Chapter 63
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 63
Chapter Title Fever Time Results and Top 7
Only five out of the Top 7 had achieved Fever Time.
As soon as this fact was announced, the atmosphere in the venue stirred.
Only five?
Doesnt that mean massive shifts even within the Debut Zone?
Hey, anyone who didnt get Fever Time is gonna drop hard in the rankings.
Could someone outside the Top 7 have climbed in thanks to Fever Time?
Since the Debut Zone meant the top seven, everyone had assumed all of them would have nailed Fever Time.
That was why the trainees watching the ranking announcement seemed even more shocked than those whose names hadnt been called yet.
I wonder how the others are holding up.
I casually turned my head.
Song Hyeongbin was still clenching his fists tight, lips pressed thin.
Right next to him, Ji Yuncheol stared blankly ahead, his face unchanging.
In contrast, Yu Minha had her hands clasped together, muttering something fervently.
Please, please, please! Even 6th place would be finejust let me climb up!
Baek Sihwa, sitting beside Yu Minha, was utterly expressionless.
Unlike Ji Yuncheols dazed look, hers carried a strangely sour edge.
And Chae Eungyu? Well. He was chuckling away as usual, all easygoing.
Now, lets confirm the 7th place candidates.
I inwardly marveled at the production teams evolved ruthlessness.
Instead of split screens at the Debut Zone entrance, they were doing it right within the Debut Zone.
In short, it sorted who among the seven had the thicker, more stable fanbaseand who might get pushed out.
With all fifty trainees glued to the giant screen.
Three lines appeared on the screen, splitting it into thirds.
Whoa, no way.
Wait. Hold on.
Is this real? Not a glitch?
Whys that guy there?
Murmurs erupted louder than before, bursting from all around.
Even I, watching quietly, went wideeyed.
The 7th place candidates are Trainee Yu Minha, Trainee Kang Donghwi, and Trainee Baek Sihwa. Please come forward.
It was an utterly unforeseen development.
Baek Sihwa, who had taken 4th in the first ranking announcement, was now a 7th place candidate.
And above all.
Karis isnt there!
Crazy. Karis mustve shot way up.
Whoa.
Me, previously 8th, had skipped the 7th place candidates entirely, shocking everyone again.
With all three 7th place candidates shown at once, it was basically announcing 5th through 7th.
See? Told you.
Song Hyeongbin smacked my thigh.
Your ranks gonna be huge this time.
I really didnt expect it to be this high.
If youd triggered Fever Time too, who knows where youd land.
Five trainees had triggered Fever Time in total.
That meant one of the three now ascending the stage had surged to 5th with a massive vote lead.
And now, the announcement. 7th place goes to Kang Donghwi.
After a deliberate pause, Choi Sia called Kang Donghwis name.
That trainee fell short of debut once, just like me.
Id halfexpected Kang Donghwis rank.
But now, 6th place was the real issue.
If Yu Minha took it, the focus would be on her rise, with Baek Sihwa dropping just one spot.
If it flipped.
That would be a true upset.
Next, 6th place. Coincidentally, these two were on the same team. Trainee Baek Sihwa, any guess wholl claim 6th?
A solo question to Baek Sihwa here.
I already knew she harbored malice toward Yu Minha.
Right from their first meeting, shed gossiped about a total stranger.
During the sports day, shed charged straight at her, clearly aiming to cause injury.
I had no clue why, but one thing was clear.
Well, its such a tense spot, my minds blank But somehow, I feel like Minha got 5th.
Baek Sihwa flashed an innocent smile.
I clicked my tongue at the repulsive mask.
In Grand Quest Saga, Id have scoured her surroundings clean of even a speck of dust by now.
The tense BGM crested toward its peak.
The screen kept closeupping Yu Minha and Baek Sihwas faces.
Yu Minha was genuinely thrilled at her improved rank from last time.
Baek Sihwa just bit her lip slightly, staring straight ahead.
Once the timing felt right, Choi Sia got the production cue and revealed the result.
Congratulations! 5th place Trainee Yu Minha!
Wooow!
Minha!
Yu Minha!
Gasps of surprise rippled through the trainees.
Hearing her name, Yu Minha froze for a moment, speechless.
Baek Sihwa, on the opposite side of the stage, gave a faint smile and a few claps.
Trainee Yu Minha miraculously hit Fever Time right before the 2nd global vote ended, rocketing her rank in one go. Her vote gap over 6th place Trainee Baek Sihwa? A whopping 800,000 votes.
Vote counts appeared below each trainees screen.
Yu Minha at 2.1 million votes, Baek Sihwa at 1.3 million.
Short Fever Time duration kept the votes from exploding higher. If she hadnt hit the 1.8 million Fever cutoff, shed be stuck at Baek Sihwas level.
Now I was curious about the remaining trainees tallies.
As Yu Minha and Baek Sihwa returned to their seats, Choi Sia flipped her cue card.
Next, 4th place.
The number 4 lit up on the electronic board, hushing the venue instantly.
At the center of it all, I could guess what the trainees were thinking.
The trainee whod been 8th last time.
A foreigner, not even Korean, breaking through Song Hyeongbin, Ji Yuncheol, and Chae Eungyu into the Top 3? Or hitting the Top 3 wall and settling for 4th?
All eyes locked on me.
A normal person might crack under the scrutiny.
But I waited calmly for Choi Sias announcement.
This trainee got a Benefit in Round 2. And nailed Music K Showdown, making his name huge.
Ji Yuncheol was instantly out of the running.
I felt dozens of cameras circling me, Song Hyeongbin, and Chae Eungyu.
With insane visuals and presence, he captured the National Producers hearts early. 4th place Karis von Walden.
No ultimate upset, in the end.
I hadnt broken through the socalled immutable Top 3 concrete layer this time, but it was still an epic feat.
From 8th outside Debut Zone straight to Top 7and a skyhigh 4th at that.
Congrats! You worked so damn hard.
No, you were the leaderyou suffered more.
Couldnt have done it without you.
Song Hyeongbin beamed like it was his own win.
Hugging him, I still couldnt quite believe it.
The 1st place trainee whod once seemed untouchable was now this close to me.
Karis, congrats!
Congratulations.
Even Chae Eungyu and Ji Yuncheol chimed in.
I bowed repeatedly in thanks and walked to the front of the set.
My habit of lagging a step behind nagged at me, but whatever.
Trainee Karis von Walden jumped four spots from 8th last time to land at 4th. He perfectly leveraged his universally acclaimed visuals, owning center stage this round too. During Fever Time activation, he swept up 900,000 votes for a major gain. Congrats!
I glanced at my total vote count on screen.
4th Place Karis von Walden 2,719,012 votes
A gap of nearly 600,000 over 5th place Yu Minha.
Staring at the sudden chasm, I brought the mic to my lips.
First, my deepest thanks to the National Producers for your unwavering love. At the last 1st ranking announcement, I promised bonedeep effort every moment. Seeing that pay off in this rank makes me so happy. The only way to repay your faith is to show even more growth.
I paused with a soft hum.
Spotlights and camera lenses poured solely on me for my thoughts.
Something hot kindled in my chest.
And one more promise. I wont settle here. With the trust youve given, Karis von Walden will aim higher. Thank you.
Id thought such emotions only hit during status ailments.
Yet here, sharing thoughts in this glittering set packed with ornate chairs.
Gazing at the 1st place throne, more splendid than any imperial seat in Grand Quest Saga, a burning thirst for victory ignited my heart.
Yes.
A crown prince doesnt look up at others.
As crown prince, I cant be content here.
My eyes met Song Hyeongbins.
He still beamed with pride at me.
Seeing him sparked one wish.
Next time, lets face each other on the 1st place announcement stage.
Then 3rd place was revealed.
Another rank shift.
Im truly grateful to the National Producers who love even my shortcomings.
Ji Yuncheol dropped one spot from 2nd to 3rd.
Its been tough with lots of setbacks, but Ill keep smiling steadfastly. Your support wont be in vainIll work hard for great results next time too.
Chae Eungyu, riding his Benefitfueled momentum, claimed 2nd.
Applauding, I spotted something intriguing.
The vote gap between 2nd and 4th was razorthin.
Me at 4th 2.71 million votes.
Ji Yuncheol at 3rd 2.83 million.
Chae Eungyu at 2nd 2.87 million.
A bit more firepower during Fever Time, and I mightve actually cracked the concrete.
Lockedin 1st Song Hyeongbin hit exactly 3.01 million.
With the Idol Training Simulation midpoint looming.
The 1st place throne wasnt as distant as Id thought.
Finally, time for 28th place.
The final survivor candidates flashed up on screen one by one.
Park Jaehoon, hands clasped in prayer, made the cutfirst wave of relief.
Jaehoon hyung, youre safe!
We made it!
From near the tiered sets base, cheers from Heo Yubin and Hashimoto Ken rang out.
4th place was way up high, but Park Jaehoons eyesclosed, fervent praying face was clear.
Would the miracle happen?
After 30th place, fates fork arrived.
28th place Trainee Park Jaehoon!
Mercifully, Park Jaehoon scraped by.
With this, Cell had achieved the feat of all members surviving.
Between 28th Trainee Park Jaehoon and 29th Trainee Yoo Jihu, the vote gap was just 9,000. In other words, without his Benefit, the survivor name wouldve changed.
Choi Sia kindly delivered info brutal for the eliminated.
Thus, the 2nd ranking announcement wrapped, and trainees exchanged tearful goodbyes.
Please survive for my share too.
Ill make finals for sure. And debut.
See you next on our music show stage!
Was fun.
The remaining 28 survivors got immediate 3rd round briefing.
3rd round filming starts tomorrow at 10 AM. Stick to assembly time, and rest well tonight.
Good work!
Thank you!
Taking the production notice, trainees headed en masse to the dorms for a break.
I too steeled my resolve, awaiting tomorrows dawn.
Behind me, toward the dorms, the 1st place throne gleamed under the lights.