(3rd Person POV)
Arthur and his production team were preparing to depart Babylon and return to Horn Kingdom, but first he had business to conclude with Princess Anahita.
They met again in the same restaurant's private dining room. Anahita appeared drawn, stress evident in the tightness around her eyes and the way she carried herself.
'The earthquake must have taken its toll on her. Poor princess,' Arthur thought as he greeted her delegation.
"Mr. Pendragon." Princess Anahita nodded formally. "I've considered your proposal carefully, and I'm prepared to accept your terms."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Are you being pressured into this decision because of the recent disaster?"
Anahita didn't deny it. "Yes, that's certainly a factor in our urgency to move forward." She sighed heavily. "We need every advantage available. The earthquake has devastated our economy—tourists are canceling visits, and investors are withdrawing. This city desperately needs revitalization."
Arthur's expression softened with apparent sympathy. "I'm prepared to donate ten million global dollars toward earthquake recovery efforts."
"Truly?" Anahita and her advisors exchanged stunned glances.
"That's an enormous sum!" Anahita emphasized, leaning forward. "You're genuinely willing to contribute that much?"
Arthur chuckled. "It's a minor expense for me, honestly."
Money meant little to him now. His true motivation for these business ventures wasn't profit—it was the Monetary Faith they generated and the global influence they provided. Each successful expansion brought him closer to his ultimate goal of modernizing this world to match his previous life on Earth.
The technological advances he'd already introduced—computers, phones, the internet—were significant steps forward, but he had much further to go.
"Given your generosity, Mr. Pendragon, we'll expedite all regulatory approvals for your airline operations," Omid said gratefully.
"I appreciate that." Arthur smiled. "Perhaps Her Highness would like to experience the airplane firsthand? Nothing demonstrates superiority over airships quite like personal experience."
Anahita's eyes lit up with interest, though her advisors immediately showed concern.
"Your Highness," one advisor said cautiously, "the safety protocols—"
Arthur raised a reassuring hand. "I understand your concerns completely. We can arrange whatever security measures you deem necessary."
After some discussion, they agreed. The princess would travel with appropriate protection.
---
Hours later, Arthur's team boarded the airplane with their high-profile passenger. The cast and crew seemed slightly intimidated by Anahita's royal presence, uncertain how to behave around Persian nobility.
Media personnel had gathered at the airport, capturing photographs of the princess boarding the unusual aircraft. Cameras clicked rapidly as the airplane taxied down the runway.
"Look at that thing move!" one observer called out. "It doesn't need all that gas expansion like normal airships!"
"How does it stay up without a balloon?" another wondered aloud.
"Those wings must be the secret—like a giant bird!"
Aboard the aircraft, Anahita and her advisors marveled at every detail—the sleek interior design, the individual entertainment systems, the attentive service.
"This is remarkable," Anahita murmured, running her fingers along the armrest. "The craftsmanship is extraordinary."
Clint Foster, still in costume from filming, leaned over with a friendly grin. "We were just as amazed as you are, Your Highness. First time any of us flew in something like this."
"Really?" Anahita seemed delighted by the casual interaction. "You weren't terrified?"
"Terrified?" Shafel laughed. "Half of us were praying to every god we knew when this thing started creaking and shaking mid-flight!"
The royal tension dissolved as cast members shared their own experiences. Conversation flowed naturally, with Anahita asking questions about their work and the strange aircraft carrying them through the sky.
Hours passed in comfortable discussion before exhaustion set in. Many passengers dozed as the airplane maintained its steady course through the night.
Twenty hours later, the captain announced their approach to Horn Kingdom. Anahita stirred from sleep, checking the time in disbelief.
"We're already here?" she asked her advisor, who looked equally stunned.
'Incredible! This aircraft has completely surpassed traditional airships just as Arthur claimed,' Anahita thought, gazing out the window at Horn Kingdom's familiar landscape. 'Partnering with Hellfire Airlines was absolutely the right decision.'
Her excitement grew as she calculated the possibilities. With such speed and Arthur's promise of affordable ticket prices, tourism between their kingdoms would flourish. Her nation's economic recovery suddenly seemed not just possible, but inevitable.
---
Anahita and her advisor decided to stay in Horn Kingdom for an extended visit. Arthur arranged for a trusted guide to show them around the city while he returned to his office to catch up on business.
Stacks of reports awaited him. The TV show "Batman" under George's direction was making waves with just five episodes aired, boosting Hellfire Network's ratings significantly.
"I didn't expect George to be so generous with the budget," Arthur noted, reviewing the financial reports. Each Batman episode cost more to produce than it could earn back, but the cultural impact was undeniable.
He examined reports on other projects—the Spider-Man film was progressing well, and "The Human Show" had secured land for filming. Speaking of land, Arthur considered Kaiser's entertainment show request.
"The Great Southern Land shouldn't be too bad," he mused. A small island in those largely unoccupied territories could work perfectly for the project.
"Arthur." Keanu appeared beside him.
"What?" Arthur had already sensed his approach.
"Now that I'm done acting, the monotonous life has returned," Keanu sighed. "To pass time and entertain myself, I'm thinking of making my own comic. But I need your help since I'm not knowledgeable about it."
Arthur looked at him with surprise. "You want to make your own comic story?"
"Yes." Keanu nodded. "I already have an outline. An immortal who wants to die, cursed with endless violence and tormented by it."
Arthur studied him carefully when he heard that. 'Seriously, is this guy really the Keanu from my previous life?' The concept sounded eerily familiar—he knew the Keanu from his past life had written something similar about an immortal seeking death.
'Funny coincidence,' Arthur thought, then smiled. "I'll help you. No harm in it."
---
After his discussion with Keanu, Arthur finally had time to consider the primal dragon from the Draconic Realm—the one that had effortlessly killed his weak clone.
That primal dragon resembled a cross between a tyrannosaurus and Godzilla. Such a creature would make a valuable mascot for the movies he wanted to produce: "Jurassic Park" and "Godzilla."
But first, he wanted to use his «One-Time Summon».
He headed into his Divine Territory.
The realm, which looked like a fusion of Tokyo and Singapore, was bustling with life compared to his early days. The population had grown to over forty thousand inhabitants, including the «Orphans» that Astu and the others had welcomed. These orphans were beings abandoned by their gods or whose deities had perished, left to wander the Divine World itself. They now served as workers, helping operate the expanding territory.
Aside from the orphans, no other deities of his level had visited yet. This was understandable—from what Arthur knew, deities in the Divine World typically remained within their established circles, rarely leaving their territories for centuries. His Divine Territory had only existed in this realm for about a year.
Arthur flew to the highest point in his territory and used his absolute authority to create a protective barrier around himself. He wanted to summon an anime creature that wasn't particularly friendly to strangers.
He quickly activated the One-Time Summon, focusing his mind on the image of the nine-tailed fox. Yes, he wanted to summon Kurama from Naruto. The idea had been entertaining him for some time—Kurama would make an excellent companion, someone he could nurture in this world.
Power swirled at the center of the summoning circle, blazing with brilliant light.
As the light faded and the summoning completed, Arthur looked for the massive fox.
But Kurama was nowhere to be seen.
"Eh? Where am I?" Instead, a blonde-haired shinobi stood there, glancing around in confusion.
Arthur stared in disbelief. 'Why was Naruto summoned instead?'