ch-5
Zack blinked slowly, his eyes struggling to adjust. One moment, he had been swallowed by darkness, floating in the silent void like a broken soul. Now, he stood on a noisy street bursting with life.
Cars zoomed by with engines louder than he remembered. The smell of hot dogs, smoke, and sweat filled the air. People walked fast with big jackets, Walkmans clipped to their belts, and boom boxes blasting Michael Jackson and Madonna from across the street. The entire scene looked like it came out of a movie from his childhood.
He took a step forward, dazed, nearly stumbling on the cracked sidewalk.
"What the hell…?"
He turned his head, eyes darting around the chaotic city. Neon lights flashed across buildings. Old model taxis honked. And a large, boxy TV in a store window was playing a rerun of Cheers.
That's when he caught his reflection in the glass of a dusty appliance shop.
Zack froze.
It was him… but not him.
The face staring back was young—smooth skin, messy black hair, lean body. He looked around 18 or 19. It wasn't his old wrinkled, worn-out face. It was a boy's face.
"What the f*…"**
His heart pounded. His breath hitched. Then a flood of images hit him like a bullet train.
Memories. Feelings. Flashbacks.
This body's name… was also Zack Throne.
But this Zack was also an orphan. A struggling kid trying to make it as an actor in New York City. And failing miserably.
He wasn't ugly. But he wasn't anything special either. Just… average.
He'd done part-time jobs—cleaning, dishwashing, helping old stores unload stock—anything to save a few bucks. He even signed up with agencies and shady brokers who promised him roles in movies… if he paid upfront. And he did. Several times. Each time, he was scammed.
Earlier today—well, the "original" Zack—had chased one of those scammers through the alleyways of Harlem. But he tripped, fell hard, cracked his head on a rock.
That's when he died.
And now he, the Zack from 2025, was here. In this body. In this year—
He turned his eyes toward a newsstand.
The date read July 26, 1985.
"1985… Forty years back?"
His mind was spinning. This wasn't a dream. He could feel the chill wind, the ache in his bones, the grit under his fingernails. He was alive. In the past.
As he tried to calm down, a strange metallic ringing echoed in his ears.
"Ding… di… ding… di… di…"
It wouldn't stop.
He covered his ears. "What the hell is this noise?!"
Then, in front of his eyes, a glowing transparent screen appeared—like a sci-fi film.
---
[System Initiating… Loading… Gen-69Z… Loading… Ding Ding Ding]
---
Zack's jaw dropped.
"Wait—no way. This… this is like those novels. I got a system?"
The screen blinked a few times and then settled into sharp letters:
---
Welcome, Human. You have been chosen as the host for the most chaotic, brilliant, and utterly questionable artistic system: Gen-69Z.
(Note: There is no power or talent without responsibility. Nothing is free in this world.)
---
A small popup appeared.
[You've received your Newbie Gift Pack. Would you like to open it?]
Zack didn't think twice.
"YES!" he tapped.
Another popup followed.
---
[Newbie Gift Acquired:]
• Writing Skill: B+
• Drawing Skill: B+
---
Zack grinned like a man who found treasure in a trash can.
"Holy crap. B+? That's… actually amazing!"
He could write. He could draw. He could make comics, scripts, novels—anything.
But before he could celebrate too long, the screen flickered again.
---
WARNING:
As the host accepted gifts without working for them, a penalty system has been activated.
From now on, for two random days every month, one of your five senses will be temporarily disabled.
Vision. Hearing. Taste. Smell. Touch.
(Selected randomly. Duration: 24 hours per day.)
---
Zack's smile disappeared.
"What the hell do you mean? That's insane!"
The system replied coldly, without emotion:
---
Nothing is free in this world. Penalties are applied to balance unearned advantages.
To remove penalties, earn enough Art Points by working with your given skills. Once the total points match your talent rank, penalty lifts.
---
"So I have to earn my way out… Fine."
Zack muttered under his breath. It was unfair. But so was life. And he was used to that by now.
It was still 1985, and this world was harsh. The entertainment industry wasn't soft—especially not for a broke orphan. And now, on top of that, he had to deal with a system that randomly robbed him of senses?
He looked up at the city again—this wild, buzzing, ruthless New York of the past.
But a faint grin appeared on his lips.
He had skills. He had a second chance. And maybe, just maybe, he had enough rage and experience to climb to the top this time.
Even if it meant going blind for a day… or losing his hearing.
"Let's play, Gen-69Z," he whispered.
"This time, I'll be the one directing the reel."
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Author here:-
This is set on alternate world where some information might be accurate and some might be created to carry forward the novel
Remember to just enjoy story and nothing else