Chapter 67
'Trait Shop'
[Trait Shop]
Beginner Vocalization - 1P
Flexible Body - 1P
Everyone Look at Me - 1P
Overflowing Confidence - 1P
Affectionate Gaze - 1P
Sharp Intuition - 1P
.
.
.
Remaining Points: 4P
As soon as I opened the trait shop, I checked my remaining points first.
'4 points...'
Points that could get me as many as four 1-point traits.
But what I wanted right now wasn't such trivial traits.
Beginner Composer - 1P
Absolute Pitch - 2P
Let's Make a Hit Song! - 3P
Am I Mozart? - 5P
'Are these the traits related to composing for now?'
The self-produced album Yujin Kim mentioned.
The first thing that came to mind that I could do to successfully produce the album was composing.
As for composing, of course, I knew well enough that it wasn't something you could do just by studying for a year or two.
'But I have traits.'
The trait 'Let's Make a Hit Song!', which could be obtained with 3 points, caught my eye first.
Unlike the 1- and 2-point traits, its name alone exuded an aura that seemed guaranteed to make me a hit composer.
'Or should I save up just 1 more point and get the 5-point trait?'
Except for the uncertainty of when I'd be able to get trait points again, I thought it might be better to get the 5-point trait.
'Once I get it, it's a jackpot... If only I had 1 more point...'
I fell into a tremendous dilemma over the two choices.
The image of my bank account receiving enormous amounts of royalties floated in my head.
When I was wondering whether to buy an island or a private jet first if I became a world-renowned composer...
-Customer, your level of counting your chickens before they hatch has reached a dangerous threshold.
-Please check the product terms and conditions properly.
'Check the terms? What is this about?'
-The 'Let's Make a Hit Song!' trait is currently locked.
'What?'
Seeing the system message, I slowly checked the 'Let's Make a Hit Song!' trait once again.
'Locked? I have to acquire all lower-tier traits to get this trait?'
Letters saying 'Currently Unobtainable Trait', which weren't visible before, caught my eye.
I learned that to acquire the 'Let's Make a Hit Song!' trait, I had to acquire both of its lower-tier traits: 'Beginner Composer' and 'Absolute Pitch'.
'Then what about the 5-point trait?'
Similarly, to get the 'Am I Mozart?' trait, not only did I have to acquire all its lower-tier traits.
'There are additional conditions attached, aren't there?'
That condition was that a song I composed had to enter the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
'Crazy... why are the conditions so harsh?'
-To acquire a higher-tier trait, you need the appropriate qualifications.
No, I'm giving my points to get a trait...
For a moment, a sense of unfairness welled up to my chin, but I soon accepted it to some extent.
'Honestly, my life couldn't possibly flow this easily.'
It didn't make sense that I'd suddenly become a genius composer just by getting one trait.
But then, what should I do with my plan?
'Let's organize this for now.'
To get the 'Let's Make a Hit Song!' trait, I needed the two traits: 'Beginner Composer' and 'Absolute Pitch'.
Then the required trait points would be 6 points.
With the points I currently had, I could only obtain two lower-tier traits.
If I were only 1 point short, I'd hold onto hope and wait somehow.
But there was no telling when I'd be able to get 2 points.
'In the end, do I have to give up on composing ability for now?'
Even if I got the 'Beginner Composer' and 'Absolute Pitch' traits right now, would it help with album production?
'It'd be difficult...'
Investing points in composing traits was put on hold for now.
Still, I couldn't just let trait points rot with no end in sight, so I decided to look for another way.
'Is there no other way to help besides composing it myself?'
With that thought, I looked through various other traits.
But most higher-tier traits of 3 points or more had acquisition conditions attached, making it difficult to invest points easily.
In the end.
'Should I just raise my singing or dancing stats?'
Returning to the basics, when I was thinking about raising my stats.
'Huh?'
Instantly, one trait caught my eye.
Leader's Whipping - 3P
Unlike a 3-point trait, 'Leader's Whipping' had an ordinary-sounding name.
But the reason I took notice of this trait was.
'I can get it right now, can't I?'
Unlike other 3-point traits that required all lower-tier traits to be acquired before purchasing.
I already had the lower-tier trait for 'Leader's Whipping'.
That was precisely 'Leader's Charisma'.
It had now been upgraded to 'Charisma that Overwhelms the Masses', but it still seemed to count as the lower-tier trait.
'Getting it right away is nice, but... what's the trait effect?'
-Leader's Whipping
Team morale maintenance and discipline +50%,
Activation of members' latent abilities and increased probability of ability awakening.
*Requires the lower-tier trait 'Leader's Charisma'.
'Morale maintenance and discipline?'
Since 'Leader's Charisma' was the lower-tier trait, I expected it to be somewhat related to the team.
But the trait effect exceeded my expectations, leaving me speechless for a moment.
However, looking closely.
'Activation of latent abilities, and increased probability of ability awakening...'
Honestly, it was a trait hard to guarantee I'd see the effects of right away.
It didn't directly raise my abilities either.
But my eyes kept being drawn to this trait.
Even if it didn't raise my stats immediately, they were a team and members I had to go with whether I liked it or not.
Especially since we were an idol group, it was better for each individual member to find their own strengths than for just one person to stand out.
And most importantly.
I was confident enough in driving the members hard.
'Even if I'm a bit lacking, I can just work the 6 of them hard instead.'
Anyway, this promotion was almost at its wrap-up stage.
It was time to think about the next 2nd album.
Even if it wasn't a trait with immediate effects, it seemed perfectly fine for the current situation.
Finally, I made up my mind.
-Acquired the 'Leader's Whipping' trait.
It was the moment I took one step closer to the anti-terror special forces WEIRS.
***
WEIRS's debut promotions were now gradually coming to an end.
Thanks to the explosive popularity of 'Our Spring', there was talk of extending the promotions, but.
It was ultimately decided to wrap up the promotions as originally planned.
'Our Spring' wasn't a planned follow-up track to begin with, and there was a massive wall approaching us head-on, making it difficult to extend promotions despite the current popularity.
"Yes! Live Broadcast Music Power! This week's 1st place song is... NEXT's 'Flower'!"
That massive wall was precisely NEXT's comeback.
NEXT, one of the three major idol groups.
We had competed with Bluered upon their comeback, but the weight class difference we felt now was completely different from then.
'The score difference is overwhelming...'
An overwhelming score difference. Of course, there was the fact that we were at the end of our promotions and NEXT had just started theirs, but...
'NEXT didn't even appear today.'
Due to overseas schedules, they didn't even show their faces on this week's Korean music shows, but.
NEXT's underlying strength, sweeping 1st place on all music shows, was truly astonishing.
"Yes, we will make sure to deliver this trophy to the NEXT members."
"Then see you next week! Bye!"
Like that, with the ending, NEXT's new song 'Flower' flowed over the stage.
'It's a relief we're at the end of our promotions; if I thought about clashing head-on with them, it'd be really daunting...'
As expected, CROSS and NEXT. These two groups were still like insurmountable massive walls.
Feeling that way, we finished the music show and were on our way to the next schedule location.
Fortunately, the atmosphere inside the car wasn't too bad.
We had known about NEXT's comeback from a long time ago anyway, and since our music show promotions would end this week.
We wouldn't be directly clashing with NEXT anymore.
'Still, it's not like I don't care at all.'
Even knowing we couldn't win right now, I couldn't help but be curious about where they stood.
Eventually, someone opened Pandora's box first.
"Wow..."
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"I saw it."
"Saw what?"
"NEXT's first-week sales for this album..."
When Kang A-jin, who was staring at his phone screen, spoke in a shocked voice, I could see all the members perking up their ears while pretending not to be interested.
"How much is it?"
"1.5 million."
"Keuk...!"
"That's insane..."
1.5 million copies...
A number that other groups couldn't sell even after years of activity.
NEXT achieved it in their first week. That is, within just one week of release.
"Th-then... what was our first-week sales?"
"It was 700,000. And our total sales so far... are just short of 1 million."
700,000 was an enormous number too, but.
After hearing the unrealistic number of 1.5 million, it couldn't be helped that it felt relatively lacking.
"Is this... the wall of the heavenly realm..."
"And to think there aren't just one, but two groups like this."
"Will we ever be able to beat them...?"
Everyone was a bit deflated by NEXT's tremendous majesty.
Yujin Kim spoke in a calm voice.
"Even NEXT and CROSS were far below our results when they debuted. 700,000 first-week sales for a debut album is a record-breaking high."
"Is... is that so?"
"Come to think of it, we are pretty amazing."
"Yeah, if we keep going like this, we'll beat them someday, right?"
'Why is everyone so simple-minded?'
I suspected that the morale-boosting ability of the 'Leader's Whipping' trait might be turning the members into idiots, but.
'Well, we'll probably win someday.'
Our growth rate right now wasn't anything to scoff at either.
There was no need to be deflated by comparing ourselves to NEXT...
'Wait, then when do we get the Daesang?'
My mind got complicated again for a moment, but I had no intention of bringing up pointless talk.
The car regained its peace after Yujin Kim's words.
When we were enjoying a quiet moment after a long time.
"Uh-oh?"
A voice breaking the brief peace was heard once again.
"What... why again? Did NEXT set some other record?"
"No, it's not that..."
"Then what is it?"
"You know a rookie idol group is debuting from Star Road, right? But there's a familiar face."
"Star Road?"
Star Road... that was the name of the agency Wi Cheon-woo belonged to.
Then.
"Is Cheon-woo debuting?"
"Wait a sec, there was a photo here... Here you go."
I took the phone and checked the photo.
On the phone screen, I saw a 6-member rookie male idol group named 'ZEUS'.
Along with Wi Cheon-woo standing right in the center.
'Uh... the Boo brothers?'
In the photo, I could see Boo Ji-seok and Boo Ji-hoon.
'So they're debuting here...'
Well, they were individual trainees when they were on National Idol.
It wouldn't be strange for them to debut anywhere.
The only unusual thing was that they joined Wi Cheon-woo's agency?
"Star Road is still a large agency. That's good for them."
I heard Kang A-jin say with a smile.
Anyway, the group name is Zeus...
I couldn't hold this in.
I immediately opened my phone and texted Boo Ji-seok for the first time in a while.
-Hey Zeus lol
And as soon as I sent the text, a video call came to my phone immediately.
'What? Why is it so fast?'
Flustered, I pressed the video call button.
-Kyakkyakkyakkyak Bbororin! Rin Airplane! Hello!!!
At their unchanged obnoxiousness despite it being a long time since we last spoke, I considered hanging up right away, but soon sighed and answered.
"Congratulations on your debut..."
-Why does the person congratulating us have no energy? Anyway, is that inside a car? Where's A-jin?
The faces of Boo Ji-seok and Boo Ji-hoon filled the screen.
Seeing them immediately look for A-jin, I handed the phone to Kang A-jin.
"Here."
"Yeees?"
-Oh, it's A-jin! A-jin, have you been well? Where did your cheek fat go? You didn't get plastic surgery, did you?
"What are you talking about!"
Kang A-jin took the phone, freaked out, and handed it back to me.
-Sob... A-jin changed...
-They say people change once they debut...
This feeling after such a long time.
Feeling my mind go dizzy, I spoke to the Boo brothers.
"You guys seem to have a lot of free time, picking up right away."
-What are you talking about. We came out during a short break. We have to go back in soon!
"Then get back in there."
-Uh? Are you going to be this cold when we're talking after so long...?
-Hey hey, have you changed after debuting too...!
I half-listened to the two's words, feeling my eardrums starting to ache, and spoke quickly.
"Anyway, congratulations on your debut. And even more congratulations on promoting alongside NEXT."
-Yeah, Sunwoo Rin hasn't changed.
-Right! Exactly like during the audition.
Words that I couldn't tell were compliments or insults came through.
Anyway, I confirmed the two were healthy. The business was done.
-But WEIRS's promotions next week are... Ah! Is that it?
-Huh? Wasn't this week WEIRS's last week of promotions?
When Boo Ji-seok spoke, Boo Ji-hoon talked with a puzzled expression.
Listening to the two, I answered softly.
"Next week... we have to go to Japan."
The one remaining schedule of our debut promotions was exactly that.
A trip to Japan.