The Gates Opened on the First Day of Debut - Chapter 12

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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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The Gate Burst Open on My Debut Day (12)
When I recruited Yoo Sung as a Guild member, I checked the Sub Quest.
[Sub Quest: Recruit Allies
Description: Recruit allies for a successful debut.
Ally Recruitment Progress (0/6)
Success Reward: Gate Occurrence Suspended (180 days)]
I found it strange that even after creating a Guild and recruiting a Guild member, the ‘Ally Recruitment Progress’ hadn’t changed.
‘Could it be that the “allies” mentioned in the Sub Quest don’t refer to “Guild members”?’
At the time, there was no way to resolve the question, and since the Main Quest was pressing, I didn’t think deeply about it and moved on.
But I never expected to suddenly succeed in recruiting an ally like this.
‘Check allies.’
As I thought it, a status window appeared before my eyes.
[1. Okada Hiro (Status Window Viewable)
2. ―
3. ―
4. ―
5. ―
6. ―]
After checking the status window, I immediately pulled up Okada’s stats.
[Name: Okada Hiro
Age: 19]
[Basic Stats
Vocal: B+
Dance: A-
Appearance: B
Charisma: C-]
[By completing the ally recruitment condition ‘Achieve 100% Trust’, ‘Okada Hiro’ has become your ally.]
[Current Trust Level for ‘Okada Hiro’: 100%.]
After checking the final status window, I reflected.
‘Guild membership wasn’t the crucial factor.’
Since the Sub Quest appeared alongside the Guild’s establishment, I’d assumed that joining the Guild was the condition for becoming an ally.
But joining a Guild and becoming an ally were entirely separate matters.
‘If 100% Trust is the condition for becoming an ally, then it makes sense why Yoo Sung isn’t one.’
In the end, creating the Guild for the Sub Quest had turned out to be meaningless, but I held no regrets.
‘It seems like a more interesting picture will emerge than I initially thought… but that’s not urgent right now anyway.’
I stopped my thoughts and turned my head to look at Okada.
“Thank you, Hiro.”
“Yes!”
At my words of gratitude, Okada broke into a radiant, unblemished smile.
‘Then first… should I try drawing a Trait?’
I’d reaped the benefits of drawing items during the Stat Evaluation Stage.
I still didn’t fully understand what a Trait was, but the odds were high it would prove useful to me, much like the items.
[Trait Draw Ticket
Description: Acquire 1 random Trait.]
‘Using the Trait Draw Ticket.’
Just as with the item draw, a vibrant spinning wheel materialized before my eyes.
During the item draw, I’d been too frazzled to observe it properly, but now I could see clearly—the rainbow and gold sections were narrow, while most of the wheel consisted of silver and bronze sections.
‘The Stat Growth Ticket was gold. Its grade was S.’
It seemed the color varied depending on the grade.
Before I could even mentally prepare myself, the wheel began spinning on its own.
―Whirrrr.
I prayed as I watched the wheel spin.
‘Please, gold, gold! Rainbow would be even better….’
But the spinning wheel gradually slowed and came to rest on a bronze section.
[You have used the Trait Draw Ticket.]
[Acquired Trait: Copycat
Grade: B
Description: You can copy the ability of a designated ally.
*You can only copy the ability of the designated ally.
*You can only copy an ability while the ally is actively using it.
*Currently designatable ally: Okada Hiro]
Copycat—a Trait that allowed me to replicate the abilities of others.
On the surface, it seemed like a broken ability, but the activation conditions were stringent.
‘It’s a Trait I can’t use without allies.’
I’d need to recruit allies, and those allies would need to possess abilities worth copying.
Fortunately, Okada Hiro had higher Vocal and Dance stats than I did.
‘The restriction that I can only copy when an ally is actively using their ability is also a harsh condition.’
If it were an individual evaluation or a group evaluation with different teams, I wouldn’t be able to copy abilities at all.
I fell into thought.
‘Tomorrow’s first evaluation Stage should be manageable.’
Since EX-Grade K-POP Idol was an unconventional Idol survival program with a unique concept, it employed many radical evaluation methods.
The first evaluation Stage, whether radical or ruthless, assessed trainees in equally unorthodox ways.
‘Never thought I’d find myself grateful for Jang Hyuk-soo’s ruthlessness.’
Suppressing an inward laugh, I turned to Okada and spoke.
“Let’s do a bit more, then head back. We have evaluations tomorrow, and we should sleep at the Dormitory.”
“Yes….”
I smiled warmly at Okada and thought to myself.
‘Designate ally.’
[The Copycat Trait activates.]
[Designated ally: Okada Hiro]
[When an ally uses an ability, you can copy that ability.]
Good, good.
I nodded inwardly as successive status windows materialized before me.
―Ding!
With the notification sound, the final status window appeared in my vision.
After reading its contents, I reflexively furrowed my brow.
‘What is this?’
It wasn’t detrimental to me, but the trait effect hardly seemed useful either.
However, I quickly reconsidered.
‘No, wait. If a trait doesn’t seem helpful… then I just need to make it helpful.’
To claim the top spot, I had to leverage even trait effects that appeared useless at first glance.
A plan began forming in my mind for how to utilize this trait’s effect.
* * *
Morning broke on the day of the first evaluation Stage.
The trainees gathered in the Auditorium wearing the blue t-shirts and black training pants distributed on the first day.
The Auditorium contained one hundred cameras, each labeled with numbered stickers from 1 to 100.
“Good morning, trainees. It’s a beautiful day!”
MC stood on the Podium and spoke.
“The 1st Place Trainee from the Stat Evaluation Stage should proceed to Camera 1. The 2nd Place Trainee to Camera 2… Good. Please move slowly and without rushing.”
The trainees, unfamiliar with the evaluation format of the first assessment Stage, tilted their heads in confusion and followed MC’s instructions.
I naturally walked to Camera 20 and took my position.
The other trainees hesitated briefly before finding their respective cameras and standing in front of them.
“Everyone appears ready, so I’ll explain the evaluation method for the first Main Quest.”
The trainees watched MC with tense expressions.
“You all remember the first Main Quest you received after the Stat Evaluation Stage, correct?”
The large screen on the Podium changed.
[The first Main Quest has arrived.]
[Main Quest: Theme Song Evaluation]
In the EX-Grade K-POP Idol industry, “evaluations” are called “Main Quests.”
“The success of the Main Quest will be evaluated through three ‘waves.'”
“Waves?”
“What does that mean?”
As the new terminology emerged, the trainees tilted their heads with confused expressions.
MC continued the explanation.
“Three waves represent three Stages. You trainees will perform three theme song Stages consecutively.”
I had to perform that difficult song not once, not twice, but three times in succession.
“If you make a mistake on the Stage, your evaluation ends immediately. Depending on which wave you fail, your stats will be adjusted, and your ranking will change accordingly.”
A mistake in the first wave counts as a Main Quest failure, dropping all stats by one tier.
A mistake during the second or third wave counts as a Main Quest success, maintaining your stats.
Completing the third wave without mistakes counts as a Main Quest success with a special reward: all stats rise by one tier.
Since I already knew the content, I nodded calmly.
But the other trainees seemed to have received quite a shock, their expressions darkening.
“Through the cameras and microphones placed before you, we’ll monitor your performances in real-time and verify whether you’ve made any mistakes.”
AI conducts the first assessment of whether mistakes occurred, and the Judging Panel conducts the second assessment to make the final decision.
The AI technology is sophisticated enough that its judgments are accurate.
“Since this evaluation involves 100 people performing simultaneously, there could be cases where mistakes go unnoticed or are glossed over. But don’t worry!”
As MC finished speaking, the screen on the Podium changed.
“So that trainees can immediately know whether they’ve made mistakes, we’ll display the results on the screen!”
One hundred squares contained numbers from 1 to 100.
They were all white for now, but would change color depending on how each trainee performed on the Stage.
“Does everyone understand? Even if some parts don’t make sense right away, that’s fine! Just remember this: ‘Don’t make mistakes, and complete all three performances.'”
Not only does the system evaluate 100 people simultaneously, but it also judges eliminations in real-time and communicates the results to all 100 trainees.
‘Brutal. Absolutely brutal.’
I let out a silent laugh at the thought.
MC, who had thoroughly shattered the trainees’ mental fortitude, smiled brightly as he spoke.
“Now, we’ll begin the evaluation in approximately five minutes. Please prepare yourselves!”
Standing up, I glanced toward the back.
Yoo Sung was in the 22nd position, and Okada was in the 65th position.
Yoo Sung stared straight ahead with a composed expression.
“What?”
Feeling my gaze, Yoo Sung spoke in a softer voice than usual.
It was obvious he was conscious of the cameras.
“Fighting.”
“Huh?”
“Do well.”
After smirking and turning away, I heard Yoo Sung’s bewildered laugh.
But conscious of the cameras, he didn’t openly express his irritation.
Next, I looked toward Okada, who was positioned much further back than Yoo Sung.
Feeling my gaze, Okada turned her head toward me.
‘Fighting.’
Since she was too far away for my voice to reach, I simply clenched my fist in encouragement.
Okada, her expression tense, smiled awkwardly and nodded.
I nodded back and turned my gaze toward the Podium.
‘The preliminary work for editing is complete….’
Now I just needed to perform well on the Stage.
“Now we’ll begin the first main Quest—the theme song evaluation! I hope all trainees survive to the end across all three waves!”
[Boom, boom, boom….]
The intro to the theme song Hunt the Stage flowed through the speakers.
All the trainees bent their elbows with both arms raised and covered their eyes with their palms facing outward.
‘Status window.’
I checked the bottom of the status window that appeared before my eyes, specifically the traits section.
[Copycat Trait is currently active.]
[Designated Ally: Okada Hiro]
[When the ally uses an ability, you can copy the ally’s ability.]
Perfect.
With the confirmation complete, I moved my hands in time with the theme song.

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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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