The atmosphere in the hotel was heavy. Even though the stage lights had gone off and the crowds had already left, inside the contestants' quarters, it felt like the air itself was weighed down. Everyone knew what was coming next—the eliminated contestants had to leave.

Friends hugged each other in the hallways, some trying to smile, others failing to hide their tears. Nobody wanted to be the one going home, but everyone knew that for many, this was the end of the road. A few whispered words like, "See you again someday," or "You did great."

Cameras followed them closely, catching every moment for the behind-the-scenes broadcast.

Dayo didn't join the cluster of contestants in the lobby. Instead, he sat in his room, with his thoughts flying around. He felt a little lighter—he had passed the first stage and was ready to move to the next.

Then a familiar sound rang in.

DING!

---

[MISSION COMPLETE]

✅ Mission 1 → Global Wildcard Trial

Objective: Qualify as number one out of the top three Wildcard winners (judge + fan voting).

Status: Completed

Rewards Unlocked:

– Fanbase Expansion Card → Permanently gain loyal fans in two new countries

– Random Skill Unlock → Dancing (Level C)

– +5% Creativity → Your writing feels sharper. You are close to a breakthrough.

Penalty: None

---

[MISSION 2 → First Stage Breakthrough]

Objective: Advance past the first elimination (Top 60 into Top 30).

Status: Completed

Rewards Unlocked:

– Random Skill Upgrade → Acting Skill (C- → C)

– Random Stat Upgrade → Applied

Bonus (Top 5): International Spotlight Buff (media push, +10% popularity across regions of performance).

Status: Pending (fan voting to decide Top 5).

---

[STATS UPDATED]

Name: Jason Dayo

Age: 20 years

Status: National Artist (Level 5)

Singing Level: A-

Writing Level: A+

Acting Skill: C

Visual: A-

Instruments:

– Guitar – SS+

– Flute – A+

– Piano – S-

– Violin – A-

Music Production Skill: SSS+

Video Editing: B+

Dancing: C (new)

Potential: SSS+

Skills:

– Prodigy's Instinct

– Status Viewer

– Perfect Match

– Trend Insight

– Archive Vault

Cards:

– Global Spotlight Card → Doubles exposure/reach of next release (7 days)

– Fanbase Expansion Card

System Level: 2

****

Dayo leaned back on the hotel chair, staring at the text in front of him. He couldn't help but smile—he had unlocked a new stat.

"Dancing, huh?"

He stood up, played a beat on his phone, and moved with it. His body flowed easier than before, less stiff, more natural. After a few steps, he nodded in satisfaction and sat back down.

But when his eyes landed on the random stat update, his smile faded.

"Acting? Out of all things? Why not singing or writing?" He sighed, shaking his head.

He muttered, "Better acting than nothing, I guess."

Then something else caught his attention.

The Expansion Card.

"Expansion Card, huh?" he muttered, rubbing his chin. "No point holding onto this. Let's spin it now."

Unlike the Global Spotlight, which he planned to save, this one could help immediately. After all, the fans were yet to vote for their top five. Each week after a stage, fans would pick their favorite five performances, and those chosen would receive extra screen time and highlights.

Extra exposure meant more chances. He needed that.

He tapped the card. The system deck unfolded, a holographic wheel of flags spinning rapidly.

The wheel slowed, ticking louder until it stopped.

[First Country Unlocked → Brazil]

Dayo grinned. "Brazil, huh? Not bad. Fans are fans, brother. I'll take it."

He hit spin again. The wheel blurred, his heart thumping a little faster. It clattered to a stop.

[Second Country Unlocked → South Korea]

Dayo froze for a second, then laughed. "South Korea? Really? I'll take that any day. First Brazil, now South Korea… not a bad start at all. And with their population? Even better."

He shut the system window, the glow fading. The silence of the hotel pressed back in. That's when a thought hit him.

He looked at Min Jae, who seemed down since his friend didn't make it past the stage, and whispered something into his ear.

Min Jae's eyes widened, and he gave him a nod. "Alright… It's a good idea."

Dayo pulled out his phone, opened the group chat the contestants had created, and typed:

Dayo: Guys, let's do something tonight. A dinner in the hotel lounge. To honor those leaving.

At first, the chat went silent. Then messages started popping up—surprised emojis, hesitant replies, and finally, agreement.

Within the hour, he spoke to the director. They didn't object, as long as nothing went overboard. By evening, the dining hall had been rearranged. Long tables, lights, and simple food lined up.

When the contestants walked in, the atmosphere was still heavy. Some smiled weakly, others kept their heads down. No one really knew how to act.

Dayo stood, tapped his glass with a spoon, and cleared his throat. "Alright, everyone. I know today feels rough. Some of us are moving on, and some are stopping here. It hurts—I won't lie. But let's not forget… nobody here got in by accident."

A few people raised their heads, eyes fixed on him.

"Some people say raffle draws are just luck. Some say Wildcards, too, are just luck—like me. Maybe that's true. But luck doesn't put you on stage. Effort does. Years of practice, just like today, history was made. Amelia Wright was the first ever raffle draw to move to the next stage. Every one of you has worked your ass off to stand here, and even if this is your last stop, it doesn't erase the journey that brought you here."

The room went quiet again, some nodding slowly.

He took a breath. "This is not an ending. It's a stepping stone. So let's eat together, celebrate together, and remember that today doesn't define the rest of our paths."

A girl from the back whispered, "Facts…" and a few chuckled softly.

"So why don't we cherish this moment? Look around you—today may be the last day you see these faces. Stopping here doesn't mean you won't be a superstar. To hell with that—we're already superstars in our own ways."

Several nodded in agreement, murmuring "That's true," under their breath.

"I mean, look around you—we are the future of the music industry. And regardless of the stage we stop at, we'll achieve what we're destined to achieve. So use this moment to cherish it. We are all winners, no matter the stage."

For a moment, silence lingered. Then someone clapped. Another followed. Soon, laughter and chatter filled the room. What started as a gloomy dinner turned into a real gathering—people sharing food, cracking small jokes, even exchanging contacts.

Dayo leaned back in his chair, watching it unfold. It wasn't much, but at least for tonight, nobody felt like a loser. They all felt like artists.

And that, he thought, mattered more than anything.

Of course, part of him had a selfish reason for doing this, too—connections. In this industry, you never know who might rise tomorrow.

10 GT = 1 Bonus chapter

1 Capsule = 1 Bonus Chapter

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