Tang Song adjusted his sleeping posture and covered himself with the blanket. He selected the "Simulation Instance Creation Card" and used it immediately.

A shimmering halo flowed across the system interface, revealing a grand concert scene. Bright lights and a sea of glow sticks formed a starry river. Fireworks burst into the sky, creating a colorful, dreamy spectacle. Lines of text appeared next:

"Dreams are the expression and exploration of the depths of the human soul. In dreams, you can escape the constraints of reality, travel through time and space, and encounter fantastic sights never seen before. You are about to enter a free and magical realm of imagination, filled with infinite possibilities and creativity. Please let your imagination run wild."

"On April 28, 2023, at 22:34, you have activated your first story instance."

"Loading the story..."

"Assigning roles..."

"Welcome to the story instance—Tomorrow's Superstar."

"Chapter One, Elimination in Adversity"

"About to begin."

The light screen transformed into starlight and dissipated, and a wave of sleepiness washed over Tang Song. His body relaxed, and his breathing became slow and steady.

...

I was born into an ordinary working-class family. Though not wealthy, my family was healthy and harmonious. In third grade, a very cute little girl transferred into my class and became my deskmate. She was very smart, picking up whatever the teacher taught immediately, always scoring full marks in exams, and she could draw, play the piano, and dance. She loved reading and often shared interesting stories with me. Before I knew it, we became good friends.

In middle school, we attended different schools, made new friends, and gradually lost touch, only occasionally bumping into each other at the library, stationery store, or on the street. In high school, we became classmates again, though not in the same class, but we often chatted in the playground, stairwell, and under the trees. She remained excellent, always ranking in the top three in school, while I was just above average. She liked listening to music while solving math problems. I saved up and bought a guitar, teaching myself to play. I discovered I had a great talent for music; I played the guitar well and sang beautifully.

In college, we parted ways again, this time over 350 kilometers apart. I joined a music club and learned to play more instruments. I started writing my own songs, recording and sharing them on short video apps, and sending them to her. An entertainment company noticed me, appreciating my musical talent and good looks, and offered me a contract as a singer. I agreed. I loved music and wanted to prove myself, aspiring to be a star.

After professional training and guidance, my musical skills improved dramatically. My manager arranged for me to participate in a program called "Tomorrow's Superstar," a global music talent show and currently the hottest variety show. She gave me an expensive guitar, encouraging me to do my best. I smoothly passed the "Preliminary Round" and the "Selection Round," entering the elimination stage in the China region, meaning I would finally appear on screen and shine on the hit show "Tomorrow's Superstar!" However, the first elimination round seemed challenging. I might get eliminated.

Story Task: Maintain your persona and pass the first elimination round successfully.

Evaluation Criteria: Stage performance ability, personal charm, role matching.

Tang Song slowly opened his eyes and rubbed his face. It felt like he had lived another person’s life in a flash, but it also felt seamlessly immersive. He loved music, had outstanding talent, a great voice, and could play many instruments, especially the guitar at a level suitable for forming a band. This was why he stood out in the China region. However, in the first elimination round, he faced a VIP contestant. Possibly intimidated by his talent, the opponent’s agency arranged for their group to compete at a music festival in Sakura Province. The contestants would perform, and the audience and judges would vote. While most people in this province spoke Mandarin, Japanese was still widely spoken as a dialect, and the VIP contestant excelled in Japanese songs.

"Ding! The instance shop is now open. The purchased items and skill books can only be used within this instance."

Here it was! The equipment for the instance was finally available! Even if the opponent was a VIP, Tang Song was a "cheater"! In his dream, he wouldn't let himself be bullied!

Opening the system interface, he entered the newly appeared instance shop and checked the item details one by one.

"Popular Japanese Song*1": Gain the lyrics, composition, and arrangement of a hit Japanese song upon use. Price: 100,000 yuan.

"Japanese Skill Book": Gain automatic mastery of Japanese phonetics, vocabulary, grammar, and intonation, achieving professional translator level. Price: 200,000 yuan.

"Recovery Potion*10": Quickly restore physical and mental states to optimal condition, helping you perform better in the competition. Price: 300,000 yuan.

Tang Song didn’t continue looking since he only had 440,000 yuan.

"Ding! You have acquired 'Popular Japanese Song'."

"Ding! You have acquired 'Japanese Skill Book'."

The 300,000 yuan he had just withdrawn from the betting agreement was gone, making him feel a bit of a pinch. But there was no choice; he needed the right gear to clear the instance.

Entering the system warehouse, he selected the "Japanese Skill Book" and used it immediately. Instantly, a wealth of words, pronunciations, and grammar filled his mind, allowing him to speak fluent Japanese. Unfortunately, this skill was temporary, only usable within this instance. Otherwise, he wouldn’t need subtitles for anime and dramas anymore, enjoying raw content directly for an enhanced experience.

Feeling a bit sentimental, he selected the "Popular Japanese Song" and used it. In an instant, the complete sheet music and arrangement details appeared in his mind. With his musical talent from the dream, he quickly understood and internalized the song. Picking up the guitar, he smoothly played and sang a few lines, feeling confident.

Gently setting the guitar aside, Tang Song walked to the window, looking out at the streets of Osaka. Skyscrapers, rail transit, colorful billboards, girls in school uniforms, and ubiquitous anime elements filled the scene. This dream world had many differences from reality, yet many similarities. Although he wanted to experience the unique culture and chat with pretty local girls, he decided to stick to his character for now.

For the next two days, Tang Song followed his routine, carefully playing his role. He adjusted his mindset, polished the song, trained his voice, honed his stage presence, and participated in the competition.

...

As the results were announced, the scene froze. A brown guitar, a dazzling stage, bright spotlights, and the cheers, applause, and shouts of the audience filled the air. The system light screen unfolded.

"Story Instance Cleared."

"Evaluating..."

"Overall Rating: S (Excellent)." ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ⓝovelFire.net

"You have received attribute reward: Comprehension +1."

"You have received a language reward: Basic Japanese."

"You have received a skill reward: Guitar Playing."