I opened my status window and called up the achievement window that I had previously hidden.

50,000 people have noticed your existence

It appeared after the 1st episode aired, so it was already a popup from a few weeks ago.

"I didn't think it would take this long to use it."'

In fact, shortly after the 3rd episode aired, I also got the achievement of being noticed by 100,000 people, which gave me points as a reward.

So this is my current status window.

Right, the practice points I got during the team battle I already distributed singing and dancing before this new team introduction.

Oh, I had one point left. Wouldn't it be good to invest it in Appearance so it can get an A grade? If I don't, it would be a waste.

Of course it would be a waste.

"But... if my appearance changes rapidly unlike the other rankings in my status window, everyone will suspect that it wasn't a natural development, but that I got plastic surgery or something."

When changing the degrees in the alphabet format of my status window, the changes in my abilities and body are very noticeable, so I have to be especially careful.

At first I upgraded it from C+ to B-, I wondered whether or not I should upgrade another grade because I started to get more watched while preparing for the airing of episodes. There was no excuse to go from B-level to A-level immediately.

I was able to raise the B- to B+ under the excuse that a month had passed and I changed my hairstyle and hair color.}

"Well... I was thinking of strengthening my image as a dog, so it was okay to do it."

I researched the dog breed search rankings and found out that the golden retriever seems to be the trend these days, so I tried to change my hair to emulate those dogs so that the public now positively associates me with them.

Well, I think I have explained enough. I will proceed at once with the acquisition of some new skill in the pop-up window.

"I hope I get something useful."

In the new popup, the now familiar slot machine spun and came to rest on a bronze-colored title.

I couldn't get a silver title again, those seemed to be higher quality. Just when I was about to regret my luck, I could see the name of the skill.

People will pay a little more attention to all your actions.

"...?"

Why did I get that title again?

The popup didn't stop there, but instead a new phrase appeared.

Would you like to synthesize the skill "Look at me!"?

- ...

Isn't this the "same element reinforcement" commonly found in games?

I don't know where the heck this system came from or why it acquired that game format.

"When I debut and avoid dying... I'll find out."

Anyway, I had no choice, so I synthesized the skills.

People pay close attention to all your actions.

When this skill is activated, all other skills are increased by one level.

-...!

Although this new skill had a terrible name, its content was impressive. If you can upgrade my other skills, then you're more than welcome. It seemed to be a GyeReuk ability, but it feels like it could be reborn and emerge victorious.

It is a very strange ability, it can positively affect others.

If I had to explain it in other words, it would be as if you walked in front of any camera, they admire you and say that you are a star.

It so happens that I am right next to a person with strange grades.

-Finally! All teams have been completed~

-Wooow!

I heard the comment from the MC announcing that all the teams have finished choosing their members. I clapped my hands a little and looked at Cha YooJin's status window.

Looking at it well, his status window was terrifying. Although three of his current grades were A's, he could still rise to higher levels.

I can't believe someone like him is going to become an idol.

In reality, he had the highest status and potential to become one compared to the other contestants. His grades surpass even judge YoungRin's, so it's very likely that he will surpass many other idols already established in the industry.

Interestingly, one of the lowest-tier skills showing in my status window right now is the one I just got from synthesizing the two that came out twice.

It would be nice if I could get a hint of this new team battle to know which of my rankings I should raise, I wasn't sure if it would be Dance or Talent.

-Now guys, say hello to your teammates! After the greetings, I will introduce the rules of the new team battle!

I was wondering if our team would finish this new battle well.

As I silently looked at the faces of my new companions, I made a firm decision.

"I mustn't get into any trouble."

* * *

-Oh, I look forward to your kind cooperation.

Ryu CheongWoo, who was chosen as our new leader to prevent RaeBin from having another conflict like the one he had in his previous team, smiled and greeted his new teammates.

We all clapped, but I could still feel a bit of tension in the air.

"This is... Even if this moment doesn't appear on the show's edition, you must have already noticed it anyway."

Yes, the editing team was incredibly capable of capturing our intentions and energies.

-Have you already greeted each other?

-Yes!

-Oh, it's good that you guys are nice and warm to your new teammates~ So, would you like me to introduce the new theme for the 2nd team battle?

-Woow, yeah!

Although most of the participants enthusiastically cheered the MC's words, my new colleagues showed a relatively respectful attitude.

"I feel like we're in a big group of people but we're the only ones studying liberal arts."

Anyway, it's not a problem I can solve, so let's leave it and focus on what the MC says.

-There is a content that "Idol Corporation" has been constantly working on for the 2nd tag team battle~ Do you know what it is? oh! That's how it is. It's "Rediscovering Hidden Masterpieces"!

They will do it again in this new season.

-Some of you must have seen that on the show's website there was a vote for the best 50 songs, right?

-Yes.

I heard whispers around me.

In reality, the contestants already knew what this new competition was about, but pretended not to in order to make clichéd reactions that could be recorded so that their faces would appear on the broadcast of the episode.

-This year, our shareholders selected many idol group songs! They were great songs that unfortunately didn't shine for many reasons! But they will be reinterpreted and shown to the public again on our show.

That meant that we would arrange the song well and present it as if it were our own.

"The cost of composition and arrangements is already fixed, so we can be as creative as we can."

While admiring the production team's amazing ability to cut costs, someone suddenly spoke to me, and to my surprise, it was Lee Sejin...

-Is there a song you want to do?

-Hmm?

Although he took me by surprise, I had to answer his question.

-I wish it was a slightly addictive song.

I know it should be a low-key song, but I don't want to choose a song that isn't very popular.

-Which one would you like?

-I would like to do... "Base".

Sejin made a good choice. "Base" was the title song of a currently popular idol group, but said song was released in a time when they weren't known yet, just like the Soft & Sweet song we did in our previous team.

In fact, I did see their performance and I remember that the concept was strong and the melody addictive.

-It is a good song. I think it would be nice to introduce ourselves with that song.

-Yes, it would be nice.

Sejin nodded to my affirmative answer.

When I thought that he was finally starting to be more social, Cha YooJin suddenly jumped into our conversation.

-I like that song too. Base~ Uh, it has a good rhythm~

-... Oh yeah.

Sejin fell silent and showed an awkward expression.

"This guy is always like this."

If he always behaves the same way, I would like to ask him what he is doing here. It would be better if we didn't have a camera recording us, so I'll fix it.

-Yes, that's why I hope we can choose.

-Yes!

Cha YooJin answered me effusively, although the look on his face made me understand that he hadn't given it much thought, as if he was stating something he had no idea about.

"He doesn't make sense, he doesn't know the context, but he's a positive guy."

As the ratings are increasing with each broadcast episode, the MC finally announced a new song selection method to please the public.

-What you can see in front of you~ It's a table with 7 different items!

As he said, there was a table with objects on it that was quite far from the participants.

-Those items belong to the original composers of different "hidden masterpieces"~ You can use your intuition and choose one of them!

-Aaah!

-Oh, but I'm not good at choosing!

-The order in which you will choose is~ well, you will use the more traditional method. You have to compete in a race. Leaders, please get ready!

-Are we going to run?

Ryu CheongWoo, our leader who is very good at sports, will be able to benefit from this new method, although this will only work if he chooses a membership of the composer of the song we want.

Fortunately, this was possible.

-There's a bag there! I think it's from a woman!

-Baseball... Was there a songwriter who was a fan of baseball?

-Oh, a skull pencil. Is that something unique?

There was a lot of murmuring, it seems that everyone is trying to relate the objects to the composers they want.

Oh, my new team made a deal in a flash.

-I would like you to choose the most expensive item that you see closely.

-Hmm yes!

-I think it would be very likely that anyone who owns expensive items is currently a successful celebrity. Possibly it was also a judgment that not only considered the selection of the song, but also the image that we would give in the broadcast of the future episode in which this moment comes out...

Ryu CheongWoo nodded and agreed with Kim RaeBin's comment.

Shortly after, the MC called the leaders back.

-Very well. Leaders, are you ready?

-Yes!

-Ready, set, go!

The leaders ran wildly and spread their hands on the narrow table.

"No matter how I look at it, I don't think I can afford to pick anything from there."

If so, then we will not be able to really choose a song, but rather we will be lucky.

-Ok, I got it!

CheongWoo took something and came back smiling. He showed us the object with a confident expression.

It was a baseball.

-Oh, this... It's a ball signed by Ryu WanBum!

-...!!

-Wow.

Everyone's eyes widened with a look of surprise. Ryu WanBum was a famous hitter who advanced to the Major Leagues.

Seeing that, YooJin immediately asked.

-How do you know?

-I also watch a little bit of baseball, so I recognized it easily.

CheongWoo tossed the baseball into the air and caught it with a smile. Since things seemed to be going well, he temporarily eased the tension within the team and created a pleasant atmosphere.

But it didn't last long.

-The owner of the baseball is. Lee ChanWoo, the vocalist of the idol band "Sun Island"!

-...??

It was because the owner of the baseball was... a stranger that no one knew.

-Don't you know who I am?

None of us could answer that question.

-Waaah!

Right next to us, Choi WonGil's team was excited and made a fuss.

-Hello. I am Jung HaIm, currently I am a movie star.

-Ooooh...

The owner of the bag chosen by his team leader, Keun SeJin, was a famous actress. Perhaps due to the experience we had in our first team, I felt a strange deja vu.

I shrugged.

"Well, anything is possible."

After all, the most important thing was the song. Of course, it was advantageous to have a famous celebrity as it ensures more air time in the episode. It was also beneficial because it could block reactions like "poor unknown idol's precious songs".

But the most overwhelming advantage would be to have a good song, because in a survival show, the performance has to be successful...

So, if we're going to pick a song...

-The song that I will entrust to you will be... "Burning like the sun".

Oh.

-Oh... what... what are we supposed to do now?

-Oh!

-I know it!

The other members of my team exclaimed.

-I really appreciate that you know my song...

-Sunbae-nim, that was a good song!

The team members were relieved. They seemed to have regained their vitality because the song was good and well known.

The original songwriter seemed excited and so he told us a bit more about the song with great enthusiasm.

-7 years ago I released the song "Burning like the sun", but it's still remembered with great joy. If you like baseball, you've probably heard the chorus at least once.

-I know. It's a great song.

When Ryu CheongWoo replied wistfully, the composer smiled warmly at him. On the other hand, Cha YooJin widened his eyes and asked him a question.

-How is the chorus? I don't know much about baseball!

The singer-songwriter cleared his throat as if he had expected that question.

-Oh hmm. "Rise~ Like the burning sun~" The chorus is like this.

-Aaaah. That's true.

-Hahaha!

YooJin's bad grammar made the team laugh amicably. The warm atmosphere we had with the composer looked very good compared to before, when we couldn't recognize him.

The problem was that the expectations... weren't very good.

That's right. I think two days from now, the editors will compare our mood to what we're showing right now.

Because that song is not at all suitable in a survival competition to become an idol...