First Skill: Advanced-Level Driving

The man against the wall let out another mocking laugh, shaking his head. "This kid's going to stall out," he said loudly, getting a few chuckles from nearby crew members.

Liam ignored him, his eyes fixed ahead.

"Three, two, one… Action!" Charles shouted.

Liam slammed the gas pedal, the engine roaring to life. The car shot forward, and he felt the rush of power surging beneath him.

[Ding! Performance Value Increasing: 30%]

The knowledge and instincts implanted by the system were seen in his every move. Approaching the alley, he timed the drift perfectly, the tyres screeching as the car slid sideways in a cloud of smoke.

[Ding! Performance Value Increasing: 40%]

The crates loomed ahead, but Liam remained calm. He shifted gears smoothly, braking at the last possible moment and steering the car to a sharp stop mere inches from the obstacle.

"Skrr."

The scene ended with the car perfectly positioned, the engine purring softly in the aftermath.

"Cut!" Charles shouted, striding toward the car with a wide grin. The crew burst into scattered applause, impressed by the flawless execution.

Liam stepped out, his heart pounding in exhilaration. Charles clapped him on the shoulder. "Liam, that was brilliant. You nailed it on the head."

The gruff man's smirk had vanished, replaced with a sour expression. He pushed himself off the wall, before leaving the scene. 

Charles turned toward him, his voice loud. "Like I said, don't make me see you again." He turned back to Liam, smiling warmly. "You've got real talent, kid. Keep it up. You will be the main person for these scenes from now on, there are around 2 more scenes like that."

Liam nodded, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.

As the sun dipped low on the horizon, leaving a warm glow over the set, Charles waved Liam over. The crew was packing up, laughter and light chatter filling the air as everyone wound down after a long day.

"Liam," Charles said, his voice calm, though there was a faint smile on his lips. "I need you to come back tomorrow. There's going to be another scene similar to what you did today."

Liam's chest swelled with pride, but he kept his composure. "Of course, Director."

Charles pulled his phone from his pocket, his thumb hovering over the screen. "Give me your number. I'll send you the location of the site tonight."

"Yes, sir." Liam rattled off his phone number, watching as Charles typed it into his contacts.

"You did good today," Charles said, glancing up from his phone. "Keep it up."

"Thank you, Director. I won't let you down," Liam replied, his voice resolute.

Charles gave him a curt nod before turning away, giving instructions to the crew still lingering on set.

On the bus ride home, Liam couldn't keep the grin off his face. The low hum of the engine and the muted chatter of fellow passengers filled the space around him, but his thoughts were louder than anything else.

'Finally,' he thought, his hands gripping his bag tightly. 'This is just the beginning. I'll only go up from here.'

He opened the system panel in his mind, a flicker of excitement running through him as he checked his progress.

[Skill: Advanced Driving]

[Ability Status: 50%]

Liam leaned back against the seat, exhaling deeply. "Fifty percent already," he muttered under his breath. "That's some serious progress for one day."

At home, the first thing Liam did was kick off his shoes and head to the bathroom. He turned on the shower, the water quickly heating up, steam fogging the small mirror above the sink.

As he stepped under the warm spray, a wave of relaxation hit him, rinsing away the dirt and sweat from the day. His mind replayed the events of the shoot—the driving, the thrill of pulling off the scene, and Charles's approval.

'That was one hell of a first day,' Liam thought, running his hands through his hair as the water cascaded down his body.

A small chuckle escaped him. 'But I enjoyed every second of it.'

After drying himself off, he slipped into a pair of comfortable sweats and made his way to the living room.

Dzzn-Dzzn.

The vibration of his phone broke the silence. Liam picked it up from the coffee table, the screen lighting up with a familiar name. His heart skipped a beat.

"Dad…" he muttered, staring at the name flashing on the screen. For a moment, he hesitated, his thumb hovering over the green icon.

With a deep breath, he swiped to answer. "Hello?" His voice was calm, though his pulse quickened slightly.

"Liam," his father's voice came through the line, gruff but familiar.