The Gates Opened on the First Day of Debut - Chapter 57

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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 (57)
Watching the broadcast unfold, I couldn’t help but feel a chill run down my spine.
“This is too much, hyung….”
Okada, watching the broadcast beside me, spoke carefully, gauging my reaction.
Yoo Sung furrowed his brow, his eyes boring into the screen as if trying to pierce through it.
‘Too… blatant.’
Jang Hyuk-soo was constructing a rivalry narrative between me and Han Theo.
In truth, the rivalry itself wasn’t inherently problematic.
In fact, it worked in my favor.
It meant Jang Hyuk-soo viewed me as more than just a disposable pawn to use and discard.
But the issue was….
‘Why does it feel like he’s crafting a victim-and-perpetrator dynamic?’
Since Han Theo and I had never directly interacted, there were natural limitations to what editing could achieve.
Yet within those constraints, Jang Hyuk-soo had deliberately worked to frame our relationship as victim and perpetrator.
[“Our stage is going to be a center battle.”
“A center battle?”
“Think about the Starlight stage. Actually, let’s watch this together.”]
The screen showed my teammates and me discussing who would take center for Starlight.
[“Starlight is a song of the center, by the center, and for the center.”]
The camera shifted from me to capture my teammates’ expressions of surprise.
[Who is Kim Chowol? Totally intelligent lol]
These days there are so many trainees who don’t even study history properly, which was frustrating, but Kim Chowol seems to really like the Idol Industry no matter who you ask, so I have a good impression of him haha
[Wow~ a legendary line appeared lol The center, by the center, for the center~]
People began praising my abilities and leadership.
The broadcast then cut to the Han Theo Guild, our rival team.
[“Well, we have Theo on our team… so everyone, don’t stress too much and just relax.”]
Song Ha-min, who had recruited Han Theo, spoke with unmistakable confidence.
The other trainees seemed torn between worrying that Han Theo would steal all the attention and thinking, ‘Of course we’ll win with Theo on our side.’
[“Who wants to be center?”]
When Song Ha-min asked, all eyes turned to Han Theo.
There were clearly trainees interested in the position, but they hesitated to step forward, too aware of Han Theo’s presence.
The camera then zoomed in on Han Theo’s eyes, which rolled slowly from side to side.
[“Yeah, really, there’s no one but Theo for center, right?”
“Yeah, yeah… that’s right! Theo, what do you think? Do you want center? Or rather, will you take center?”]
Han Theo paused, choosing his words carefully before speaking slowly.
[“If you trust me with it, I’ll do my best.”]
Only then did the other team members release a sigh of relief.
[What? Is Han Theo really like that? Kind of scary;;]
[Ugh… my school days PTSD is coming back!]
[If you meet him overseas, he’d probably discriminate lol]
[Han Theo is mixed race too, so what’s with the discrimination;; He’s saying things to a trainee who hasn’t even debuted yet;;]
As expected, people began to take issue with Han Theo’s personality and character.
[I think his charisma is cool though? And honestly, if not Han Theo, who else would be center there lol]
It’s not some other song, it’s Nexus Starlight.
[There are tons of idols without skills who unnecessarily kill the mood lol Han Theo is practically a saint compared to them]
Of course, the atmosphere was still protective of Han Theo at this point….
The seed of doubt that Jang Hyuk-soo had planted could sprout at any moment.
‘What on earth is Jang Hyuk-soo thinking?’
Through dozens of regressions, I’d learned that Han Theo’s personality was subtly malleable.
He appeared sharp-tongued and stubborn, but he had a pushover streak—he’d generally go along with whatever others suggested.
Thanks to that, Han Theo’s debut probability was 100%.
Background, looks, vocals, dance… he lacked nothing, and unlike Yoo Sung, he didn’t create friction with other trainees, so it was inevitable.
‘It’s only this bad because I haven’t had any connection with Han Theo yet.’
All that was left was for me to become entangled with Han Theo, and I was already worried about how Jang Hyuk-soo would edit it.
My endless stream of thoughts was completely blown away by one remark from Ju Gilhyung.
[“You sure know your place.”]
Oh, finally.
The long-awaited public execution of Ju Gilhyung had arrived.
* * *
The aftermath of episodes 5 and 6 could be summarized in a single sentence.
‘It was worth the wait.’
The chat that had briefly stirred over Han Theo’s personality and character was settled by Ju Gilhyung’s single remark: “You sure know your place.”
[“Isn’t this totally unfair?”
“Well, of course… the person who doesn’t fit the center position should step aside.”
“What an obnoxious kid….”]
Jang Hyuk-soo put Ju Gilhyung on the chopping block and wielded his knife with precision.
And people watched Jang Hyuk-soo’s blade dance and grew excited and angry alongside him.
[Did he just say “know your place”? Is this real? I can’t help but laugh at how ridiculous this is lol]
[Wait, is this not some kind of devil’s editing—did the trainee actually say this in front of the camera?]
[Isn’t this an intelligence issue at this point? He must know Jang Hyuk-soo’s style;;]
Quite a few people questioned Ju Gilhyung’s intelligence.
I’m not Ju Gilhyung, but let me make an excuse on his behalf… he probably genuinely didn’t expect Jang Hyuk-soo to do this.
‘He’s from LMH after all.’
He’s even close with LMH’s connections.
But Jang Hyuk-soo was someone for whom broadcasting always came first.
Whether it was LMH or anyone else, if it served the broadcast, he was ready to dissect them piece by piece and present them to the viewers.
[[HOT] One of the top three villains in audition show history—I compiled a collection of Ju Gilhyung’s greatest hits
You sure know your place. >Enters while playing fanfare for people who don’t know their place
Isn’t this totally unfair? >Hmm… what exactly is unfair?
Well, of course… the person who doesn’t fit the center position should step aside. >Seems like you should be the one stepping aside
What an unlucky bastard… >Is that your self-introduction?
A single star shining in the night sky. >They let him take center after he said he could do it, and he messed up immediately lol lol His level lol lol
I-I can do it! >Kim Junwoo immediately drives the nail in with ‘I don’t think I’ll be able to’ lol That’s class right there
.
.
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Bonus) Judge’s Greatest Hits
Center is… Ju Gilhyung, are you a trainee? >That disbelieving expression was hilarious
Will you be like this in front of fans after your debut later? If you make mistakes on every important stage, how exactly do you plan to be an Idol? >Drinking genuine refreshment here lol lol
I think it would be good to reconsider having Ju Gilhyung as Starlight’s center. This is my opinion as Starlight’s center. >As expected, Kim Junwoo doesn’t disappoint me! Thanks, thumbs up Junwoo!
└Wow, how did anyone even come up with this lol lol
└The class of ridicule is on another level lol Did you get a PhD in mockery?
“└Jung Sung-choo, tsk tsk tsk”
└Judge’s Greatest Hits Kim Junwoo takes up 90% of the shares lol
On SNS and Community Sites, people created compilations of Ju Gilhyung’s quotes, thoroughly dissecting him the way Jang Hyuk-soo had—chewing him up to the bone.
And reactions came from an unexpected place: mass-produced Shorts channels on YouTube.
[Shocking! Does he really act like this on camera? The arrival of an all-time villain]
[A Large Agency trainee’s shocking behavior… A trainee like this shouldn’t debut!]
[‘At least he reads the room well’ The shocking reality of today’s MZ generation trainees? How can a trainee who wants to be an Idol act like this!]
The mass-produced Shorts channels seemed determined to properly bury Ju Gilhyung, churning out several videos a day after Episode 5 aired.
The sheer momentum was enough to feel some serious resolve behind it.
‘Could it be… they’re repaying a debt to me and Yoo Sung?’
The view counts on the PR video and Subway advertisement-related Shorts were better than expected.
Well, mass-produced Shorts channels only move based on view counts anyway, so the odds are low…
Fortunately, the reactions to me and my teammates—excluding Ju Gilhyung—were positive.
[[HOT] Honestly, Starlight
wouldn’t have been weird no matter who won, right?]
└Huh? What are you talking about? Obviously Kim Chowol Guild wins lol lol
└You didn’t watch the broadcast? The on-site voting was pretty close
└Yeah~ Anyway the championship goes to Kim Chowol~
└Honestly, beating Han Theo while carrying Ju Gilhyung, the all-time villain, should count as a career achievement lol lol
└Han Theo did well too, but honestly Yoo Sung and Starlight just matched so well
└ㄹㅇ Hanteo did well too, but it’s a shame ㅠㅠ
Most reactions agreed that while Han Theo performed well, Yoo Sung and I still did better.
In particular, Yoo Sung’s skill as center and my leadership received attention.
Anyway, Episodes 5 and 6 unfolded exactly as I predicted, aside from that strange rivalry dynamic between me and Han Theo.
“Good morning, everyone!”
After our brief break, we returned to the Filming Set.
The morning after we returned.
The trainees who had returned late in the evening were still half-asleep and out of it.
“Today, the second sub-quest will be underway, so please stay focused!”
A second sub-quest!
The first sub-quest had been a PR video shoot.
Through mini-games, I was able to acquire the rewards necessary for filming the PR video.
‘The second sub-quest is unique in many ways.’
If I had to categorize it, it was an extension of product placement, but….
To be honest, it felt like a project concept thoroughly infused with someone’s—either the Female PD’s or a writer’s—personal taste.
[The second sub-quest has arrived.]
[Sub-Quest: Mock Battle]
Mock battle…?
As the unfamiliar term appeared, the trainees’ heads tilted slowly to the side.
“Before you Awakened Ones officially begin activities as Hunters in South Korea, we will conduct a mock battle to help you develop practical combat instincts!”
So what exactly is a mock battle? Are they telling us to fight with dance and song? If so, wouldn’t that be a main quest rather than a sub-quest?
The questions continued endlessly, but no one voiced them aloud.
After all, the MC would soon explain everything with that composed expression of his.
“Then let me introduce the mock battle events right away!”
The moment the MC finished speaking, the large screen changed.
[1. Baseball (9)
2. Basketball (6)
3. Relay Race (4)
4. Volleyball (3)
5. Badminton (2)
6. Archery (1)
7. Chess (1)]
What is this?
The trainees watching the screen had their mouths gradually falling open.

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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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