"Our next segment will be the audition."
After Plotter said that, the entire lobby erupted in murmurs.
"W-What's this audition for?" someone from the crowd asked.
As though the mysterious host had been waiting for that question all along, he readily answered.
"To determine who among you will continue to exist and is worth existing."
On the side, Rayen was expecting more explanation, but Plotter said no more.
Beside Rayen, the guy with deep and dark eye bags under his thick glasses held his chin in thought. "Was the assessment not yet the audition?"
'That's what you're asking?'
Rayen glanced at him from the corner of his eye and at everyone in the lobby. The others' reactions were also the same as the guy beside him.
'Isn't anyone gonna ask why they were here?'
What is this place? Is this some syndicate's hideout?
'Wait, wasn't this like the movie I watched before?'
A group of people was kidnapped, and for the sake of entertainment, they had to participate in some kind of horrible games to survive. If they failed, then they would be killed!
But what about that strange phenomenon earlier? If they were really kidnapped by some syndicate, how could they explain his near-disappearance?
'Am I screwed?'
Just as Rayen was almost on the verge of panicking, someone finally asked a question Rayen deemed relevant.
"Why do you have to determine if we are worthy of existing? Is that for you to decide?! Isn't anyone gonna explain what's going on?"
With sweaty palms, Rayen looked up at the screen that was hanging on the ceiling, waiting for his answers.
"Eh? You don't know?"
"Of course I don't. Will I be asking if I do?" the person said with a red face, visibly annoyed.
However, the others only looked at him with pity. Rayen sensed this and squinted his eyes. It seemed like they knew something that he didn't.
"Well, that's quite unfortunate," Plotter also said, his voice no longer carrying the same ingratiating tone as he did when he was speaking with Rayen in the assessment room earlier.
"Unfortunate?" the red-faced participant asked.
Rayen had the same question in his mind.
Plotter continued, "It's unfortunate that you don't seem to be aware."
"Aware of what?"
Instead of answering right away, Plotter's smile widened. Only then did he finish his words.
"That you're dead."
As soon as Plotter uttered those words, the entire lobby went silent. The red-faced participant's jaw hung open, while the look of pity on the other participants' eyes deepened.
Meanwhile, Rayen's mind went blank.
'What?'
"The explanation is over. Let's proceed with the audition now!"
Plotter did not even wait for them to process this information and continued to talk about the agenda of the audition.
"Every participant here will have to audition. Anyone who gets less than three sponsorship..."
With each word that left his mouth, Plotter's tone became menacing.
"... will not receive a second chance at life."
Rayen heard these, but he was still processing the truth that was revealed earlier.
'I'm... dead?'
How come?
Wasn't he just at their concert? The audience even requested one last song.
It shouldn't be. How did he die?
There was no one to answer him. Instead, the entire lobby was suddenly plunged into darkness, prompting Rayen's mind to return to the present.
He looked around, but everything was too dark. A single spotlight was the only source of light that remained, but it kept running around as though teasing the people inside the room.
"For our first performer..." Plotter's distorted voice reverberated throughout the dark room.
The spotlight continued to randomly swim in the darkness, illuminating and blinding the participants. Rayen closed his mouth and observed the light with clenched fists.
When the light passed over Rayen, his body stiffened. He looked up, but by the time he did, the light had already settled on the person on his left side.
Rayen's eyes followed the direction of the light. Under it, the person's eyes were wide.
"We have our first participant. Please go up to the stage~" Plotter said.
At the same time, a circular stage had sprouted from the floor, under the screens, waiting for the first participant to perform.
Gulp.
That was the only thing that the participant was able to do before stepping onstage.
Meanwhile, Rayen sighed in relief.
'It's not me... yet.'
Everyone followed the first participant with their gazes as he stood at the center of the stage. However, as soon as he settled on his position, he didn't know what to do next.
Should he start singing or dancing now? But there's no music yet.
"Please state your format," the distorted voice said.
"F-Format?"
"Will you perform singing and dancing simultaneously, or will you do it separately?"
"I... will do it simultaneously."
After that, Plotter's image disappeared. It then went down from the ceiling, prompting the participant to choose a song to perform.
As soon as the participant tremblingly tapped on the monitor, it receded back up. The music started playing. At the same time, a counter had appeared on the screen. It must be for showing the number of sponsorships the participants would get.
The participant began to move and sing at the same time. Judging as a veteran performer, Rayen could only grade him as average. It was okay, but nothing amazing.
'But this isn't the time to analyze the others.'
If he did nothing right now, it would be his second death.
'And I don't even know how I died the first time!'
Under the darkness, Rayen looked down at his hands. He was still holding the parchment he received as a prize. If he figured out how to use this thing, he might be able to save his dancing ability, somehow.
With that, Rayen examined the parchment. On its back, he spotted a blue QR code.
'Do I have to scan it?'
Immediately, Rayen rummaged through his pocket to find his phone. With gritted teeth, he pressed the camera to try to scan the QR code. However, nothing happened.
'What the hell...'
At the same time, the performance onstage also concluded.
Breathless, the participant looked up to the screen. But he didn't really need to as Plotter's distorted voice had already announced the result.
"Two sponsorships."
Rayen looked up only to see the terrified face of the participant onstage.
Plotter passed his verdict.
"Fail."
"W-Wait! Let me perform again!"
Plotter did not listen to his ramblings at all. Under the spotlight and the countless gazes of the other participants in the lobby, he began to disintegrate just like a burning ash being scattered in the wind.
When the motes of light completely disappeared, no one spoke, except for the distorted voice.
"Next participant."