Gangster to Idol

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."

Mitchell crossed his arms, shaking his head. "These kids have talent, but talent isn't enough. Where's the drive? The edge? This is the biggest stage of their lives, and they're fumbling it."

Kalista frowned deeply. "It's like they're afraid to take risks. I want to see someone who's willing to throw everything they have into their performance, not play it safe. You can't hold back if you want to make it in this industry."

Jaxton let out a heavy sigh, raking a hand through his hair in frustration. "I was hoping the beginners would actually take in what I taught them, but they're falling way short. It's like they don't even get how huge this opportunity is. They're giving me nothing to work with."

The atmosphere in the mentor's area was as tense as in the production room. The eliminations weren't just cutting contestants — they were cutting the hopes of the mentors who believed in these young performers.

The remaining contestants felt the weight of the mentor's critiques, whispered gossip spreading among them. For those who hadn't performed yet, the pressure was reaching a boiling point. But for the mentors, hope was dwindling fast.

"This can't continue," Evelyn said quietly, her voice firm. "We need someone to step up and remind us why we're here."

"It's fine. The intermediate group is up next," Mitchell said, his tone calm but expectant.

"I really hope they bring more to the table than the beginners," Kalista added, tapping her fingers impatiently.

"Don't get your hopes up," Jaxton chimed in, arms crossed. "At this rate, the advanced group is our only chance to turn things around. Honestly, I don't even know why we didn't cut these trainees from the start. Total waste of resources."

"We can't just eliminate them on the first show," Evelyn countered, her voice steady. "It's RRR policy."

Mitchell sighed, leaning back. "Let's see what the next contestant brings. Maybe we'll finally get something worthwhile." The camera panned to the stage as Leo's name was called.

"Good luck, Leo!" Riku shouted, giving an encouraging wave.

Leo flashed a smile and a confident thumbs-up before stepping onto the stage.

"I wonder if he'll be okay," Riku muttered under his breath. "He needs at least 20 points to stay."

"He'll manage," Cain replied, but his mind was elsewhere, fixated on his own upcoming performance and the problems plaguing him.

"C.C." Riku turned to him, worry etched on his face. "Your voice . . . it sounds kind of hoarse."

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.

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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.