….
[-Next Day-]
While the [Solo Leveling] dubbing session continued in the background, Regal's original plan had been simple - wrap it all up in a week.
But things changed.
Since the project was only a promotional announcement, Peter finished all of his lines on the very first day.
As for Nanami, while his first session had already proven he had something special, Regal and Peter believed he could do even better.
…and he has only just found his voice.
After all, the impact of his debut line was exactly the reason both Peter and Nanami had felt that strange, electrifying moment in the studio.
If the very first word he ever recorded could land with such weight… What could he become with time?
So Regal proposed something else.
Even though Peter was technically finished, he asked him to stick around for two more days to mentor Nanami through the rest of the sessions.
During this time, Regal also assigned Rock to stay with them, as a kind of mediator.
Though, truth be told, it turned out to be unnecessary. Language was never really a barrier between teacher and student - not with these two.
Still, Regal left things as they were, partly because he thought Rock might be useful… and partly to get him off his back for a while.
Today marked Nanami's second dubbing session.
It is currently underway.
And while his voice filled the studio across town - Regal wasn't even there.
He was already in a different studio. Somewhere entirely else.
….
Regal still having some time left before resuming the filming of [The Hangover] did not wish to waste any time and forwarded the music composing plans.
And as usual, ignoring all suggestive pieces of advice he received about having another music composer this time around - he is still sitting with - Ludwig Göransson - in his studio.
Honestly, before jumping into the protection of the film, even Red Studio had gently pushed him this time, suggesting they bring in a different, perhaps more commercially appropriate name for [The Hangover].
A change of flavor, they said. But Regal wasn't one to bend - not for trends, and definitely not for studios.
They had also asked if he could consider using a cinematographer from their roster - someone they had ties with.
Undoubtedly, that, too, was met with a silent shrug, as Regal didn't compromise.
…that said, he might genuinely have to find a replacement for Mathew Hord, his trusted DOP.
Since the shoot had been delayed, Mathew's calendar was now overlapping with another production. He had promised to try and shuffle things around, but nothing was confirmed yet.
So, Regal wasn't yet looking for any options.
Coming back, right now, he was laser-focused on something else - something just as vital to him as casting or camera angles.
The credits song.
And that song… was -
[RIGHT ROUND]
There was absolutely no world in which he would leave that track out.
In fact Regal is planning to run the whole promotional tour for [The Hangover] on it.
[Right Round] wasn't just a credits piece - it was the heart of the entire promotional campaign.
Regal is planning full-scale live performances across the States, an anthem that would define the vibe of the movie before audiences even hit the theaters.
Across from him, Ludwig skidded seamlessly into the world of pop-electronica.
Unlike their past projects - [Following], with its noir-tinged tension, and [Death Note], drenched in orchestral gravity - [The Hangover] demanded something else.
Something wild. Looser. Retro fused with hip-hop. Heavy synths, punchy basslines, swagger.
Ludwig's hair was stuffed under oversized headphones as he looped a grungy, neon-drenched groove.
Regal, seated beside him, interjected here and there - not with musical jargon, but with feeling.
Obviously Regal once again wrote the lyrics of the song himself, and now he was figuring out the sound and instruments with Ludwig.
Despite not receiving sheet music from the system when he absorbed a script, ever since leveling up his [Direction] skill to [World Class], Regal had noticed something odd - but useful.
While penning down the script, he began hearing fragments. Snatches of imagined melodies, tones that hovered faintly in the back of his mind.
Unfortunately, they weren't full songs, but they were guideposts, which should be enough for him to direct Ludwig toward the sound that felt right.
That had been their workflow for the past month - meeting once or twice a week, working for half a day at a time.
Bit by bit, they had sculpted [Right Round] into what it needed to be.
The lyrics, of course, were once again penned by Regal himself.
Now they were nearly there. One final session away from recording after a few more practice sessions.
On the other hand, Ludwig had picked up on something different this time.
Regal - so usually sure in his timing, his scheduling - was a little less anchored than usual.
Probably because of Keanu's unexpected injury. Locations needed renegotiating. Cast dates had to be reworked. The whole calendar had to be redrawn.
But even so, Ludwig wasn't worried.
Delays were delays. They were part of the process - unpleasant, sure, but not deal-breakers.
He believed without hesitation that once Regal set things back in motion, everything would fall into place.
He had already experienced it before - twice already.
If anything, this - this exact chaos - was what convinced him the most.
Because out of all departments, music was the one where Regal was the most unpredictable.
He jumped timelines, made him rewrite tracks mid-session, swapped instruments on a whim. It was wild. Unruly.
But it was also where he came alive.
So for Ludwig, none of this was unusual. It was just another day working with Regal.
And that, oddly enough, was exactly why he trusted it would all work out.
….
Some time later, another figure stepped into the studio - this time into the booth itself.
A young underground rapper known as Rio Flame.
The name wasn't mainstream.
And just like any cases, Regal had spotted him months ago on MeTube, met him, confirmed his skills after a small audition and immodestly roped him in.
And just like that, Rio who had been chasing his dream for years is now standing in the booth with the music notes in front of him.
He knew unlike whether he had heard or even been part of the notes were the best freestyle clip he came across that carried more raw electricity than most polished albums.
Rio had been part of the making from the early stages, back when this song was still just scattered beats and scribbled hooks.
Since then, he had been a steady presence during its evolution, helping shape its DNA.
Now, the final verses - months of murmurs, rewrites, and half-sung demos - lay printed before him.
He exhaled slowly, grounding himself. Ludwig gave a quick thumbs up from the soundboard.
And then the Rio Flame let go.
The beat dropped - thick, pulsing, drenched in retro-futuristic synth.
🎵 "You spin my head right round, right round, when you go down, when you go down down…" 🎵
The iconic hook surged through the speakers.
Then Rio came in, freestyling with venom and swagger, threading his bars through the bassline like wire through a flame - verses laced with money, chaos, strip clubs, and unapologetic mayhem.
His flow was jagged and intoxicating, as if a panic attack had dressed up in diamonds.
Ludwig twisted a few dials, subtly distorting the vocals - just enough to make them feel too big, too bold, too surreal to be fully human.
Exactly the sound they were aiming for.
A cracked-out hymn for a cracked-up night.
….
[Two Days Later]
A total of three days of dubbing - followed by one final day of mixing - and the promotional video for [Solo Leveling] was ready.
It had gone live that very morning.
Now, both Regal and Nanami sat inside the EverLeaf Comic Studio lounge, quietly observing the digital launch unfold on the overhead monitor.
The video had been uploaded to MeTube under a new channel: EverSereph Comics - a deliberate branding choice that set it apart from the main EverLeaf label.
That change wasn't accidental.
'EverSereph' was chosen as a nod to Regal - an acknowledgment of his creative vision and the weight of his contributions to the venture.
While the decision made sense - especially given Regal's role as a key investor - it had been Gwendolyn who first proposed the idea.
And not a single person raised an objection.
Then the floodgates opened.
The moment the teaser dropped, fans of the original novel - already vocal and devoted - rushed in.
Thousands clicked in, watched, rewatched, and began dissecting every frame across forums and comment threads. Just as Regal had predicted.
But inside the room, things were quiet.
"Nanami…" Regal finally spoke, glancing at the man beside him. "Calm down. I know you're nervous. You don't have to declare it to the world by shaking your leg."
Nanami immediately stopped.
He hadn't realized it, but his right foot had been bouncing beneath the table, the kind of barely visible twitch that betrayed internal tension. He exhaled slowly, sat upright, and smoothed the front of his jacket.
"My apologies." He said. His voice was even, clipped, professional. "Old habits. I don't like sitting idle when there's still work to be done."
Regal gave a half-smile. "There isn't. It's already out there. That's the job - now we wait."
Nanami's jaw tightened slightly, but he gave a single nod, his posture straightening like a man reporting for duty.
"I don't believe in relying on luck." Nanami said after a pause. "But I trust in effort. If the result is subpar, I will take responsibility for it."
Regal leaned back in his chair. "You're not a soldier anymore, Nanami."
"But… I never was one." He replied a bit perplexed.
Regal let the silence hang for a moment, then muttered under his breath with a smirk. "And here I thought Peter Cullen was the serious one."
Just then, a soft ping echoed from the wall-mounted screen. The view count had just doubled.
Regal glanced at it. "Well. Looks like the world just heard your voice."
Nanami didn't smile. He didn't react much at all. But he did lean forward slightly, eyes sharp with quiet intensity as the screen flickered through comments.
"It's only one word." He said. "Let's see if it was enough."
….
But what was not seen coming was the enthusiasm of other neutral or general fans who never heard it.
[LurkerMcLurkFace:] "Damn, when did a comic announcement get this dope? I haven't even heard about the novel until now, but there is no way I am missing this one."
[NoodleArms:] "Right?! This is a straight-up EPIC stuff. The quality's insane. I never thought a color comic would be what pulled me back into reading again."
[ComicEnthusiast:] "What is all the hype about?"
[WeeabooWanderer:] "Bro. Were you living under a rock? Also, change that username. You are embarrassing the comic community right now."
Following the trend, many articles were released about how - Everleaf Studio just dropped another certified BANGER. Hats off.
Undoubtedly, due to the extra hundred mile effort put by the duo Gregor and Alfonso under Regal, the art style and animation quality were widely praised.
Even those unfamiliar with the source material were spell bound by it.
And just like that another group was laser-focused on something else entirely:
The voice acting.
"Hey, let's do some real talk. I NEED to know the voice actors of the announcement video right now! Please help me find them."
"I swear the opening narration sounds like Peter… But the last line? No clue. I checked the credits though - Peter's name is there. The other one? Just says 'Nanami'."
The name had no attached legacy in the voice acting scene, but that only added to the mystery - and intrigue.
And just like that, Regal's carefully crafted debut for Nanami was already starting to ripple across the community.
Not bad for someone who didn't even know what he had been doing three weeks ago.
….
Regal had expected the announcement video to gain traction - he had even anticipated a strong wave of enthusiasm from the fans.
But this?
This was more than he bargained for.
It wasn't the number of viewers that caught him off guard - it was the intensity of their reactions. The few who had already seen the teaser weren't just excited… they were fired up. Ecstatic. Hyped beyond reason.
That was the moment Regal felt it - a quiet shift in the air, like pressure building just before a storm.
Maybe… I overhyped them a little too much.
He didn't doubt the comic. Not for a second. No matter how high the expectations soared, he knew the comic would deliver. The art, the pacing, the tone - he had poured too much into it for it to fall short. He was confident in that.
But the next step? That was the real source of his unease.
An animated series.
The promo video had only used pre-drawn panels from the comic - each carefully selected and polished to a near-perfect standard. Visually, it was breathtaking. Every frame was deliberate, detailed, and emotionally charged.
And that… might have been a miscalculation.
In comics, a single chapter could have 30 to 35 panels at most.
But in animation?
It took roughly 30 frames per second just to sustain motion. And there was no way they could give that same hand-crafted intensity to every single frame in an anime production. It just wasn't feasible.
So naturally, there would be a dip in quality.
Not in storytelling nor in impact.
But visually - it was inevitable.
Now the question crept into his mind like a whisper:
Will fans be disappointed once they realize the anime can't match the comic's frame-by-frame artistry?
Was this a genuine problem?
Or was Regal simply overthinking it?
That… only time would tell.
….
"Regal, what are you thinking about so deeply?" Gwendolyn asked, her eyes flicking briefly toward the monitor where Nanami was still absorbed, scrolling through fan reactions with a focused intensity.
Regal didn't look up. He gave a quick shake of his head. "Nothing."
"He's lying, Madam." Came a low voice from the side.
Rock stood there like a statue, arms folded, unreadable as always.
Regal didn't even glance at him. "You just shut up…"
But before anyone could press further, his phone buzzed.
He looked down.
The screen read:
[Unknown - New York]
He didn't hesitate. He picked it up.
"Regal speaking."
A beat.
Then the voice came through, gravelly but unmistakably alive with rhythm.
"You know, back in my day, people used to call before they tried to buy the whole damn building."
Regal's brows rose. "Stan?"
.
….
[To be continued…]
★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★
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