"This is Luna and her agent, Amanda," Urich began the introductions, but before he could continue, Dayo cut in smoothly.
"Hello, Miss Luna," Dayo said with an easy smile, stepping forward. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I've listened to your songs and watched your videos, and I must say that the quality of the videos doesn't do justice to your beauty. I'm Dayo, but you can call me JD."
He shamelessly took her hand in a confident handshake, looking like a fanboy, but deep inside, his focus wasn't just on the handshake. His system interface had already pulled up Luna's stats.
What he saw left him stunned.
[Luna's Stats]
Status: Established Artist (Level 7)
Singing Level: S+ (Blocked)
Writing Level: A-
Acting Skill: B-
Visuals: S+
Instrument Skills:
Guitar: B+
Piano: S-
Potential: SS-
Skills:
Vocal Control – Exceptional mastery over pitch, tone, and range.
Lyrics Depth – Ability to feel emotions and complex stories through her writing.
Stage Presence – Natural charisma and confidence that captivates audiences.
Dayo had never seen stats this impressive on anyone. And that block on her singing level? It explained her recent struggles—and made him even more determined to fix it.
The room went quiet. Everyone stared, waiting for Luna's reaction. She was known for disliking physical contact, especially from strangers, and most men quickly backed off when faced with her intimidating aura.
But Dayo didn't flinch.
Luna looked at him, expecting to see the familiar glint of greed or desire she'd grown used to in men's eyes. But instead, she found… nothing. Just confidence. Calm, steady confidence.
For the first time in a long while, Luna felt slightly caught off guard.
"Hi, Dayo," she said, her voice smooth and polite. "Nice to meet you. I haven't heard much about you, but from the way you're close to Urich, I suppose you have some talent."
The jab was low but clear, as she reminded him of the gap between their statuses.
Dayo caught the insult but smiled easily, brushing it aside. "Haha, there's still time for you to know me. And I can assure you, you're going to like what I brought with me."
The room went silent again. Luna's agent, Amanda, quickly stepped in, sensing the tension.
"Mr. Urich," she said, forcing a professional tone, "you mentioned the song is here. Can we proceed?"
"Ah, yes," Urich said, snapping out of his thoughts. He signaled for the producer and handed over the pen drive.
As the producer prepared the track, Luna excused herself to join him, clearly relieved to escape the strangely disarming conversation. She was used to controlling interactions, but Dayo had left her off balance without even trying.
Watching her retreat, Urich glanced at Dayo and shook his head. "You know, I told you, right? She doesn't let people get to her like that."
"Told you," Dayo said with a small smirk, leaning back.
Urich sighed, raising a hand in defeat. There was no winning with this boy.
Minutes later, the producer, a tall man with sharp features, called out, "Dayo?"
Dayo walked over confidently.
"I'm Victor," the man said, extending his hand. "Urich had quite a bit to say about you. But after hearing this track…" He nodded appreciatively. "I get it."
Dayo returned the handshake firmly. "Good to meet you, sir. I'm glad the sound speaks for itself. But I have to say, your recent work with James Holland.The way you blended traditional percussion? Mind-blowing."
Victor blinked in surprise. Not many people truly understood the nuances of his work, but Dayo had pinpointed his proudest detail.
"Well," Victor said slowly, "I didn't realize you were into production as well."
"I am," Dayo said with a small grin.
Before the conversation could continue, Victor's assistant stepped in. "Everything's ready for the recording."
The atmosphere in the room turned serious as everyone focused on the session.
Minutes later, Luna stood in the booth, headphones on, and the lyric sheet in hand.
The beat dropped slowly but powerfully.
She closed her eyes.
The melody flowed, and then Dayo's voice layered into the track. Something in her chest unlocked, something that had been trapped for over a year.
Her eyes flew open. She looked at the lyrics in her hand, then at Dayo through the glass.
"Wow," she whispered to herself. "It's been a while since a song felt this right."
Dayo caught her gaze and smiled, his expression calm but satisfied. Mission accomplished.
Victor, standing nearby, noticed the moment and blinked in shock. Luna's artistic block had stumped the label for months, even him—a gold-certified producer. And yet this young man, barely known in the industry, had solved it in a single track.
Leaning toward Urich, Victor whispered, "I don't know what you'll do, but you'd better retain this young man by any means."
Urich could only sigh. "I've tried. He's too sharp and too cocky for his age."
When Luna came out from the booth, there was an unmistakable smile on her face, genuine, bright, and relieved. Her eyes found Dayo's, and when he smiled cheekily, she surprised everyone by smiling back and even giving him a small thank you bow.
Amanda nearly dropped her phone. She had never seen Luna act that freely around any man. But when Luna glanced at her and simply shrugged, looking adorably smug, Amanda just shook her head in defeat.
She understood, though. Luna had been starved of a song that truly fit her for over a year. For an artist like her, this was more than a breakthrough; it was a lifeline.
"So," Urich asked carefully, "what do you think of the song?"
"One word," Luna said, her smile unwavering. "Perfect."
Then, in a quieter voice, she asked, "Is he really the one who sang this? And wrote the lyrics?"
Urich nodded, almost sheepishly. "Yes. And he created the instrumental, too."
Luna tried to hide her shock, but it was obvious. She glanced at Dayo, who was deep in conversation with Victor, his aura calm but magnetic.
***
Later, in Urich's office, the conversation turned towards business.
"So," Urich asked, "would you sell the song?"
Dayo laughed. "We both know that's not happening, Urich. But here's what I'll offer: we split everything fifty-fifty. I know your label will handle the marketing. And," he added, leaning forward, "I'll write her another song, something that fits this new style. She'll find her touch again eventually, but until then, I'll give her a push."
Urich stared at him, then shook his head in disbelief. "Has anyone ever told you that your age doesn't do justice to your abilities?"
"Yes," Dayo said with an amused smile. "I've heard that a lot."
"Oh, and one more thing," Dayo added. "I hosted a contest for female artists to feature on this track. Luna will need to hop on that trend. Record a clip singing her part of the lyrics—it'll build extra hype for the full release."
Urich leaned back, nodding. "That'll work perfectly. Let's get the contract signed and sealed, then."
"Great," Dayo said, standing. "That's all for now. Later, Urich."
As he stepped out of the office, Dayo's sharp eyes caught sight of a familiar face. A slow grin spread across his lips.
Jackpot.
On an ordinary day, he might have considered selling the song. But now, there were two very good reasons not to.
First, if his own label could publicly link itself with UC, it would stand out instantly, making future artist signings much easier.
And second, he had a mission to complete, which was his second mission given to him by the system after he was cured:
[Hidden Mission Unlocked] – Path to Global Stage
Requirement: Release a viral song that breaks into the Top 50 chart of the world within 90 days.....34days remain
Reward: System Level 2 + Signature Skill Unlock.
Penalty: One random skill will be locked for 30 days.