บท 121: Devil's Horn
(3rd Person POV)
James' concert raged on for two solid hours, with fans losing themselves in the music. The noise level skyrocketed, drawing even more curious onlookers to the park.
Reporters and bystanders watched in awe as the fans sang along with every song. "This concert is certainly energetic," one reporter remarked, eyes wide at the spectacle.
Many wondered what it felt like to be in the thick of it, to be one of James' devoted fans. They noticed James repeating songs or introducing unreleased tracks, yet the crowd's enthusiasm never wavered. Even with new songs, fans picked up the chorus after hearing it just once, belting it out with James the second time around.
As the concert wound down, the roar of the crowd gradually subsided. Fans filed out of the venue, their faces flushed with excitement. Reporters pounced, eager to capture their experiences.
One reporter, despite witnessing the fans' obvious enjoyment, decided to push a negative angle. "You've been standing for hours," he pointed out. "Isn't it tiring? After all, you paid for tickets."
A group of four James fans just laughed. "Tiring? Hell no! If James' concert was longer, we'd happily stand for a few more hours!"
"Haha! I'd stand for a whole damn day!" another chimed in.
The reporters were taken aback by their enthusiasm.
Another reporter tried a different tack. "But what's the point of paying? People could watch James' concert without-"
"We don't care!" a demon fan interrupted, flashing the hand sign James had been using throughout the concert. "James deserves the money - so we buy the tickets!"
The reporters exchanged glances, realizing they'd underestimated the depth of James' impact. This wasn't just a fan base - it was a movement.
As more fans echoed similar sentiments, it became clear that James Blaze had tapped into something powerful. He wasn't just selling music; he was offering an experience, a sense of belonging, a way for people to express themselves freely.
The reporters, realizing they had a much bigger story on their hands than they'd anticipated, furiously scribbled notes.
***
The day after James Blaze's concert, newspapers plastered their front pages with eye-catching headlines:
"James Blaze Outdoor Concert Was Enjoyed By His Fans"
"The Loudest Concert Ever"
"A New Music Style Is Taking Over!"
These attention-grabbing titles were hard to ignore, even for those who initially didn't care much about James Blaze or his music style. The sheer amount of coverage his "outdoor concert" received piqued the interest of many readers.
What really caught people's attention, though, was the mention of a hand sign James had been spreading, which was rapidly gaining popularity among his fans.
The newspapers included a picture of the hand sign on their front pages - index finger and pinky raised, middle and ring fingers folded down, thumb tucked in. Many demon readers felt an inexplicable connection to it, sensing an impression of power in its simple gesture.
Media outlets dubbed it the "Demon's Horn" or "Devil's Horn", noting its resemblance to demonic horns. This name struck a chord with the demon population, who felt the sign somehow represented them.
Within days, the hand sign's popularity exploded across the Horn Kingdom. Kids flashed it everywhere, picking it up from the media coverage and James' fans who used it constantly. Even adults found themselves adopting it, feeling it was "kind of cool".
The trend wasn't limited to demons. Elves, humans and dwarves living in the Horn Kingdom also started flashing the sign, embracing it as part of the local culture.
At a music store, an elf approached the cashier. "Is the James Blaze album available?"
The cashier nodded and pointed to a specific section.
The elf smiled, flashed the "Devil's Horn" and said, "Thanks, man."
The cashier returned the gesture, "No problem!"
This simple exchange illustrated how deeply the sign had penetrated everyday interactions. It had become more than just a fan symbol - it was now a universal greeting, a way for people to connect across racial lines.
The rapid spread of the "Devil's Horn" set off alarm bells within the Solarus Church. Their followers, initially caught up in the trend, now found themselves at the center of a growing controversy.
In a bold move, the Solarus Church in the Horn Kingdom called a press conference, inviting reporters from various media outlets.
The human bishop, his face etched with concern, declared, "We shouldn't tolerate the spread of this Devil's Horn. It is the Evil's Sign!"
A demon priest, standing beside him, added his voice to the condemnation. "We, the faith of Solarus, do not tolerate this kind of hand sign! It is an evil symbol!"
The bishop nodded gravely, "We have reason to believe that this hand sign is part of an evil plot by Arthur Morningstar."
These sensational claims quickly made their way to the front pages of newspapers, leaving many Solarus followers who had been using the "Devil's Horn" feeling conflicted. They hadn't expected their religion to ban such a seemingly harmless gesture.
However, the Solarus Church's conspiracy theory was met with derision from other faiths and non-human races.
An elf, reading the news, burst into laughter. "Evil plot by Arthur Morningstar? Give me a break. This Religion of Solarus is so paranoid!"
Even humans of the Solarus Faith found the claims absurd. Many thought, "What could that infamous exiled prince Arthur be plotting? He can't even conjure a fireball!"
Instead of alarming people, the Solarus Church's stance had the opposite effect. Elves and dwarves faithful to their own religions, who previously hadn't cared about the "Devil's Horn", began using it specifically to annoy Solarus believers.
The streets of Horn Kingdom became a silent battleground of gestures. Solarus followers, caught between their faith and the popular trend, watched as others flashed the "Devil's Horn" with increasing frequency, often accompanied by mischievous grins.
This backfire highlighted the growing disconnect between the Solarus Church's rigid stance and the evolving cultural landscape.
What was intended as a warning had instead turned into a catalyst, further popularizing the very symbol they sought to suppress.
***
(Arthur's POV)
The sales chart for James Blaze's music brought a smile to my face. That line just kept climbing with no sign of slowing down.
I turned to James and Leo, giving them a light applause. "James, you did an amazing job," I said, then nodded to Leo, "You also did great marketing James effectively."
Both of them flashed embarrassed smiles. James, humble as ever, said, "Boss, if not for the songs you composed for me, I wouldn't be able to do it."
Leo chimed in, "And I didn't do much either, boss. Sure, we talked with media outlets to promote James subtly, but it was your hand sign that really popularized James' name."
I could only smile. If they only knew that the songs and that hand sign were from my previous life, not my own creation. But I couldn't exactly say that, so I just said, "You two are very humble. That's how it should be."
I couldn't help but add, "After all, to grow, you should be humble, because there's always someone above you - and be content because there's always someone below you."
James and Leo exchanged a glance that clearly said, 'Here we go again with his sayings'.
I chuckled. Couldn't blame them. They probably had enough of my pearls of wisdom.
But I couldn't stop myself. I just kept on saying deep stuff sometimes when I was in a good mood.
We talked for a while before they excused themselves. As I watched them leave, I pondered on the future. Having a "grunge" artist alone wouldn't be enough to conquer the music industry. I needed bands like the "Beatles", "Queen", and others. They deserved to be known in this world too.
Still, I was deeply satisfied with what James had achieved in just a few weeks since his debut. I knew the guy had that "rockstar" charm, and I wasn't wrong in choosing him as my industry plant.
บท 122: The strategy worked out just fine
(3rd Person POV)
The anticipation for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" reached its peak as the official preview approached in dozens of Horn City cinemas. Thousands of tickets vanished within hours, and people flooded into the small theaters for the film's preview.
The audience held mixed expectations about Arthur's martial arts film.
As demons, they silently hoped Arthur would do the genre justice - after all, martial arts had always held a special place in their hearts. They yearned to see the genre thrive again, as it once did.
Would Arthur rekindle the demons' fascination with martial arts? This question hung in the air as they settled into their seats. Even the demon critics, usually harsh, found themselves rooting for this film, desperately hoping not to be disappointed.
As the film began, the demons held their breath. While it might not have been a big deal for the elves and dwarves in attendance, for the demons, this was different. Martial arts were rooted in their culture.
From start to finish, the film surprised not just the demons, but the non-demon races as well. They had expected a muscle-brained plot typical of martial arts films, but this... this was beyond their wildest expectations!
The fighting scenes were incredible, feeling as if the actors were truly engaged in rare and powerful martial arts. But it wasn't just action - the film packed an emotional punch too. Some audience members found themselves in tears as Li Mu Bai died at Jade Fox's hands. And when Jen Yu leapt off the cliff in the finale, the theater was dead silent.
A demoness wiped her tears with a handkerchief, squeezing her boyfriend's arm. "Wuwu. This film is so sad!" she sniffled.
Her boyfriend could only shake his head helplessly, equally moved but trying to maintain composure.
As the credits rolled, the audience filed out with complicated feelings.
"Do you think Jen Yu survived the fall?" an elf asked his friend.
"Are you an idiot? If you leapt off that high cliff, you'd be deader than dead," his friend retorted.
Others shared the sentiment, feeling certain that Jen Yu couldn't have survived such a fall.
Meanwhile, the demon critics left the theatre with mixed emotions, but overall relieved that Arthur hadn't messed up the martial arts genre. In fact, he might have just elevated it.
As the crowd dispersed, the buzz of conversation filled the air. It was clear that "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" had not just met expectations - it had shattered them, leaving audiences with a new standard for what a martial arts film could be.
***
On August 1, 1272, following its preview screenings, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" premiered not just in the Horn Kingdom, but simultaneously in Morningstar, Choson, Japon, and the USE. The Leaf Kingdom joined the premiere day, with Deutschland, Wales, and the Bharat Kingdom (a large mixed human and demon population in the Anatolia region) following a few days later. The distribution reach extended even further, touching many other kingdoms and countries.
Despite this wider distribution compared to Arthur's previous films, some media outlets were quick to label "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" as the weakest of Arthur's works so far. They drew comparisons to his first three films, suggesting this newest offering didn't quite measure up.
However, these claims quickly lost credibility as the box office numbers rolled in. The first day's earnings, combining domestic and international figures, reached a mind-blowing 31 million dollars!
And that was just the beginning. The second day saw a jump to 33 million, followed by 30 million on the third day. Even with a significant dip to 20 million on the fourth day, the film's performance remained impressive.
Then came the fifth day, and with it, an astronomical leap to 48 million dollars!
This surge was largely due to the film's release in the Bharat Kingdom, a neighboring realm to Morningstar, as well as its debut in the Leaf Kingdom, Deutschland, and Wales.
The film sparked a unique curiosity among international viewers. For many, it offered their first glimpse into demon culture, providing a window into a world they'd only heard about in stories.
In Bharat, where demons and humans coexisted, the film resonated deeply with both populations. Humans lined up alongside their demon neighbors, eager to see how their culture was portrayed on the big screen.
As "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" continued its run, its performance varied across regions. While it began to decline in Horn, Morningstar, Choson, and Japon, with distributors reducing its screen count, the film was just hitting its stride in South East Anatolia.
This simultaneous global distribution strategy was Arthur's idea. Initially, distributors were skeptical when Arthur proposed this approach. But they couldn't deny its effectiveness once they saw the results.
The strategy allowed the film to maintain strong overall performance even as it declined in some areas, by opening strong in new markets. This approach meant they could accumulate box office revenues quickly across multiple regions.
Despite losing out to Mouse Entertainment's "Lord of the Mage" - a myth about the Old God Linley's ascension to godhood - in some markets, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" still raked in impressive box office numbers thanks to Arthur's strategy.
This wasn't the slow, traditional rollout. While Arthur didn't deliver another phenomenal film like "Lord of the Rings", he introduced a new way of film distribution to the entertainment world.
Headlines started appearing: "Arthur Morningstar's Genius Distribution Strategy Paid Off With His New Film Raking In Millions"
Media outlets found themselves in a peculiar position. They criticized the film itself, but praised Arthur's genius strategy of simultaneous global release. Initially skeptical of this approach, they now lauded its effectiveness in maximizing box office returns.
Major and minor film studios alike began taking notes. Arthur's strategy wasn't just a one-off success; it was potentially reshaping how films could be distributed globally.
***
(Arthur POV)
[Your Fourth Film's Box Office Have Hit 130 Million Mark!]
Reading the system notification brought a genuine smile to my face.
The system rewarded me with a 20% proficiency increase in using phase 1 of the Primal Morningstar Bloodline.
Suddenly, I felt more in control of my body. With just a thought, I retracted the horns on my head - now I looked like any other human.
Then, I easily released my bat-like wings. This time, they were smaller than before, just right for my original form. The huge wings were only necessary for my "noble demon" form - in my original body, they'd been uncomfortably large.
It's like having a big lump of breas- cough.
Anyway, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" earned 100 million in just five days, thanks to its good story and the simultaneous distribution strategy. In a week, it hit the 130 million mark. But the box office has declined rapidly since then.
I know the film won't maintain this pace in the coming weeks. It'll probably end around 200 million before distribution stops.
Several factors contributed to this: the hype dying down, and competition from films like "Lord of the Mage" by Mouse Entertainment - a decent fantasy film, unlike Titan Pictures' carbon copy of "Lord of the Rings".
But it's fine. I've completed a system mission and reached the 100 million goal.
Now, I just need to make a second film without a VFX Studio to get the {Creator's Realms} reward.
As I pondered my next move, I couldn't help but feel satisfied. The simultaneous global release strategy had paid off, even if some critics didn't appreciate the film itself. It just proved that in this industry, innovation in distribution could be just as important as the content itself.
I glanced at my now-retracted wings. With these new abilities and the success of my latest film, I felt ready to take on whatever challenge the system threw at me next. The path to {Creator's Realms} was clear, and I was more than ready to walk it.
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