A week had passed.
The steady thump of bass from the studio speakers reverberated through the mirrored dance room as Damien pushed himself into the final move of the routine. Sweat trickled down his temple, and he brushed it aside with the back of his hand. Around him, a dozen other trainees struggled to catch their breath. Dance class had been brutal today, but for Damien, it was just another stepping stone. He fixed his stance in the mirror, mentally noting the angle of his shoulders in the reflection.
Not perfect, but better than last time. He thought, chest heaving.
A sharp clap cut through the air. The dance instructor stepped forward, her expression stern but not unkind. "Alright, everyone, gather up!" she called. The trainees shuffled into a loose semi-circle. Damien slipped into line quietly, still catching his breath but keeping his face composed. He had a feeling he knew what was coming.
She scanned the faces in front of her. "As you all know, the monthly evaluation is coming up in two weeks." A ripple of whispers passed through the group. Some of the newer trainees tensed in nervous anticipation. Damien's heart rate was finally slowing from the exercise, but at the mention of the evaluation it gave one extra thump against his ribs. Still, he remained outwardly calm.
"The announcement should have appeared on the app this morning." The dance instructor continued. Her gaze swept over them, briefly meeting Damien's eyes before moving on. "Everything including the schedule, criteria, and frequently asked questions are on the notice. Make sure you give it a good read through today!"
A collective murmur rose.
"Already?" One trainee echoed under his breath.
Damien heard someone towards the back let out a low whistle of surprise.
Damien wasn't surprised. In fact, he had been anticipating it for quite some time, especially after a task mission appeared. After his late walk with the system last week, the system had informed him the concept had been finalized. It was a 'storyline concept.' Did that mean that the debut group would dabble in all kinds of genres depending on the current storyline?
He clenched his fingers, recalling the glowing text he'd seen hovering in his vision earlier that week.
That just makes things even tougher...
It had only been a week since the entrance auditions, but Damien was already piecing together patterns. The company wanted versatile talents—trainees who could sing, dance, rap, and maybe even charm an audience without a glaring weak spot. Perhaps they were searching for a new type of idol group, one filled with all-rounders rather than narrowly specialized members.
The instructors voice pulled him back to the present. "You will be evaluated on overall performance," she emphasized. "Not just one skill. This means if you've been relying on a single strength—it's time to shore up your weak areas. Push yourselves. Surprise us. You have two weeks to prepare a short performance that shows a bit of everything." She offered a tight smile. "I suggest you all start planning tonight. Dismissed."
As the trainees broke off into chatter, Damien exhaled slowly. Around him, fragments of conversation floated through the air:
"I'm doomed, my rap is terrible…"
"I haven't read the notice yet..."
"Maybe they want to see who's balanced… who can handle being center…"
Damien tuned them out, lost in his own thoughts. He was calm, more than he probably should be. Other newbies looked panicked, but Damien had spent the last several days bracing for exactly this announcement. The system's early warning and mission had given him a precious head start.
At his side, Choi Hajoon slung a towel around his neck with a scoff.
Hajoon was one of the more experienced trainees and carried an easy confidence that bordered on arrogance.
"An all-rounder evaluation?" Choi Hajoon drawled. "Hah, should've expected it."
"But, Hajoon, you're good at everything. I know you can pass... But us—we're screwed!" One of the trainees from Hajoon's group expressed.
Hajoon laughed. "Wanna train together?"
"You're willing to guide us?"
"Yeah! I want to join!"
"Me too!"
"Hey." A quiet voice piped up at his other side. Song Yejun placed a hand on Damien's shoulder, effectively pulling away his attention from Hajoon's group. "Did you expect this? You're… taking it pretty well."
Damien managed a small smile. Yejun was sweating and wide-eyed, clearly rattled by the announcement.
"I had a feeling," He said carefully. "It makes sense. They want us to be prepared for anything."
Yejun wiped his forehead with his sleeve. "I'm not sure how I'm going to improve my singing in just two weeks," he admitted, sighing dejectedly.
"From what I've seen in vocal class, you've got a good base," Damien said. "Focus on breathing and staying on pitch. Little improvements stack up." It was generic advice, but also genuinely what he believed.
Yejun gave his advice a serious thought before nodding. "Right. Thanks, Damien."
Damien just smiled. He wasn't feeling particularly talkative. His mind was already turning over possibilities for his own preparation. However, he had yet to read the notice due to school and the next class starts in a few minutes. Damien picked up his bag and towel. His muscles were cooling down and starting to ache.
I have to maximize this head start. He reminded himself. And, even worse, the 110 isn't here...
The system's silence over the last few days was a testament to that. A few days ago, the system had informed him that it had to go back to its server as the main system was updating. The system had done this a couple of times in the span of his life here. Unfortunate timing, but he'd make do. He had to.
Luckily he still had access to his stats and the shop.
...
That night, the soft glow of the apartment's single desk lamp was the only light in the room. Damien sat on the floor of his small studio apartment, a folded towel beneath him to catch the sweat dripping from his hair. He had pushed the furniture aside to create a makeshift practice space. A lot of trainees had used the spare practice rooms so he could only give up searching for one and go home.
He leaned back against the foot of his bed, catching his breath. The room was silent save for the hum of the air conditioner and his own breathing. After wiping his face with a towel, he said, "Access my stats."
[Accessing Status...]
[Name: Damien Hertz (Alias: Yeong Myeongho/Damien Yeong)]
[Age: 16]
[Gender: Male-Alpha]
[Physical Condition: Excellent]
[Group: TBA][Agency: Starlite Media]
[Mission Progress: 0.8%]
[Base Attributes (Ratings)]
Vocal: B
Dance: B-
Rap: D
Charm: A+
Visual: S
Artistry: A+
Fame: D- (Notable in a tight social circle only)
Current Balance: 800 Points
[Special Skills]
Reactive Acting: Boosts performance when acting. 50% increase in mastery of expression and control of complex roles.
I'm Good at Everything!: Improves proficiency and learning in various skills.
Unshakable Resolve: Reduces self-doubt and anxiety. Enhances endurance through physical and emotional discomfort.
Old Money Upbringing: Slight increase in elegance and aura. Gives 10% increase in negotiation and sponsorship probability.
Language Expert: Enhanced linguistic ability and comprehension across multiple languages.
Special Host: Access to the system and its support, shop functions and triggered events.
Damien's eyes traced over each rating. And when he saw that his rap had not changed, he grimaced. That one stung, even though he knew it was accurate. He'd never rapped a day in his life before only a month ago. Singing and dance came to him naturally due to his prior experience. But rap was an art form he was only beginning to grasp. For the upcoming evaluation, he couldn't afford a glaring D-level performance in anything.
After he had spare time earlier today, he briefly scanned the notice. The company had listed out the basic information such as the day and time of the evaluation as well as what to prepare. The company had wanted trainees to prepare a one minute solo dance performance as well as a one minute vocal and rap performance.
If he wanted to get to complete his task mission, he had to improve every stat to a satisfactory level. He then glanced at his glaring rap rating and sighed.
"I need to fix that."
Swiping across the panel, he accessed the shop. Normally, Damien might have asked the system for recommendations: which skill should I buy to quickly improve rap? Was there an item to boost my dance learning speed? But for these few days, he was on his own. The interface would respond to his inputs, but not proactively guide or answer questions.
The shop unfolded with various categories. Damien's fingers hovered over [Skills]. A list of purchasable skills and their costs in points materialized. Scanning the options, he muttered under his breath, reading the descriptions:
[Basic Rhythm Sense (Level 1 - Upgradable)]
> Improve your sense of rhythm slightly. Faster progress in vocal, rap, and dance.
> 150 Points
[Breath Control (Level 1 - Upgradable)]
> Increase lung capacity and stability
> 100 Points
[Footwork Drill Mastery]
> Learn and internalize fundamental dance footwork patterns. Boosts muscle memory.
> 200 Points
His total points balance glowed at the top corner of the panel: 800 points. He had to spend wisely, but also boldly. This was not the time to hoard points.
Damien's finger tapped on [Basic Rhythm Sense]. A brief description expanded. This seemed almost tailor-made for him right now—a general boost that could help both his dance and rap, addressing the timing and musicality aspects.
He hit purchase. There was no dramatic fanfare, just a small confirmation pop-up and then a subtle warmth spreading through his mind, like hearing a faint beat sync up with his heartbeat. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Already, he felt… not different, exactly, but the silence around him seemed more alive with pattern. He tapped a finger on the floor, testing himself. Maybe it was just in his imagination, but his internal metronome did feel steadier.
Next, Damien considered [Breath Control]. Better breath would help in singing long phrases and keeping his voice stable, and also in rap where breath timing was crucial. But [Footwork Drill Mastery] was tempting—dance basics were something he needed to reinforce constantly. He recalled how earlier that day he had stumbled on a footwork transition until the dance instructor drilled him on it. Not to mention his fumble with Kian... The idea of instantly internalizing those fundamentals, it was like a cheat code for muscle memory.
He checked his points: after the first purchase, 650 points remained. If he bought the footwork skill for 200, he'd have 450 left—and if he bought [Breath Control] on top of that, it'll leave him with 350 points. He had yet to check out other upgrades, so he didn't want to spend it all on skills.
It was one or the other.
Damien bit his lip, weighing the choice.
My vocals are already decent. He reasoned. Breath control would refine them, but I could manage with technique and practice for now. Dance, on the other hand, was lower than my vocals. Even with hours of practice, some basics were still shaky.
Quickly coming to a decision, he tapped [Footwork Drill Mastery]. This time, a sudden tingling spread through his legs, as if he'd just finished a warm-up. In his mind's eye, a sequence of steps flashed—fleeting images and muscle impulses that he instinctively recognized. It was an odd sensation, like recalling a dance he'd learned long ago, except he had never formally learned it.
Damien stood up slowly on the wooden floor, his legs still slightly sore. He moved into first position, then executed a basic series of footwork drills: a forward step, side step, a quick pivot. The motions flowed smoother than they had an hour ago. His feet felt lighter, more precise. He repeated the sequence, faster, adding a bit of flair with his arms as balance—and stopped with a soft huff of breath. There it was: progress, tangible and immediate.
"This really feels like cheating..."
He allowed himself a rare grin. It felt like having a silent partner guiding his muscles, correcting them in real-time with knowledge he shouldn't have had. Of course, he'd still have to practice to fully realize those gains; the skill wasn't a free pass to greatness. But it accelerated him, shored up the foundation so he could build higher in the limited time he had.
With 450 points left, he looked at the [Attributes] tab and tapped on it. There he saw the rap skill with a button on the side that said [Upgrade]. The problem was each upgrade cost him 150 points. That meant that he was able to upgrade his attribute rating three times from a D to a C. But was it worth it? In just a span of a day, all of his points would be gone.
"Argh! F*ck it!"
Looking away from the screen, he quickly tapped [Upgrade]. Then, he sighed, seeing the top right corner of his screen.
"Hah, access stats."
[Accessing Status...]
[Name: Damien Hertz (Alias: Yeong Myeongho/Damien Yeong)]
[Age: 16]
[Gender: Male-Alpha]
[Physical Condition: Excellent]
[Group: TBA]
[Agency: Starlite Media]
[Mission Progress: 0.8%]
[Base Attributes (Ratings)]
Vocal: B
Dance: B
Rap: C
Charm: A+
Visual: S
Artistry: A+
Fame: D- (Notable in a tight social circle only)
Current Balance: 0 Points
[Special Skills]
Basic Rhythm Sense (Level 1 - Upgradable): Improves your sense of rhythm slightly. Faster progress in vocal, rap, and dance.
Footwork Drill Mastery: Learn and internalize fundamental dance footwork patterns. Boosts muscle memory.
Reactive Acting: Boosts performance when acting. 50% increase in mastery of expression and control of complex roles.
I'm Good at Everything!: Improves proficiency and learning in various skills.
Unshakable Resolve: Reduces self-doubt and anxiety. Enhances endurance through physical and emotional discomfort.
Old Money Upbringing: Slight increase in elegance and aura. Gives 10% increase in negotiation and sponsorship probability.
Language Expert: Enhanced linguistic ability and comprehension across multiple languages.
Special Host: Access to the system and its support, shop functions and triggered events.
The dance stat's letter grade flickered and updated in front of his eyes. B might not be impressive to some, but to him it was proof he was closing the gap. Rap was now at C which had calmed but saddened Damien. He resolved to work on that manually—rhythm sense would help him improve over the coming days if he put in the effort.
Dropping back onto the floor, Damien stretched out his legs. He could feel the fatigue pulling at him, urging him to sleep. But his mind was alight with plans.