Reset Life with Infinite Talents - Chapter 221

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Infinite Talent Reset Life Episode 221

56. Augmented Reality

Screeeech!

I feel the blood draining from my foot as I urgently slam on the brakes.

Emily’s startled gaze, I calm my pounding heart and look out through the front windshield.

A Black Man in 20s standing dazedly in the middle of the road, staring this way.

“Wa, wait, Johann!”

Johann opens the door with a click and strides toward the man.

“Need money? Got it. I’ll give you some.”

In return, you’ll have to give up any thoughts of chewing for the rest of your life.

It was the moment Johann clenched his teeth and was about to throw a punch.

“So, sorry! I’m sorry!”

Stop!

The Black Man apologizes with wet pants and an almost tearful face.

“I, I was looking for a monster and didn’t realize I came onto the road…!”

“Monster?”

“This! This!”

He urgently holds out his phone showing something like a children’s map with an avatar and a familiar red and white ball.

“Th, this is what…”

“Sigh. It’s fine. Just watch where you’re going from now on.”

“Thank you! I’m really sorry and grateful!”

The man hurriedly climbed onto the sidewalk, and Johann pressed his brow and let out a long sigh.

“I heard that’s popular these days…”

“Do you know about it, Emily?”

“There’s this animation from Japan. About capturing monsters and fighting them against monsters other people captured.”

I think I know what it is. I remember briefly watching it with friends long ago.

“I did hear they implemented that with augmented reality and released it…”

That must have been it. A location-based augmented reality system game linked with GPS.

‘Augmented reality?’

I feel curious for a moment, but relief comes first.

“Haaa…”

I almost hit someone. My heart is still pounding.

Pat pat!

“You held back well. As expected of my boyfriend! Cool!”

“Cool, hardly…”

Johann’s lips twitch as Emily pats his bottom, then he’s surprised as he looks for the man who’s now barely visible.

‘One person… no?’

There are many people walking around alternately looking at their phones and ahead, or left and right. Some run in the same direction as if they found something.

It’s become a trend like Emily said.

“Hell is going to break loose.”

For everyone who drives.

No matter how careful they are, Johann felt dizzy at the situation that seemed likely to cause accidents.

* * *

Knock knock!

“I’m coming in.”

When I open the door to the Sculpture Professor’s Office, Professor Olivia greets me with a bright face.

Professor Olivia suddenly contacted me yesterday evening asking to meet today.

In the professor’s office, there’s not only her but another person as well.

“Say hello. This is Diana Kistgo. You probably haven’t… heard the name.”

Johann has barely done any sculpture, so there’s no way he’d know a sculptor’s name.

“No. I know her. It’s been a while, Writer. The sculpture you created still decorates the Lobby of Roki.”

Song of Water Drops, the glass craft work that decorated the lobby when moving to the current building.

The clear sound of glass pieces hitting each other whenever the wind gently touches them is one of Rocky Management’s symbols of good luck.

A symbol of good fortune that says if you hear the song of these glasses colliding, things will go well that day.

“Wow. I didn’t think you’d still remember me?”

“Johnny, no, the vice president really loves that work. So do I.”

“Hoho. It’s an honor to hear you say that?”

“The honor is mine. That’s only natural.”

Diana Kisago, one of the top three sculptors in all of California. A genius sculptor who gained fame from her mid-teens.

After exchanging greetings with her, Johann continued speaking to Professor Olivia.

“When you two finish talking, I’ll come back…”

“No, no. No need for that. Diana is the one who has business with you, Mr. Jefferson.”

“…?”

Kisago smiles.

“I saw the Lion Man you sculpted.”

“Ah… what about it?”

“Do you happen to have other works you’ve sculpted before?”

“I do have some…”

‘What? Is she trying to buy my work?’

That would make me happy.

Johann quickly shows the photos he took after finishing sculpting yesterday.

“For now, what I can call completed works are about this much…”

“…Wow.”

Professor Olivia, who came beside us at some point, also swallows dryly.

She feels dizzy looking at the wolf lying on its side.

Four legs crossed and sprawled lifelessly, an open mouth, a tongue sticking out between vicious teeth, half-open eyes that smell of death.

‘It died from being hunted!’

The pressed fur around the ankle area and strange cracks here and there on the body are telling that story.

‘Ah!’

It explodes. Fireworks of inspiration and emotion explode in both people’s minds.

Kisago clenches her fist in excitement.

The next photo makes them burst into hollow laughter.

A human torso on four legs touching the ground and a mammoth’s head.

The mammoth version of Lion Man.

But it’s completely different from Lion Man.

The wisdom emanating from the mammoth’s eyes.

The dynamic strength from the thick arms and legs of the human, resembling a mammoth, as if about to kick off the ground.

“By, by any chance, did you sculpt this yesterday?”

“Yes.”

It’s the form the ‘Woman’ saw in the mammoth tusk, and the appearance she wished for her second Child.

“Hahaha!”

Kisago bursts into laughter during Professor Olivia and Johann’s conversation.

“I don’t need to see more of this. Mr. Jefferson, please participate in my exhibition.”

Not just a corner spot, but as a proper collaborative artist.

“…Oh?”

Johann thought there were many surprising things happening today.

* * *

“Are you insane?”

The professor’s office after Johann left.

Professor Olivia looks shocked as she confronts her friend, Kisago.

“Have you lost your mind?”

She had just realized anew how unfair God could be.

Because he seemed to be starting from the level she had reached after falling in love with sculpture during her days of small, chubby hands, and striving endlessly to get there.

Because he seemed to be starting from the place that even they—called geniuses and receiving countless envy, jealousy, and praise—had only reached after being torn, broken, and shattered in every way for over ten long years.

She almost cursed out loud.

It was truly an absurd talent.

But that and participating in the exhibition had completely different meanings.

“While preparing for the exhibition, there’s something that’s always been lingering in my mind.”

A very subtle inadequacy.

I thought it would disappear once I finished all the works, once I displayed all the pieces, but seeing Johann’s work made me realize.

What it was that I was lacking.

“Since he showed me that, I want to repay him.”

“…What if he doesn’t meet your expectations?”

“Well…”

Kisago, who hadn’t thought that far, made a troubled expression.

* * *

That afternoon, after attending all his lectures, Johann heads to a building on Art District Street.

A white 2-story building with the ENU Museum visible in the distance.

‘He did say to come right in when I arrive…’

He brings his hand to the closed door and applies pressure, and it opens easily.

The moment he steps inside, Johann’s eyes widen.

“A bátr?”

The term bátr, what the ancient Scandinavian warriors called their ships.

A Viking-style longship reduced to one-fifth its original size, a very shabby longship with wooden planks torn off here and there, is placed diagonally to the left of the main entrance.

‘No, it’s a sculpture!’

The texture that meets his sweeping gaze feels cold and solid.

He approaches in one stride and touches it with his hand, confirming it.

“Wow…”

He expressed the texture of wood using stone. This was indeed worthy of someone among the top three in California.

“The work is titled ‘Journey of the Soul, Beginning.'”

Unlike yesterday, Kisago approaches wearing an apron and clothes covered in stone dust, along with goggles, and Johann nods then tilts his head.

“Vikings did carry corpses on bátrs for funerals in the old days, but…”

Something is lacking.

Kisago chuckles.

“On the exhibition day, fresh flowers and lush grass will be laid underneath it.”

“Oh.”

A soul sitting on the deck of a ship about to be sent off to sea on a warm grassy field, saying goodbye to friends and anticipating a long journey.

As soon as he hears the explanation, the story comes to mind clearly.

This means it’s a proper work of art.

“It’s wonderful, isn’t it?”

“Hoho. Shall we walk then?”

“Yes.”

Following Kisago who takes the first step, after walking a few steps, this time on the right there’s a fairly large sea rock, black basalt, with a large book installed as if floating above it.

Thud thud!

“Purple lighting like a dark night will pour down from above along with thunder and lightning, and letters containing one person’s entire life will be projected onto that book.”

A Black man in his 60s suddenly walks out from the side and begins explaining the work.

Johann is startled by his appearance.

“Professor?!”

It’s David Paul, the installation art professor.

He brings his hand to his ear as if telling him to imagine.

“Rustle! Rustle! The sound of pages turning along with a projected lifetime.”

He can imagine it.

That’s why it’s amazing.

‘Using sound and lighting to highlight sculpture?’

What kind of technique is this?

Even entities with knowledge of sculpture like ‘Blacksmith,’ ‘Architect,’ and ‘Forgery Expert’ are bewildered.

‘Woman’ has no thoughts at all.

“It’s a combination of digital art and sculpture. We’ll place a machine next to this exhibit where visitors can write, encouraging audience participation.”

“Ah.”

Interactive exhibition with audience participation. The audience would definitely be drawn in.

He’s naturally impressed.

Johann responds to the questioning gaze asking how it is.

“It’s wonderful.”

It’s shocking.

He wants to learn. He wants to ask how it’s done.

But now isn’t the time, so he deliberately changes the subject.

“I didn’t know you were collaborating with Artist Kisago, Professor.”

“I didn’t know you’d be coming as a collaborating artist either.”

Professor Paul furrows his brow.

‘That damn Olivia!’

To register Johann, who has no experience in competitions and may not have even properly done sculpture, as a collaborating artist in an exhibition by a big name like Kisago.

This was clearly crossing the line, an absurd scheme.

‘To think they had this kind of mindset!’

Johann, who trusts his own fame and participates in a famous artist’s exhibition to build his career.

Kisago, who wants to make the exhibition more successful by borrowing Johann’s fame.

And even Professor Olivia, who recommended Johann as a collaborating artist for an exhibition to be shown to the public, to make Johann more interested in sculpture.

To Professor Paul, all three were birds of a feather.

“Then let’s move to the next one!”

‘Hmm?’

Why exactly is he angry?

Johann furrows his brow and follows behind him.

A building with sectors that have sculptures and sectors that don’t.

Johann’s eyes widen as he reaches the end.

Whirrrr! Clang clang!

“Careful! I said be careful!”

People clinging to a massive sculpture, attaching, removing, and grinding something. They’re not working on the sculpture itself but helping with the work of securing the sculpture.

“We plan to sculpt up to half the ceiling there, and hang glass sculptures like fruit in between.”

“And we’ll shine lights too.”

Kisago also glances at Professor Paul before continuing.

“The final work is titled ‘End, Arrival.'”

“Ah!”

He thinks he knows what it is. What kind of lighting will be shone.

Kisago smiles as he watches Johann instantly understand.

“And here….”

Beyond the exit door, tall and wide display stands are placed on three sides.

“I’m planning to display sculptures made by students who are helping with my exhibition, like those kids.”

“Wow.”

It feels like an opportunity.

A kind of ending credits that audiences will see first after struggling through and emerging from the world created by a master.

Some audience members will quickly realize these aren’t Kisago’s works and leave, while others will carefully examine the students’ pieces.

Those someones will become opportunities for them. From simply remembering names to commissioning work.

“That was also the reason I went to find Olivia.”

Professor Olivia, Kisago’s closest friend.

‘So she told me to come pretend to help and display my work here….’

But he met Johann, and his thoughts changed.

Kisago looks at Johann with strong anticipation.

How did he view his works?

What kind of feeling did he get?

‘And… can you really fill what I’m lacking.’

Kisago decided to give him a test to confirm this.

“Do you happen to know what theme runs through my exhibition?”

“Journey.”

A journey of the soul.

“Oh! That’s right. And?”

Relieved, Kisago holds expectations.

“Past, beauty.”

From the entrance to the last exhibit, nothing was from modern times.

Beautiful forms, shapes, and phenomena that can’t actually be seen or confirmed, only vaguely imagined.

“And… weather.”

Weather where no two instances overlapped.

That’s probably the undulating life of a person.

To attach another meaning, looking back.

“And the final end, the arrival is utopia.”

It would be the most beautiful form that humans, that Kisago, could imagine.

Combining all of this yields one answer.

“At least the final journey should be beautiful.”

The fragments left by the many artists and people with aesthetic sense he had accessed, and all the ‘Forgery Experts’ who deceived others by drawing countless forgeries identically, all say so.

“Ahahahahaha!”

Correct answer.

From the longship at the entrance, he tried to express through sculpture and digital art the ancient times that modern humans have only imagined, the dreamlike fantastical feeling of vague fairy tale imagination.

Sunny days, thunderstorm nights – the weather was also part of that.

‘Indeed, my decision wasn’t wrong!’

The test is passed.

Kisago smiles contentedly.

But Johann furrows his brow.

“What exactly do you want from me?”

The exhibition content is packed full. It seems difficult to add anything here.

“Animals.”

“Pardon?”

“Sculpt an animal that would suit the theme running through my exhibition.”

This was the subtle inadequacy she had thought of.

“…Oh.”

At such a vague request, Johann blinked his eyes.

* * *

In the space Johann left, Kisago stands in front of the exit of the space where students’ works will be displayed and looks at Professor Paul.

“You know I’m not trying to use that child, right?”

That Johann is trying to build a career too.

“…I apologize.”

Professor Paul looks at the wall directly facing the exit.

He recalls the phrase that will be written here once all the exhibits are arranged later.

We pray that your end too will be such a beautiful journey.

Content that even the students assisting there don’t know.

Among those students who clearly know the exhibition’s story and the imagery contained in the exhibits, how many are truly seeing through the real meaning Kisago wants to convey through this exhibition?

He could guarantee it would be fortunate if there was even one.

That’s how important the phrase to be written here was for this exhibition.

What the East calls Hwaryong-jeomjeong.

With that phrase carved, this exhibition would finally be complete.

Only after reaching this place would the audience realize what Kisago was trying to say and feel admiration and emotion once again.

But Johann had seen through this just by hearing about the exhibition’s content. It was an incredible talent.

“I should apologize to Jefferson too. But….”

“His skills are outstanding. I can guarantee it.”

Also, this showed that his discernment was remarkable too.

“Still, what if he can’t complete it on time or it stands out too much?”

“How could that happen?”

A genius with this level of discernment, interpretation, and skill wouldn’t do that. Doubt once was enough.

Kisago smiled and turned around.

* * *

“Here it is!”

Clank! Grrrr!

The door of a large building resembling a warehouse opens.

“…Wow.”

“Hehe. How’s the teacher’s treasure warehouse?”

One of the many students helping with Kisago’s exhibition, a Black Woman in her Late 20s, smiles brightly as she looks at the studio filled with stone, wood, and all the world’s sculpting materials.

A place that makes her heart race every time she enters.

“It’s amazing….”

Honestly, he’s not sure. It just seems like a waste warehouse full of stone and metal dust smells.

“Right? You can use anything here freely! If you need something that’s missing, just contact me! Oh right, we should exchange phone numbers.”

Johann looks at the woman taking out her mobile phone.

“You don’t dislike me?”

Flinch!

“Oh, it would be a lie to say no. But… you have the qualifications.”

Even though she watched Kisago work right beside him, even when displaying those works, even seeing all the discussions with Professor Paul, she couldn’t grasp the theme running through the exhibition.

‘Could she get angry about her opportunity being taken away by such a topic?’

Could there be anything more foolish than that?

Now she should be angry at herself. She should feel frustrated at her inadequacy and strive harder.

“The teacher said so. For an artist to be jealous of and dislike another artist, they must first have the qualifications. Otherwise, there’s nothing more unsightly.”

“….”

“I’ll go buy some food and drinks! Oh, don’t worry, I won’t leak your contact information!”

As the Woman leaves, Johann lets out a long breath.

“This is making me feel responsible.”

He had accepted the proposal because it seemed interesting and was a new experience, but now he’s having second thoughts.

“It’s not like I stole the opportunity from someone….”

Still, he can’t help but feel heavy-hearted.

“Phew!”

Johann exhales briefly to shake off his thoughts and recalls Kisago’s request.

‘Animals….’

The ‘Forgery Expert’ says, why does he need to be alone on his final journey? Wouldn’t it be better to have someone with him?

‘This would be the right answer, but….’

“What should I sculpt?”

The ‘Forgery Expert’ expresses difficulty, saying he’s not specialized in sculpture. Same goes for the ‘Blacksmith’ and the ‘Architect’.

The ‘Woman’ only recalls the beasts of that era, only images of beasts combined with children.

“Is there no choice?”

It seems he’ll have to use Absorption Reading on a sculpture specialist.

Johann closes his eyes and enters the Library.

Standing on the Galactic River, he gazes at the countless celestial bodies floating in the dark sky above.

“For animals, there’s Rembrandt Bugatti, but….”

Still, when it comes to sculptors, there’s only one person who comes to mind first.

One of the greatest geniuses in history, recognized by the entire world.

‘If it doesn’t work, so be it.’

Johann moves his lips.

“Search. Michelangelo Buonarroti.”

Whoooosh!

It falls. From that celestial body above.

A star of full color that ripples like a raging ocean storm.

A star that seems to have condensed the Milky Way itself.

[Michelangelo, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni]

“…This might work?”

Unexpected. Honestly, he thought it would be bigger.

Johann stretched out both arms, looking at the size that seemed like it would just barely not exceed his Capacity Limit.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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