Chapter 85
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 85
Chapter Title The Fall of the Top 3
My ranking had dropped from last time.
It might sound like one of those standard lines youd hear at a ranking announcement, but the situation right now was entirely different.
Choi Sias words meant that the Top 3 structure, revered as untouchable among the trainees, had finally crumbled.
No way.
I was so shocked I couldnt even scream.
Wait, seriously? One of those three actually dropped in rank?
That means.
The piercing stares that had been pouring in since earlier grew even sharper.
And who could blame them?
Excluding the 14th place survivor, the remaining spots were 1st through 4th.
Having taken 4th in the 2nd ranking announcement, there was virtually no chance Id fall below that.
Karis climbed even higher, huh?
His momentum is insane.
He actually pulled it off. Im jealous.
But honestly, it was weird he hadnt risen further already.
Every trainee in the studio was thinking the same thing.
While some might feel burdened by all the onesided attention, I straightened my back instead.
This is only natural.
Basking in everyones admiration was par for the course.
When I lived as the crown prince, the entire nation would sway and follow my every word and action.
Those countless experiences were now igniting a fire in my veins.
And now, who will be the trainee taking the 4th place seat at this 3rd ranking announcement?
As soon as Choi Sia finished speaking, the cameras in front moved in perfect unison.
The massive screen ahead split into familiar segments with a droop of lines.
No way Hyeongbin hyung dropped, right?
Falling from 1st to 4th is basically impossible.
Then its Yuncheol?
Yuncheol was 3rd last time, so maybe he dropped?
Personally, I dont think its Eungyu hyung.
I have no clue. My head hurts. Who among those three could possibly drop?
The faces of Song Hyeongbin, Ji Yuncheol, and Chae Eungyu shone brightly on the screen.
Everyone had already suspected it, but seeing it confirmed so blatantly sent ripples of unrest through the trainees.
Chae Eungyu, whod been smiling refreshingly the whole time, started straightening his clothes.
Ill head up first! Take your time coming up.
No announcement has been made yet.
I responded to him quickly.
But Chae Eungyu just wore an expression like he already knew what was coming.
Well announce it now. The 4th place trainee is.
A strange tension hung over the studio.
A silence fell as if every trainee was holding their breath in unison.
Time dragged on, each second feeling like a minute.
Choi Sia, microphone in hand and staring straight at the front camera, finally spoke.
Chae Eungyu!
Huh?
Whoa, thats crazy.
Eungyu hyung dropped?
Whoa, wait a sec.
Exclamations erupted here and there.
Song Hyeongbin, watching the screen, went wideeyed like full moons in shock.
Even Ji Yuncheol, whose expressions rarely changed, parted his lips slightly in a daze.
But the man at the center of the upset walked out with a beaming smile.
Chae Eungyu, who served as leader and main dancer on stage in the 3rd competition. With his unwavering leadership and outstanding skills, hes once again captured the hearts of many National Producers. Care to share your thoughts?
Hmm Every time I stand here, the same thought crosses my mind. Being able to sing and dance on this stage, to meet all you National Producersits something Im endlessly grateful for. I thought Id never get to stand on a stage this big again, receiving love far beyond what I deserve. But thanks to everyone who voted for me time and again, who cheered so hard for this guy named Chae Eungyu, Im here once more. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
It was a straightforward statement, brimming with Chae Eungyus personal story.
I looked at his face and thought to myself how impressive he was.
Maintaining that level of expression control and composure isnt easy. Chae Eungyu is putting in tremendous effort right now.
Idol Training Simulation was a precious opportunity for anyone.
Everyone had their own backstory and struggles.
But for Chae Eungyu, this was truly his last chance, the reason hed thrown himself into this program.
He must have faced plenty of criticism and fingerpointing.
With prior debut experience, the trainee label didnt quite fit, and his age was relatively advanced.
Yet hed endured all that and pushed this hard, proving just how sincere he was about the show.
And he suffered more than anyone because of Baek Sihwa this time.
I gave Chae Eungyu a heartfelt round of applause.
Chae Eungyu activated Fever Time, securing a total of 4.78 million votes. Congratulations once again on advancing to the finale.
The gap with 5th place Yu Minha was massive.
Over 700,000 votes, to be exact.
At this rate, 1st place is gonna blow past 5 million easy.
I wonder if I even hit 500,000.
So jealous.
The trainees whose elimination was all but certain kept voicing their envy as the vote counts swelled like snowballs.
It was another testament to how many viewers this season of Idol Training Simulation had drawn.
Eungyu hyung.
You worked hard, hyung!
As Chae Eungyu took his 4th place seat, the other survivors swarmed him.
It couldve been overwhelming with trainees crowding from all sides, but he hugged them one by one before settling into his spot.
Once the commotion died down, a tension like live wire hummed through the studio air again.
The next rank is 3rd place.
I took a slight deep breath and adjusted my posture.
The socalled unbreakable troika of concrete had shattered.
Now the question was how far the stone that cracked it could burrow.
This trainee earned a benefit in the 3rd competition. And their position? Well, in todays terms, you could call it a hexagon.
Once more, it was time for vague, common hints.
Hexagon? Both Song Hyeongbin and Ji Yuncheol had held top spots in this survival show long enough that they excelled in every stat. At this level, it was hard to find any glaring weaknesses among the top contenders.
The production team must have figured this part of the live broadcast would pull the highest ratings.
So they dragged it out, desperate to spike the National Producers blood pressure.
After another five agonizing minutes, the real announcement finally dropped.
A trainee showing truly frightening momentum. With natural visuals and a captivating character, theyve claimed massive love from the National Producers. 3rd place goes to Karis von Walden!
3rd place.
The moment my name was called, a massive cheer filled the entire set.
And among them were plenty of familiar voices.
Karis hyuuung!
Karis, you did it!
Hes the best! So cool!
Good job! Amazing!
On my way to the front of the studio, Song Hyeongbin and Ji Yuncheol offered their congratulations.
Karis, you really worked hard. Congrats!
Congratulations.
I bowed my head slightly in response.
As I stepped up to the podium where Choi Sia stood, my final vote count appeared at the bottom of the giant screen.
3rd Karis von Walden 5,214,099
An absolutely staggering number.
Even I, in 3rd, had broken the 5 million mark.
And there was a significant gap between me and 4th place Chae Eungyu.
Karis, did you ever imagine youd make it this far?
Any trainee here would dream of standing on the finale stage. Im just thrilled to achieve that dream, and I feel incredibly fortunate. Its not my strength alonemy teammates, and all you National Producers made it possible for me to even dream of reaching the finale.
I gave a brief answer to Choi Sias question before delving into my full statement.
I never imagined coming to this land and chasing the dream of becoming an idol. Since joining Idol Training Simulation, magical things have happened in my life, making every day fresh and joyful. To my precious colleagues Ive shared time with, the judges whove helped so much, and the National Producers whove given unwavering supportthank you always.
I paused briefly and bowed.
As always, one foot slid back, forming an elegant nobles greeting.
Last ranking announcement, I said Id climb higher with the faith you National Producers gave me. Today, Im able to repay that faith, and it fills me with pride and joy. I wont stop hereIll keep my and strive to become an idol who always pushes forward. Thank you.
My heartfelt words drew the trainees to halt their cheers and offer gentle applause instead.
Choi Sia brought the mic to her lips, thinking I was done, but I quickly added more.
Oh, and theres something I kept meaning to do but havent yet.
Karis, do you have something prepared?
I gave Choi Sia a faint smile.
In my vision, a system window generated a small message.
Skill Magician of Foreign Languages B activated. Proficiency in set language Estonian greatly increased.
Tahan tänada kõiki, kes minu poolt hääletasid.
As fluent Estonian flowed from my lips, everyone let out short gasps.
Karis is finally speaking his native tongue!
Whoa, first time hearing Estonian in my life.
How does he even pronounce that?
During my last interview with the writer, one strategy had come to mind.
After acquiring a foreign language skill, I needed to appeal even more to overseas fans.
So I played that card here at the 3rd ranking announcement.
A chance to stand out uniquely to international fans.
Halfblackmailing the system to get this skill was a stroke of genius.
I wrapped up my Estonian thoughts with a promise to show even greater growth ahead.
Then, I added a brief message in English.
It is always an honor to perform in front of everyone. Thank you for trusting me and giving me your faith. I promise that I will make you proud.
An honor to stand on stage.
Grateful for the trust and faith.
Ill make you proud of choosing me.
I chose English words to mimic Karis von Waldens speech as closely as possible.
Not as fluent as the Estonian, but thanks to the skill and prior practice, I finished without issue.
As I climbed to my 3rd place seat, Chae Eungyu next to me grinned.
Told you to come up slow.
Ill do better next time.
Aiming for 1st in the finale?
The 1st and 2nd place announcements followed.
No further upsets.
Song Hyeongbin held onto 1st, and Ji Yuncheol bounced back to claim 2nd.
But even here, the stats were striking.
Wait. How many did Karis get?
Around 5.21 million, right?
Thats only 20,000 votes off Yuncheol. Whoa, it was that close.
Hyeongbin hyungs lead isnt as safe either. 5.28 million.
Back at the 2nd ranking, the top trainees gaps had been razorthin.
Today, theyd narrowed even further.
Ji Yuncheol and I were separated by just over 20,000 votes.
Even against 1st place Song Hyeongbin, it was a mere 70,000vote difference.
As time passed, that glittering 1st place throne felt tantalizingly within reach.