A new day. On the City Square, the octopus Echo blew a resounding horn, announcing the official arrival of Carnevale.
On this day, the doctrines of the Order of the Deep lost their binding power. People could act as they pleased, disregarding the eyes of the world, boldly performing as themselves.
The streets of Ragunna City had long been decorated magnificently, with colorful balloons and ribbons visible everywhere.
Countless masked travelers poured onto the streets—some admiring street performers' music, some viewing parade floats, some tasting roadside delicacies.
The Vitreum Dancer Echoes of the Montelli family performed waltz steps on the streets, members of the Fisalia Family set up stages to showcase acrobatics, but the audience for the Order of the Deep's theatrical performance far outnumbered the first two.
"Several hundred years ago, before the first Primus of the Order, Napoli II, died, he left behind a prophecy."
The solemn music tightly gripped the hearts of the surrounding onlookers. They held their breath, watching the theatrical performance.
"A maiden will become the Resonator of the Sentinel, bringing 'Imperator' back to the human world once more, allowing Rinascita to return to its 'prime'."
"For this, the first Primus made many preparations. He turned the oak that was once the Sentinel's body into wine barrels and brewed fine wine from the emerald fruits formed from the Sentinel's blood."
"He prophesied that a destined person attracted by the aroma of the emerald fruit wine would become the Resonator of the Sentinel, and people have been waiting for this day ever since, preparing grand carnivals every year."
The solemn music gradually became cheerful. The Order maiden playing the saint walked onto the stage, tiptoeing toward the wine barrel.
"Until twenty years ago, a rural girl living in Whisperwind Haven was drawn by this fated fine wine. While no one was paying attention, she drank every last drop of the wine brewed from the emerald fruits."
"Overwhelmed by the alcohol, in a half-drunk, half-awake state, she jumped onto the high platform used for the ceremony and danced comical steps."
"She snatched the ceremonial horn, blowing it as she walked. The festival envoys couldn't catch her no matter how they chased, and people, as if summoned, followed behind her, joining the parade in imitation."
Among the audience, Ciaccona began to retreat after watching the play up to this point.
Because this was the only exciting part of the Order's theatrical performance; the later content would become increasingly monotonous, emphasizing faith and unity, utterly lacking in fun.
Exiting the crowd, Ciaccona touched the mask on her face, looking at the lively atmosphere everywhere on the streets, yet shook her head:
"Though it's Carnevale, it's still the same format as ten years ago, with no fresh content at all."
Ciaccona murmured to herself while taking out her microphone, the corners of her lips slightly curling up:
"If everyone else's performances are only at this level, then this time's Laureate and the Sentinel's heavenly sound—I'll take them without hesitation!"
Her resonance ability activated, and two cyan energy clones immediately appeared beside Ciaccona, each holding different instruments.
A cheerful prelude sounded, instantly attracting countless gazes from the street. Ciaccona gripped the microphone and confidently began:
"Da, da da da da da da da~"
Just as she sang the first line, Ciaccona felt an even stronger and more powerful vocal surge rise, easily drowning out her voice.
"Deng~ deng deng deng deng~ deng deng deng deng deng deng deng~"
The surging and majestic melody seemed to carry an absolute dominating magic. Every syllable was like a sharp blade, piercing straight into the depths of people's eardrums.
Ciaccona struggled to sing her own song while turning back in horror.
A massive flower boat Echo, carrying two five-meter-tall speakers on its shoulders, charged unstoppable into Ragunna's waters.
Countless fireworks exploded simultaneously around the flower boat Echo, spraying out massive amounts of ribbons and sparks, effortlessly capturing the attention of more than half of Ragunna.
The light near the flower boat Echo dimmed, with only several dazzling beams shining on the stage after the red curtain was pulled open.
At the same time, screens installed overnight across the streets synchronously broadcast the scene on the stage. As long as one was in Ragunna, they could easily see this unique concert just by looking up.
"Deng~ deng deng deng deng~ deng deng deng deng deng deng deng~"
The powerful rock rhythm continued. On the street, Ciaccona barely resisted this rhythm, striving to sing her own melody:
"Da~ da da da da~ da da da da da da da~"
She suddenly closed her mouth, because she sadly discovered that she was completely following the rhythm from the flower boat Echo in her singing—her own rhythm was entirely disrupted.
It wasn't just her; all the surrounding music instantly lost its ability to maintain independence.
Originally melodious and gentle classical pieces seemed forcibly twisted by an invisible hand. Violins were forced to follow that urgent pace, elegant and relaxed jazz fell into disarray...
Saxophones, folk songs, guitars... More than half of Ragunna's instruments were unknowingly tamed by the rhythm of that rock song.
Whether in lofty art halls or street-corner bands, none could escape the control of this powerful rhythm.
"What kind of hooligan music is this!"
Ciaccona was on the verge of tears. She put down her microphone and instead seriously looked at the performance on the flower boat Echo, her eyes suddenly widening as she gazed in one direction—
"No way? Sister!"
On the flower boat Echo, several people near the front centered around Noah tapped their feet to the beat in unison, raising their microphones to sing in chorus:
"The vast horizon is my love~ Flowers are blooming at the foot of the rolling green hills~"
"What kind of rhythm~ is the most ya most swinging~ What kind of singing is the most exhilarating~"
"The winding river flows from the sky~ Toward that sea of myriad purple and red~"
The passionate and surging song drilled into people's ears like demonic sound, becoming more addictive the more one listened.
"So... so cheesy lyrics... but so catchy..."
Ciaccona on the street stared blankly at the stage on the flower boat Echo.
And beside her, all the pedestrians in the alleys stopped in their tracks, staring fixedly at the song, their heads unconsciously nodding bit by bit to the strong rhythm.
"What song is this? I've never heard such a cheerful rhythm and tune."
"I don't know, but I feel my whole mood being lifted— I can't help but want to dance."
"Isn't this a hundred times more fun than those boring plays and hymns?!"
Awesome to hear! Love to hear! Super hyped!
This was the crowd's true reaction upon first hearing "The Most Dazzling Ethnic Style"—a cultural invasion from another world that instantly conquered the masses.
"You are the most beautiful cloud in my sky~ Let me sincerely keep you here~"
The troupe members sang loudly: "Stay here!"
"Leisurely singing the most dazzling ethnic style~ Let love sweep away all the dust~"
The troupe members sang loudly: "Stay here!"
On stage, Noah and the members of the Troupe of Fools sang at the top of their voices. Suddenly, their fingers pointed toward a section of the crowd:
Noah: "You are the most beautiful cloud in my heart~ Fill the wine to keep you here~"
The crowd sang loudly: "Stay here!"
Noah: "Forever singing the most dazzling ethnic style~ The most beautiful posture in the entire sky~"
The crowd sang loudly: "Stay here!"
Regardless of gender, age, or whether voices were hoarse or soft—as long as they opened their mouths, their voices perfectly blended into this harmonious concert.
More and more people, as if summoned, joined this harmonious singing. The entire Ragunna turned into a massive public concert.
In the end, they even spontaneously learned this simple song, singing in unison, leaving no other sounds in Ragunna.
Ragunna crowd: "You are the most beautiful cloud on my horizon~ Let me sincerely keep you here~"
Noah shouted: "Stay here!"
Ragunna crowd: "Leisurely singing the most dazzling ethnic style~ Let love sweep away all the dust~"
Noah shouted: "Stay here!"
Inside the Order of the Deep, Fenrico stood up excitedly: "Unity—this is the unity the Order hopes to see!"
In the Montelli family, Francesco uncontrollably tapped to the beat of the song on the screen, lightly humming: "The vast horizon is my love~"
On the street, Ciaccona closed her eyes, tears overflowing from the corners: "Awesome... awesome to hear! The voice of the masses is the true music!"
The rock rhythm gradually subsided. Ciaccona slowly opened her eyes, feeling unsatisfied, when suddenly an even cheerier melody rang out again.
"No way—encore?"
Ciaccona, who had never understood Sichuan opera, suddenly mastered the essence of face-changing in this moment:
"Are you going to let anyone else perform or not!"
Noah didn't care about Ciaccona's thoughts. He had only one idea: the Laureate must be obtained.
He raised the microphone and led the singing:
"I planted a seed~"