Chapter 126: Ancient Magic

    (3rd Person POV)

    After purchasing volume 1 of "Dragon Ball", Ichiro tucked it safely in his bag, deciding to save it for later at the hotel. He spent hours exploring Horn City before finally returning to his room, eager to dive back into the manhua.

    Though he had already read Chapter one at the store, Ichiro was curious to see if the subsequent Chapters would maintain the same level of intrigue. With the bedside lamp casting a warm glow, he settled in to continue Goku''s adventure.

    Hours slipped by unnoticed as Ichiro immersed himself in the story. It wasn''t until he turned the final page that he realized he had finished the entire volume in one sitting.

    "I''m already out of Chapters..." Ichiro sighed, disappointment evident in his voice. Glancing at the clock, his eyes widened in surprise. "It''s already 3 AM!?"

    Shaking his head in disbelief, Ichiro marveled at how quickly time had passed. His gaze returned to the "Dragon Ball" cover, focusing on the illustration of the wishing balls.

    "I wonder if dragon balls exist?" Ichiro mused aloud, considering the possibility. It reminded him of how people speculated about the existence of rings from "Lord of the Rings" after its release.

    Ichiro quickly dismissed the thought. "It''s just a fantasy story," he reminded himself. After all, even in the manhua, it wasn''t yet confirmed if the balls could actually grant wishes, as Goku and Bulma had yet to gather all seven.

    As he set the book aside, Ichiro''s thoughts turned to his mother, who owned a manga publishing company in Japon. He felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of showing her "Dragon Ball." Her reaction to this Morningstar manhua could be interesting, given her expertise in the industry.

    Ichiro yawned, the late hour finally catching up with him. As he switched off the lamp and settled into bed, his mind continued to wander through the world of "Dragon Ball."

    ***

    (Arthur POV)

    I''ve been filming "Demonfather Part 2" for days now, waiting to see if Anubis''s friends can actually act in my film. During my free time, like now, I''ve been examining Firfel''s amulet.

    Seeing it shiver pitifully, I decided to store my ring in the system while investigating. Without the ring''s presence, the amulet cooled down, its trembling significantly reduced.

    I attempted to inject my magic into it, but it rebuffed me each time.

    "This amulet is pretty stubborn," I muttered, frustrated.

    I''ve been researching the ancient runes on it, but so far, I''ve come up empty. Not surprising, given how little is known about ancient runes. I''ve pored over books on the subject, but no luck.

    The only consistent reaction I''ve observed is the amulet''s response to my ring. This gave me an idea.

    I pulled the ring from the system storage. The moment it materialized, the amulet sensed it and started trembling again.

    I shook my head, feeling an odd pity for the amulet, despite it being a mere artifact. Its genuine fear of the ring was unsettling.

    Turning my attention to the ring, I noticed it exuding an ominous aura near the amulet.

    Is it just some flashy spell?

    As information about the magic flowed into me, I learned that Rose Magic could be used for healing and would enhance my mana absorption when in nature.

    It also boosted my charm attribute.

    Maybe using it would make me more charismatic?

    I could try it around Firfel.

    At the same time, I discovered that as my proficiency with Rose Magic increased, I could even visit other people''s dreams. Now that''s pretty cool.

    And if my mastery of it skyrocketed, I might even use it for divination - though I doubt I''ll ever reach that level of proficiency.

    After all, it demands a significant understanding of magic. Like, dedicating almost all my time to mastering various types of magic - which isn''t feasible given my focus on the business.

    Still, the potential of Rose Magic intrigued me. Healing, enhanced mana absorption, increased charm, dream walking, and potentially divination - it was a versatile magical skill set. Even if I couldn''t master it completely, any improvements in these areas could be beneficial.

    Rose Magic seems more intricate than ordinary spells.

    I conjured a rose from my palm, noting its healing effect.

    As soon as I employed Rose Magic, the amulet responded, as if awakening.

    Holding it with Rose Magic-infused hands, the amulet grew intimate with me.

    Interesting... Could Rose Magic hold special significance for this amulet?

    Not surprising, considering it belonged to the third queen of the Roses Kingdom.

    Of course, hailing from the Roses Kingdom, she must have wielded Rose Magic.

    "I wonder what your true purpose is..." I mused, studying the amulet.

    I retrieved the ring from system storage. This time, the amulet didn''t cower in fear.

    Even my ring''s hostility had dissipated. It seemed the two artifacts had become... friends?

    This development intrigued me. The Rose Magic appeared to have brokered a peace between the ring and the amulet. Could this magic serve as a bridge between other conflicting magical items? Or was this unique to these particular artifacts?

    I toyed with the idea of delving deeper into the relationship between Rose Magic and the amulet. There might be more secrets to uncover, more powers to unlock. But for now, I had a film to make and an amulet to return.