‘In that world’s terms, this would be close to a Sword Master level.’
Even among Roy’s former comrades, those who reached Sword Master class were few and far between.
“Do you think we could ever get that strong too?”
“Of course! Even Highcycle’s average level was below 50 before their debut. But right after debuting, they practically swept through dungeons with their fans, and that’s how they got that strong!”
Kim Chan’s cheeks flushed with excitement.
Even those who were ranked S-class often chose to debut as Hunter Idols.
The influence of their fanbase couldn’t be underestimated.
***
“Over here, please!”
As Roy’s group started to fall behind, a staff member approached them.
Roy quickened his pace, gently brushing his fingers over Ber’s head, who was sleeping on his shoulder.
For some reason, he had a feeling they’d be meeting Highcycle again very soon.
“Whoa, the stage is huge…”
Kim Jaemin gaped in awe.
Even with the contestants who had been eliminated during the theme song mission excluded, the number of people going up on stage was far more than that of a typical idol group.
The massive set dominated the center of the filming location, with more than enough space for everyone to stand on stage.
“They had this stage custom-made just for us. Normally, a stage this big wouldn’t even be necessary.”
About two-thirds of the contestants who had been put on hold were eventually approved and allowed to join the stage.
Han Jihoo glanced nervously at Song Doyoon, who was adjusting his outfit.
Song Doyoon had always been overflowing with confidence, but after one slip-up, he hadn’t quite been able to regain his usual rhythm.
“Let’s just get through the performance without any mistakes.”
Roy looked around at his teammates and held out his right hand first.
As if it had been planned in advance, each of them stacked their hands on top of his.
“One, two, three.”
“Fighting!”
It was a clichéd cheer, but the warmth of their hands meeting and parting eased some of the tension.
***
“Rehearsal begins in 10 minutes!”
The rehearsal stage turned into utter chaos.
Some contestants missed their notes due to nerves, while others tripped over their choreography and nearly fell.
“If you go up on stage like this, it’ll be a nationwide embarrassment. You understand?”
Lee Hyeyeon crossed her arms and looked more serious than ever as she swept her gaze across the contestants on stage.
Those who had messed up during the rehearsal couldn’t meet her eyes and looked down in shame.
“This isn’t a pre-recorded broadcast—it’s going out live. That means your mistakes are permanently recorded for everyone to see.”
Her voice was cold, but the contestants listened to her warning in silence.
“I’ll talk to the PD and get you one more rehearsal. So everyone who messed up their blocking better get your heads on straight.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
***
A second rehearsal began.
Roy performed the way he had practiced, flawlessly in both the first and second rehearsals.
“You’ll be waiting offstage now.”
After rehearsal, the contestants were led by the staff to the audience seats below the stage.
Today’s live broadcast was airing on K Network’s main music program, Music Center.
But this wasn’t the usual Music Center set.
For the live broadcast debut of Pick Your Hunter Idol!, a massive stage had been built inside a space that was originally used as a drama set.
Instead of regular audience members, the audience was filled with contestants.
Roy sat down and looked toward the stage.
“Wow… seeing Highcycle perform up close like this…”
“It might be better not to watch. It’ll only make you feel worse about yourself.”
Roy overheard the contestants in front of him and turned his gaze to the darkened stage.
The members of Highcycle were in position, waiting for the music to begin.
That was all—but already, the atmosphere surrounding them felt extraordinary.
As the performance began, Roy finally understood why Highcycle was considered the top in the Hunter Idol world.
***
‘…It’s been a while since I felt chills like this.’
He wasn’t even the one performing, and yet, just watching someone else’s performance made his heart swell.
Their choreography was perfectly synchronized, as if moved by a single will, and their vivid facial expressions held the audience captive.
Every member radiated a strong presence, but Roy’s eyes were most drawn to their leader, Kim Taejin.
If Roy ever regained his original strength, he’d want to go head-to-head with him at least once—it stirred his competitive spirit.
“Now that is what a fully immersive stage looks like…”
Roy nodded in agreement at Kim Chan’s words.
Among the countless top idol performances he had watched, Highcycle’s videos made up the majority.
He’d thought they were incredible even through a screen, but now that he was seeing them in person, he realized those videos couldn’t capture the true depth of their impact.
“Someday, we’ll get to debut and stand on a stage like that too, right?”
Lee Hajun looked around at the older boys sitting beside him with a dreamlike expression.
If possible, he wanted to debut with the friends he had grown close to.
“Of course.”
Lee Doha placed a hand on Hajun’s head and spoke with unwavering confidence.
His eyes were sparkling just as brightly, with not a hint of drowsiness.
***
“This is the hottest program right now, isn’t it?”
“Rozie, do you watch it too?”
“Of course! I’m cheering them on as a dedicated fan myself!”
Roy listened to the two MCs exchange scripted banter while taking a quiet breath.
Ber, perched on his shoulder, was grooming her fur.
[Since Roy’s trademark is practically having Ber with him, let’s have him on stage too.]
Due to a special request from the producers, Ber would be appearing on stage as well.
After his egg cracked open during the last live broadcast, public interest in spirits had skyrocketed.
When Ber made his appearance in the following episode, the internet exploded.
With his adorable looks, clear chirps, and energetic yet oddly tough behavior, Ber had gathered a fandom of his own.
“Pii.” (I gotta look cool on broadcast too.)
Ber was starting to understand what broadcasting was.
Thanks to Earth’s efforts, she’d been learning all sorts of things about this world.
“Then now, it’s time for Hunter Idol K’s STAR stage! Let’s go!”
With the MC’s final line, brilliant stage lights rained down like a spotlight.
“Do it what you want—”
The camera first showed a wide shot of the stage, then zoomed in on Lee Doha the moment the opening line began.
Even as the camera closed in, Lee Doha continued to sing and dance without the slightest hesitation.
“Wow, the choreography’s no joke. K Entertainment really pulled out all the stops.”
Despite their stage ending earlier, Highcycle chose not to leave. I
nstead, they took seats in the audience to enjoy the performance.
They had some free time before their next schedule, making it possible.
Yoo Jaeri clicked his tongue while subtly mimicking a few of the main dance moves.
Highcycle’s choreography was notoriously difficult, but Dang Heonah’s stage wasn’t far behind.
It looked deceptively easy, but when you actually tried to follow the movements, the hand and footwork turned out to be surprisingly complex.
One wrong move and you’d look ridiculous.
“If we don’t want our juniors catching up, we’ll have to step up too.”
Kim Taejin smiled gently as he casually observed the contestants on stage.
Out of the many participants, a few especially caught his eye.
“We got a schedule related to Dang Heonah, didn’t we?”
“Yeah. Manager Kim mentioned it.”
At Han Honghyun’s reply, Kim Taejin furrowed his brow suspiciously and stood up.
Dang Heonah’s performance was heading into its final act.
“Let’s head to the next schedule.”
***
[Hero! I think we just delivered our best performance yet!]
Roy clenched his fists tightly, trying to suppress the surge of emotion.
Thanks to his level-up, his stamina had increased, and he wasn’t as out of breath as expected.
More than that, his entire body was flushed with the thrill of completing the stage.
It was a sensation akin to leading a victorious battle.
“Great job, everyone!”
After finishing the stage safely, the contestants bowed politely to the staff in gratitude.
As they stepped offstage, they patted each other on the back in camaraderie.
“I’m glad no one made any mistakes during the actual performance.”
Lee Hajun whispered softly into Roy’s ear.
Maybe it was the result of doing two rehearsals, or perhaps everyone had simply resolved not to mess up during the live show.
Either way, the contestants’ hard work had paid off, and they delivered a polished performance.
— [Wait, they’re actually good?]
— [Aside from the number of people, they’re not losing to real idols.]
— [There’s too many of them. I can’t tell who’s who.]
Viewers flooded the live chat with reactions as they watched the theme song stage. Many of them were positive.
— [The song’s not bad either. Kinda catchy.]
— [K Entertainment definitely spent a lot.]
The theme song itself received favorable reviews as well.
— [What’s the point if everyone sings together and you can’t tell who’s voice is whose.]
There were, of course, criticisms, but they didn’t outweigh the general praise.
“Everyone, please get on the bus right away.”
For today’s stage, the contestants had left the island for the first time in a while.
But to stay on schedule, they had to board the bus and move immediately after.
Inside the bus, the sound of snoring slowly filled the space as the contestants fell asleep one by one.
With the tension of the performance gone, exhaustion surged in.
Beep… [Contractor, I need sleep too.]
The moment Roy leaned back in his seat, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Even Roy, who had spent countless nights fighting in battlefields, had found this schedule overwhelming.
Ber closed his eyes as he leaned against Roy’s shoulder, quietly sharing his warmth.
“And the next mission is…!”
The contestants kept their eyes fixed on Lee Jian’s lips, waiting to hear what she would say next.
“You must gain a fan!”
At her next words, their eyes went wide.
“A fan?”
“Wait, are we doing a mission with actual fans?”
It was a mission that had never been done in previous Hunter Idol programs.
Normally, fan clubs were only formed after the final members were chosen and started official activities as a group.
Of course, they needed fans to get votes—but actually meeting fans was another matter entirely.
Blushes appeared on each contestant’s cheeks.
A Hunter Idol grows through the love of their fans.
Without fans, they cannot exist.
To them, fans were an essential part of who they were.
A fan’s love—freely given and without expecting anything in return—was more precious than anything to the contestants dreaming of becoming Hunter Idols.