Kyle was up first from the beginner section.
The pressure of going first, combined with the fear of messing up, weighed heavily on him. Despite his best efforts to deliver a flawless performance, his nerves got the best of him.
The mistakes piled up, his voice wavering as the song slipped from his control.
When the mentor called his name, signaling his elimination, a heavy silence fell over the group.
"If only he didn't have to go first," Riku muttered, feeling bad for Kyle.
"Performing under pressure is part of the game," Leo replied coolly. "If he can't handle it now, it's better he got eliminated early. Soon, we'll be performing in front of live audiences. Being cut here is nothing compared to that."
Cain stayed quiet, watching the performances continued.
"L-Live?" Riku gulped, remembering that the show had live stages coming up. "I hope I can handle that pressure when the time comes. Honestly, I don't know how you guys manage it."
Leo flicked his hair back with a confident smirk. "When you've got millions of followers watching your every move, you learn to thrive under pressure. Confidence comes with the spotlight."
"I-is that so?" Riku dint have a million followers so he couldn't comprehend.
The show trudged on, and with each passing performance, the atmosphere in the production area grew heavier.
One by one, most of the beginners faltered under the spotlight, and the eliminations started to pile up.
The once energetic buzz of the room dulled into a gloomy silence, as even the crew seemed to sense the disappointment hanging in the air.
Backstage, tension was thick. Cameras captured the defeated expressions of those who had just been eliminated, their dreams slipping through their fingers.
Meanwhile, the mentors, sitting in their panel, exchanged concerned glances.
Evelyn leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. "I expected more fire. More hunger." Her voice was laced with disappointment, and she sighed, her decades of experience making the lack of passion from the performers even more apparent. "They're letting the pressure crush them."
Cain cleared his throat, feeling the scratchy dryness. "Yeah . . . must be from overworking. Been practicing non-stop."
His singing had improved, reaching level 12, but what good was it if his voice was shot?
"Oi, little devil—I mean Fifi, got anything that can fix my voice?" Cain asked, half-joking but clearly desperate.
Fifi shot him a sidelong glance. "I don't deal in cures for natural ailments. All I've got are items to help you on your quest to becoming an idol."
"You've got magic, right? Can't you heal me or something?"
"I already told you—it doesn't work like that. I don't have any spells that'll instantly make you better or turn you into an idol overnight."
Cain frowned, his mind racing. Looked like he'd have to accept performing at half his best. Not to mention, his body was aching from the relentless training over the past few days.
"Okay, fine. Any magic pill to at least ease my body aches?"
"Maybe if you boost your stats more," Fifi replied dryly.
"Then I don't have to pay you back, right? I need the points to increase my stats." Cain smirked.
"You can . . . but interest will pile up," she said with a mischievous grin.
Cain grumbled under his breath.
Meanwhile, Leo's performance was solid, but not extraordinary. He managed to score exactly 20 points, just enough to bring his total to 47 and avoid elimination.
Discover more stories at m,v l'e-NovelFire
When he returned, he looked smug, running a hand through his hair and flashing a bright grin. "Did you see my performance? Pretty impressive, right?"
Cain and Riku exchanged a glance, both holding back their comments, opting for silence instead.