Chapter 152

“Yes. I’m Seo Han Gyeol, the host of Star Hero. Nice to meet you.”

Han Gyeol bowed toward the audience and the cameras, then continued his prepared remarks smoothly.

“Three months ago, 202 rookies gathered for Star Hero.”

After countless missions and fierce survival rounds, eighteen finalists were finally selected to take the stage for the final showdown.

Taking a brief breath, Han Gyeol stepped aside and said, “Let me introduce the honored candidates who will fight the final battle.”

At that moment, the stage lights all went out, and a video began playing on the main screen.

Scenes of raging winds, houses consumed by fire, water freezing solid, and cracks splitting the earth as bursts of light emerged. The intro, as if weaving the forces of nature into one, reached its climax just as the central screen split open left and right to reveal the contestants.

“Gyaaaaah!”

Amid an explosive roar of cheers, the Awakeners walked forward onto the stage in a single line. The cameras focused on each participant’s face one by one.

When Roy’s face appeared on the jumbotron, a deafening cheer unlike anything before shook the entire arena.

Moments later, Han Gyeol joined the lineup beside Roy in the center and resumed his announcement.

“Who among these will become the Star Hero?”

With a grin and direct eye contact, he encouraged the crowd to vote vigorously. “During this live final, anyone who predicts the winner correctly by voting will be entered into a drawing to receive a signed Polaroid from the champion.”

Instantly, the fan community went wild.

[Title: No idea how much Park Junseo wants to win]

God’s performance with a signed Polaroid?

If I don’t get it, I die.

– So they say that’s how they died.

– Pick me please ㅠㅠㅠ

– I’ll just watch them unbox it again...

[Title: Seriously, I voted]

(Star Hero notice.jpg)

But if the event schedule will be announced later, is it what I think it is?

– Are you kidding, a photo session?

– Park Junseo, how many moves ahead are you planning?

– I heard Park Junseo has been following Roy around since his Strength Awakening trying to persuade him to join cast. Whether he knew or not, Junseo’s taste is incredible.

– If it’s a photo session, I can’t even imagine how high the premium tickets will go.

Of course, that wasn’t the only thing shaking the community.

[Title: Maru Group owner family spotted at Gocheok Dome ㄷㄷㄷ]

(Selfie with Lee Junyong.jpg)

That’s really Lee Junyong, not a lookalike. Next to him is Go Jina.

They came to see the god performance.

– What is this;;

– Photoshop, get out

└ No, really~~

└ If Lee Junyong shows up himself, Roy must really be S rank.

– Looks like they used invitation tickets lol Park Junseo’s ambition is legendary.

– S grade in elemental Awakening must be impressive... so impressive that chaebol ran to the survival site.

[Title: Wow, Lee Junyong went to watch the final]

(Lee Junyong and Go Jina in the audience.jpg)

Also reportedly Heo Ho, Kang Saeon, Namchinnam, and others in the VIP seats.

– Wow, even Heo Ho?

– Why is Jun Dragon there lol I’ve never imagined that combo, I’m so shocked.

– Damn, next the president will come.

– So many people came.

– But who dared to give Lee Junyong the invitation?

– Next product ad must be for Roy, right?

└ Maru frozen gimbap just went viral overseas

└ Awakeners can’t shoot commercials

└ God performance can do anything

– Didn’t other big company chairmen come? No wonder dumpling company’s stock is tanking ㅜㅜ

└ Dumpling company lol.

[Title: Just saying]

It’s the final, so they’ll surely show something epic, right? Bro, can I expect that?

– What will the final challenge be?

– If it’s virtual, I want them to go all out lol

– A staff member told me there’s something amazing, get hyped.

Because it was the final, the public expected Roy to deliver something spectacular. And before long, something truly spectacular was unveiled—for a completely different reason.

As Han Gyeol finished his pitch for votes, the stage lights dimmed again. The contestants began to descend, and the same VCR video started playing once more.

Under a blue sky and dazzling sunlight, the back of a woman with long black hair in a white sundress was shown. No one thought it could be Roy—no one except one person.

“...Huh?”

Hojin’s eyes widened, and he let out a short exclamation.

“Why? Do you know her?”

Bi glanced at Hojin, puzzled. No one expected the white-dress figure to be Roy.

The woman wandered through a field and stopped where dandelions bloomed thickly. At that moment, Hojin whispered Roy’s name.

“Roy...?”

“E Roy? He’s not even on yet.”

“No, that looks like Roy.”

“What?”

Frowning in disbelief, Bi looked Hojin up and down. He knew Hojin was a diehard fan of E Roy, but he hadn’t realized it was that serious.

But Bi’s certainty didn’t last. The camera angle shifted and revealed the woman kneeling beside a dandelion. A breeze blew in, scattering dandelion fluff and whipping her hair around.

“Gyaaaaah!”

At last, Roy’s face was revealed.

“?!”

Bi’s jaw dropped and froze in place.

“It is Roy, our Roy!”

“???”

Bi just blinked, speechless. Didn’t he have S-rank pride? What was this?

On screen, Roy tucked hair behind his ear, shyly smiling. Tracking a drifting dandelion fluff with his eyes, he noticed a bluebird perched on a branch above, watching him.

Peep!

Tilting its head in curiosity, the bird fluttered off into the forest. Roy followed it into the trees and soon realized that the scenery around him was distorted.

[Roy: Where is this place?]

As the line appeared, the arena erupted in cheers again. But one person remained frozen in stunned silence.

Bi, [N O V E L I G H T] overwhelmed, squeezed his eyes shut. His distress wasn’t due to Roy’s acting—it was because Roy’s performance was far more natural than he’d expected.

‘Why is he so good...?’

Above all, Bi felt anger at the network’s shameless, barbaric exploitation. To use a precious S-rank like this.

‘My boss... my boss...!’

Just then, the arena went wild again. Following Roy appeared the blood fiend squad led by Yeon-woo, Taeeon, and Seo Hyunwoo, the next most popular contestants.

As a result, the live feed and the arena were flooded with comments:

– He’s so handsome ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

– Insane ㅜㅜ If that’s a blood fiend, I’d die a happy death ㅜㅜㅜ

– I liked blood fiends all along....

– Please let me meet him

– From now on my dream is to be a blood fiend

– Kim Taeeon, bite me

The producers moderating the live comments winced. They’d expected a strong reaction, but nothing like this.

Then, just as Yeon-woo lunged at Roy—

[Yeon-woo: 키에에엑!]

[Roy: Oh my!]

[Anna: Wait!]

Anna appeared, perfectly transformed into a charming heroine, heating up the atmosphere once more. She blocked Yeon-woo without hesitation and grabbed Taeeon’s head.

Then, with a powerful squeeze—

Thud!

A spray of red petals burst out as Taeeon collapsed to the ground. The remaining blood fiends charged forward, and hundreds of flower petals swirled around.

[Anna: Are you all right?]

[Roy: Thank you. I thought I was a goner.]

Against the backdrop of other fallen contestants, Anna reached out her hand to Roy in a romantic tableau. As Roy took her hand, a blue door appeared before them.

Startled, Roy pulled back, and Anna turned toward him.

[Anna: What is this?]

[Roy: Huh? Look at the letters...!]

Roy pointed, and the letters above the blue door zoomed in.

Those who face their deepest fear

Will remain until the end

At the same moment, an identical blue door materialized center stage. The audience, sensing that the final challenge was linked to the VCR, burst into an explosive cheer. The otaku fans were thrilled by the direction, and the community exploded with reactions.

[Title: This direction is perverted genius]

(E Roy in drag capture.jpg)

(Blue door capture.jpg)

First shocked by E Roy in drag, then twice shocked by the staging.

– Always shatters my expectations

– Didn’t that door show up every virtual survival?

– I expected a dome stage, but not like this lol

– The petals swirling around when the blue door appears are amazing

└ 222 Same, got chills without thinking

– So one by one we enter that door? ㄷㄷ

– Isn’t that just the blood fiend lair?

– Lol no limits for S rank with stone age PD?ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└ They’re milking this once-in-a-lifetime chance to the max

└ Like there’s no tomorrowㅋㅋㅋ

[Title: Real-time E Roy drag reactions]

(Comment capture.jpg)

Fans across all communities unite, even different generations.

– Bro sis, love you

– Sister date me ㅜㅜㅜ

– Being born male instead of female was a godsend... if he were actually female, he’d seduce every man

└ What are you talking about, he seduces men even as a guy

└ Bro, take me

– My ideal type

– If prettier than women... I...

– Just lost my gender

– Is this official? Not Photoshop? Park Junseo really is insane lol

└ He’s planning to die right after the show

└ If it’s God performance’s hand that kills me, I welcome it

└ A family glory

└ He’s a national treasure, bury him in the memorial park

└ Let’s start a petition