(3rd Person POV)
John Wick's box office performance lived up to Hellfire's reputation. The film dominated conversations and ticket sales throughout December, with Keanu Reeves' name spreading rapidly across multiple kingdoms.
Seventy-eight million dollars globally in just four days. Impressive by any standard—though still nowhere near Titanic's historic numbers.
What truly set John Wick apart was its resonance within specific communities. Criminal organizations and underworld figures discussed the film with particular intensity.
"Wait, I remember hearing the name John Wick months ago," one gang member said to his associates. "People were talking about some legendary assassin. Was that all just marketing?"
"Has to be," another replied. "That name was scaring people in the underworld for weeks. Everyone thought John Wick was real. Turns out it was false information to promote the movie."
The conversations revealed Arthur's calculated strategy. During production, he'd deliberately leaked information about "John Wick" into criminal networks, building a reputation for a feared assassin who didn't actually exist. The Skull Organization had believed they were fighting a real threat, making their fear during filming entirely genuine.
The media eventually caught wind of the story. A local talk show invited a former mobster as a guest.
"So you're claiming," the host said with obvious skepticism, "that the name John Wick was circulating in the underworld months before the film's release? And there were even rumors about him destroying a major organization?"
The mobster nodded seriously. "Absolutely. I heard John Wick completely dismantled the Skull Organization. Single-handedly."
"The Skull Organization?" The host's expression suggested he thought this was an elaborate promotional stunt—that Hellfire had hired this man to generate buzz.
Which, intentionally or not, worked perfectly.
Newspapers ran with the story immediately:
"John Wick Destroyed Real Criminal Organization? Insider Claims Truth Behind Film"
"Who Is Keanu Reeves? Actor More Dangerous Than He Appears?"
"Combat Experts: John Wick Fight Scenes 'Too Realistic to Be Fake'"
Most people dismissed the claims as entertaining fiction. But enough believed—or wanted to believe—that the speculation continued gaining momentum.
---
While John Wick maintained its cultural dominance, Hellfire Airport experienced unprecedented traffic. Thousands of travelers passed through daily, with numbers climbing steadily.
The film had created an unexpected tourism boom. Babylon, featured prominently in several action sequences, became the most sought-after destination across multiple kingdoms.
Visitors came from Horn Kingdom, Japon, Choson, parts of Evros, and various Eden region territories connected through Hellfire Airlines' expanding network. Conservative estimates suggested hundreds of thousands would visit Babylon within the month.
The economic impact on the Persian Empire was staggering.
Princess Anahita walked the streets of Babylon in simple disguise, observing the transformation with quiet satisfaction. The once-struggling markets now bustled with activity. Humans, elves, demons, dwarves, orcs, and hobbits filled the bazaars, their various languages creating a constant multilingual hum.
A year ago, these same streets had been nearly empty.
"You made the right decision partnering with Arthur Pendragon, Your Highness," Omid Azadi said beside her, his elderly voice carrying approval. "That demon has revitalized our city. Perhaps this achievement will convince the King to consider you as his successor."
Anahita's smile turned wry. "Father has always favored my brother. I doubt even this will change his mind."
Omid sighed, then his expression brightened with new inspiration. "Unless you were betrothed to a capable man. That might shift his perspective considerably."
"And who exactly would this capable man be?" Anahita asked, though her tone suggested she already knew where this was heading.
Omid's eyebrows rose suggestively. "You've already met him, Your Highness."
Color rose in Anahita's cheeks. "Absolutely not, Omid. Arthur already has someone. I've seen how he looks at her."
Her eyes grew distant, melancholic.
"You could still try—"
"No means no."
---
Meanwhile, the demon in question stood in the Draconic Realm, video camera in hand, documenting something far more extraordinary than tourism statistics.
Arthur adjusted the camera's focus while Keanu and Kaiser stood beside him at a safe distance. Before them, two titans clashed with earth-shaking force.
Naruto—fully transformed into the Nine-Tails, his fox form towering hundreds of feet high—faced off against an equally massive opponent. The Tyrannosaurus that Arthur had mentally dubbed "Godzilla" roared with prehistoric fury, its scales gleaming like armor in the realm's strange light.
The ground trembled with each impact. Dragons native to this realm had fled miles away, wisely avoiding the battle between these foreign powers.
"They're fairly evenly matched," Kaiser observed, arms crossed as he watched the spectacle.
"For now," Arthur replied, keeping the camera steady despite the violent shaking. "But Naruto's chakra will deplete eventually. In a prolonged fight, the King, has the advantage."
Keanu said nothing, his expression focused as he analyzed both combatants' techniques. As the former God of War, he understood combat dynamics instinctively—and he could see the fox-demon slowly losing ground despite his incredible power.
"I have to ask, Arthur—where exactly did you find that boy?" Kaiser's curiosity had clearly been building. "I've been training him for the past month, and this 'chakra' system he uses is unlike anything I've encountered. It doesn't follow any known magical principles from this world."
Arthur chuckled. "Let's just say I pulled him from somewhere very far away. There's no one else like him in this entire universe."
Both Kaiser and Keanu exchanged surprised glances. That claim raised more questions than it answered.
"Despite his unique abilities, he's fought that beast three times a week since arriving," Keanu observed, his tactical mind analyzing the ongoing battle. "And he still can't gain the upper hand. That creature is remarkably formidable. Worthy of being called a King of Dragons."
Arthur studied the massive creature carefully. While it resembled a Tyrannosaurus Rex in basic structure—the powerful legs, the massive head, the small forearms—there were distinct differences that set it apart. The scales were thicker, almost armored. The tail was longer and more muscular, clearly adapted for balance during combat rather than just walking. Most notably, ridged spines ran down its back in a distinctive pattern.
The combination made it look like something between a T-Rex and the Godzilla from his previous life's films. That's why Arthur had mentally labeled it "Godzilla" from the moment he'd first seen it.
"The King of Dragons may be powerful," Arthur said with faint disdain, "but it lacks the intelligence to use that power effectively."
"That is true." Kaiser nodded agreement. "That's the inherent weakness of becoming too large and too bestial. Normal dragons can speak and reason like any of the four races. This creature can barely think beyond basic survival instincts—probably less intelligent than a four-year-old child."
On the battlefield, Naruto's Nine-Tails form gathered energy into a massive blue sphere—the Rasengan technique, grown to enormous proportions.
The Tyrannosaurus-like Godzilla simply opened its jaws. A concentrated ball of raw magical energy formed in its throat and launched forward, colliding with the Rasengan mid-flight.
The explosion sent Naruto flying backward violently.
Arthur vanished and reappeared beside the falling form, catching Naruto before he crashed into the ground. He teleported back to the others in an instant.
The boy had lost consciousness, his Nine-Tails transformation already fading.
"The blast was too much for him," Keanu observed, shaking his head. "His body couldn't withstand the King's raw power output."
Arthur glanced back at the massive creature. It surveyed the battlefield briefly before apparently deciding its opponent was defeated. The King turned and lumbered away, its footsteps shaking the ground.
Following behind were several much smaller dinosaurs—the King's offspring, each roughly the size of an actual Tyrannosaurus Rex from Earth's fossil record.
Perfect for Jurassic Park, Arthur thought with satisfaction. The King for Godzilla scenes, the children for standard dinosaur footage.
Keanu had already successfully tamed both the King and its offspring through careful application of divine influence. They would serve perfectly for Arthur's planned film projects.
"Now that we're finished here," Kaiser said, clearly eager to change subjects, "how about we visit that playground I've constructed in the Great Southern Land? I followed your designs exactly."
Arthur's attention snapped to him. "Everything matches the specifications I provided?"
"Down to the last detail." Kaiser's excitement was barely contained. "Now all we need are staff members and desperate participants willing to play for their lives."
Arthur felt the familiar conflict rise in his chest. He'd been actively trying to become better—trying to honor the promise he'd made to Firfel about not letting power corrupt him completely. Yet he'd also made a promise to Kaiser about creating these games for criminals who chose to participate.
Desperate people making desperate choices. Not innocents, but those already steeped in violence and crime. The rationalization felt thin even to him, but the project was already built.
"Alright," Arthur finally said. "Let's see what you've created."
He waved his hand. Space folded around them, and they teleported directly to the Great Southern Land.
---
The Great Southern Land remained wild despite colonization efforts from Wales Kingdom and the USE. Powerful beasts and their allied tribes still dominated most of the continent. True settlement was years, maybe decades away.
Which made it the perfect location for what Kaiser had built.
Hidden on a remote island, concealed by magic and technology, stood an unremarkable facility—just another abandoned structure among many scattered across these untamed lands.
Inside told a different story.
Arthur walked through corridors that matched his designs exactly. Dormitories painted in unsettling pastels. A massive room with a giant doll for the first game.
Glass bridges suspended over fatal drops. Elaborate spaces designed for honeycomb challenges, tug-of-war, marbles, and the final game itself.
Each area crafted for psychological terror as much as physical danger.
"The winner receives tens of millions of dollars," Kaiser explained as they toured. "Life-changing money—if they survive to claim it."
Arthur studied the facility with conflicted fascination. Broadcasting infrastructure, participant holding areas, control rooms for managing each deadly game. Everything he'd specified was here, built perfectly to his vision.
Which somehow made it worse.