Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Muk Hye-seong's Feedback
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The practice session commenced with the trainees appearing utterly exhausted, and the mentors were faring little better themselves.
Some mentors offered gentle words of encouragement, noting the difficulty of the task and urging the trainees to persevere through the final shoot of the day.
Others chose to deliver a series of relentless verbal lashes to the struggling participants.
Our instructor, Teacher Muk, was undoubtedly aligned with the latter group.
He treated the trainees with an air of utmost politeness before hammering them with critiques delivered in his silky voice.
He remarked that if he were to provide a score, their passion would earn a perfect ten while their skill would round up to zero.
The foreign trainees, who had initially relaxed at his mild tone, stared in wide-eyed shock as their Korean counterparts froze in response to his words.
Nagase Ritsu nudged my side from behind and inquired through a silent gesture about the meaning of the mentor's statement.
I reflected on the fact that ignorance can sometimes be a blessing and offered him a pure white smile.
Muk Hye-seong eventually made eye contact with me and exhibited his signature, nearly imperceptible smile.
I wondered how to handle a teacher who was so dedicated to his craft that he repeated his criticisms in multiple languages for those who did not understand.
Muk Hye-seong appeared to be in his early-to-mid thirties and was a remarkably competent mentor in every respect.
He possessed a professional mastery of dance, a voice that commanded attention, and fluency in four different languages.
I questioned the existence of such a perfect individual within this world.
I noted that every mentor present seemed to be a high-stat all-rounder possessing great talent and impressive looks.
The legendary idol Muk Hye-seong swiftly categorized the thirty trainees by their skill levels with a single glance.
He then focused his attention on teaching those who were considered the least proficient among the group.
I marveled at his ability to assess everyone's abilities so precisely after only one group run-through.
I casually inquired of Ban Yo-han about the number of years that had passed since the mentor's debut.
I admitted my ignorance regarding his professional history while seeking more information from my companion.
He informed me that the mentor was celebrating his twentieth year in the industry.
I was struck by a sense of profound disbelief at the revelation of his extensive career.
I felt a brief moment of self-loathing for my reactions but remained focused on the legendary figure before me.
I questioned if his youthful appearance was due to exceptional self-care or if he had simply debuted at a very young age.
Ban Yo-han remarked that the mentor's group, Chronicle, was considered a living legend in the entertainment world.
We attempted to appear knowledgeable about his history, but Yo-han suddenly offered an awkward smile as he noticed the mentor standing behind us.
I wondered how he managed to approach so silently without uttering a single word.
I turned around with a bright smile and offered a crisp, respectful bow to the instructor.
He inquired if we had ample time for idle conversation during our scheduled practice hours.
I felt a surge of frustration as my favorability rating dropped significantly after such a minor interaction.
Muk Hye-seong cut off any potential excuses and commanded us to demonstrate our progress.
Our group was categorized as the best among the struggling trainees, acknowledged for at least having memorized the routine.
We were capable of practicing the choreography independently without any major technical issues.
Ban Yo-han demonstrated a genius-level ability to memorize the entire routine from start to finish.
He had clearly mastered the movements before I had even utilized the system's assistance.
We proceeded to perform the first verse of the choreography while counting the beats with great enthusiasm.
I realized that Yo-han had also managed to memorize the lyrics to the song.
I noticed his lips forming the words during the dance and realized the mentor must have seen it as well.
Muk Hye-seong evaluated Yo-han briefly before turning his unwavering attention toward me.
He noted that I had memorized the choreography but offered no further praise for my efforts.
He continued in a flat and emotionless tone, critiquing the lack of power and precision in my movements.
He advised me to shift my center of gravity to avoid potential injury during certain transitions.
I recognized that my limited physical strength was the cause of these technical deficiencies.
He remarked that my movements were far too slow and resembled those of a creaky robot.
I attributed this lack of fluid motion to my currently low agility statistics.
He also noted that my facial expression during the dance was far too intense and unwelcoming for an idol.
I realized that my limited stamina was taking a visible toll on my appearance during the performance.
The mentor watched me with a look of slight bewilderment as I remained silent.
I wondered if my natural charm was influencing his perception of me, though the system provided no notification.
I approached Ban Yo-han afterward and inquired about the mentor’s strange reaction to my performance.
Yo-han suggested that my habit of smiling while receiving harsh criticism was likely the cause of the confusion.
I realized that my excitement at seeing my comprehension stats rise had caused me to grin unconsciously.
I feared that he would view me as an individual who took pleasure in receiving tough love.
I attempted to explain to the mentor that I was not a strange person, but he dismissed my words with a cold indifference.
I followed him to insist on the truth and eventually managed to regain a small measure of favorability.
I questioned why I was so concerned with the approval of a grumpy mentor like Muk Hye-seong.
A few other trainees approached me during a break and expressed their admiration for my lack of fear.
They noted that even the mentor's smallest movements caused them to flinch in apprehension.
I reflected on the fact that I did not view these game entities with the same level of intimidation as they did.
I felt a sense of fatigue from the long day and the lack of proper sustenance during the shoot.
I offered them a simple smile and returned to my practice as the temporary buff faded away.
The world felt remarkably real despite the lingering presence of system windows and game-like elements.
I questioned why no authority had intervened if I were truly exploiting a flaw in this reality.
***
The filming session eventually concluded as the clock approached ten in the evening.
The trainees were all visibly exhausted and the first-day enthusiasm had been replaced by a quiet hunger.
We possessed just enough energy to make our way toward the exit in a state of near-consciousness.
While the staff and mentors had managed to secure meals, the trainees had survived on only a single donut.
I reflected on the lack of proper compensation for our passionate efforts during the long hours of practice.
The production team announced that dinner would be provided once we arrived at the dormitories.
As we departed the set together, a system notification appeared to confirm the completion of my quest.
+ Distributable Stat Points Available
The experience gained from practice and the quest reward allowed me to achieve a new level.
I considered my options for distributing the new stat points with a sense of rational patience.
I prioritized my intelligence statistics to improve my ability to memorize complex routines in the future.
I also recognized the urgent need to improve my physical attributes to master the choreography at a professional level.
I understood that I could not achieve perfection within such a short period of time.
I looked forward to the long-term growth I would experience through the course of the competition.
However, I could not ignore the undeniable importance of my charm statistics in this particular industry.
Would you like me to distribute your points or help you plan for the next training session?