The Seoul Dome was alive.
Even before the first lights flickered on, fans roared in anticipation, a living pulse that seemed to vibrate the very steel of the arena. The hum of excitement was thick enough to taste—electricity hanging in the air, like static before a storm. Monarch's members waited in the shadows of the stage, hearts hammering, bodies poised, every nerve alert.
Jiwon adjusted the in-ear monitors, the faint glow of his bracelet tracing the pulse in his veins. He looked at his members one by one: Zayn, grounding and precise; Min, serene yet tense, eyes scanning every detail; Kai, energy barely contained, bouncing on the balls of his feet; EO, the youngest, staring forward with a mix of awe and determination.
Tonight, they weren't just performing. They were unleashing.
The lights cut out. A heartbeat of silence. And then—
A single, searing red spotlight hit Jiwon center stage. The crown glinted against his dark hair. The first note of the new track—raw, aggressive, tribal—punched through the speakers. The rhythm was sharp, like footfalls in a battlefield.
Kai burst out from stage left, opening with a fierce line:
"Step into the fire, watch your empire burn,No retreat, no surrender, it's your turn."
Each word cut through the air, crisp and commanding. He moved with kinetic precision—arms slicing through imaginary lines, a predator dancing in rhythm.
EO followed immediately, sliding into the center behind Kai, his falsetto threading between the sharp beats:
"Shadows bend, but we don't break,Every step a claim, every breath awake."
Min spun from the opposite side, elegant yet grounded, a living contrast to Kai's raw energy. He extended a hand toward the crowd at the chorus, guiding their energy like a conductor, before twisting into a rapid double pirouette that ended with his fingertips grazing the floor.
Zayn's movements were calculated, sharp, a perfect balance of strength and style. Every stomp, every pivot amplified the beat as if the floor itself responded to him. His eyes locked with Jiwon's for a second, a silent synchronization passing between them—the leader and the anchor, holding the group together.
And then Jiwon.
He stepped into the red haze, voice low, velvety, predatory:
"I take the crown, I break the chain,Every whisper fades beneath my reign."
The LED panels flared behind him, flames of gold and crimson licking the edges of the stage, synchronized with every sharp syllable. His movements were a knife-edge blend of control and fury, body coiling like a spring, then snapping into precise strikes across the floor.
The choreography was relentless. Fast spins, floor sweeps, explosive leaps. Every member moved like they were part of a single, breathing organism. The camera cuts mirrored their movements—angles that made their unity and strength almost tangible to anyone watching.
The chorus hit:
"Takedown, break the walls around,We rise from fire, we own this ground,No mercy, no retreat, stand and see,We are the storm, we are free."
The crowd erupted, echoing back every word with fervor. Phones lifted, screens bright, fans moving in waves as if the energy could lift them off the floor.
Jiwon dropped low, sliding across the stage, fingers scraping the floor, before springing upward into a spin that ended with him leaning against Zayn mid-step. Zayn caught him flawlessly, moving into a synchronized punch-line that drove the beat even higher.
Kai slammed a fist to the ground, causing a ripple in the LED visuals. Sparks of light shot upward, synchronized to the percussion. Min leapt across, landing near EO, who spun out gracefully, singing the next line with crystal clarity:
"Your fire is mine, we'll burn and shine,No turning back, the edge is fine."
The bridge hit like a tidal wave. Jiwon's voice rose over the percussive rhythm, layered with harmonies from EO and Min, echoing across the arena. His eyes caught the crowd's reflection in the mirrored panels along the stage wings—thousands of faces, mouths agape, phones waving, hearts pounding in time with the music.
"Every fall is fuel for flight,Every shadow bends to light,We take the night, we claim the fight,Monarch reigns, we own the night."
It wasn't just choreography—it was storytelling. Each movement, each note, a declaration. They were alive in a way that transcended idols and performers—they were hunters, warriors of rhythm and sound, reclaiming power through music.
As the final chorus approached, the lights exploded into a starfield of white and silver. Each member hit their final formation: Jiwon front and center, Kai and Min flanking sharply, Zayn behind, EO at the apex. The audience screamed as confetti cannons fired, swirling in the red-and-gold haze.
"Takedown, we rise again,No shadow, no chain, no end,We are the storm, we are the flame,Monarch forever, remember our name!"
Jiwon landed in the last pose, back straight, crown gleaming, eyes burning. The echo of their final note lingered, a palpable vibration in the dome. The audience didn't just cheer—they roared, clapping, stomping, chanting the members' names over and over.
Backstage, the group collapsed, laughing, panting, adrenaline still surging. EO wiped tears from his cheeks, overwhelmed. Kai was cackling, replaying parts in his head. Zayn clapped Jiwon on the shoulder, voice hoarse:
"You did it. All of us did it. That… that was insane."
Min leaned against the wall, breathing steadying, eyes shining:
"I felt it. Every beat, every step… it wasn't just a song. It was us."
Jiwon nodded silently, heart still hammering. He allowed himself a small smile, the kind that reached his eyes.
Tonight, Monarch didn't just perform—they claimed the stage, left their mark, and reminded the world why their reign as REX's kingdom was unstoppable.
And somewhere, high above the city, the shadow of inspiration from Equinox's performance still lingered, pushing them to rise even higher.