Chapter 70: Return to PANTERA

Ohio Stadium, located in Columbus, Ohio, USA.

Geon and Son Lin, watching the staff busy preparing the stage while having a conversation at a booth directly facing the stage. Geon, gazing around the immense stadium, spoke.

"This stadium is incredibly huge. How many seats in total?"

Lin, holding documents for stage equipment checks and marking with a pen, replied.

"A total of 104,944 seats, K. If you exclude the area right behind the stage, you can think of it as around 90,000 seats."

Geon, widening his eyes, asked.

"90,000 seats? Will all of that be filled?"

Lin, folding the documents, replied.

"It's already at 100% reservation. We had 63,000 tickets pre-sold. Tickets for on-site purchase are reserved for the day of the event. Even if they don't sell at the venue, the audience for this tour has already exceeded 60,000."

Geon, astonished, exclaimed.

"What? Over 60,000 tickets already sold?"

Lin, operating her smartphone from within her embrace, pushed the screen toward Geon.

"The video we made with the trailer has already surpassed one million views in the U.S., K. It will be broadcast in Europe and Asia after tonight's performance."

While Geon was staring blankly at the screen Lin presented, she handed the phone to Geon.

"The followers of the new SNS account registered under the name of PANTERA have exceeded three million. Even if we assume only one-tenth of them attend the tour, it's still over 300,000."

Geon, with an incredulous expression, asked.

"Three million? Is that just in the U.S.?"

Lin shook her head as she spoke.

"No, the SNS fan page is open to a global audience. However, it's only been open for six days, so the numbers are still modest. We need to surpass ten million."

Geon, still looking surprised, said.

"And it's expected to increase from here? The popularity of Pantera is truly remarkable."

Lin flicked her finger and said.

"Pantera itself is popular, but the core message of the trailer had a significant impact. Coming back to perform at the venue where the genius guitarist Dimebag Darrell died thirteen years ago. Although it was just for a moment, your performance made people feel like Dimebag Darrell had returned."

Geon, with a slightly tense expression, clenched his fist.

"Johnny also mentioned that. If I mess up, it could ruin the entire performance. Haha."

Lin nodded with a smile.

"That's right. It shouldn't turn into a situation where there's nothing to eat at a famous feast. Your role is crucial. The success of the first tour will determine the strength to carry on until the end. Please do your best."

Geon nodded vigorously, meeting Lin's eyes with determination.

"I'll give it my all."

Lin stood up from her seat, slinging a bag over Geon's shoulder, and took something out from it, extending it towards Geon.

"These are on-site tickets for sale. Just in case, I prepared ten. Please give these to your guests."

Geon took the tickets, smiling.

"Do I have any guests? My family is in Korea, and the professors have already reserved, I heard."

Lin chuckled and said.

"Just keep them, you never know."

Lin dusted off the dust on Geon's shoulder while speaking.

"There's only one day left. I think I'll have to stay here tonight for the final check. The performance for tomorrow is all planned out now."

Geon stood up, smiling confidently.

"Indeed, Vinnie, who saw the trailer, had a good idea and suggested to the director to entrust the planning of the U.S. performance to you. You're the best."

Lin, turning back to the stage, grinned. Geon, gazing at the vast audience seats, thought to himself.

"Tomorrow. Finally, tomorrow. I'll stand here."

With Hakoo in hand and wearing a mask, Geon exited the stadium. As he walked around the large stadium, he saw people lining up near the main gate. Many people were gathered, sitting on the ground, looking at their phones, eating, and wearing masks. Geon, approaching with curiosity, asked a teenage-looking boy.

"Hey, what's going on here? Why are so many people gathered?"

The boy, sitting on the ground and wiping his mouth after eating a sandwich, looked up at Geon.

"Here, tomorrow's Pantera tour is happening. We're waiting to buy tickets on-site because we couldn't get reservations."

Geon, widening his eyes, asked.

"What? The concert is tomorrow, and people are already here?"

Geon raised his hand to check his wristwatch, realizing it was only 12:30 in the afternoon. Lowering his hand, he looked back at the boy, who smirked and said.

"You'll be late if you come tomorrow. Probably, when it gets late in the afternoon, people will start setting up tents and waiting with the intention of spending the night. My brother and I brought a tent too. If you want to see the concert, it's better to line up from now."

Geon, with a shocked face, looked at the gradually lengthening line. Familiar faces to Geon were visible in the line. As Geon quickly walked towards them, he noticed two people sitting on the ground a little more closely. Calling out in a small voice, Geon said.

"Abigail? Kate?"

The two women sitting on the ground looked up at Geon. After a moment of staring at Geon, their expressions brightened, and as they were about to speak, Geon put his index finger to his lips. The two stopped, nodded, and Geon pointed his thumb behind him. Quickly picking up their belongings placed next to them, the two followed Geon. Geon, looking back with a smile, said.

"Abigail! Kate! You came this far?"

Abigail, with a bright face, spoke to Geon.

"Hey! I watched the trailer and came back! I was about to book the tickets right away, but the site opened, and within an hour, it was sold out. So, I came with Kate a day early."

Geon Kim said with a smile.

"If you had called, I would have given you the tickets in advance. Haha."

Abigail pouted.

"You didn't give me your phone number. And I heard that Daniel Weiss also wanted to come, but he couldn't get a ticket."

Geon scratched the back of his head, laughing.

"Oh... really? Haha, my bad."

Kate, who was standing nearby, casually bumped fists with Geon and said, "Still, thanks to that, we got to meet Kei separately. Kei has become a total star, hasn't she?"

Geon awkwardly laughed when he saw Kate's fist bump and Abigail, noticing the situation, playfully hit Kate's hand.

"Kate! Don't do unnecessary skinship!"

When Kate withdrew her fist, Geon took out tickets from his pocket and said, "I have separate tickets here, so don't wait; just rest and come tomorrow. Here."

Abigail's eyes widened as she looked at the tickets Geon handed over.

"Wow!! Thanks, Kei!"

Kate snatched one of the tickets from Abigail's hand, saying, "One is mine, right, Kei?"

Geon chuckled and replied, "Of course, haha. Did you manage to find a hotel nearby?"

Kate tilted her head, asking, "You were planning to stay here tonight, right? I didn't book a hotel yet."

Geon looked embarrassed and said, "Oh, there might not be rooms available in the hotels around here... Wait a moment."

Geon dialed a number and called Lynn.

"Oh, Geon. What's up?"

"Hey, Lynn. Did you mention working late tonight at the site? I was wondering if you had booked a hotel."

"Yeah, I did book one, but it seems I won't be able to go in tonight."

"Oh, really? Sorry for bothering you with this... But I happened to meet two acquaintances here. They're in a bit of a bind because they couldn't get a hotel. And they're ladies, so I thought I'd bring them along."

"Oh, really? Since I won't be using it anyway, they can use my room."

"Thank you, Lynn. I'm sorry for this inconvenience."

"No problem. Come and get the key."

"Sure, I'll be right there!"

Kate cheered with excitement as she anticipated their free hotel stay.

"Yay~ Free tickets and a free hotel!!!"

Geon smiled, and the three of them went into the performance venue they were preparing. After receiving the room key from Lynn, Geon said goodbye, looking forward to tomorrow. Abigail invited him to have dinner together, but Geon declined, citing preparations for the show. He returned to his hotel room and lay down for a while, absentmindedly plucking the strings of his guitar.

Next day.

Since the morning, eight helicopters had been flying over the Ohio Stadium. In one of the helicopters, a white man with his hair blowing in the wind held a microphone with CNN's logo and enthusiastically reported from above.

"I'm Robert Perry, CNN reporter! I'm here today to broadcast the legendary Pantera's concert live as it rises again."

The strong wind from the helicopter made his hair flutter as he continued reporting on the constant influx of spectators into the stadium.

"Even from the 900-meter altitude, we can see waves of spectators entering the stadium! Currently, entry is underway starting from those who reserved tickets! Let's connect to Victoria at the stadium entrance. Victoria, come out!"

A female reporter named Victoria stood in front of the stadium's main gate, surrounded by spectators with various expressions. She shouted urgently into the microphone.

"Yes! I'm Victoria Lachetti, reporting from Ohio Stadium! Fans who waited overnight to buy tickets on the spot are here, and the enthusiasm is so high that those who arrived after midnight yesterday couldn't get tickets!"

After checking her wristwatch, Victoria continued, "We have two hours left until the performance starts. The fans who couldn't get tickets are not leaving the vicinity of the stadium, so the Columbus police have decided to deploy officers for security. Policemen who have arrived one after another are clearing the area!"

The camera showed the hefty policemen installing safety lines and pushing fans outside the designated area. Scenes of rowdy rock fans getting into altercations with the police were visible here and there. When the camera returned to Victoria, holding the microphone, she spoke with an even more tense voice.

"The atmosphere here is extremely intense. However, the police are on high alert due to the possibility of sudden incidents caused by the enthusiastic Pantera fans! This is CNN News. I'm Victoria!"

After Victoria's commentary ended, the camera continued to capture the fans pouring into the stadium like a tide. On this day, all news channels in the United States seized on Pantera's tour as the headline news, broadcasting external situations until the end of the concert. Many reporters were also waiting in the press room inside the stadium, prepared for any potential violence.

Before they knew it, there were only 30 minutes left until the start of the concert.

The Ohio Stadium was packed with 90,000 spectators.

From two hours before the start of the performance, the audience, who had entered the venue, filled the seats and the standing sections of the stadium. With characteristics typical of rock fans, such as long hair or tattoos on shaved heads, the audience began to get more excited as the performance approached.

"Uaaa!!! Let's start already!"

"I couldn't sleep after watching the trailer! I've been waiting eagerly!"

"Hurry, hurry! I'm getting dizzy!!"

Already, most of the fans were raising both hands above their heads, taking a pose with their index and ring fingers extended. In the eyes of such fans, lights began to appear on the large screen installed behind the stage.

"Woahhhhh!!!!!!!"

The audience, sensing that the start of the performance was imminent, focused on the large screen. The screen, which had been emitting white light, turned black, revealing the face of a toothless leopard featured in the trailer video.

"Whoa!!! I fell in love with that! That's mine!"

"I don't know who made it, but one trailer was legendary!"

"Just one trailer! Haven't you seen them playing in the practice video? It felt like Daryl had come back to life!"

"That's right! I came to witness the legend with my own eyes!"

As each fan threw out a word, the concert hall became noisy. All the lights went out in the venue for a moment. Although the audience was puzzled, they realized that the extinguishing of lights was a signal for the start of the performance when they saw the leopard shining alone under the spotlight on the large screen behind the stage.

"Wowwwww!!!!!!!!!"

The audience, who felt the imminent start of the performance, focused on the large screen. The face of the toothless leopard from the trailer video appeared as the screen, previously emitting white light, turned black.

"Wowwwww!!!!!!!!!"

The imminent start of the performance made the audience more and more excited. The guitarist, who had taken charge of the session, climbed onto the stage with two other guitarists, and they began a lyrical arpeggio performance. The audience started cheering again.

"Cemetery Gates!"

"That's the song from the video!"

"Uaaa!! I'm getting excited to the point of madness!"

The two guitarists looked at each other, and on top of the arpeggio performance, they added guitar ad-libs with effects. When the spotlight moved abruptly to the right, illuminating the two of them, Phillip Anselmo, who had been bowing his head, appeared.

"Uaaa!!!!!!!!! Phillip! Phillip! Phillip!"

The slow drumbeat was added to the slow guitar performance. The spotlight then shifted to Vinnie Paul, who was sitting at the drums.

"Kyaaaa!!! Vinnie Paul!!!"

Behind Vinnie Paul, Rex Brown played the bass guitar, gesturing with a smile to the audience. Slowly walking past the drums and moving to the right side of the stage, Rex stood next to Phillip.

After slowly moving to the center of the stage, Phillip picked up the microphone on the microphone stand. With a solemn expression, Phillip took off his upper garment, leaving only shorts, and raised the microphone, producing a deep and melancholic voice.

"Reverend, Reverend. Is this some conspiracy?"

"Crucified for no sins An image beneath me"

"What's within our plans for life It all seems so unreal"

As the audience focused on Phillip's nostalgic voice, he slowly raised one hand and pointed to the sky. When the audience gathered their attention in that direction, a large metal structure descended slowly under the top lighting on the stage. The audience pointed and shouted.

"What's that! Kaya?"

"Wow! Is it coming down from there?"

As the metal structure gradually revealed its shape, long and slender legs in black leather pants and sand boots appeared. As the structure descended, revealing more of the male figure, his guitar became visible.

"It's White Falcon!! Kaya!!"

"Kyaaaaaa!!!! Kaya!!!"

"Mom! Did he really carry the guitar around? Not just in the music videos?"

"Absolutely amazing!! So cool for real!"

As the metal structure completely revealed the figure, Gun, with closed eyes, stood still, and the two guitarists created a slow ad-lib over the quiet and lyrical melody. The audience was captivated by the ecstatic expression on their faces.

While Gun played the guitar with a slight shake, his eyes closed, in the middle of the ad-lib, his face was close-up on the large screen behind the stage.

Gun opened his eyes. As he opened his eyes, he spread his legs and lowered his posture, exploding into a powerful performance. Simultaneously, the drums and bass also covered the audience with a different explosiveness than before.

"Jingjingjing Jingjingjing Jingjing~jing Jing~jing!"

The sharp, razor-like picking instantly immersed the audience in excitement.

"Aaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Wowwwwwww~~~~~~~~~~~~"

The massive and exhilarating sound that covered the Ohio Stadium made the audience rise from their seats. Unbeknownst to anyone, not a single person among the 90,000 spectators was sitting, and Phillip Anselmo's scream erupted.

"Kuahhhhhhhhhhh~~~~~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

As the audience became immersed in excitement, sweating and jumping, feeling chills running down their bodies, Phillip stepped forward and began to sing. Phillip's singing seemed to unleash a scream mixed with blood.

"Well, I guess you took my youth,"

"I gave it all away,"

"Like the birth of a newfound joy,"

"This love would end in rage."

"And when she died,"

"I couldn't cry,"

"The pride within my soul,"

"You left me incomplete,"

"All alone as the memories now unfold."

While Gun played an ethereal melody suspended in the air, and Phillip unleashed a soulful song from below, the excited audience couldn't contain themselves. Colliding with those around them, the crowd began slamming into each other, shaking their bodies wildly as if possessed. The madness spread, and not only the standing audience but also those seated in the chairs jumped up, shouting and creating a thunderous roar that echoed through the venue.

By the time the first song concluded, the structure Geon descended on touched the ground completely. Playing on the structure until the song was entirely finished, Geon descended, exchanged a high-five with Phillip, and they both smiled. Amidst the continuous cheers of the audience, as the two stood holding hands, massive fangs emerged from the mouth of a toothless leopard displayed on the large screen.

Witnessing the emergence of the fangs and the sight of Phillip and Kay holding hands below alternately, the audience erupted into even louder cheers.

"Waaah!!"

"It's real! It's really Pantera!"

"A perfect rebirth!"

"Khhuk! I thought I would never see this while I'm alive again!"

Looking at the ecstatic crowd filled with tremendous cheers, Phillip turned to the microphone, gazing at the sky.

"Friend. You're watching now, aren't you?"

The roaring audience suddenly hushed in the full stands. Phillip's face, looking at the sky, was projected on the large screen. Tears welled up in Phillip's eyes as he gazed at the sky, shaking. The noise of the audience gradually subsided, and everyone focused on Phillip's appearance.

Phillip slowly raised his right hand into the air, forming a fist. After holding the fist for a moment, Phillip slowly lowered his arm and placed the fist over his left chest.

"Today, I meet you again in the place where you left."

In the standing audience, one of the spectators who had been staring blankly at Phillip raised a clenched fist high, then, like Phillip, placed it over his chest. The overwhelming crowd psychology spread silently, and most people, looking at the sky, placed their fists over their chests.

At that moment, on the large screen, an interview video of the late Dimebag Darrell started playing. In the interview, Dimebag Darrell, with a long, red beard, spoke while caressing his beard on the black-and-white screen.

"A band is actually quite similar to the concept of a family. So, respecting each other, acknowledging each other's differences, these are crucial. But above all, what's most important is that every member must have the same crazy passion and crazy love for the band and music. Pantera has different roles for each member within the band. But you know what's really killer? It's not something you decide and create in advance; it happens naturally!"

Some audience members teared up at the sight of Dimebag Darrell. Phillip and Vinnie, too, gazed at Darrell's image on the screen with reddened eyes. Darrell in the screen continued speaking.

"Did you know Pantera played as a cover band for nine years before releasing the first album, 'Cowboys From Hell'? Damn, it took nine years to produce a sound like 'Cowboys From Hell'! So, be patient and work hard. It will happen someday. I guarantee it. Won't I be a witness soon?"

The audience watched the image of Dimebag Darrell on the screen quietly, immersed in longing. Phillip turned around, facing the screen where Darrell was frozen, and spoke into the microphone.

"Yeah, friend! Let me remind you. Let's go!! 'Cowboys From Hell'!"

Geon, who had been quietly watching the screen, exploded with sharp guitar sounds that seemed to shred the entire body. The audience of 90,000 erupted into tremendous cheers.

Watching the performance of Pantera from the glass window in the top-level broadcast booth of the multipurpose stadium, Son Lin picked up the walkie-talkie.

"Are the cameras filming properly?"

"Roger, yes, filming is going smoothly."

"After the performance ends, we'll upload the edited version to social media right away. Camera directors 1 and 4, please transmit the footage to the editing room once this song finishes. We'll edit during the performance. The rest of the directors, keep filming. We'll use it for the making film later."

Putting down the walkie-talkie, Lin rested her hand on the table and, slightly stooping, looked down at the ongoing Pantera performance below. Her eyes deepened.

"It's not a legend restarting. It's starting now. The beginning of a new legend!"