Debut or Die - Chapter 1

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

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A Fatal Illness if I Don’t Debut – Episode 1
Isn’t it a universal rule that waking to an unfamiliar ceiling means you’ve entered another world?
Not for me. I came to in some moldy Motel room.
“Ugh….”
My head felt like it was splitting open. I pushed myself upright, gripping my temples as a musty blanket tumbled to the floor beneath my feet.
So… let me think. I must have confirmed I’d failed the exam again and passed out alone after drinking under the eaves of my place.
Did I really crawl from my one-room apartment all the way to this Motel?
“Have I lost my mind….”
I cursed myself out as I stumbled toward the bathroom. I needed to relieve myself anyway, and I figured I’d check my appearance while I was at it. I’d probably look like some washed-up exam-taker drowning in alcohol, but still.
Then I saw the mirror and crashed backward.
“Ugh! … Damn it.”
The curse spilled out reflexively, but I clenched my teeth because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
With trembling hands, I ran my fingers through my hair. Then I looked in the mirror again.
A stranger’s face stared back at me.
A gaunt, delicate child.
I steadied my breathing to keep from panicking. I craved a cigarette—one I’d already quit.
“…Huh.”
Only then did I realize even my voice was unfamiliar.
I wanted to bite my own tongue.
What on earth was happening?
Barely holding onto my sanity, I dragged this strange body through the Motel room, searching.
On the bed, I found what looked like a suicide note and an empty medicine bottle. It seemed this person had attempted to poison themselves with sleeping pills.
Skimming the note, it said the person was an orphan who’d dropped out of school and felt so wronged and hopeless that they were leaving this world.
My mouth turned bitter for no reason. Even with a different body, I’m still an orphan.
I found a cheap wallet on the vanity. Inside were a few bills and an ID card belonging to this body.
[Park Moon-dae 0X1215 – 3XXXXXX]
“The last digit is 3….”
So I’ve been rejuvenated. I made a hollow sound and examined the photo on the ID. It looked better than the wreck I’d seen in the mirror, but the face was distinctly dark.
Still, despite the gloomy expression, it was a decent face with youthful features. So I’m 23 now. I thought I’d be younger.
“….”
No, this isn’t the time for such thoughts.
I tried to think calmly.
Anyway, as I pieced together the situation, I calmed down. I was starting to think I needed to find my original body and figure out what to do. That person who tried to kill themselves might have taken over my body.
I grabbed the wallet and opened the Motel door.
Then I froze.
Snow was falling outside the window in front of me.
…It was July before I drank myself unconscious.
“Good heavens.”
I swallowed hard. Then I hurried back into the Motel room and picked up the desk calendar.
[202× December]
…It’s a calendar from three years ago.
My vision swam.
It didn’t take long to compose myself again. Truth be told, the shock of my body changing was far greater than the shock of traveling to the past.
I sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. I didn’t even remember any lottery numbers—why of all things?
Then a sudden spark of nonsense made me lift my head.
…Actually, what if this isn’t the past at all, but a different world entirely?
It was a mad thought, but overwhelmed by this insane situation, it sounded almost plausible.
In the web comics and web novels I occasionally browsed, things like this happened fairly often. They called them Hunter stories, didn’t they…?
I muttered softly in a dazed voice. I must have looked quite foolish.
“Status window…?”
Naturally, nothing happened.
Damn it.
I tapped the bed in embarrassment with my hand.
As if it would appear, you idiot….
[Name: Park Moon-dae (Ryu Gun-woo)]
Level: 0
Title: None
Singing: C
Dancing: –
Appearance: C
Charm: –
Trait: Infinite Potential
It appeared?
I tumbled off the bed.
“Ugh!”
My back throbbed with pain, but I kept thinking.
The status window contents… weren’t what I expected?

* * *
“….”
The moment the status window appeared, I could actually settle my nerves more than I’d expected.
It was certainly a situation that defied the laws of physics, and feeling it viscerally made clear that this wasn’t some joke.
I’ve left the Motel and entered a nearby PC Bang. I’m here to search for any other variables besides this world being three years in the past.
For reference, I asked the counter staff to call my original number, and the automated message said it was a non-existent number.
I couldn’t log into my university account either, and the SNS account I’d created for coursework had vanished.
In other words, it seems the original “me” doesn’t exist in this world.
Not that I have any great attachment to it.
My parents already passed away in an accident during middle school, and I’d lost contact with relatives by the time I entered university.
I never had impressive connections to begin with, and whatever relationships I did have disappeared as my years preparing for the civil service exam dragged on.
And considering all those years wasted on that exam prep, it’s not strange to say I’m essentially a person with nothing to lose.
“Here’s your ham ramen.”
“Ah, thank you.”
I finished my cold assessment of myself and accepted the tray. Then I slurped the noodles into my mouth while examining the search engine.
Hmm, three years ago would’ve been when I was supposedly doing “serious studying.”
Since that was the time I’d cancelled my smartphone and cut off my internet—those pages don’t feel particularly familiar.
But I didn’t feel any sense of incongruity either.
It’s exactly how things felt three years ago. I notice the trends from back then—games, movies, songs… idols.
Idols, huh.
“Hmm.”
I set my chopsticks down in the empty ramen bowl. Then I crossed my arms.
That status window—no matter how I looked at it, the content was specifically idol-related.
I don’t know why I ended up in this body, but could it be connected to that status window?
Did Park Moon-dae, the original owner of this body, make a wish because he aspired to be an idol?
…Or was it because of my actions during university?
I have no idea. But I should use whatever I can.
“Status window.”
I murmured it barely louder than a breath, and the translucent status window suddenly appeared in my vision again.
Singing was C-rank, appearance was C-rank. Everything else was blank.
Perhaps because I hadn’t attempted them yet.
That thought crossed my mind suddenly, but I decided to set it aside for now. There was no way I wanted to burst into dance and charisma in this situation right now.
So then, should I check the other contents of the status window?
I recalled the Noraebang sign I’d seen on my way into the PC Bang.

* * *
“Hmm.”
First, let me share what I’ve confirmed: C-rank doesn’t seem to be a low grade at all.
I could sing the song quite well. My tone was good, my vocal volume was solid, and my technique was clean—I’d say it gave off the impression of “strong fundamentals.” I could definitely sense I had talent.
And what surprised me even more was that this window appeared.
[Achievement Unlocked! 【First Attempt】]
Level 0 -> 1
Gained 1 point!
“Achievement?”
I’d only muttered the word to myself, but another window popped up.
[Ongoing Achievements]
10 Attempts (0/10)
100 Attempts (0/100)
First Experience (0/1)
10 Experiences (0/10)
….
A scrollbar stretched endlessly downward. …So it’s a grind, huh. And the numbers jump shamelessly higher as you go. Plus, half of them are blank because they can’t be confirmed yet.
I felt my enthusiasm cool a bit, so I closed the window.
Still, since I’d earned a point, I might as well use it like it’s a game.
I pulled up my status window.
At the bottom, “Remaining Points: 1” was newly displayed.
“Allocate 1 point to Vocal Ability.”
The status window’s contents changed.
[Name: Park Moon-dae (Ryu Gun-woo)]
Level: 1
Title: None
Vocal Ability: C+
Dance: –
Appearance: C
Charisma: –
Trait: Infinite Potential
Vocal Ability had immediately become C+.
Is this actually being reflected?
I immediately selected the same song I’d sung earlier and tried it again.
“…I’m better?”
There was definitely a difference. It was easier to listen to, and the sound came out more refined. It felt like my throat had naturally learned the proper way to produce the notes.
And that “Trait” displayed on the status window.
“Infinite Potential.”
Normally, people’s results relative to their effort vary depending on their innate talent. And even with effort, there’s a limit. A maximum level of growth, a ceiling to one’s potential.
But this status window showed me something with absurdly high efficiency relative to effort, and with no growth ceiling whatsoever.
Moreover, I confirmed that my skills were actually improving through practice.
I stroked my chin thoughtfully.
An idol….
Was this supposed to be my new body’s career path?
And in that moment, a popup window erupted above my status window.
“…!!”
[Sudden Event!]
Abnormal Status: ‘Debut or Death’ has occurred!
Below the crimson text, a cascade of descriptions followed.
[‘Debut or Death’]
Failure to debut as an idol within the designated timeframe results in death
Remaining time: D-365
“What?”
The content was absurd, yet an ominous premonition gripped me.
Already finding myself in another person’s body was insane enough—there was no guarantee that stranger things wouldn’t happen.
The bizarre popup vanished the moment I finished reading.
And sure enough, a strange new entry had been added to my status window.
[Name: Park Moon-dae (Ryu Gun-woo)]
Level: 1
Title: None
Vocal: C+
Dance: –
Appearance: C
Charisma: –
Trait: Infinite Potential
!Abnormal Status: Debut or Death
Is this really happening?
“Damn it….”
I cursed under my breath and clutched my forehead. Cold sweat beaded on my skin.
I’d already confirmed that the status window actually worked. I couldn’t ignore the possibility that this hellish condition would become reality too.
Why the hell did this pop up? Because I thought about idols?
I let out a hollow laugh, astounded. But at the same time, another thought crossed my mind.
‘…Could I be getting punished for all that data farming I did back then?’
Yeah, idols.
Actually, it was a field I was familiar with for personal reasons.
During my university days, I made decent money by taking photos for idols as stand-ins. In that process, I’d done some… morally questionable things too.
I’d seen every kind of spectacle and heard every kind of rumor.
And since environment shapes a person, constantly going around taking photos had led me to become unnecessarily obsessed with this field at one point.
I’d voluntarily researched various aspects back then, so I had some foundation in this area.
I rubbed my face to wipe away the cold sweat, then crossed my arms and glared at the status window.
I have no idea what’s happening. It’s absurd, infuriating.
But I have no intention of dying.
So let me calm down.
Right, my life was already worthless anyway—so this is supposed to be a fresh start? And with such favorable conditions at that.
Besides, if I want to trace how I ended up in this body, I’ll need to explore and examine this unrealistic status window more thoroughly.
“Hmm.”
Self-rationalization complete. I let out a wry smile, my composure regained.
…Around this time, wasn’t there a huge hit with some idol survival show?

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

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