Chapter 108: Tempting Mission Reward and... is this actor Bruce..?
(Arthur POV)
I'm rushing to get this next film project off the ground - a martial arts movie.
Honestly, I didn't want to rush another film, but the {entertainment system} dangled a mission with a reward too tempting to ignore. Originally, I planned to wait until the VFX Studio was finished to make my next movie. Maybe even finally film that epic "Star Wars" - but that's impossible without the VFX capabilities.
So what's this mission with the irresistible reward?
[Mission: Produce two critically acclaimed films without relying on a VFX studio, each grossing over one hundred million dollars.]
[Reward: Creator's Realms]
Just looking at it makes me itch to complete it immediately.
The {Creator's Realms}. It's an OP Ability if I've ever seen one. I can't ignore this.
Even with the Electronics Expo looming, I'm laser-focused on this martial arts film.
Reading the ability's description again, I can hardly wait to make these two successful films and claim this power:
[Creator's Realms: Unlock the ability to traverse into the fictional worlds you have created in the real world. However, you can only enter the worlds of your creations that have achieved significant popularity and success in reality.]
[Level 1: You can step into the realm of one of your successful fictions. However, your time within the fictional world is limited to one real-world day. The time spent within the fictional world may differ, as the time flow varies between each universe.]
Reading up to this made my blood pump with pure, unadulterated excitement.
If I gain this ability - my future possibilities are endless!
I could enter the world of films, novels, manga, anime, or even video games, as long as they became wildly successful in reality.
I can't afford to screw up the development of this upcoming film project. The stakes are too high, the potential too great.
***
(3rd Person POV)
The next day, Arthur found himself growing increasingly frustrated as the auditions for his new film project failed to yield satisfactory results.
"Sigh," Arthur exhaled heavily. "We need to find our lead fast - we can't afford to drag this out any longer."
Klein, Mochi, and other crew members exchanged puzzled glances before Klein spoke up. "Boss, I've been noticing... you seem unusually impatient about this new film's development lately. It's like you're in a rush to finish it as soon as possible."
Mochi nodded in agreement. "Right. Even during 'Lord of the Rings' or the western film, you weren't like this."
Arthur looked slightly embarrassed but attempted to explain, "It's natural, guys. The Electronics Expo is coming up. I need to be there-"
"You don't need to concern yourself with the expo," a voice interrupted.
It was George, striding into the room with confidence. "Drake, Josh, and I will handle it. We'll do just fine attracting talents in Apple City for you."
Arthur eyed George doubtfully. "You sure you can handle it?"
George chuckled, a hint of pride in his voice. "What do you take me for? I might be a bit clumsy with inventions that occasionally explode, but I'm still a smart dwarf who can handle small tasks."
Arthur's skepticism was evident, but George pressed on. "Just let me do it," he insisted. "I've noticed how eager you are to make this new film, for whatever reason. You focus on that, and we'll take care of the expo."
After a moment's hesitation, Arthur sighed, relief washing over his features. "Alright," he conceded.
George nodded confidently. "We'll be all set to head to Apple City tomorrow."
Arthur patted his shoulder. "I wish you luck."
"Thanks for that luck, Arthur," George grinned. "Sometimes I forget you're lucky not because you're an idiot, but because you're lucky to have me."
Arthur's expression turned comically blank. His look screamed, "You're still not going to let that go, are you?"
He recalled his ill-fated comment about "idiots being favored by luck," meant for George but misinterpreted as self-deprecation. Klein and the others stifled laughs at the memory.
Arthur, slightly embarrassed, shooed George away, turning his attention back to the auditions.
Suddenly, a familiar face stepped onto the audition floor, causing a stir among the crew.
"Whoa, that's Damien Darkflame!" Klein exclaimed, shocked.
"What's he doing here in Horn Kingdom?"
"Isn't it obvious? He's here to audition."
"I see..."
While the others were surprised, Arthur had expected this, recalling his conversation with Rupert.
"Which role are you auditioning for?" Arthur asked, curious to see how Damien would approach this.
To everyone's astonishment, Damien bowed humbly. "I'll be auditioning for a side character."
The room fell silent, stunned by this declaration. Even Arthur raised an eyebrow, taken aback. The proud Damien Darkflame, settling for a side character? It seemed the conversation with his brother had truly humbled him.
Arthur's surprise gave way to an approving smile. "Alright," he said, leaning forward with interest. "Let's see what you can do."
As Damien prepared for his audition, Arthur couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and satisfaction.
This was a far cry from the arrogant star who had demanded special treatment before. Perhaps there was hope for Damien after all.
Damien began his performance, launching into a martial arts choreography that immediately caught everyone's attention. His body movements spoke volumes about the techniques he was employing.
The choreography was recognizable - a watered-down version of legitimate martial arts skills used by Knights and Warriors from the Martial Arts Academy. While it might not have been impressive in real life, Arthur knew it would translate well to film.
Arthur's mind wandered to the old days of black and white demon films, where even subpar martial arts looked spectacular on screen. His introduction of color films had changed the game, but the new cameras had also exposed the flaws in many martial arts performances.
Damien's movements were undoubtedly polished, likely from his extensive film experience. Yet, Arthur could see that to make it truly convincing on modern film, Damien would need to push his skills further.
As Damien finished his routine, Arthur nodded appreciatively. "Alright. Very impressive performance," he said, offering polite applause.
Damien bowed in gratitude, his humility still evident.
"But you still have room for improvement," Arthur continued, his tone constructive rather than critical. "Would you be open to rehearsals with a professional Horn choreographer?"
"I'm fine with that," Damien replied with a smile, his eagerness to improve apparent.
Arthur smiled at Damien's cooperative nature. It was a relief to see him so amenable, especially given Arthur's urgency to start the film.
"Next!" Arthur called out as Damien exited the audition room.
As the next actor entered, Arthur kept his head down, jotting notes about Damien's performance.
Klein took the lead. "Your name?"
"Hello," the actor bowed respectfully. "My name is Lee Jun-fan. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
Arthur's eyebrows shot up at the name. 'Lee Jun-fan?' It rang a bell, tugging at his memories.
When Arthur finally raised his head to look at the actor, his eyes widened in shock.
"Um... Is- is something the matter?" Jun-fan asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty as he noticed Arthur's wide-eyed stare.
Klein, picking up on the strange atmosphere, turned to Arthur. Seeing his boss's shocked expression, as if he'd seen a ghost, Klein nudged him gently. "Boss, boss!" he whispered urgently.
Arthur snapped out of his trance, blinking rapidly as he focused on Klein.
"Are you alright?" Klein asked, concern evident in his voice.
"I'm fine," Arthur nodded, his voice steadier than he felt.
Despite his assurance, Arthur was deeply shaken. The actor standing before him wasn't remarkable for being exceptionally handsome or unusually ugly. No, what struck Arthur was how uncannily similar Jun-fan looked to Bruce Lee from his previous life.
This Lee Jun-fan could have been Bruce Lee's clone, transported across dimensions and time.
Arthur leaned forward, his interest piqued. "You may begin your performance, Lee Jun-fan," he said, his voice carrying a hint of anticipation.
Jun-fan nodded, a flicker of nervousness crossing his features. He closed his eyes for a moment, drawing in a deep breath to center himself. As he exhaled, a transformation seemed to come over him.
In an explosive burst of energy, Jun-fan launched into a series of movements that were clearly more than mere choreography. His body flowed with a grace and power that spoke of years of dedicated training.
"Wait—" Arthur's voice cut through the air, halting Jun-fan mid-motion.
Jun-fan froze, anxiety creeping into his voice. "Is something the matter?"
Arthur cleared his throat, trying to mask his growing excitement. "Are you using actual martial arts?"
"Y-yes!" Jun-fan stammered, nodding vigorously. His eyes darted nervously as he added, "Is it not allowed?"
"No, no. It's fine," Arthur assured him, waving his hand dismissively. "I was just surprised to see an actor with knowledge of real martial arts. And from the looks of it, this isn't just any ordinary style."
Jun-fan's posture relaxed slightly as he explained, "Actually, the martial arts was taught to me by a famous old demon martial artist in the Morningstar Kingdom..."
"Is that so?" Arthur stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. The wheels in his mind were already turning, imagining the possibilities this unexpected development could bring to his film.
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