Chapter 6
I was really worried that I would get harsh criticism this time too.
An unexpected comment greeted me.
"I used to feel uneasy watching because friends with excellent vocal skills tend to fall behind in dancing. But I thought that I should reflect on myself for thinking that way. You have such good fundamentals. Even though there aren't any movements or points that catch the eye, I liked how you showed the effort you put into preparing this one song perfectly."
"Good words...."
"More than anything, I think the most important thing is that you didn't get nervous, just like senior Seo In-hwan said. Karis kun, you weren't nervous at all when you showed us your stage, right?"
"I tried hard not to create internal tension."
Other skills that I hadn't figured out how to use before.
I thought back to the skill activation message that was generated the moment I stepped onto the level test site.
[Skill, 'Demon King Slayer (C)' is in effect. Composure and calmness increase significantly.]
It is probably a skill that was created by subduing the Demon King in
It seemed that I was recognized as having a strong heart thanks to having fought a bloody battle in front of the Demon King, who was considered the most fearsome being.
'I didn't really get nervous to begin with. But thanks to this skill, I feel a lot more at ease.'
It would have had an even greater effect compared to other trainees who couldn't overcome the pressure and just crumbled.
That's why I was able to receive such praise from Bae Kang-woo, who uses harsh criticism as his main weapon.
"Oh, and I don't know if this is just me or what."
The evaluation of Bae Kang-woo, which was thought to have ended, continued.
'Is there anything more praiseworthy than this from Bae Kang-woo?'
I looked at his expression, which was such a contrast to his usual one.
I already had scenes in my head that could be used for comparative editing.
Baek Kang-woo turned his head to the side and asked his fellow judges.
"Didn't you feel a sense of elegance even though it was a strangely simple movement? I thought it was because he was tall and had long arms, but so far, many of the other contestants had decent physiques. But really, really, when I watched Karis's stage, I felt a sense of surprise that comes from seeing something new."
"It felt different from Mr. Kang-woo, but it was a feeling I had never felt before. It's really strange to express it in words...."
Baek Chae-hyun, a famous former idol, chimed in on his words.
She seemed to be contemplating for a long time whether or not to say this, then cleared her throat and opened her mouth.
"I feel like I want to get down from this judging panel, kneel down, and applaud?"
"Hahaha! What is that, Chaehyun?"
"I really felt that way, senior."
"Our Chae-Hyun's words were that the stage was so good that she wanted to watch it from the front row as close as possible, right?"
"Le, let's do that."
While Seo In-hwan was teasing Baek Chae-hyun, Choi Sia skillfully wrapped up her words.
Even I, who was listening to those reviews, had no idea how to react.
[Skill, 'Worship and Revere (C)' stops working.]
I understood the moment I saw the skill display that was created while I was performing on stage.
'One passive skill is used to increase composure, and the other is used to amplify the emotions received while watching my stage.'
The skill name itself was unusual.
Judging from Baek Kang-woo and Baek Chae-hyun's reactions, it seemed like it was making people watching my stage feel special emotions.
Worship and revere.
Do you literally feel like kneeling down and worshiping the crown prince?
'It's currently at C grade, so it only has this level of effectiveness, but if the grade goes up....'
The current level of testing has many shortcomings.
It's hard for me to pursue perfection with my miserable status window that doesn't even have a single A-level.
But judging from the judges' evaluations, it seems that the lack of mechanism they felt was somewhat offset by my confidence and aura.
I thought about the rounds that would be played in front of an audience of over 500 people in the future.
If I can raise the level of 'Worship and Revere' before then, I will definitely be able to bring out even more destructive power than now.
"Anyway, I think it was a stage where the fundamentals were outstanding. However, I think you still need to solidify the detailed aspects and the points where you can show your own individuality. It's obvious that you've practiced a lot, but I don't feel like you're overwhelmingly outstanding. If you can improve your skills here, I think you'll be able to express the feelings I felt from Karis kun more effectively. So I hope you'll make up for your shortcomings and show us a more mature side next time. Thank you for your hard work."
My evaluation concluded with Baek Kang-woo leaving his final comment.
Unlike the previous trainees, the judges, who were filled with overall positive reviews, also had brighter expressions.
Fortunately, thanks to that influence, there were no major changes to my rank.
"Congratulations, trainee Karis von Walden. You are now in Tier 2. You may proceed to the 'Mainstream' zone."
"I will definitely show you that I will continue to develop further in the future. Thank you."
I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get Tier 1, though.
I quickly shook off my distracting thoughts, recalling my still-miserable status screen.
'Just having this status window and receiving such favorable reviews is half the victory. From now on, I can slowly raise my stats by completing achievements and collecting points, so don't worry too much.'
I moved to the mainstream zone, where there were only a few people still seated.
As soon as I sat down on the plush leather chair, a text appeared along with a refreshing sound indicating that the quest was complete.
[Hidden Quest Accomplished!
[The 'Lucky Draw Service' is unlocked as a reward.]
[The number of Lucky Draw Coins held by possessor-nim is 1.]
'Unlocking a new feature?'
Through countless practices, I have achieved many achievements.
Of course, it was still an achievement even if I just completed quests with the same name repeatedly.
It was the first time I saw a notification that a hidden quest had been completed.
I clicked on the 'Lucky Draw Service' written in small letters at the bottom of the status window.
Then, as if I were accessing an online shopping mall, numerous products passed before my eyes.
Let's take a quick look at some of the products.
'Ability booster tickets, experience boosters, trait draws... They're all fraudulent items.'
Having invested a fair amount of time into the game, I could tell.
The products featured in this lucky draw system are said to be capable of turning the tide in an instant.
I gulped and clicked the 'Use Coins' button, and suddenly a slot machine popped up.
'I am not buying the product I wanted with coins; I will just draw it?'
By the way, the name of the store itself is 'Lucky Draw'.
Gacha machines operated in places such as arcades and gacha shops. The vicious gacha system that K-gamers are familiar with.
It was clearly a system that gave coin holders a chance to win rare items with a high probability.
Likewise, I can also randomly select items that could be used in
I took a moment to sort out the situation in my head.
Then I closed the store with a faint sigh.
'No matter how I look at it, the sources of Lucky Coins are extremely rare. Then, the chances of participating in the Lucky Draw also decrease.'
It's obvious that hidden quests will never appear easily.
I turned my attention back to the set, determined to try my luck in a really pinched situation.
"All NTT trainees are Tier 4. You can take the number from the front."
The level test continued.
I never thought I would experience watching 96 trainees stand on stage one by one.
I felt like I would never get used to this, no matter how many times I repeated it.
However, I was aware that every single reaction was captured at some point and used for editing.
It was the same for the other guys, too.
"Wow!"
"He dances really well."
"Cool, cool!"
The trainees who had their names taken away from the first gate showed an even bigger reaction.
Although they were trying to increase their chances of survival in their own way, it seemed like they were having a hard time cheering on the stage where they showed off their outrageous skills.
I also observed the trainees with an appropriate expression.
'Haven't the debut group kids come out yet?'
I remember them all. No, it would be strange to forget them.
Nothing has changed since I first tried
That means that the guys who previously created a huge fan base and achieved their dreams of debuting have also come here.
"The following are trainees from Awake."
As soon as I heard the name of my agency, I sat up straight.
Finally, here are some guys I absolutely must keep an eye on in this second game.
"Hello!"
"I look forward to!"
Three trainees with tall and handsome appearances were greeting each other.
I immediately looked at the figure standing in the middle and checked their status window.
Name: Song Hyeong-bin
Age: 21
Singing ability: B-
Dance: A-
Stamina: A
Appearance: S
Talent: S+
Trait: Leader
Status: Indecisive
'... These are truly extraordinary stats.'
That's why he was able to debut straight and maintain his first place in such an intense survival show.
In short, it is a status window that shows the temperament of an all-rounder.
In addition, his basic stats are high enough that his looks and talents break through the graph.
Awake Entertainment is called a 'male idol specialized agency'.
Even though it's a mid-sized agency, there were many reviews saying that they can make one male idol that's amazing.
When the news broke that the company was sending their beloved trainees to
So the trainees who came out with Song Hyeong-bin also showed a really solid performance.
"Wow, I feel like my eyes are opening."
"Hyeong-bin kun, where did you learn to dance like that?"
"The dancing and singing were great, but the attitude that came out naturally during the stage was really great. It's something that you can't do, even if you try to do it on purpose."
The judges' eyes were focused solely on Song Hyeong-bin.
I watched Song Hyeong-bin walk into the empty Tier 1 area and made a mental note.
'I must never meet him as an opponent until at least the third round.'
As the stage progressed, more and more familiar faces began to appear.
The debut group that debuted with Song Hyeong-bin also finished the stage without a hitch.
Not everyone was Tier 1, but no one went underground.
"Hello~."
"I wanted to talk to you from the beginning! You're so handsome."
"Haha, I'm embarrassed by all the praise you've given me."
"The way you speak is also completely new!"
Some of the people who joined Tier 2 suddenly started talking to me, whether it was because they were conscious of the camera or not.
If he were a clever guy, he would have acted knowing that I was a person who could take a considerable amount of the weight from this level test.
If he weren't like that... he would have simply been drawn to Karis von Walden's natural looks.
'It's good to make connections in the beginning.'
I exchanged greetings with appropriate smiles.
As your network grows, you will have more strategies to utilize in the future, so it is worth enduring, even if it is a little tiring.
But when something strangely feels empty,.
"Hello! My name is Kang Si-yoon. Please take care of me!"
I heard a familiar name.
—