From Skid Row to Superstardom: An Idol System Novel-Chapter 156: The Three Buske-teers (4)

[Ding!]

[Surprise Mission: You think you’re better than me? It’s ci-pher you to prove it!]

[Due to a scheduling conflict and the instigation of a certain someone, a conflict has broken out between your Pop Star Academy Team and Kosmic Krew, meaning your team will not be able to busk before your performance. Rather than getting kicked out of your spot like a spineless, homeless amoeba, fight back and prove your superiority by competing in a cypher against the Kosmic Krew and defeating them.]

[Time Limit: 1 hr 30 minutes]

[Reward: +3 Dance Stats]

[Failure: - 10 random stat points.]

Ari quickly read the surprise mission, before his eyes focused on the reward of 3 dance stats that he could gain.

While it was tempting, the loss of 10 stat points wasn’t really something he wanted to deal with right now.

Although he didn’t think his current team members would lose if they had to compete with the Kosmic Krew, just in case, he began looking at the stats of the Kosmic Krew Members.

[Wilbert Brown]

[Age 23]

[Vocals: D (A)]

[Dance: B (S)]

[Visual: B (A+)]

[Rap: B (A+)]

[Charm: B- (S+)]

[Jada Morrison]

[Age 24]

[Vocals: C- (A)]

[Dance: C+ (S)]

[Visual: B (A+)]

[Rap: C+ (A-)]

[Charm: C+ (S+)]

[Shai Leroi]

[Age 21]

[Vocals: B (S)]

[Dance: B- (S)]

[Visual: C- (A)]

[Rap: E (B)]

[Charm: B (S)]

[.....]

There was nobody in the group with a better Rap stat than Benjamin, no one with a better vocal stat than him or Carlos, and absolutely nobody with a better dance stat than Mathew, who had the highest dance stat he had seen so far.

Hmmm, maybe with this much it was actually doable?

Of course, it wasn’t like the Kosmic Krew was filled with losers. There were a few people with high stats as well, but for the most part, the stats of his teammates were higher.

And from what he had seen, higher stats generally meant a better performance, and although he didn’t know if his teammates had competed in a cipher before, they would probably win if they did so.

It was tempting.

It was really, really tempting, especially since his dancing stat was the lowest and extra stat points were not coming as quickly as they used to, but the penalty of losing 10 stat points when his face was so close to being unmasked was a bit....

[What?]

[Are you scared you’ll lose your poor face?]

Yes. novelbuddy-cσ๓

Yes, he was.

As if NOVA heard his thoughts, his vision was filled with numerous blue screens that began mocking him.

[Cluck cluck cluck cluck ba cluck!]

[🐔🐔🐔🐔🐔🐔🐔]

Sluurrrrrrrp-

Despite the chicken emojis and chicken sound effects filling his vision, Ari ignored them and sipped his drink, continuing to watch the argument in front of him and weighing his options.

"This conversation is over, as we said. We were here first, and that can be verified with the casino manager, and the way to resolve that is first-come, first-served! We were first!" - Wilbert.

Should he or should he not?

Sluurrrrrrrp-

"And I told you, I would just pay you all to leave and come back. You’re busking for money, aren’t you?! We have something important to accomplish, and you’re wasting our time." - William

Sluurrrrrrrp-

Should he?

"We’re the ones wasting your time? Jada was here first! She was just in the bathroom changing. It’s not the money, it’s the principle of the matter, and you clearly think that you’re better than us!" Wilbert.

"Because we are." - William.

Sluurrrrrrrp-

Should he not?

"Oi, British boy, you better get your mans right now!"

"Lower your tone when you’re speakin to me, yeah?" Benjamin rubbed his brows in irritation.

"Please calm down! All of you. Contestant, William, enough. We’ll just find a different location and move." Kate tried to calm the situation down as a crowd began to gather around the two groups.

Should he? Should he not?

If only he had a coin to flip, he would choose heads.

If only there were a flower to pluck, he could play Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo.

Sluurrrrrrrp-

Just as Ari was thinking that, someone in the small crowd began yelling.

"Who wants to place bets. Heads or tails that they fight?"

- 1 dollar on heads

- 1 dollar on tails

The people in the crowd who were gathering around them began placing their bets.

Ari wanted to join in, but one glance at the camera stopped him, and a bit despondent, he just sipped his smoothie, trying to get the last little bit of juice stuck in the ice.

Sluurrrrrrrp-

"And you, drinking that stupid drink, what’s your deal? Can’t you read the room?" Wilbert began yelling again.

Ari glanced around, wondering who he was talking about before sipping his drink again.

Sluurrrrrrrp-

"I’m talking to you in that stupid green mask!"

"Me?"

Ari then froze with his smoothie midway to his mouth and turned to stare at Wilbert.

Why was he being brought into this?

Continue arguing with William and our staff so it can all be captured for the camera!

"Yes, you! Can’t you see that this is a serious discussion? And you’re here sipping your smoothie loud as h*ll! The cup is clearly empty! There’s nothing left! Throw it away!" Wilbert yelled at Ari, who just blinked at him.

Ari: ಠ_ಠ

Why do you care? It’s my smoothie!

Maintaining eye contact with Wilbert, Ari brought the straw to his mouth and took an extra-large sip.

Sluurrrrrrrrrrrrp-

"You’re trolling me?"

Kinda?

But what are you going to do about it?

"That’s it. Call the cops and the building security, cause I’m sick of this!" Wilbert yelled out.

"There’s no need to involve the police!" Kate yelled almost to the point of tears.

[Are you going to give up like this on your dance stat?]

[How will you explain your constant improvement on stage when using the skill and terrible performance during practices?]

[One person has already noticed, you think others won’t?]

[They’ll say you’re being lazy or that it’s witchcraft.]

[Do you think the PDs will edit it nicely?]

[Everyone already thinks you slack off in practice anyway.]

[Accept the surprise mission.]

Although Ari hated to admit it, that was a fair point.

His dancing was a sore point, and for some reason, the stat no longer increased despite him practicing constantly.

"Coin flip in 3! 2! 1! It’s heads!! They’re going to fight!"

Hearing the coin flip result he wanted, Ari dumped the ice into his mouth, crunching it until it was all gone before shooting it at a trash can.

"You know what? Why not? Let’s do it. I accept." He spoke to NOVA, and as several people, including Wilbert, gave him a look as if he was crazy, Ari gestured at their two groups before slapping Benjamin’s back.

"Look. You don’t want to leave, we don’t want to leave because we’re already set up, so why don’t we compete and have a friendly or unfriendly cipher? Your team vs our team, competing with their best talents. The crowd decides who wins, and naturally, the winner gets to stay."

"And who are you to decide that? Who says you’re worthy of competing with us? Especially after your friend tried to buy us out. F*cking colonizer!" Wilbert spat on the ground, and Ari held both hands up.

"Let’s chill with the name-calling. He does not represent all of us. Look, we have a proper DJ-ing controller, and I’ll be the DJ. You send up your best batter and we’ll send our best so they can compete fair and square. No funny games. Are you in, or are you going to keep arguing? If you’re scared to look bad on international television because your skills are terrible and your crew is trash, just say that, Willie, because I’m confident in my boys," Ari shrugged while giving Wilbert a mocking smile.

"Now are you in or are you out?"

"Ari, what are you doing?" Benjamin looked at Wilbert’s contemplative face before turning to look at Ari, who lazily gestured to Kate and whispered something in her ear.

"Didn’t you say to be prepared for anything while busking? Prepare for battle, Big Ben. I’m counting on you."

Read lat𝙚st chapters at fre(𝒆)novelkiss.com Only