(3rd Person POV)
Arthur hadn't expected Joseph to awaken a new magical element—«Musical Magic»—through their training. His eyes narrowed in thought. 'Did the special training module I bought to mold him into an iconic superstar somehow trigger this awakening?'
In theory, a person's magical element was determined at birth, usually tied to their bloodline. Awakening a completely different element later in life wasn't impossible—but it was extraordinarily rare.
Joseph stood still, the air around him shimmering softly as threads of mana danced around his body in vibrant, chaotic rhythm. He could feel it—faint but unmistakable.
"What… what is this feeling?" Joseph whispered, eyes wide. "It's magic—but it's not like anything I've felt before..."
Arthur didn't answer immediately. He observed Joseph quietly, then stepped forward. His voice was calm, but serious. "You've awakened a new magical element. One separate from your family's bloodline magic."
Joseph blinked. "But… I thought our magic was fixed from birth?"
"Normally, yes," Arthur said, holding out his hand. "Your original element is «Demon Magic»—a basic bloodline element. But what you're experiencing now... is far more unusual."
He reached out, and with a flick of his fingers, gently drew a sliver of the mana from around Joseph's body. As it coiled into his palm, it revealed itself—colorful like a rainbow, yet the musical notes dancing within it were pitch black. A soft hum filled the room, like distant piano keys and the faint strum of guitar strings blending together in harmony.
"This," Arthur said with a faint smile, "is «Musical Magic»."
Joseph stared, captivated. The notes in Arthur's palm weren't just glowing—they were singing. Somehow… the magic had melody.
"Musical… Magic?" he echoed, breathless.
Arthur nodded. "Yes. It's extremely rare—and you've just awakened it, Joseph. At your age, that's nearly unheard of."
Joseph could barely form words. "Wow…"
Arthur gently closed his palm, and the sound vanished with a shimmer. "This magic comes with its own abilities—abilities tied to music, rhythm, emotion. You'll have to discover what those are for yourself."
Joseph nodded slowly, still awestruck.
Arthur turned to leave, but paused at the door. "Take your time with it. Let the music guide you. And Joseph…" he glanced over his shoulder, his golden eyes firm, "I have high hopes for you."
And with that, he walked out, leaving Joseph standing alone, the lingering notes of Musical Magic still echoing faintly in the air.
---
After leaving Joseph alone in the practice studio, Arthur made his way back to his private office. The moment he stepped inside, he locked the door behind him with a click, ensuring no one would disturb what came next.
He raised his hand—and with a whisper of thought, a surge of magic ignited from the center of his palm.
«Musical Magic» burst forth, swirling in the air like dancing wisps of color. Notes materialized around him, fluttering like butterflies, echoing a fragmented melody. It was distorted, yet somehow soothing—like the faint hum of a lullaby heard in a dream.
Arthur watched the magic spin gently through the air, his golden eyes reflecting the notes as his lips curled into a satisfied smile.
"Thanks to Divine Imitation," he murmured, "I copied the Musical Magic without breaking a sweat."
He hadn't drawn the magic from Joseph earlier purely out of curiosity—it was a calculated move. With one touch, he had copied the magical element and now made it his own.
As the spell continued to hum and spiral around him, a rush of information suddenly flooded into his mind. Complex theories, musical constructs, harmonic spellcasting techniques—all of it poured into him like a tidal wave of knowledge.
Yet Arthur's expression didn't change. His face remained calm, unbothered.
Any normal person would've collapsed from the mental overload. In fact, the sheer volume of new data should've caused excruciating pain—enough to make someone faint or go mad.
But Arthur had already bypassed that. He had deliberately disabled the neural pathways responsible for sending pain signals to his brain.
After just a few seconds, the knowledge of the new magical element settled into Arthur's mind. He tapped his chin thoughtfully as he muttered aloud, "So... with Musical Magic, I can channel my voice into others, and through singing, directly influence their minds. I can amplify emotion, sway hearts... even inspire action. And with the right tempo and power, my performance itself becomes a weapon."
A grin tugged at the corner of his lips.
"It may not be the full extent of the element's potential, but even at this level—it's incredibly promising," he said, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Honestly, it might even outshine my Roses Magic."
He chuckled to himself, swirling slowly in his chair. "Heh... Joseph really surprised me. I never expected him to awaken something this rare—and now I've inherited it, too."
He poured himself a glass of his finest wine, the crimson liquid catching the room's ambient light. He swirled the drink casually and hummed a soft note. A gentle vibration pulsed through the glass, causing it to resonate in harmony with his voice—like a crystal bell.
Arthur raised the glass, eyes sharp with satisfaction.
"Even if Joseph doesn't become the next iconic superstar," he mused, "just acquiring this ability alone makes the entire deal with Lucy worth it."
As he sipped, the mood around him mellowed into smug satisfaction. With a flick of his finger, he used the Force Projection technique to conjure a real-time view of Central Park in Apple City.
The projection shimmered into focus—a large open park filled with floating lights and music.
From the banners overhead, it was clear: the annual «Sky Festival» was underway. Organized by the city council and the Three Known Gods' temples, it was one of the most widely-attended cultural events in the district.
Arthur raised a brow.
"What are my followers doing there?" he muttered, tilting his head.
Typically, most of his devout were centered in Angel's City, within Golden State territory. Yet here—he could feel it—many of them were gathering in Apple District instead, mingling among the festivalgoers.
Curiosity stirred in his chest.
'Interesting…' he thought. 'Have they begun spreading on their own? Or is something else drawing them there?'
The glass in his hand pulsed again, a faint melodic echo vibrating through the room.
Arthur smiled.
"I guess it's time I took a closer look."
---
In Apple City's Central Park, the «Sky Festival» was in full swing. The vast, open park pulsed with life, filled with over fifty thousand attendees of all races and backgrounds. Different sections had been set up to represent various cultures, religions, and traditions—each corner of the park was alive with color and sound.
Toward the east side, where the elves had gathered, the mood was serene. Most were followers of the Moon Goddess, and their venue reflected her gentle divinity with soft lights, ambient music, and flowing dances beneath silver banners.
Nearby, dwarves congregated in a more practical setting—tables stacked with gears and blueprints. Inventors, both dwarf and non-dwarf alike, shared ideas and debated theories. Their section buzzed not with music, but with heated discussion and clinks of metal.
In the human quarter, Solarus Faith followers strummed folk melodies and painted vivid images of the sun across canvases. Poets recited verses, and crowds gathered to appreciate both the spoken word and the soft energy of human creativity.
But the liveliest section by far belonged to the demons.
Though given the smallest space in the park, their venue was overflowing with people—demons and non-demons alike. The air was electric. It was loud, unapologetically so. Energy radiated from every direction, drawing attention from all across the festival grounds.
One stage featured a demon belting out a grungy cover of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit, his voice raw with passion. Another corner had a performance of Queen's Don't Stop Me Now, complete with a cheering crowd clapping in rhythm.
There were booths filled with passionate fans of popular films: "Demonfather," "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly," "Lord of the Rings," and martial arts flicks distributed by Hellfire. Cosplayers posed for photos. TV screens played clips on loop.