The underground venue was nothing like the polished stages Kenji had stood on before. The walls were black brick, plastered with old posters of indie bands long forgotten. The air reeked of sweat, beer, and raw ambition. Neon lights flickered over the stage, casting jagged shadows across the restless crowd.
Kenji tightened his grip on his guitar case, his palms damp. His stomach twisted as shouts and laughter filled the cramped hall. This wasn't a school competition, and it wasn't a festival. These were strangers, people who had paid for tickets, people who didn't care about his journey or his struggles.
If he bored them, they'd walk out. If he messed up, they'd jeer.
Aika stood beside him near the backstage entrance, her arms crossed. She scanned the crowd like a hawk, unshaken by the chaos. "This is the real world, Kenji. No supportive classmates. No judges with polite smiles. Here, you either capture them in the first thirty seconds… or you're done."
Kenji swallowed hard. "No pressure, huh?"
She smirked faintly. "Exactly."
The System flickered to life in his vision.
[System Quest Reminder: Perform at Underground Live Audition.]
[Objective: Capture audience approval within first 30 seconds.]
[Reward: Passive Skill - Audience Connection.]
[Failure: -100 Confidence Aura. Reputation Drop.]
His heart pounded harder. Thirty seconds… that's all they'll give me.
One performer after another went up. Some rapped, some played rock, some shouted into microphones until their voices cracked. The crowd was ruthless. They booed one singer off stage halfway through her song. Another got drowned out by hecklers before he could finish his chorus.
Kenji felt his knees weaken. His turn was coming.
Haru shoved his way backstage, carrying two bottled waters. "Bro, this crowd is insane! It's like they feed on blood."
Kenji laughed shakily. "Thanks for the encouragement."
Haru clapped his shoulder. "You've faced worse. Remember the first time? Remember how your hands shook so hard you almost dropped the mic? And you still killed it."
Kenji closed his eyes, taking a long breath. "Yeah. I remember."
The host's voice boomed through the speakers. "Next up, contestant number nine, Kenji Sato!"
The crowd barely reacted, a few muttering, some scrolling on their phones.
Kenji stepped into the spotlight, the heat blinding. His guitar strap dug into his shoulder. The mic stand loomed in front of him like a test. For a heartbeat, the noise of the audience swallowed him whole.
Thirty seconds…
He strummed the first chord.
The sound was sharp, clear, slicing through the chatter. Heads turned. His golden eyes lifted toward the crowd, glowing faintly under the lights. He sang.
His voice strengthened by Vocal Reinforcement, was steady, ringing against the walls with raw intensity. The first line wasn't perfect, but it was alive.
The crowd's noise dimmed.
He poured into the next verse, the emotion raw and unpolished, his voice cracking slightly in one spot but that imperfection only pulled them closer. Conversations stopped. Phone screens lowered. A silence spread like wildfire.
[System Notification: Objective complete. Audience attention secured.]
[Passive Skill Unlocked - Audience Connection.]
[Description: Your performance naturally draws focus, increasing audience engagement.]
Kenji felt the change instantly. It was like invisible threads stretched from his chest to every pair of eyes staring back at him. His voice wasn't just heard, it was felt.
By the chorus, the crowd was swaying. Some nodded, some clapped to the rhythm. Even the hecklers were quiet. The pressure that had suffocated him at the start now fed him. His fear melted into fire.
He closed the song with a ringing final chord. Silence hung for a heartbeat then cheers erupted.
"Not bad, kid!" someone shouted.
"Sing another!" another voice called.
Kenji's chest heaved, sweat dripping down his temple. The sound of their approval washed over him, almost unreal.
Backstage, Aika met him with raised eyebrows. For the first time, genuine surprise flickered across her face. "You did better than I expected."
Kenji wiped his forehead with his sleeve, still trembling. "Was it… good enough?"
"Good enough to make them remember your name," she said coolly. "And that's the first step."
The System pulsed again.
[Quest Complete.]
[Reward Received: Passive Skill - Audience Connection.]
Kenji exhaled sharply, relief flooding him.
But before he could savor the moment, a familiar voice cut through the air.
"Well, well. Look who crawled out of the schoolyard and into the real stage."
Kenji stiffened.
Ryo Tanaka leaned against the wall, his guitar case slung casually over his shoulder. His entourage lingered behind him, smirking.
"You? Here?" Kenji asked, his voice tight.
Ryo's grin was sharp as a blade. "Did you think you were the only one chasing the spotlight? Underground or not, I go where talent gathers. And trust me, tonight, I'm burning this stage down."
The tension thickened. Haru muttered under his breath, "Of course he's here. Like a damn shadow."
Aika's eyes narrowed, assessing Ryo. "Interesting…" she murmured.
Kenji clenched his fists, heat rising in his chest. He had survived the crowd, unlocked a new skill, proven himself again. But now, fate had put Ryo in front of him once more.
And this wasn't a school competition.
This was war on a stage that could make or break their futures.