations on stage or screen.

- Memorization (Level 7): Advanced ability to quickly and accurately memorize lines and blocking.]

Raven stared at the panel, her mind racing. 'These are... my abilities?' Her eyes scanned the attributes again, more slowly this time.

Each line felt like a snapshot of her life, capturing the essence of her struggles and triumphs.

[Occupation: Actress (A+)] 'Actress. At least that part hasn't changed,' she thought with a bittersweet smile.

She remembered the exhilaration of her first big role, the thrill of standing ovations. But now, those memories were tainted with the pain of her fall from grace.

[System Level: 1] 'A fresh start?' she mused. 'Maybe this is my chance to rebuild.'

[Power: 5] (Normal adult: 5, Athlete: 10, Peak Human: 20) 'Well, I'm no athlete,' she thought wryly. The physical training for roles had always been a challenge, but she managed. She knew she had more endurance than power, which the panel confirmed.

[Agility: 6] 'Better than average, I guess. Could be useful.' She made a mental note to pay more attention to her physical health.

[Endurance: 9] She nodded. 'I always had the stamina to push through long shoots and late-night rehearsals. It's good to see that's reflected here.'

[IQ: 150] Raven was taken aback. '150? I knew I was smart, but…' A small sense of pride swelled within her. Her intelligence had always been a point of confidence, something no scandal or failure could take away.

As she read through her talents, her emotions fluctuated.

[Empathy (EX): Top ability to understand and share the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another person.] 'Empathy. One of my greatest strengths and weaknesses.' Her empathetic nature had helped her portray complex characters but also left her vulnerable to the emotional toll of the industry's pressures.

[Sensitivity (SS+): Superior and heightened awareness and responsiveness to emotions, both one's own and those of others.] 'No wonder I feel everything so deeply,' she thought, acknowledging the intensity of her emotional experiences.

[Stage Presence (SSS+): Extraordinary ability to command attention and captivate an audience through one's physical and emotional presence on stage or screen.] Raven's heart swelled with pride. 'I've always known how to hold an audience. Even if the world forgets, I know my worth.'

Reading through her skills brought a mix of emotions. Some, like Script Analysis and Character Development, were high, reflecting her dedication and hard work. Others, like Physical Acting and Stage Combat, were lower, indicating areas for growth. 'Room for improvement,' she noted, determined to hone her craft further. 'I may have fallen, but I'm not finished. I can still grow, still become better.'

Raven's eyes lingered on the final skill: Memorization (Level 7). 'At least something is still sharp,' she thought, recalling the countless scripts she'd committed to memory.

After finishing reading the information about the system, Raven looked at Linda.

"So, this system… am I dreaming, or is it real?"

Linda smiled helplessly. She had been in a similar state herself, but without anyone to guide her.

"You don't have to worry. It's something you'll understand better once you wake up."

Raven thought about it. It did make sense. Whether it was a dream or not, everything would become clear, though she didn't want to lose the hope she had just gained.

"Well, what you said makes sense. Do you know why the system chose me? Is there some kind of mechanism?"

Lindy looked a bit overwhelmed by Raven's barrage of questions.

"Can we set aside the questions about the system for now? We have all the time in the world. Let's talk about your world instead."

A spark of curiosity lit up Lindy's eyes. She had always been interested in the parallel world, while Dan was less enthusiastic about discussing such topics.

"So, tell us about your world," Lindy said, her tone warm but probing. "