The room filled with thunderous applause as Hyun Sik raised his hand, a calm yet commanding gesture that echoed through the set like a gavel hitting the start of something grand.
He flashed a charming smile—polished, but not without a hint of mischief—and spoke with the natural charisma that made him a household name. "From this moment on… The Stage: Origins season three has officially begun."
Cheers rang out from every corner. The trainees clapped, some nervously, others with barely-contained excitement.
Hyun Sik continued, stepping down from the platform and walking slowly across the front of the stage. "Before anything else, let me explain what's coming next… The first round will be your Class Evaluation."
Murmurs stirred.
"The mentors will observe your initial performance and place you in a class. These classes will determine your practice rooms, your training level, and yes—your opportunities for center positions."
Cameras panned to a few tense faces in the crowd.
"But this season," Hyun Sik added, pausing for effect, "we've made a change."
The lights subtly dimmed behind him. The screen displayed five bold letters: A, B, C, D, X.
"Unlike the previous seasons, there are only five classes this time. A to D… and Class X."
An audible gasp rippled through the trainees.
"Class X?" someone whispered.
"What even is that?" another muttered.
The contestants shifted in their seats, glancing at one another. A few looked pale. Even Ji Hyo's brows furrowed slightly. He didn't like uncertainty—and this reeked of it.
Hyun Sik held up a hand to quiet the rising voices. "I know you have questions. But for now, save them."
He smiled, but there was steel behind it.
"Today, you'll be evaluated in front of the mentors. One group at a time. We want to see your skill, your teamwork, your potential. But there's a twist—you won't be told your class right away."
The trainees stilled.
Hyun Sik nodded. "That's right. After every performance, you'll receive feedback…will be announced soon.
The tension doubled.
Behind the scenes, staff members began approaching the rows of contestants, calling out names and preparing mics.
"First up," Hyun Sik called out, checking the cue card in his hand, "K-Vault Entertainment. Six contestants. Please head to the waiting zone."
Ji Hyo watched silently as the first group stood up and moved toward the backstage area. The mentors leaned forward, eyes sharp and notebooks open.
Performance after performance unfolded—some stunning, others shaky. There were moments of praise, moments of critique, and even moments where the mentors exchanged looks that said more than words could.
Yet every time the performers finished, they bowed, caught their breath, and looked up—only to receive no class assignment.
Just feedback.
This confused everyone.
Even Felix leaned toward Ji Hyo, whispering, "Is this... new? I don't remember this from the past seasons."
Ji Hyo shook his head slightly. He didn't get it either. And he didn't like the not knowing.
From K-Vault to Basilisk Sound, each team took their turn, the same routine unfolding. Praise. Critique. No rankings.
Whispers started to grow.
"Are they not giving classes anymore?"
"Is this a trick?"
"What if no one gets placed?"
Even the mentors looked unreadable.
But Ji Hyo could feel it—this wasn't randomness. It was calculated. Intentional. And it was only a matter of time before the real game started.
After the last group bowed and exited the stage, the staff member's voice echoed once more.
"Next… Super Music Entertainment."
All heads turned.
The two boys stood up—tall, composed, and dripping with quiet confidence. Unlike the others, there was something distinctly calculated about the way they walked to the center stage. Not arrogance. Just… precision. Like they already knew the floor belonged to them.
They bowed politely to the mentors, then turned to face the contestants.
"Hello, we are Super Music Entertainment's trainees," the sharper-featured one said with a calm, clear voice. "I'm Raejin, 19 years old."
Beside him, the other trainee stepped forward with a soft smile. "And I'm Minseo, 20. Thank you for having us."
From the judges' table, the mentors stirred with interest.
"They carry themselves like professionals already," said Shin Yu-mi, pen tapping against her notebook.
"They're giving main vocal and center energy," Bae Yoon-jeong added, eyeing their posture. "Let's see if they live up to it."
Cheetah smirked. "They look like they're about to burn down the stage."
Hyun Sik, still standing near the monitor, leaned in slightly, watching with quiet amusement. "Let's find out."
Raejin and Minseo moved into position.
The lights dimmed.
A few beats of silence.
Then—
Boom.
The first beat of "Monster" by XOXO dropped, and the stage was instantly electrified.
Their performance was a masterclass in intensity. Raejin's vocals were sharp and clean, each note hitting its mark with force. Minseo's movement was fluid yet controlled, bringing an eerie smoothness to the choreography that perfectly matched the song's dark, haunting vibe.
They moved together like shadows—separate entities woven into one monster.
Powerful. Elegant. Dangerous.
The camera caught close-ups of their eyes—focused, alive, and almost predatory.
Even some of the other contestants couldn't hide their reactions.
"They're insane," one whispered.
"They trained for this moment," another muttered.
By the final chorus, they had the room hooked. When the song ended and the final pose locked in, there was a half-second of stunned silence.
Then—applause.
The mentors looked impressed. Even Lisa clapped a little longer than the others.
Lee Seok-hoon spoke first. "That was one of the most cohesive duo performances I've seen in an early evaluation."
Yu-mi nodded. "You two don't just have chemistry—you understand the stage. You understand each other."
Bae Yoon-jeong jotted something in her notes. "There's room for polishing in transitions, but your synchronization is already better than some full groups."
Cheetah leaned forward. "I don't throw this around lightly, but that was fierce."
Raejin and Minseo bowed again, expressions modest—but their eyes gleamed.
Still, like the groups before them… there was no class assignment.
They stepped down, glancing back once, only to receive the same polite thank-you from Hyun Sik. No grade. No color.
And yet the atmosphere had changed.
Something was coming.
Even Ji Hyo could feel it in the air, a strange itch in his chest.
The question now wasn't who will be placed where.
It was: What will the reveal be like when it finally hits?
As Raejin and Minseo exited the stage, still riding the high of their performance, the next name was called:
"Crystal Beat Entertainment, please take the stage."
A trio of trainees stood up—nervous energy practically radiating off them. They exchanged a few hurried words before heading toward the center, their steps slightly stiff.
They bowed in unison, and one of them took the mic.
"Hello, we're trainees from Crystal Beat… We're excited to show what we've prepared."
There was a small delay as their track was cued. One trainee adjusted his mic pack twice. Another let out a shaky exhale, clearly battling nerves.
Then the music began.
The performance was a mix of pop vocals and mid-tempo choreography. It started well enough, but cracks soon appeared—timing missed by half a beat, vocals a little flat in the chorus, and transitions between formations that felt unpolished.
Still, there were bright spots.
The youngest of the three, a boy with a soft face and dyed pink hair, held the group together with solid expressions and unexpectedly strong ad-libs in the second chorus.
When the music ended, there was polite applause—more reserved than before.
The mentors exchanged glances.
Yu-mi spoke first, her tone kind but firm. "I could see your potential, but nerves got the better of you. You need to trust your training more."
Bae Yoon-jeong leaned back. "Some moments were okay, but honestly, your formations fell apart by the second chorus. You need to learn how to support each other, not just survive individually."
Lisa nodded thoughtfully. "You have color, but no direction yet. That can be worked on."
The trio bowed again, trying to hide their disappointment.
As they stepped down, the air shifted.
"Next—Emerald Dream Entertainment."
The energy immediately changed.
Only one contestant stood up.
A tall boy in sleek streetwear and sharp braids walked to the center alone, calm and confident. His name flashed briefly on the screen: Jade.
He gave a small wave to the crowd before facing the mentors.
"Hi, I'm Jade. I'll be doing an original hip-hop pop mix. I hope you enjoy."
The beat dropped—a high-energy, bass-heavy track with both smooth verses and explosive dance breaks.
And Jade owned every second.
His control over the stage was magnetic. He rapped with grit, transitioned into clean pop vocals for the hook, and hit every dance move with swagger and purpose. His solo presence didn't feel empty—it felt commanding.
The crowd lit up. Even the previously stoic contestants started bobbing their heads, some clapping along.
By the time the final pose landed, Jade was breathing hard—but still smiling.
The applause this time was genuine, loud.
Cheetah grinned wide. "That was hot."
Lisa clapped with approval. "You were fluid, confident, and completely in your zone. Your transitions between rap and vocals were seamless."
Shin Yu-mi smiled. "Your solo presence is stronger than some group performances I've seen today."
Even Bae Yoon-jeong, known for being hard to impress, gave a short nod. "You know what you're doing. You're not just performing—you're engaging."
Jade bowed, and although the class placement wasn't given—just like before—the air buzzed around him like he had already secured a spot.
Ji Hyo watched from his seat, quietly impressed.
Another rival, it seemed.