The 72-hour "firewall" was down to its final sixty minutes. While the Consortium's legal team was likely sharpening their pens and checking their watches, the "Road to Starlight" studio was a chaotic symphony of hairspray and nervous energy. The "Unit Formation" Draft was finally here, and the stakes were higher than just a song choice. It was a battle for the soul of the group.
In the waiting room, Kang-joon was currently surrounded by four trainees, including the visual Hyun Woo and the "statue" Lee Hoon. They weren't discussing choreography. Kang-joon was methodically applying a specific type of surgical tape to their ankles.
"Hyung, why are we being taped like mummies?" Hyun Woo asked, holding his throat spray like a talisman. "We aren't even dancing yet."
"Proprioceptive feedback," Kang-joon replied, his fingers moving with the clinical precision of a veteran sports therapist—a skill perfected in Loop #44 as a physiotherapist for a national soccer team. "The Draft involves a two-hour standing session under high-intensity heat lamps. Without proper venous return support, your cognitive function drops by 15% before you even pick a song. Do you want to make a stupid choice because your feet hurt?"
"No, Professor," they chimed in unison.
Min-soo watched from across the room, his arms crossed. He had seen Kang-joon do a lot of strange things—calculating airflows, folding origami, hacking servers—but the "Professor" treating the Draft like a surgical procedure was a new level of "Kang-joon-ism."
The main stage was set. The eighteen survivors stood in a semi-circle, facing the massive screen that displayed the rankings. PD Na Ye-eun stood at the podium, looking exhausted but exhilarated.
"The rules of the Unit Formation are different this time," she announced, her voice echoing. "This is a Snake Draft. Rank 1, Min-soo, will pick his first member. Then Rank 2, and so on. Once we reach Rank 18, they will pick twice, and we will move back up the order. However, one trainee holds the Choice Pass from the Fridge Raid. Lee Kang-joon, you may use this pass at any time to override a pick or force a teammate into your unit."
The room buzzed. The "Choice Pass" was a nuclear option in a draft.
"Rank 1, Lee Min-soo. Please make your first selection."
Min-soo didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, his eyes locking onto Kang-joon. "I pick Rank 7, Lee Kang-joon."
The crowd of trainees gasped. The "Nation's Center" and the "Professor" were officially on the same team. It was the birth of the "Monster Unit."
[System Notification: Alliance 'Min-Joon' Formed. Synergy Rating: S. Global Interest Spike: +200%.]
Kang-joon walked over to Min-soo's side. "A logical choice, Min-soo-ssi. I've already mapped out the optimal draft order for the remaining seats."
"I'm the leader, Hyung," Min-soo whispered through a forced smile for the cameras. "But... give me the list."
As the draft progressed, the Consortium's influence became visible. The PDs were subtly nudging Rank 2 (Gun-woo) to pick the most marketable visuals, attempting to build a rival "Commercial Unit" to overshadow Kang-joon's team. But Kang-joon was playing a different game.
When it was their turn again, Min-soo looked at Kang-joon. Kang-joon pointed at Rank 15, Kim Do-yoon—the trainee with the "pneumonia liability" from his past lives.
"Do-yoon?" Min-soo hissed. "He's a B-Class vocalist with zero stage presence!"
"He is a 'Humanistic Variable,'" Kang-joon replied. "The fans love an underdog, and his vocal timbre provides the perfect 'pathos' for the song I've selected. Pick him."
Min-soo sighed and announced the name. The room was stunned. Why was the Monster Unit picking "trash" assets?
While the draft continued, the internet was already in a state of total meltdown. The live-feed comments were moving so fast they were practically illegible.
[THE KANG-JOON ANALYSIS LOUNGE - LIVE DRAFT THREAD]
@TheoryKing: MIN-SOO PICKED KANG-JOON FIRST!! THE ALLIANCE IS REAL!! #MinJoon
@IdolResearcher: Wait, why did they pick Do-yoon? And now they picked Ji-won (The Anchor)? Kang-joon is building a team of 'Problematic Favs.'
@MarketWatch: Look at Kang-joon's face. He's not picking trainees; he's picking shields. He knows the Consortium wants to isolate him. By picking the 'liabilities,' he makes his team too messy to be easily 'standardized' by corporate.
@K-FunnyMoments: Can we talk about how Kang-joon is currently whispering instructions to Min-soo while Min-soo looks like he's having a crisis? This is literally a student-teacher relationship. #ProfessorKangjoon
The final member of the "Monster Unit" was selected: Jae-hyun. The group was a strange mix of the show's top star, its smartest strategist, its most loyal "puppy," and three trainees considered "unstable" by management.
"And now," PD Na said, a mischievous glint in her eye. "The songs. We have three options for the three units."
The screen displayed the choices:
* 'Supernova' (A bright, high-energy pop track).
* 'Shadow Step' (A sleek, dark hip-hop track).
* 'Vampire's Requiem' (A theatrical, operatic-gothic track with extreme high notes and a 'death' theme).
'Supernova' was the safe bet. 'Shadow Step' was the cool bet. 'Vampire's Requiem' was the "What were they thinking?" bet.
Gun-woo's team immediately snatched 'Supernova.' The third team took 'Shadow Step.'
Min-soo looked at the remaining song, 'Vampire's Requiem.' His face went pale. "Hyung... that song has a four-octave range. And the costume is basically a Victorian funeral outfit. The Consortium will kill us. The fans will think we're weird."
"The fans will think we are iconic," Kang-joon corrected. "In Loop—I mean, in the current market, 'Standard' is forgettable. 'Theatrical' is eternal. This song allows Do-yoon to use his 'pathos' and allows you to show that you aren't just a dancer, but a performer who can handle a 'God-tier' concept."
Kang-joon stepped forward and used his Choice Pass. Not to change his team, but to force a concept change.
"PD-nim," Kang-joon said, his voice echoing with the authority of someone who had lived 97 lives. "We accept 'Vampire's Requiem.' But we are not performing it as a 'Gothic' song. We are performing it as a 'Cinematic Tragedy.' We want a rotating stage and actual rainfall."
The room went silent. Rainfall? Indoors? The budget alone was a nightmare.
"Kang-joon-ssi," PD Na stammered. "That's... that's a massive technical request."
"The 'Glow-Up Vitamin Water' sponsor wants to showcase their product's 'hydration' theme, doesn't it?" Kang-joon said, flashing a smile that was 100% calculated business. "What better way to show hydration than a high-art performance in the rain? The viral potential for the 'water-soaked idol' aesthetic is 400% higher than a dry stage."
Manager Kim, standing in the wings, checked his tablet. The sponsor was already texting him. The answer was a resounding "YES."
The 72-hour delay officially ended as the trainees headed to their new unit practice rooms. The Consortium lawyers were waiting in the hallway with the contracts.
Ms. Chen, the ruthless executive, stepped in front of Kang-joon. "Mr. Lee. The time is up. Sign the contract, or you will be removed from the 'Vampire' unit immediately."
Kang-joon didn't even stop walking. He handed her a small, folded piece of paper—the origami crane he'd folded during the live stream.
"Ms. Chen," Kang-joon said, his voice cold. "If you remove me now, you lose the 'Rainfall' performance. The sponsor has already signed the addendum for the water-special-effect stage. If I'm not there, the contract is voided, and Starline owes them a 500% penalty for breach of promotional agreement."
He leaned in closer, his eyes like ice. "I'm not signing your contract tonight. I'm signing the Hourglass Counter-Offer which our lawyers sent to your office ten minutes ago. It includes a 'Creative Control' clause for this unit."
Ms. Chen's jaw dropped. He had used a variety show sponsorship to create a financial hostage situation.
As the Monster Unit entered their practice room, the other members were looking at Kang-joon with a mix of fear and worship.
"Hyung," Jae-hyun whispered. "Are we really going to dance in the rain?"
"Yes," Kang-joon said, pulling out a laptop. "And we're going to do it while singing in four-part harmony. Min-soo, start stretching. Do-yoon, take your vitamins. We have fourteen days to create a legend."
[System Notification: Host has successfully 'Delayed' the Consortium takeover using 'Economic Sabotage'. Reward: [Business Manipulation (B)] Skill Unlocked.]
The "Professor" sat down, opened his notebook, and began sketching the most unmarketable, brilliant, and dangerous performance in K-pop history. He was no longer just surviving; he was teaching the Consortium a lesson in what happens when you try to buy a genius.