The Gates Opened on the First Day of Debut - Chapter 13

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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 (13)
“That’s seriously incredible.”
A filming space prepared exclusively for the Judging Panel.
The Dance Trainer, having heard the MC’s explanation, clicked his tongue in amazement.
The other judges kept their mouths shut and nodded in agreement.
I had heard the explanation of the evaluation method a few days prior, but hearing it again was still astonishing.
“Skill aside, this is going to be a mental battle.”
“Does anyone have a trainee they’re expecting?”
The Rap Trainer answered the Vocal Trainer’s question.
“That would be the 1st Place Trainee, obviously.”
“Come on, the 1st Place is on another level entirely. Besides the 1st Place.”
“Besides the 1st Place? Hmm….”
As the Rap Trainer fell into thought, the Vocal Trainer spoke up.
“Should I go first? I’m expecting Yoo Sung.”
“Ah, Yoo Sung.”
“Yoo Sung is quite talented.”
Another judge chimed in agreement.
“He made mistakes during the Stat Evaluation Stage, but in terms of pure skill, he’s easily in the top three.”
“Exactly. Plus, he’s tall and has a handsome face.”
Just as all the judges were nodding, the Dance Trainer clapped his hands and spoke up.
“Oh, I just remembered! I’m expecting Okada.”
“Okada? Ah… that Japanese trainee?”
The Vocal Trainer’s expression turned uncertain, as if he didn’t quite understand.
“Yes, she dances exceptionally well. I don’t understand why she’s in the intermediate dance class.”
“Really? From what I’ve seen, her singing is….”
“Okada’s vocal technique itself is decent.”
Kim Junwoo, who had been listening quietly, suddenly interjected into the conversation.
“The problem is the language. She doesn’t speak Korean well, and since she has to sing in Korean, there’s no way she can fully demonstrate her abilities on stage.”
“Oh, Junwoo. You really know your stuff?”
“It’s thanks to having seen many foreign trainees.”
“Then who’s the trainee you’re most expecting?”
“Expecting….”
Kim Junwoo fell into thought.
Across from the judges’ seats, a massive screen divided into 100 sections simultaneously displayed the faces of all 100 trainees.
Kim Junwoo’s gaze turned toward the 20th trainee.
“Kim Chowol….”
“Huh? Ah, Chowol?”
The moment Kim Chowol’s name was mentioned, an odd silence fell over the filming set.
“Kim Chowol, trainee Kim Chowol… well, I’ll refrain from commenting.”
“Chowol isn’t particularly skilled, but he works hard. Every time I see him, he’s practicing.”
“Working hard is just the bare minimum.”
Kim Junwoo exhaled a shallow sigh and continued.
“What matters is doing it well.”
“Y-yes, that’s right!”
“So you think Kim Chowol will perform well on stage today?”
“Huh? No.”
Kim Junwoo denied it flatly.
The Vocal Trainer asked in confusion.
“But you just said you were most looking forward to seeing Kim Chowol?”
“I’m not expecting him to do well. I’m just… curious.”
Kim Junwoo spoke while watching Kim Chowol’s face on the screen.
“What kind of stage will he show us today?”
Kim Chowol had received praise during the stat evaluation stage thanks to his Charm stat.
By selecting his song strategically, Kim Chowol had maximized his strength—charm—while concealing his weaknesses in vocals and dance.
‘But this time, he can’t choose the song.’
All trainees had to perform the theme song Hunt the Stage.
When Kim Junwoo first saw the Hunt the Stage demo, he was startled by how much higher the difficulty was than expected.
He’d thought they were asking too much of mere trainees, but at the same time, he’d felt that ‘this is the bare minimum they should be able to do.’
‘After all, in this industry, you can’t survive without skill.’
Looks? Charm?
Of course, those were elements that couldn’t be overlooked when evaluating idols, but without solid vocals and dance, you couldn’t become an idol.
Because ultimately, an idol is someone who dances and sings.
That’s why idols lacking in skill couldn’t escape public criticism, and to have longevity as an idol, you had to strengthen your abilities by any means necessary.
[Boom, boom, boom….]
The first main Quest—the theme song evaluation—had begun.
“Alright, let’s focus now. Focus.”
“No matter what the AI judges, the final decision rests with us.”
The judges, who held the trainees’ fates in their hands, fixed their determined gazes on the screen.
A hybrid orchestral sound exploded outward as the trainees moved their hands, which had been covering their eyes, like they were prying open a massive gate.
[“In pitch-black darkness. A single ray of light illuminating my path.”]
―Beep, beep, beep!
The AI’s alert for mistakes sounded.
The Dance Trainer hurriedly checked the screen.
“Trainees 45, 89, and 91. Their pitch wavered. We’ll issue a warning and move on for now.”
The screens of the named trainees changed as if a yellow filter had been applied.
Ambiguous mistakes received yellow warnings, while obvious errors received red elimination notices.
“Please do well… do well….”
The Dance Trainer clasped his hands tightly as he spoke.
A lighter beat and sound continued, leading into the 360-degree spinning jump choreography section.
―Beep, beep, beep, beep beep beep beep beep!
“Oh my, what a mess, what a mess!”
“Numbers 11, 37, 44, 47… and… you, there are too many!”
“If it’s obviously a mistake, don’t give a warning—eliminate them immediately!”
Steps tangled, choreography missed, even falls.
The trainees began dropping out one after another.
The Judging Panel all notified the trainees of their eliminations with regretful expressions.
[“Hunt the stage, win the stage!”]
The chorus section, the highlight of the song, had begun.
High notes bursting forth and a dazzling dance break included.
The AI alarm wailed frantically.
―Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep!
“Two accumulated warnings means elimination, right?”
“Number 4 eliminated, Number 15 eliminated, Number 66 eliminated… ah, even the skilled ones are making mistakes.”
“Given how the evaluation system works… maintaining sanity is truly remarkable.”
“Such a shame….”
[“Break the stage, win the stage!”]
Of the three stages, only the first one was ending, yet more than half the trainees had been eliminated.
The Judging Panel made no effort to hide their disappointment.
[Bang, crack!]
With an intense gunshot sound, the first stage came to an end.
The Vocal Trainer, confirming the remaining trainees, clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“Wow, even the skilled ones dropped out. Almost all the lower-tier trainees are gone, and the mid-tier ones too… huh?”
The Vocal Trainer glanced briefly at Kim Junwoo.
[“2nd Wave. Starting now!”]
The MC spoke to the trainees from beyond the screen.
Kim Junwoo stared at the screen with furrowed brows.
On the twentieth screen, Kim Chowol’s face appeared, catching his breath.
‘He survived?’
At this unexpected turn, one corner of Kim Junwoo’s mouth began to curl upward.
* * *
‘Damn it….’
This is killing me.
I swallowed a curse internally and steadied my breathing.
After the first wave, the second wave had also ended.
A brief rest period before the third wave began.
“Huff, gasp….”
Bent over at the waist, I rolled only my eyes to survey my surroundings.
After the first wave ended, of the 40 surviving trainees, half had been eliminated again, leaving only about 20 alive.
The surviving trainees, like me, were steadying their breathing and preparing for the next stage.
‘Most of those who were going to drop out have already dropped out.’
I swept my gaze across the trainees, then fixed my attention forward once more.
Trainees lacking skill and those with weak mental fortitude are eliminated in the first wave.
And in the second wave, third wave….
“Third wave. Beginning now!”
As the MC on the Podium spoke, the trainees sighed and rose to their feet.
[Boom, boom, boom….]
The third wave had begun.
I moved my body in time with the music.
“In pitch-black darkness. A single ray of light illuminating my path.”
My Copycat trait was activating perfectly—my body moved far more fluidly than during practice.
I applied force where it mattered and conserved energy where I could.
Right now, efficiency mattered more than perfection on the Stage.
The Quest’s success condition was ‘performing flawlessly across three Stages’.
In the second and third waves, trainees who failed to properly analyze the success condition would be eliminated.
“Ugh!”
“Damn it!”
The 5th and 13th trainees were eliminated.
They were skilled trainees ranked in the upper tier, but they had overlooked the success condition and exhausted themselves by going all-out from the start.
I maintained my composure and continued through the Stage.
“Hunt the Stage, win the Stage!”
A high note stripped of all technique—raw and unadorned.
But it didn’t matter.
As long as I didn’t miss the pitch.
“Break the Stage, win the Stage!”
My lungs, pushed to their limit, burned as if they might tear, and my arms and legs grew heavier by the second.
Yet I continued dancing and singing.
To claim first place.
To rank first, debut, and finally end this exhausting regression.
‘Damn it.’
I thought my pitch had wavered slightly just now, and sure enough, a warning appeared.
The twentieth box turned yellow.
Complex upper-body choreography, relentless footwork.
I focused only on the essential points and abandoned all the details.
‘Ha, haha…!’
I couldn’t tell if I was dancing or if the dance was dancing me.
Half-delirious, I sang and danced frantically.
[Bang, crack!]
With a final explosive gunshot, the song ended.
“Gasp, gasp!”
I collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.
The twentieth slot remained yellow, unchanged.
‘Damn it….’
I’d done it.
I’d persevered.
I’d cleared my first Main Quest with these pathetic stats.
I silently cheered, clenching both fists tight.
“Hyung…!”
Then a familiar voice called from behind me.
When I turned around, Okada came rushing toward me, breathless and panting hard.
Because of her awkward Korean pronunciation, Okada had never survived past the third wave in dozens of attempts.
But today’s Okada was different.
“I… I… made it to the end!”
I smiled broadly at the excited Okada.
‘Status window.’
The moment I thought it, a translucent window appeared before my eyes.
[Copycat Trait is active.]
[Designated Ally: Okada Hiro]
[When the ally uses an ability, you can copy their ability.]
At the very bottom of the trait status window.
A trait effect that wasn’t bad for me, but wasn’t particularly helpful either.
[When you use an ability, the ally can copy your ability.]
Of course, I had to survive to the end.
She’d copied my language ability.
I embraced Okada and thought to myself.
Today’s Stage was going to be edited very entertainingly.

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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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