173: Chapter 171

The pressure had shifted to the final stage.

As the echoes of Kim Chaewon and Jo Yuri's "cringe" yet effective "Shopping Rhapsody" faded, the laughter and chatter of the audience had not yet fully subsided. All eyes and pressure, like a heavy spotlight, fell upon the final group to take the stage—Lee Chaeyeon (sagittarius) and Honda Hitomi (Hitomi, cancer).

This was today's grand finale, a battle for the dignity of the "Main Dancer Line."

If the Main Vocal Line could use their voices (even with awkward lyrics) to showcase their professionalism, then for the Main Dancer Line's "charm display," dance skill was undoubtedly the core. However, the shackles of "product placement" still remained. How to naturally yet stylishly showcase sponsored products within a dance became the biggest hurdle standing before the two of them.

In the waiting area, Lee Chaeyeon and Hitomi's expressions were more serious than the previous groups. Both were recognized as the strongest dancers in the group; Lee Chaeyeon's power and control and Hitomi's precision and agility each had their own merits. They were absolutely unwilling to let their performance turn into a clumsy "sales pitch dance."

“Chaeyeon Unnie, we...” Hitomi spoke in her slightly accented Korean, her tone uncertain. They had just had an emergency discussion, thinking about using the Sports Drink (Brand I) and Energy Bar (Brand J) provided by the sponsors as dance props—perhaps tossing them like a circus act or incorporating "drinking" motions from street dance (but actually drinking the beverage). However, it always felt awkward, as if it would break the integrity and coolness of the dance.

Lee Chaeyeon pursed her lips tightly, her gaze sweeping over two stand-up microphones (cordless) being moved onto the ring by staff, as well as the brightly colored Sports Drinks and eye-catchingly packaged Energy Bars placed nearby. An idea gradually became clear in her mind.

“Hitomi,” she suddenly spoke, her eyes turning sharp, “We dance. Pure, powerful Locking.”

“Locking?” Hitomi's eyes lit up. Locking had a strong sense of rhythm, with crisp and clean movements. Its characteristics of freezing (lock) and sudden starts (point) provided strong visual impact, making it perfect for them.

“Yes,” Lee Chaeyeon nodded, “We’ll do Locking. A duo routine with a bit of a battle feel in the middle. As for the products...” She looked at the drinks and Energy Bars, “We won’t hold them while we dance.”

“Then how do we do the placement?” Hitomi asked, confused.

“Before the dance starts, and after it ends,” Lee Chaeyeon's thoughts clarified. “We can treat them as 'pre-battle supplies' and 'post-battle rewards.' At the start, we each pick up a drink and an Energy Bar, say an ad slogan to the camera (or the audience), then put them down and start dancing. After the dance, we pick them up again, say another line, and finish. We separate the dance from the advertisement but link them together with the concept of 'energy.'”

This way, they could guarantee the purity and excellence of the dance while completing the placement task. Though the separation was obvious, it at least seemed more thoughtful than forcing them together.

Hitomi thought about it and felt it might be the best way for now. “Okay! Then the slogans...?”

“They need to be simple and powerful, preferably related to our dance or constellations,” Lee Chaeyeon thought quickly. “sagittarius is the 'Voyager,' cancer is the 'Gentle Tide'... Sports Drinks replenish 'Voyager Energy,' and Energy Bars bring 'Tide-like Endurance'? No, that's too convoluted...” With time running out, they could only come up with the most direct lines.

Just as they were racking their brains, Choi Yena's voice drifted over through her still-active megaphone, carrying her characteristic energetic and slightly mischievous tone:

“Wow! It’s finally time for the last group! It’s our dance queens, Chaeyeon Unnie and Hitomi Unnie! What kind of performance will they bring? I’m so excited! But before that—”

She shifted gears, beginning her dutiful (and self-serving) promotion of the sausage stall:

“Watching a performance requires stamina! Dancing requires even more energy! If you get hungry watching or tired from dancing, don’t forget to visit our 'Pisces Sausage Stall'! Although the free event is over, if you buy now, you get free sauce with two sausages (a decision she made herself)! It’s a super deal! Come support the career of the Pisces Sausage Saintess!”

Her shouting drew another round of well-meaning laughter from the crowd, slightly easing the tension of being the final act.

Lee Chaeyeon and Hitomi locked eyes, no longer hesitating, and quickly finalized the slogans. Though direct, they fit the "energy" theme.

At that moment, Producer Jiang Zhi Yu's voice rang out, raising the curtain for the final grand finale performance:

“After four groups of diverse (?) charm displays, finally, we have arrived at today's last group! Let’s welcome with the warmest applause and anticipation—'sagittarius & cancer,' Lee Chaeyeon! Honda Hitomi!”

Thunderous applause erupted, interspersed with shouts of anticipation for the Main Dancer Line's skills.

The two took a deep breath, picked up their assigned props—Lee Chaeyeon took a bottle of blue Sports Drink, and Hitomi took a chocolate-colored Energy Bar—and walked onto the ring. The ring had been cleared, leaving only those two stand-up microphones.

They stood firm in the center of the ring, facing the audience.

Lee Chaeyeon spoke first. She held up the Sports Drink in her hand, trying to make her voice sound powerful and persuasive (despite the commercial content): “The voyage of a sagittarius requires lasting momentum! XX Sports Drink, replenish your energy, ignite anytime!” After speaking, she made a cool motion of opening the cap (pretending) and taking a small sip (actually a dry sip), then placed the bottle at her feet.

Hitomi followed immediately, holding up the Energy Bar: “The protection of a cancer stems from inner strength! YY Energy Bar, fast charging, resist fatigue!” She also made a motion of tearing the wrapper (pretending) and taking a bite, then placed the Energy Bar next to the drink bottle.

The advertisement segment ended. The two nodded to each other and instantly entered their performance state.

Music start!

It was a classic Locking track with a distinct rhythm, strong drum beats, and a funk flavor. The moment the music started, it was as if souls were simultaneously injected into Lee Chaeyeon and Hitomi's bodies!

Without any redundant movements, they both froze in a clean and sharp "Lock" pose, their eyes looking forward sharply. Following that was a seamless series of classic Locking movement combinations!

Point!

Lee Chaeyeon's arm pointed out like a lightning bolt, her fingertip seemingly breaking the air as it pointed precisely diagonally upward, her body tilting slightly with it as she froze. Hitomi was almost perfectly synchronized, pointing to the other side with equally clean movements.

Scooby Doo!

Their feet moved in quick cross-steps as their bodies swayed with the rhythm. Their arms coordinated to make comical yet cool rowing motions with extremely high synchronization, full of rhythmic sense.

Kick!

Synchronized high kicks, legs straight and powerful, drawing beautiful arcs in the air and landing with a steady stance.

Twirl!

Lee Chaeyeon did a fast spin on the spot, her arms creating a beautiful wave during the rotation. Hitomi performed a more controlled slow spin, her body maintaining balance throughout, her eyes locked on the audience.

They didn't arrange complex duo lifts or high-difficulty tricks; instead, they pushed the basic elements of Locking to the extreme. With unparalleled synchronization, millisecond-precise rhythm control, and movements full of explosiveness and control, they interpreted the meaning of "Dignity of the Main Dancer."

Every lock was full of tension, every start (point, kick) was swift and powerful, and every movement of their bodies perfectly matched the music. Sweat began to seep from their foreheads, but their eyes grew brighter and their aura stronger.

The audience, who had initially chuckled at the ad slogans, was quickly drawn into this high-quality duo Locking show. Many knowledgeable spectators even let out gasps of admiration.

“Wow! This Locking! It’s so textbook!”

“That synchronization is insane!”

“Chaeyeon’s power! Hitomi’s control! A perfect match!”

“This is what dancing is!”

“This is so much better than that messy stuff before! (No offense)”

Cheers and applause rose wave after wave, and the popularity decibel levels began to climb steadily, even showing signs of surpassing the previous groups.

Choi Yena was also mesmerized, forgetting to continue selling sausages. She praised them sincerely into the microphone: “Wow... Chaeyeon Unnie and Hitomi Unnie are dancing so coolly! So powerful! So neat! Is this the strength of our IZ*ONE main dancers? I feel like the air is vibrating with them! Everyone, look! Clap for them!”

Midway through the dance, the music's rhythm became more intense. The two naturally entered a "Battle" mode. It was no longer complete synchronization but a call & response performance.

Lee Chaeyeon went first with a segment of powerful and fast footwork followed by a quick spin. Her movements were large and expansive, like a sagittarius cruising the starry sky, full of aggression.

Hitomi immediately responded with a routine that focused more on isolation and delicate control. The rhythms of her shoulders, chest, and hips were clearly layered, surging like a tide, soft yet firm, showcasing the resilience of a cancer.

One powerful and one graceful, one fast and one steady, they seemed to unfold a silent dance competition on the ring, yet they were perfectly in sync, showcasing the fun and competitive nature of Locking to the fullest.

The audience was fired up, their cheers almost blowing the roof off!

Finally, at the climax of the music, the two merged again to perform a set of complex duo coordination movements, ending with a back-to-back shoulder lean, simultaneously striking a cool signature Locking pose pointing forward—freeze!

The music stopped abruptly.

“Waaaaaaaah!!!”

“So cool!!”

“Chaeyeon! Hitomi!!”

“Strongest main dancers!”

The most enthusiastic and purest applause and cheers of the day erupted from the crowd, celebrating their dance skill! The popularity decibel level instantly surged to an unprecedented peak!

Lee Chaeyeon and Hitomi maintained their ending pose, breathing slightly hard, their bangs wet with sweat, but their faces were filled with the satisfaction and confident smiles of having delivered an excellent performance. They used their strength to defend the dignity of the main dancers and contributed the most professionally ornamental stage of the day.

As the applause subsided slightly, the two caught their breath, shared a smile, and then simultaneously bent down in sync to pick up the Sports Drink and Energy Bar they had placed at their feet earlier.

They faced the audience again.

Lee Chaeyeon held up the drink, her face still flushed from the exercise, but her voice was clear and strong: “Voyage over, energy replenished! XX Sports Drink, your best partner!”

Hitomi also held up the Energy Bar, a sweet smile on her face: “The tide recedes, but the strength remains! YY Energy Bar, cheering for you anytime!”

After speaking, the two again made the "drinking" and "tasting" motions and then bowed in thanks.

Was the product placement stiff? Yes. But placed before and after such a brilliant and pure dance, the audience seemed willing to accept it, even finding their way of "advertising before and after the dance" much cuter and more honest than forcing it into the performance. Applause rang out again, full of affirmation for their skill and effort.

Choi Yena also summarized excitedly: “It’s over! That was amazing! Chaeyeon Unnie and Hitomi Unnie’s Locking battle! I have goosebumps! Is this the charm of our IZ*ONE? All kinds of charm! Of course, dancing takes a lot out of you, so remember to come buy sausages to replenish real energy!”

The fifth group, the Main Dancer Line, with a hearty and professionally perfect Locking battle, brought today's "Charm Combat" segment to a sufficiently cool and impressive close.

With that, all five groups of "Star Saints" had finished their performances. Styles varied, laughter and tears were shared, and shame and glory coexisted.

Next up was Head Judge Kim Minju’s "fair judgment," followed by Producer Jiang Zhi Yu announcing the results and the subsequent "Survival Challenge."