(Arthur POV)
The eerie silence unnerved me as I headed to the workstation. What I saw there left me stunned.
My employees were sprawled across their desks, sleeping so deeply they might as well have been in comas.
"...what the heck is happening?" I muttered, my mind racing.
Then it hit me. I glanced at the cat in my arms, still out cold, then at the ring on my finger.
"...fuck..." I slapped my forehead, feeling like the biggest idiot in the world.
I'd been wondering how the ring accumulated a million units of magical mana in my office alone. Turns out, it had drained the entire building dry!
And here I was, thinking using "Abyssal Mode" in my office would be discreet. I couldn't have been more wrong.
Shaking my head, I surveyed the sleeping employees. How the hell was I going to fix this mess?
Deciding to let them sleep it off, I headed to the parking lot, planning to retreat to my penthouse to study the ring further. But as soon as I stepped outside, I froze.
People were passed out on the sidewalks. Vehicles had stopped in their tracks, some even crashed. Drivers slept soundly, even those with minor injuries.
"This..." I looked around, seeing the eerie quiet stretch as far as the eye could see. "This is bad..."
I bolted back to my office, slamming the door behind me and pacing frantically.
"It seems that I've underestimated this ring gravely..." I muttered, staring at the seemingly innocent band of gold.
I couldn't believe it. I'd only used the "Abyssal Mode" for about thirty seconds - not even a full minute! Yet the effects were far more massive than I could have ever imagined.
Examining the ring more closely, I discovered that "Abyssal Mode" had four settings: low, mid, high, and ultra. To my horror, I realized the mode was set to ultra by default!
I gritted my teeth, fighting the urge to scream. "Why the hell did the system set the mode to ultra? And make it the default setting?!" I felt like cursing the system to high heaven.
***
(3rd Person POV)
The strange event in the New District didn't go unnoticed by those just beyond its borders.
In a modest house adorned with the Solarus Circle symbol, an old mage felt an eerie aura brush against him, chilling him to the bone.
"Wha-what was that?" He trembled, peering out the window towards the New District. "Something ominous... Something terrifying... What could it be?"
Kneeling, the old mage - a bishop of the Solarus faith - gazed at the bright sun. He made the sign of the circle and prayed, his voice carrying the weight of his ecclesiastical authority:
"Lord Solarus, your light guides us through darkness. As your humble servant and bishop, I beseech you to grant me strength to face whatever evil approaches. If it is your will that I should fall in defense of your teachings and your flock, I go gladly into your radiant embrace. May my faith be a beacon to others in these troubled times."
Other religious figures in the Horn Kingdom sensed the disturbance too, each interpreting it through their own faith's lens.
A dwarf knelt before an altar, his voice steady despite his fear, "Great Forgemaster, temper my spirit as you would the finest steel. Let the weapons and armor crafted by your wisdom be our shield against the coming storm."
Meanwhile, a beautiful elf touched her crescent moon pendant, her whisper barely audible, "Mistress of the Night Sky, illuminate the path before us. May your celestial wisdom guide us through this encroaching darkness."
Little did they know, they were vastly overestimating the situation. While they braced for some abominable creature to suddenly appear, the reality was far less apocalyptic.
The Solarus bishop, convinced of impending doom, penned a dramatic farewell in a communication scroll to his fellow bishops: "My dear friends, as I write this, a powerful and mysterious force has emerged in the demon realm. Should I not survive the coming storm, know that I faced it with unwavering faith..."
A few hours later, the dramatic expectations of the religious figures dissolved into bewilderment as they arrived at the New District.
Instead of apocalyptic scenes, they found people sleeping in the streets, looking foolish rather than frightened. Reporters and photographers swarmed the area, capturing the bizarre spectacle.
As one demon finally stirred from his slumber, journalists pounced, peppering him with questions. The demon, still groggy, looked confused.
"Did you know that you've been sleeping on this cold ground for a few hours now?" a reporter asked.
The demon's eyes widened. "A few hours? I only wanted a short nap!"
"Did you notice anything unusual before falling asleep?" another pressed.
The demon yawned, looking around bewildered. "Wait, why are you all surrounding me? Is me sleeping in public really newsworthy?"
"No," the reporter rolled her eyes. "It's because you're not the only one who strangely fell asleep in the middle of the day."
As realization dawned on the demon, seeing the stopped cars and sleeping figures scattered around, he began answering questions more eagerly.
The next day, news of this weird yet shocking event spread like wildfire across the Horn Kingdom. It didn't stop there. The story reached the Morningstar Kingdom, Thorn Kingdom, and even parts of Empirica and Evros.
It turned out some of the reporters who witnessed the strange phenomenon in New District were international correspondents. Their presence ensured the news spread globally with ease.
The headlines blazed across newspapers and news crystals, each more sensational than the last:
"MYSTERIOUS MASS SLUMBER: Entire Horn Kingdom District Falls Asleep Mid-Day!"
"MANA DROUGHT: Experts Confirm Hundreds in New District Drained of Magical Energy"
"OMEN OF DOOM? Mass Sleep Incident Sparks Apocalyptic Fears"
These reports captivated audiences far and wide, turning a local incident into a global sensation.
Even though life in the New District had largely returned to normal, the area buzzed with unusual activity. Reporters lingered on street corners, accosting passersby for their accounts of the previous day's events.
"Excuse me, sir! Can you tell us what you experienced during yesterday's mysterious slumber?"
"Ma'am, did you notice anything unusual before falling asleep?"
The streets also saw an increased police presence. Officers patrolled with heightened vigilance, their postures tense and alert. It was no secret that their superiors had reprimanded them harshly for succumbing to the inexplicable sleep, and they were eager to prove their worth.
Adding to the mix were figures from various religious orders, their robes and symbols standing out among the crowd. They moved through the district with purpose, some offering blessings, others seemingly searching for signs of the divine – or the diabolical – in the aftermath of the event.
***
Meanwhile - the demon responsible for the news that became worldwide was welcoming guests with a warm smile.
"Welcome, welcome," Arthur greeted the studio representatives visiting his studio for a private viewing of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". Though aware of the chaos he'd caused, he maintained his composure, knowing that panicking would only arouse suspicion.
Eric from Bryan Brothers nodded to Arthur. Sheldon from Science Pictures, Ray from Lava Brothers, and Jerry from Righteous Film Studio were also present, along with other unfamiliar faces from various studios.
Frank Law from Martial Studio, a major player in martial arts films, spoke up. "We're expecting great things from your film, Mr. Morningstar. It is a martial arts film, after all."
Arthur simply smiled as he led them to the private theatre, anticipating his guests' eagerness to see the martial arts film he'd created.
As they settled into their seats, the representatives wondered if Arthur would deliver another masterpiece.
While some were genuinely curious about the martial arts film and interested in distribution rights, others - like Bryan Brothers - were merely attending out of politeness, not particularly interested in martial arts films even if Arthur's work was decent.
Their attendance was more a gesture to maintain connections with Arthur. After all, he might produce a film in the future worthy of their attention, and they'd be willing to acquire licensing rights for it, regardless of the cost.