Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 39

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

39. Those Who Reach for the Sun (5)
“Yes, we’ll take a brief break. Participants are free to use the restroom or get water. No smoking, please! We’ll resume filming shortly!”
With the PD’s announcement of the break, the trainees who had been sitting rigidly and tensely released their postures, letting out half-dead groans of relief.
‘If Seo Tae-il hadn’t messed up, we wouldn’t be here. For the rookies, this is brutal.’
Even in university lectures, my eyes start closing after just ten minutes of sitting, and games call to me constantly. Yet even for a survival broadcast where my future is on the line, sitting still and listening to an MC ramble on is harder than I expected.
Mountains are mountains, water is water, and everything you say is nonsense—if I let my mind wander with such thoughts, time slips away. But on a set where every single one of my reactions is being recorded, that’s not an option.
‘Even a slightly stiff expression or poor posture becomes a problem.’
When I was behind the camera, I’d grab the back of my neck and complain about these blank-faced bastards coming to make money without doing their jobs properly. Now that I’m in their position, I realize it’s not easy either. I’m learning a lot today.
[System Alert: (Fixed) The Returner gains enlightenment about life.]
[System Alert: 777 Cash has been awarded as a bonus! (Reason: Admirable behavior)]
What’s next?
‘Is this my mother?’
The system window, complete with fanfare, felt less admirable and more… patronizing. The vibe was off, so I decided to skip it. As I continued stretching with a cold expression, I noticed Kim Won-ho returning from the restroom, looking half-dazed, shuffling over.
“Ha-jin hyung… what do we do?”
“What?”
“How do we beat Lee Yu-gun…?”
Ah, the battle.
“Right, that was a thing.”
As I recalled the topic I’d momentarily forgotten, Kim Won-ho’s eyes widened in disbelief. Look, if you lived as long as me and went through four regressions, you’d forget stuff like this too.
[System Alert: The System is angered that a mere twenty-nine-year-old is spouting nonsense.]
[System Alert: 666 Cash has been deducted as a penalty. (Reason: Insolence)]
‘Yeah, it’s really into this give-and-take thing.’
Leaving the system to its enthusiastic alerts after its long absence, I patted the back of Kim Won-ho, who had sat down beside me with a worried expression.
“Why worry? You picked him.”
“Are you backing out now? Pushing me forward and abandoning me?”
“There wasn’t really another choice anyway.”
I glanced at Lee Yu-gun, sitting across from me in silence with earbuds in, listening to music, and spoke. I already had Lee Yu-gun’s stats pulled up from when I’d scanned him earlier during the selection phase.
[Lee Yu-gun (Affiliation: Miro)]
-Debuff: All attributes reduced by -20% from baseline achievement rate
Position: Dance
Vocals: 37% (-20)
Dance: 33% (-20)
Expression: 45% (-20)
Special: Copy & Paste (64%) (-20%)
Appeal Points:
‘Twelve ships still remain’
-Sense of responsibility, perseverance, strong focus
‘That’s about it.’
For someone with the title of Special Class center specialist, the numbers were surprisingly ordinary. Of course, if those percentages went up from here, that would be different.
‘Honestly, raising them that much in such a short time isn’t easy.’
Lee Do-ha had benefited from three weeks of preparation after the last boost camp, which had dramatically increased his stats, but given the survival nature of the show, they wouldn’t grant that much time for the first mission. Watching my composed expression, Kim Won-ho seemed to wonder if I felt the same way (simple guy that he is), and his face relaxed slightly as he tilted his head and leaned back in his chair.
Once Kim Won-ho quieted down, I spotted the assistant director in the distance, ambling about with a slate. The filming would start soon. I was adjusting my clothes and checking them over (making sure the tape covering the brand logos hadn’t come loose) when suddenly another shadow fell across me.
“…What, is my spot some kind of famous restaurant? A toll booth? Why does everyone keep coming one by one?”
“….”
Ju Eun-chan and Seo Tae-hyun, blocking my path, stared at me with blank expressions. What was with these two now?
‘Seriously, being a teenager is tough. Eighteen is rough.’
“Hyung.”
“What. Where’d you leave Dan Ha-ru?”
“He’s changing the batteries in his mic. Anyway, hyung.”
Seo Tae-hyun and Ju Eun-chan’s eyes gleamed as they shouted simultaneously.
“You have to beat Han Sung-woo no matter what.”
“Don’t get involved with Han Sung-woo, please.”
Completely contradictory opinions.
“…? Could you two get your story straight and come back?”
“Okay, we’re going back to filming now, please take your seats!”
Right on cue, the assistant director raised the slate and got the participants ready. Both Seo Tae-hyun and Ju Eun-chan looked at me with plenty more to say, but at the staff member’s urging, they reluctantly returned to their seats with frustrated steps.
“…Ah!”
Wondering why they were acting that way, I watched the two of them head back to their spots when someone suddenly kicked my leg as they passed. Reflexively turning around to see if I’d somehow attracted bad luck,
“Oh, sorry. Didn’t see you.”
“…You should wear glasses, hyung. Your nearsightedness is pretty severe.”
Han Sung-woo, the problematic guy who’d just been the topic of conversation, passed by me quickly with an obviously displeased expression. This was the kind of moment the cameras should be catching.
“Rolling the slate!”
Snap! With a crisp sound, filming started again. Silencing all our personal grievances, we put on our best smiles, clapped our hands, and focused on the shoot.
* * *
“Those who reach for the sun, soar to greater heights. A journey to become the Icarus of Miro! We present the first mission of Miro Maze.”
At Seo Tae-il’s signal, the LED display flickered to life once more, and letters seemed to seep like ink across aged, luxurious stationery.
〜〚Daylight 日光〛〜
Then a poetic, acoustic guitar melody filled the filming studio. Simultaneously, the LED displayed a choreography video of nine dancers forming formations and dancing in sync with the song. Though Seo Tae-il and no one else explained what the song was, everyone gathered here immediately recognized it.
It was the program’s title track.
‘What’s with this quality.’
Soft pads layered over the guitar melody, gradually building intensity. As timpani drums thundered as a signal, orchestral sounds joined in, bursting with freshness. The nine dancers in the video executed diverse formations, arrangements, and pair choreography that fully showcased the appeal of such a large ensemble.
Then all sound faded, and eight dancers froze in different poses while one remained in the center.
Hey, it’s me.
“Whoa~.”
“Damn, that’s insane.”
The opening verse began with a voice so hauntingly smooth it gave me chills. It was the kind of obvious killing part that practically announced itself. I found myself looking at Seo Tae-il, who had almost certainly composed this song.
‘Why does he look so pleased with himself….’
He was watching it like a parent admiring their child’s talent show. I realized the guide vocal I was hearing belonged to Upia’s main vocalist—that fourth member of the group who Seo Tae-il openly adored as his muse.
‘That guy’s quite the fanboy himself.’
Another sun rises, to shine on you and me
Take my hand so we don’t lose our way
I’ll walk with you so darkness doesn’t come
Never fallin’ down(down down)
At the end of this maze-like world, there’s only
Never Going back(back back)
Your story and mine will remain
The chorus erupts like a test of my abilities as lead vocalist. A melody that seems perfectly suited to May, when spring breezes blow gently. In every way, this song feels like the composer poured affection and considerable resources into crafting it.
The song returns to the guitar melody heard at the very beginning. Just as the dancers moving slowly along their choreography come to a halt.
Hello, it’s me.
Finally meeting you, I’m so glad
“….”
The video ends with the final verse. A brief silence follows.
Seo Tae-il smiles as if this is a familiar reaction and looks around at us. And then—
“Wow!”
Exclamations burst forth along with applause. I too couldn’t help but gasp in admiration, sending forth applause filled with genuine respect. This is undoubtedly a masterpiece. The fact that someone who writes songs like this only has a 60% composition ability stat is astounding.
‘Genius truly can’t be helped.’
I felt a twinge of envy toward someone with a talent I could never reach even if I died. And I looked at another genius sitting impassively beside me.
“Hey.”
“…?”
“You can write songs like that too.”
“…What?”
At my sudden words, Lee Do-ha seemed to contemplate something quietly before nodding his head.
“I’ll try.”
He doesn’t say he can’t. A response perfectly in character for Lee Do-ha.
“As you probably expected, the song you just heard is the beloved first title track I created myself. How was the song? Do you like it?”
“Yes!”
“Haha, I’m glad. Now then, let me introduce your first mission.”
The names of eighteen trainees appear on the central display. Simultaneously, blank spaces with the letters “Team A” and “Team B” appear on the displays on both wings.
“As you just saw, you’ll be divided into two teams of nine members each to practice the title track.”
“….”
“You’re given only three days to master the title track.”
Gasps of surprise burst out from various places. But Seo Tae-il continues without hesitation.
“In three days, you’ll perform this title track stage in front of me and other mentors. Evaluations will be scored separately for team points and individual points.”
“….”
“All trainees on the winning team between Team A and Team B will receive benefit points. Additionally, the top three individual scorers within the winning team and the top individual scorer overall will automatically have their Wings rank confirmed. So you absolutely must win, right?”
“Yes!”
“However, even if you lose the team battle, it’s not over yet. The top three individual scorers from the losing team will receive the ‘nomination battle right’ I mentioned earlier. Depending on the outcome of this nomination battle, your final Wings rank in the next mission will be confirmed.”
‘There’s no way I can place first overall among these geniuses.’
In other words, whether we win or lose, I need to place in the top three of my team.
‘Teammate luck is going to be pretty important here.’
“Kim Won-ho and Kang Ha-jin, who already confirmed their designated battle earlier, will settle the score through individual points in this mission. The winning trainee receives benefit points regardless of their team’s outcome.”
If my team lost and I didn’t place in the top three, but still scored higher than Han Sung-woo, I’d automatically get the benefit—that was absolutely sweet. My gaze met his in mid-air, though he still looked at me like I was beneath him.
“Please prepare for the mission by doing your absolute best.”
I turned to Han Sung-woo and offered him the brightest smile I could muster.
‘Hello, my bonus boss! Glad we’re finally facing off, you bastard!’ was what I hoped my expression conveyed.

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