A streak of gold slowly climbed from the bottom of the mural, like water flowing into gullies. Gold gradually replaced every black line outlining the mural, until it began to give off a golden glow.
Crack!
The air shuddered violently, and everyone heard a sound like a mirror shattering.
Then, amid a series of clunks, a concealed door opened in the center of the mural. It had three layers, with pitch-black darkness beyond, but the mural's golden glow and the lights in their hands still let them see several yellowed sheets floating inside.
At the sight of the sheets, Kuta's eyes returned to normal. He beckoned, and the sheets behind the hidden door drifted down, flew toward him, and landed in his hand.
"You must have seen this before."
Kuta lowered his head and looked at Uta.
These sheets were made from a special material that ordinary hard objects could not destroy. With the power of the musical score reinforcing them, they had become something indestructible.
The score itself was an altar, and the music written on it was an incantation. Through the score, the Sing-Sing Fruit's power allowed the Demon King to connect to the Virtual World, "Uta World," then use Uta World as a bridge to manifest in reality.
That was the connection between the Sing-Sing Fruit, the score, and the Demon King hidden in an unknown space.
Complicated as it was, this was the only answer Kuta could think of after meeting Uta and seeing the score.
"This is...?"
Uta looked thoughtful as she studied the score. Then, as if something had occurred to her, her eyes suddenly lit up. "I remember! This looks like the score I found on the couch backstage at the final concert nine years ago."
"I thought it was just an ordinary