Chapter 83
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 83
Chapter Title Tense Ranking Announcement
I feel it every time, but with each round, the atmosphere on the Idol Training Simulation set seems to grow colder.
Im so nervous...
Stay calm, stay calm.
Huuu...
Just a few months ago, this place had been packed with as many as 96 trainees.
And during the first ranking announcement, wed even had time to pair up with partners and make stylish entrances.
But now, with survival and elimination so narrowly divided, there was no way to create that positive vibe anymore.
Why am I extra tense today?
Come on, Eungyu hyung! Theres no way youre nervous.
No, really. Wanna check my pulse?
The team entered the ranking announcement set together.
Even Chae Eungyu, the most experienced among us, couldnt hide his tension in the sharply chilled air.
Meanwhile, Yu Minha maintained his high energy and checked Chae Eungyus pulse.
Oh, its racing!
Told you I wasnt lying.
Chae Eungyu let out a hearty laugh and glanced subtly my way.
You seem the least nervous, Karis.
Then lets check Karis hyungs pulse too!
What is this all of a sud
Before I could say anything, Yu Minha grabbed my wrist.
My instincts nearly triggered the selfdefense techniques ingrained in the crown princes body, almost slapping his hand away, but I barely held back with reason.
After checking my pulse for a moment.
Karis hyung, at this rate, your heart isnt even beating, is it?
My heart is beating just fine, which is why my blood circulates and I can breathe and live normally like this.
Mines pounding like crazy right now from nerves. Im jealous.
Yu Minha took deep breaths while commenting on my unusually low heart rate.
It wasnt entirely thanks to my passive skill, so I just stayed quiet.
Meanwhile, Chae Eungyu chatted with the other team members to ease the tension.
He even had a brief talk with Baek Sihwa, whod been silent since entering the set.
Sihwa, you feeling okay?
Yeah.
Did you get enough sleep? We practiced so late, must be tired.
...I think I slept about right.
That was pretty much the end of it.
I clicked my tongue at Baek Sihwas eyes, more hollow than usual.
Looks like he painfully realized it after watching episode 10 live. How much trouble he brought on himself by getting greedy.
Id warned him over and over, but Baek Sihwa was reaping exactly what hed sown.
If Yu Minha had actually gotten hurt from his assault...
It wouldnt have ended here.
As the other trainees filed into their assigned spots, I opened the system window.
A small notification hovered at the bottom.
Hidden linked quest Reach 1 Million Stage Views completed.
Reward 1 Lucky Draw Coin granted.
The Lucky Draw from the second competition had ended in failure.
Just when I wondered how Id survive to the finale with only one Lucky Draw Coin, this golden linked quest dropped for me.
It unlocked after succeeding in the hidden prerequisite quest Secure 410 Votes in Round 3 Team.
Our stage views had skyrocketed past 1 million amid rave reviews.
For a Lucky Draw mission, it was relatively easy.
I stared at the message saying my total Lucky Draw Coins were now 2, lost in thought.
The system seems like its trying to help me somehow. But then you look at the penalties for failing hidden quests, and nope.
Stat drops paired with physical pain.
It was downright weird that this system, a gift from the God of Grand Quest Saga, imposed such harsh downsides.
If its beneficial, it should be beneficial from start to finish.
Who does it think its fooling, slipping in these nasty conditions here and there?
Frustrating that I couldnt just return to the game and ask the God myself.
My head was swirling with thoughts about the system when someone gripped my shoulder hard.
Hey, get some good rest?
Slept very comfortably.
Good. I was worried you might not even sleep.
Siyoon, you always worry about nothing.
Cell 31 was entering and moving to their spots.
Kang Siyoon gave me a quick greeting before sitting.
We bumped fists lightly.
See you up there today.
You better make it up. Ill be waiting.
You better not drop from that spot.
After exchanging playful encouragements, Choi Sia strode to the podium in her suit, her heels clicking crisply.
Some trainees instinctively held their breath, sensing the ranking announcement was about to begin.
Idol Training Simulation has raced here breathless. Now, only the final round remains. A total of 14 trainees will advance to the live finale.
28 trainees remained so far.
Everyone grimaced at the news that exactly half could go to the finale.
Only 14? For real?
Haha...
Not enough spots.
Sighs leaked out everywhere.
I could feel eyes darting around busily.
Probably sizing up the number of top trainees whod gotten benefits from round 3, plus the established top ranks.
If about 10 spots are safe for stable rankers, even roughly calculating, very few lowerrank trainees can survive.
Especially Park Jaehoon, whod barely clung to 28th last timehis face darkened.
It stung seeing the guy wed shared ups and downs with hang his head.
But this was Idol Training Simulation.
Before pity could settle, Choi Sia launched right into announcements.
The Fever Time that impacted this ranking most 7 trainees achieved it in round 3 global voting. Up from 5 in the second announcementthis time, two more.
Thats the key, right?
Votes doubled, after all.
7 out of debut zone? Means everyone who hit debut took Fever Time.
Chae Eungyu whispered low beside me.
I thought hed be more anxious after dropping from 2nd to 3rd, but he looked calmer than before.
The gap to me at 4th and the Top 3 concrete wall was almost gone. If firepower concentrated a bit more this time...
No counting chickens yet, but based on facts so far, it was plenty possible.
Chae Eungyu seemed to think the same, nudging my arm with a grin.
Think youll beat me this time, Karis?
Nah. I figured youd climb higher.
Haha, Id love that, obviously. Too many variables this roundwho knows.
And perfectly timed, my eyes met Song Hyeongbins across the way.
Thumbs up from him tooSong Hyeongbin was thinking the same about Chae Eungyu.
Song Hyeongbin must feel the pressure. Once youve sat in 1st, you wanna hold it to the end.
Dropping from other ranks was one thing, but falling from 1st? Massive aggro.
No changes before, immovable 1stworse.
No way Song Hyeongbin didnt know.
Now, starting from 13th place.
First announcement 13th.
My eyes naturally went to Heo Yubin.
Sure enough, after 13th last announcement, Heo Yubins face was bloodless, on the verge of fainting.
Heo Yubin cant slip here.
Hed drawn tons of attention lately as the survivals oneandonly powerhouse main vocal, with growing confidence.
To chase debut dreams, he needed a big jump this announcement.
Congratulations. 13th place is... Hashimoto Ken!
A super familiar name called.
Hashimoto Ken teared up as he walked forward, cheers chanting his name from all sides.
Ken! Ken!
Dont cry, you guy!
Ken, you did it!
Especially his sameage friend Heo Yubin, cheering loudest for Hashimoto Kens survival.
Seeing that, Hashimoto Ken sobbed harder, sharing shaky feelings.
Ththank you to all teammates on stage so far! Sniff, sob! Ill work harder, be better Ken. Thank you, National Producers!
Quick Japanese greeting after Korean, then Hashimoto Ken sat in 13th.
Next, a result shocking enough to be this announcements highlight.
11th place. Quite unexpected, Id say. This trainee dropped from the second announcement. And... not from Cell 31.
After a pause, Choi Sia dropped the bombshell.
11th is... Baek Sihwa!
Whoa.
For real?
Isnt his rank dropping too much?
I clapped while eyeing the rank change graph on the front screen.
Baek Sihwa 4th to 6th after first, now 6th to 11th.
I want to thank all National Producers who voted for lacking me. And...
Baek Sihwa managed his expression for feelings.
But right after sitting in 11th, his hands trembled faintly.
A telltale sign of his mindset.
Pushed out of single digits for the first time.
Straight out of debut zone, in one go.
Episode 10s impact on Baek Sihwa was crystal clear to everyone.
Soon, one from our cell locked survival.
9th place. Congratulations, Kwon Daehyun!
One step up from second announcement, but Kwon Daehyun was overjoyed just for single digits.
Everyone survive.
Junoh, you gotta come with for sure.
Haha, Ive made peace with it.
No way. We dont know who 14th is yet.
Heo Junoh, lowest in our cell, gave a candid short laugh.
Meanwhile, huge cheers from Heo Yubins cell.
How highs Yubin going?!
Insane!
Top 7 like this!
Heo Yubin, name not called yet.
Personal benefit in round 3 kept upward momentum.
Never dreamed hed reach this far, probably.
Who will enter debutzone Top 7? Check the screen.
Production pulled splitscreen tactic.
Big LED split three ways.
Kang Siyoon, Kang Donghwi, Heo Yubin faces in sequence.
Woooah!
This is getting fun!
NeverTop7 Kang Siyoon and Heo Yubin togethertrainees went wild.
Looking at Cell 31 roommates, my lips tugged up naturally.
Didnt expect a family feud like this.