[Chapter 1: Starlight Ascension]
He felt intense pain all over his body, and his head felt like it was going to explode. "This hurts so much," he thought, waves of pain crashing over him. Finally, the agony subsided a bit.
Linton's dazed mind began to clear up slightly. He gradually opened his eyes, and the surroundings slowly became clear. The harsh glow of the incandescent light on the ceiling seemed to drain his energy, causing him to feel dizzy, and he instinctively shut his eyes again, inhaling deeply.
However, even then, his body continued to be plagued by discomfort and pain. What on earth happened?
It was half an hour later when Linton finally took a deep breath, leaning against the head of the bed, surveying everything before him with overwhelming feelings of emotion and excitement.
As a director of web series, he never imagined he could experience something like 'transmigration.' Moreover, he had apparently transformed into a young man from more than thirty years ago.
Before this transformation, he had just directed a massively successful web series, and to celebrate, his investors threw a grand party. In his excitement, he lost track of how much he drank and was struck by a taxi outside his apartment complex on the way home. His last memory was of blood soaking the pendant hanging around his neck, which emitted a flow of light that entered his forehead.
---
An unfamiliar and overwhelming surge of knowledge flooded Linton's mind. The power was called "Starlight Ascension", which allowed him to grow stronger by absorbing fame, admiration, and emotional energy from others.
According to the description, this power was born from an ancient pact between forgotten gods of creativity and the mortal world, designed to elevate chosen souls to a state beyond humanity -- closer to immortality. By harnessing the admiration of the masses, he could ascend to higher tiers of power, gaining superhuman charisma, influence, and vitality.
...
The path of ascension had two approaches:
The Path of the Idol: By captivating the public and feeding off their admiration, Linton could rapidly increase his strength. The more people who adored him, the faster his power grew.
The Path of the Muse: This involved bonding with talented opposite sex -- rising Hollywood stars, pop singers, or cultural icons -- and sharing in their fame. Their rising popularity directly boosted his power, while his influence subtly enhanced their careers and slowed their aging. This mutually beneficial connection allowed them to become more beloved, creating a feedback loop that accelerated his growth.
However, not every partner was suitable for this bond. Only those with a rare combination of charisma, beauty, and star potential could channel fame into power. Furthermore, a partner's fame was fleeting -- most careers burned bright for only a few months before fading. Thus, Linton had to carefully choose who to empower, as he could only maintain a limited number of partners at once.
...
The power had five stages:
Starlight Spark: The beginning stage, where fame and admiration barely enhance physical abilities but grant minor charm and influence.
Celebrity Blaze: With growing popularity, Linton's charisma and physical prowess increase. He gains heightened senses, faster reflexes, and a mesmerizing presence that can sway crowds.
Superstar Radiance: At this stage, he can subtly influence emotions, making others feel admiration, desire, or awe at his presence. His fame can heal minor wounds and slow his own aging.
Legendary Aura: His presence alone inspires devotion and obsession. His supernatural charm can cloud judgment and break the will of weaker individuals. His lifespan significantly extends, making him seemingly ageless.
Eternal Icon: The highest stage, where his fame makes him nearly immortal. His image and legacy become eternal, worshipped by generations, ensuring he never fades from existence.
...
The first two stages each had nine levels, while the latter three were divided into early, middle, and late levels. Each stage required absorbing massive amounts of admiration and fame. The path was not without risk -- media backlashes, public scandals, and betrayals could weaken his power. Fame was a double-edged sword; adoration gave him strength, but losing the public's favor could cripple him.
To ascend, Linton needed tools of power -- artifacts of influence, such as enchanted jewelry or relics of former stars, which could amplify his charm and presence. He could also use fame rituals, such as exclusive events, public stunts, or media spectacles, to draw in larger waves of admiration.
The knowledge concluded with details on manipulating Hollywood's media networks and social influence to strengthen his supernatural abilities.
---
"Wow, I have powers now! I just hit a stroke of luck!" After understanding all this information, Linton found it difficult to contain his excitement, nearly jumping out of bed.
As he calmed his elation, he began to sort through his memories. Before this transformation, he was from Houston, Texas, and had enrolled in the film program at UCLA in 2003. After graduating, he worked in the film and television industry. Starting as a director's assistant, it took him eight years to finally get a chance to direct, but he had only worked on low-budget web series.
He was a music lover as well; he had released a few songs on platforms like SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and ReverbNation, but they failed to gain any significant attention.
Now, reflecting on his current situation, he was Linton Anderson, born in 1971, currently 20 years old, studying film and television production as a senior at the University of Southern California. Since it was late January 1991, he had just four months until graduation.
Born in San Francisco, California, his father had died young, and he was raised by his mother, a white-collar worker, who had just died in a car accident. Receiving the news of her passing, combined with the heartbreak of splitting from his college sweetheart, who was recently taken by a Hollywood producer after dating for two years, had left him in a daze, which might have contributed to his soul's merging with this body.
Linton had an aunt, Kelly Clayt, and an uncle, Jeff Mays, and they lived in San Francisco with their daughter, Judy Mays.
He got up and checked himself in the mirror -- wow, a handsome and rugged face, 6'1" tall, a strong physique. Although he didn't have an eight-pack, he sported a six-pack -- definitely handsome.
---
After collected himself, Linton notified his aunt about his mother's death.
In the following days, with the support of his aunt's family, they arranged for his mother's funeral. Under the lawyer's guidance, he handled the estate issues that followed her passing, receiving $100,000 in compensation from the insurance company, inheriting a 1,300 square-foot house and $5,000 in savings.
The house was appraised at $120,000, which was below the estate tax threshold, so he didn't need to pay any taxes. However, the $125,000 would be added to his taxable income for the year when he filed in April.
---
"Linton, don't be too sad. Take care of yourself."
"Take care, cousin. Bye!"
After bidding farewell to his aunt's family, Linton returned home, trying to calm himself, and began meditating.
Perhaps because Linton was somewhat of a campus star, known as an athlete and frequently participating in school performances, he had garnered a bit of fame. Additionally, after recently breaking up with his college sweetheart, he found himself immersed in discussions about it.
After two hours of deep meditation, he finally sensed a faint surge of energy stirring within him. Two hours later, he completed a full cycle, and the energy flowed through his core, gradually unlocking his supernatural power.
He opened his eyes, feeling a subtle but noticeable change in his body. After sitting in stillness for four hours, he felt no fatigue -- only a deep, refreshing calm. His mind was clearer, his senses sharper, and a faint warmth lingered in his chest -- a sign that his power had begun to awaken.
Linton could barely contain his excitement. He had finally unlocked his supernatural power, putting to rest his worries. Based on the technique's description, he believed he had reached the first stage of Starlight Spark, the initial level of his power.
After meditating at home for two days, he quickly realized how slow and difficult his progress was. At this rate, it would take him thirty years to reach the next stage. Still, he remained determined. No matter how slow it was, he committed to practicing for two hours daily, knowing that even a flicker of fame could gradually strengthen his power.
---
Linton began to plan his future. His greatest advantage was possessing the ability and thirty-three years of life experience.
As a senior about to graduate with solid physical attributes, studying film and television production, his primary goal was to improve his abilities. Thus, he devised a three-step plan.
The first step was to become a star, as it was undoubtedly the best way to gather emotions from others. Whether fans or detractors, as long as there was popularity, it all was to his benefit.
The second step was to connect with female stars and foster partnerships that would help him absorb their popularity. With that thought, images of Jennifer Aniston, Monica Bellucci, Sophie Marceau, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Sherilyn Fenn, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Connelly, and other dream figures floated through his mind -- waiting for him to aid them in becoming famous.
The third step was to build his media company into a full-fledged media group, promoting (hype) himself and his partners to enhance popularity sustainably.
How to quickly become a star? There were three main ways: acting in films and television to become a screen star, singing to become a music star, or excelling in sports.
Having ruled out sports, he, as a film student at USC with past experiences, was meant to become an entertainment star.
However, becoming a star wasn't easy. Millions of young aspirants flocked to the entertainment industry across the U.S., and standing out without resources or support was a herculean task.
It didn't matter; if no one supported him, he would support himself. If resources were lacking, he would create them. While making films and television would be challenging, becoming a singer was still a possibility.
The new body had a decent voice and had participated in community performances since childhood, having a good grasp of music theory. Plus, as a music enthusiast in his past life, though he achieved little in singing, he had plenty of songs memorized.
With this in mind, he decided to select three songs from memory: Baby, Numb, and Believer.
The 90s were a golden age for singers in America, with robust copyright protections, a rarity of piracy, and limited entertainment options for people. Listening to music was the most popular choice.
At that time, financial capital was just starting to loosen up. For America's lower-class people, life was affluent, music consumption was high, and the barriers to entry for singers were low; record labels were everywhere. If one could write a good song and sing well, they could achieve financial freedom.
Thus, he planned to start by becoming a singer to gain quick fame and accumulate funds for his next step in filmmaking.
Baby was a song reflecting a boy's first heartbreak, on which Justin Bieber had skyrocketed to stardom.
Numb was a signature piece by Linkin Park, where the lyrics expressed feelings of helplessness and struggle in reality, with a realization to break free from suffering and embrace a new self.
Believer, by Imagine Dragons, conveyed the message of persistence, courage in pursuing dreams, no matter how thorny the path might be.
The first song is a love ballad, while the other two are rock anthems infused with depth and inspiration, radiating positive energy through their lyrics and melodies.
Perfect. Those would be the songs!
*****
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