GIJS

Chapter 172 Acrobats

Simultaneously with the second chorus, two enormous trampolines were brought onto the stage.

These trampolines, capable of propelling a person up to 4 meters high, were set with strong tension. They were a stage setup meticulously prepared to fully bring out the theme of 'sorcery.' Once the trampolines were in place, the trained backup dancers dazzled the stage with aerial acrobatics.

Paaaaang, Paaaaaaang—.

Even QUAN, who had consistently shown near-acrobatic performances, was impressed and applauded the trampolines. The stage of 7IN, combining both horizontal and vertical movements, appeared more vibrant and glamorous than any other performance.

"I didn't expect them to use trampolines..."

"But probably only the backup dancers will use them, right?"

However, the boys took turns in pairs, getting onto the trampolines and starting their acrobatic acts.

Paaaaang—.

Though not as seasoned as professional acrobats, the boys soared to sufficient heights, once again impressing everyone.

Pa-pa-pa-pat—!!

As the boys jumped, the intense lighting flickered rapidly. This created an illusion where, with the sudden shifts from darkness to light, it seemed as though the boys were frozen in mid-air. This was an idea suggested by Hyunsu to enhance the theme.

Waaaaaaaah—.

The audience couldn't help but cheer once again as the members posed as if casting spells while hovering in mid-air.

Taewoong struck a pose as if wielding a staff, while Hyunjae scattered talismans in all directions as though tossing money. Gunja even performed mid-air somersaults on the trampoline, showing off acrobatic feats rivaling those of professional dancers.

[Waaaaaaaahhhhhh] [What is this, it's so coolㅠㅠㅠㅠ] [It really looks like magic] [Whose idea was thisㅠㅠ] [When did our boys even practice on trampolines?] [It's like they poured their heart and soul into this final performance] [Look at the timing of the jumps with the bass drops, it's insanely satisfying] [I can't believe these are kids younger than meㅠㅠ] [How do our boys live so passionately?] [They are so, so amazing... I love them] [What is with their faces still shining through those blinding club lights;;] [Look at Hyunsu smiling even in this chaos] [He really is somethingㅋㅋㅋㅋ] [ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ that suits himㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

After all the members finished their trampoline acrobatics, it was now Ji Hyunsu's turn to step onto the trampoline.

Even though he had practiced a lot, Ji Hyunsu was the one among the members with the least physical ability. Gunja and the other members knew well that Hyunsu was feeling pressured about using his body.

Kuuung—.

At that moment, as the bass dropped, Hyunsu's body shot into the air. It was a trick he had practiced countless times and succeeded in numerous times.

But was it due to the blinding lights or the tension?

The moment he jumped, Hyunsu slightly lost his balance.

On a trampoline, even a small shift in weight can cause a major accident. A jump angle off by just one degree can completely change the landing position.

"—!?"

As soon as he soared into the air, Hyunsu realized something was wrong. He was more worried about ruining the performance than breaking a few bones.

Even in that split second, Hyunsu gathered his limbs close to his body. He knew his physical abilities wouldn't allow for a proper fall, but he wanted to make sure he could continue the performance without anyone noticing anything was wrong.

Hoping it wouldn't hurt as much as he feared, Hyunsu closed his eyes tightly.

Thud—.

But instead of the hard impact he expected, his body softly landed on the thick, strong arms of six other members.

"!"

Just as Hyunsu noticed his jump was off, Gunja, Taewoong, and Inhyuk also quickly realized something was wrong. They broke formation, but catching the falling Hyunsu was their priority.

Thanks to them, Hyunsu didn't end up sprawled on the hard stage floor. The predetermined sequence was disrupted, but the show didn't stop. Coincidentally, it was time for Hyunsu's verse.

The three members who caught Hyunsu nonchalantly carried him to the front of the stage as if it were part of the original choreography. Hyunsu, too, continued his verse with a relaxed expression, as if he were a deity reclining on a cloud.

Gwae-rik-nan-sin, gwae-rik-nan-sin,

Those with great strength, those who harbor ghosts.

Gwae-rik-nan-sin, so much charm.

Seven Jeon Woo-chis who have left the path of the tyrant.

No one in the audience realized that this was an unintended mishap. The perfect catch by Gunja, Taewoong, and Inhyuk, and Hyunsu's flawless recovery led to a fresh and endearing new composition that matched the theme of 'freedom.'

[Hahahahahahaha what's that, they're holding Hyunsuㅋㅋㅋ] [It's like Lee Jung-hyunㅋㅋㅋㅋ] [OMG, sis, Lee Jung-hyun? Are you that old;;;] [Hey, you... in our day, if someone was carried like that sideways... it was all Lee Jung-hyun...!] [Give you everything, I'll give you everything~] [Yes, that's it!] [7IN's fans really do span a wide age range^^] [They're a mainstream pick, so it can't be helped~] [Ah, but I also want to be carried by them] [And it had to be the muscular ones too] [Why does Hyunsu look so pitiful doing his verse while being held like thatㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

Hyunsu's expression had returned to brightness after narrowly avoiding disaster.

Gwae-rik-nan-sin, gwae-rik-nan-sin,

Those with great strength, those who harbor ghosts.

Gwae-rik-nan-sin, so much charm.

Seven Jeon Woo-chis who have left the path of the tyrant.

They spread their wings and perform magic.

The celebrities of the streets, saying hello to everyone.

The walls are meaningless, they walk above them.

Freely roaming the rooftops!

Hyunsu, having regained his composure, began to freely navigate the beat, delivering a flawless rap. While Hyunsu performed his verse, the beat grew more intricate, heightening the atmosphere.

By then, fifteen more backup dancers in white robes had taken to the stage, creating a striking contrast of black and white, making the stage even more dazzling. The acrobatic backup dancers continuously performed somersaults on the trampolines, adding vertical movement to the stage.

As the chaos unfolded at the center of the stage, Gunja, who was assigned the last verse, had already disappeared from the formation as if by magic. While all eyes were focused on the center of the stage, Gunja had moved to the right side where the rope was set up.

As Hyunsu's verse came to an end, the stage on the right slowly moved toward the center. Now, the rope was positioned in the middle of the stage. At the same time, the beat was altered once again.

A brief mute, followed by the sound of a Korean flute. While the first half of the track had a hip effect-laden traditional instrument, the latter half featured a more raw traditional sound.

Doo-doong-doong, doo-woong, doo-doong—.

The sound of drums joined in, building tension.

Eol—ssu—!!

At that moment, Gunja rolled lightly on the small trampoline as he let out a shout from his diaphragm.

Paaaaang—.

His body bounced lightly toward the rope. Like a person defying gravity, Gunja's feet landed softly on the rope, standing still. It truly looked like sorcery, whether seen live or on TV.

Though rope walking had been shown in a live broadcast from Gyeongju before, this was the first time it was performed on stage.

Moreover, this wasn't just ordinary rope walking. It combined the horizontal movement of rope walking with the vertical movement of the trampoline.

Moving freely along the rope, Gunja began delivering his verse.

Since the Haedongseongguk era, factions have arisen.

Civil and military officials covet power,

The throne is thorny, the seal is demonic.

An uneasy seat, a daily occurrence.

Moving with the awkwardness of a rooster that forgot how to fly, Gunja then transitioned into graceful and elegant movements, resembling a crane. He used his entire body to depict a bird.

Looking down from here, huoi— what do I see?

The only ones free are the birds.

Looking down from here, huoi— what do I see?

The only ones free are the birds.

As the drumbeat became more urgent, Gunja raised the tension. It's rare for the tempo to change in a hip-hop song, but the latter half of [Gwae-rik-nan-sin] was designed to gradually speed up like a traditional Korean musical performance.

The beat became uncontrollably fast, but Gunja effortlessly made it his own, spitting out lyrics like a waterfall.

Flap-flap-flap- carrying the wind with their wings,

Diving into the clouds, cutting through the air.

Soaring up to the sky, plunging down to the ground,

Piercing through forests, skimming over landscapes,

With my sides aching, I land on tiles,

Flying as I please, resting as I wish.

When a hen perches beside me, we rub our beaks together, 
our harmony so perfect, we vow to stay united. 
Now, the two of us soar through the sky, 
racing ahead and behind, in a joyful competition. 
You are the only ones who are truly free. 
You are the only ones who are truly free.

Despite the continuous flow of lyrics, the artist dashed across the tightrope without missing a beat. Not only did he move across the rope, but he also utilized every stage prop around him to express the bird's freedom.

He sprinted, switched feet, fell below, then bounced back up on the trampoline. From trampoline to trampoline, from tightrope to trampoline, he flipped in the air, only to return with a somersault, landing back on the tightrope.

He appeared to be on the verge of falling, yet he regained balance swiftly, engaging the audience with his lyrics, then looking skyward as he raised his voice. Sometimes, he held the rope with just his toes, other times he spun around with the rope hooked behind his knee. Once more, he bounced on the trampoline, then returned to the tightrope.

This time, he performed two consecutive side flips on the slender rope, feigning a slip at the end, fooling everyone, only to climb back up the rope using a single leg. Fans' hearts seemed to freeze, but the performer was grinning as if he was having the time of his life.

How joyous it is, with everyone's eyes on me!

The performer's frenzied movement was akin to witnessing a grand and majestic bird. Finally, the artist leaped up to the support of the tightrope, gazing down at the audience as he delivered the final verse.

Transformed by sorcery, following in its wake, 
we are the only ones who are truly free. 
Turning our backs on the world, embracing the sky, 
thrones and royal seals are mere objects. 
Come here, hurry and come here— 
You too, come here, let's fly together— 
Come here, hurry and come here— 
Now, come here, let's fly together—.

Breathless and spellbound by the stunning and graceful performance, the audience barely had the chance to react.

As the artist leaped from the tightrope, a modified sound of the geomungo resonated once more, filling the air. By now, the fans were familiar with the chorus of "The Strange and Powerful."

We are strange (怪異) beings, 
with latent courage (勇力) within! 
Whales overturning chaotic times (亂世), 
mediums summoning spirits (鬼神)!

The performance was drawing to a close, but there wasn't a single person who wanted it to end, not even the members of Teibo who once despised 7IN.