บท 129: Arcade Machines
(3rd Person POV)
In the Dominion Estate Headquarters CEO office, demon imp Donald Black faced the infamous ex-prince, Arthur Morningstar.
"You want to buy my company?" Donald said quietly, attempting to project an intimidating aura despite his diminutive stature. The effect was more comical than menacing to Arthur.
"Yes. I'm willing to buy your property firm for 220 thousand dollars," Arthur stated matter-of-factly.
Donald's expression darkened. "220? No, I think my company is worth 500!"
Arthur sneered, "500? Get real. Your property firm is in the red. No one wants it, and if you keep running it, you'll only sink deeper into debt. You won't even break even; you'll be in the negative."
Donald visibly struggled, realizing Arthur wasn't as naive as he'd initially thought. "Okay, how about 450?"
Arthur shook his head firmly. "No can do."
"Come on," Donald pressed, "Dominion Estates has two hotels and one mall, Hellscape Center. Even if we're struggling, those establishments are doing fine—"
"Doing fine?" Arthur cut him off. "I don't think so. Your properties have maintenance issues, they're in poor condition. Tenants are complaining, profits are declining, and businesses are leaving for that new mall in town or Fantasia Plaza."
Donald sweated, his composure crumbling. "How about 350? That's the lowest I can go—"
Arthur stood up, feigning to leave. "Alright... I guess I won't be buying a property firm anytime soon—"
Donald panicked, practically leaping from his chair. "Okay, how about 250?"
Arthur paused, a faint smile playing on his lips. "220," he said, unmoved.
"240?" Donald's 'intimidating' act had completely dissolved, his face a mask of desperation.
"220." Arthur didn't flinch at the counter-offer.
The tension in the room was palpable. Donald's eyes darted between Arthur and the door, weighing his options. He knew his company was in dire straits, but pride made it hard to accept Arthur's offer.
Arthur, for his part, maintained his calm demeanor. He'd done his homework on Dominion Estates and knew exactly how much leverage he had. The properties might be struggling now, but with the right management - and the introduction of his arcade machines - he could turn things around.
"Okay, this is really the last offer. If you don't accept, you can leave," Donald said seriously. "235, that's the lowest I can go."
Arthur looked thoughtful, then pulled a coin from his pocket. "How about we toss a coin?"
Donald flinched. "You want to gamble?"
Arthur chuckled. "Not quite. If it's heads or tails, depending on which side we choose, we'll go with either 220 or 235. Whoever wins, that's the price we agree on."
Donald's interest piqued. "So if I choose tails and win, you'll buy the company for 235?"
Arthur nodded. "Yes. It's that simple."
Donald gritted his teeth. "Alright, let's do it."
"Head or tails?" Arthur asked.
"Tails," Donald decided after a moment's thought.
"Okay, I'm heads," Arthur nodded and tossed the coin. He employed a subtle trick, facing the 'heads' side up when tossing to increase his chances of winning.
After all, the 50/50 chance in coin tosses was a myth. In reality, the odds slightly favor the side facing up when tossed, due to the coin's center of mass.
The coin landed on Donald's desk. They both leaned in to see the result...
"Yes!" Donald jumped in triumph.
Tails.
Arthur shook his head. 'Must be an off day for my luck.'
"So you'll buy my company for 235?" Donald asked, grinning.
Arthur nodded. "Yes."
Donald laughed. "Alright, let's discuss the procedure, hehe."
***
The transfer of Dominion Estate to Arthur, which typically would have taken weeks or even months, was completed in just two weeks. Horn Kingdom politicians favored Arthur's takeover, expediting the process.
Arthur felt grateful. In Morningstar, this would have dragged on for much longer.
With ownership secured, Arthur turned his focus to addressing the declining state of the two hotels and the mall. He knew he had his work cut out for him, but the potential rewards - especially with the introduction of his arcade machines - made it all worthwhile.
As Arthur surveyed his new properties, his mind raced with plans. The hotels could be renovated to attract a new clientele, while the mall - Hellscape Center - would be the perfect venue to introduce video games to this world.
Despite losing the coin toss and paying slightly more than he'd intended, Arthur couldn't help but feel satisfied.
While addressing the hotels' and mall's issues, Arthur turned his attention to promotion. His ace in the hole: James Blaze, now a household name throughout Horn Kingdom.
An event featuring James at Hellscape Center would draw crowds in droves.
As renovations on Hellscape Center progressed, Arthur selected a prime location to showcase his video game arcades.
In the short span of two weeks, Arthur's computer research team had doubled their output, increasing the original four arcade machines to eight.
"We'll set them up here, boss?" A behemoth demon asked, hefting an arcade machine.
"Yes," Arthur nodded, pointing. "They need to be highly visible to passersby."
As the behemoths positioned the machines, curious onlookers began to gather.
"Look, isn't that Arthur Morningstar?"
"You don't say. Yeah, he looks like Arthur..."
"Maybe it's just a lookalike."
"No, it's definitely Arthur!"
Their chatter caught Arthur's attention, but he remained focused on the task at hand.
"What are those devices the behemoths are placing?" One bystander wondered aloud.
The crowd's curiosity grew. "I don't know, but they look interesting."
Indeed, the arcade machines were eye-catching. Their cabinets boasted vibrant, thematic artwork. The screens glowed invitingly, and the control panels gleamed with colorful buttons and joysticks.
As Arthur departed with the behemoth demons, curious onlookers approached the mysterious arcade machines.
Stickers on the cabinets instructed users to "Insert a coin and get surprised!"
A dwarf, stroking his beard thoughtfully, pulled out a precious coin. "Alright, let's see what this is about..."
He inserted the coin while others watched intently. The screen flickered to life, startling everyone.
"What should I do now..." the dwarf muttered.
Text appeared on the screen: "You can control the arcade machine through the controller and choose games."
The dwarf and onlookers leaned in, fascinated. The screen displayed instructions that corresponded to the controller's layout. Gingerly, the dwarf grasped the controller.
He pressed a button, and a list materialized:
=Space Machine=
=Ping Pong=
=Tetris=
The left side of the screen provided control instructions. The dwarf, quick to learn as his race was known for, navigated the menu using the arrow buttons.
Unknowingly, he was providing a tutorial for the watching demons and elves, who were slower to grasp the concept.
The dwarf selected "Tetris." As he hit enter, the program sprang to life.
To everyone's astonishment, simple animations of colored blocks in various shapes began to fall from the top of the screen.
"What's this?" the dwarf wondered aloud.
Being clever, he quickly grasped the game's mechanics from the introductory instructions. Soon, he was rotating and placing blocks, his fingers dancing across the controls.
The onlookers watched, mesmerized, as the dwarf cleared line after line. The simple yet addictive nature of the game was apparent even to those who didn't fully understand it yet.
Within the hour, all eight arcade machines were buzzing with activity. The initial confusion gave way to excitement as patrons quickly grasped the concept of these novel devices.
An old demon fiend, engrossed in a game of "Ping Pong," reminisced about his younger days. "I never thought such a device could exist," he muttered, recalling the Magical Ping Pong Tournaments he'd played against humans in his youth.
Though the pixelated representation barely captured the feeling of a real match, it stirred a pleasant nostalgia in him.
From a distance, Arthur observed the scene with a satisfied smile. His decision to let the mall-goers discover the arcade machines on their own had proven wise.
Initially, he'd harbored doubts about this hands-off approach. But watching the growing crowd, their faces lit with fascination, he knew he'd made the right choice.
บท 130: Part 2: Bro is speed running
(3rd Person POV)
While arcade machines captivated Hellscape Center's customers, Arthur greeted a diverse group of international studio representatives.
Some were familiar faces - partners who had distributed his films globally, like Bryan Brothers, Lava Brothers, and Western Studio. Others were new acquaintances.
A demon from Bharat Kingdom resembled a genie with legs and feet, looking almost comically like a popo. A half-demon, half-elf from Choson Dynasty sported pointed ears. Demons from South East Anatolia mingled with average-looking humans from Empirica and Evros, alongside elves and dwarves from the Eden region.
Arthur ushered them into a private theater. After the screening, applause erupted.
"Amazing!"
"What an incredible film!"
Arthur smiled, graciously accepting their praise.
***
As days passed, September 15, 1272 arrived. Dragon Ball, released just over a month ago, had taken Horn City by storm. Hundreds of thousands were now engrossed in its pages.
Newspapers and entertainment magazines couldn't ignore the phenomenon:
"New Manhua: Dragon Ball Takes the City by Storm!"
"Is Arthur Morningstar truly a pure demon? Experts believe he might have traces of elf and dwarf blood, explaining his creativity despite his magical weakness. His latest manhua, Dragon Ball, seems to suggest that Arthur may not be a pure demon after all!"
Ridiculous claims proliferated, but they only served to fuel Dragon Ball's popularity.
Meanwhile, Maya Yamato from Japon, owner of Shounen Manga, made a special trip to meet Arthur.
Dragon Ball had amazed Maya ever since her son Ichiro introduced it to her. She hoped to distribute the manga in Japon, but there was a problem - her company was struggling, losing ground to other manga publishers.
Doubting Arthur would take her seriously, Maya was surprised by his respectful welcome and attentive ear to her proposal.
"I can't offer much, but... I'll do my best to publish your manga in many Japon cities!" Maya exclaimed, her voice tinged with desperation and hope.
Arthur smiled. He'd reached out to Japon manga publishers before, but they'd rejected him outright, not even glancing at Dragon Ball. He suspected discrimination due to his Morningstar heritage.
Now, a manga publisher had come to him, eager to bring Dragon Ball to her kingdom. Despite the low offer, Arthur didn't hesitate. "Okay, I'll have my manga published by your company."
"Really!?" Maya's surprise was evident. She'd expected rejection.
Arthur nodded. "Yes. In fact, I'm willing to invest in your company to ensure Dragon Ball's production and increase supply in case it becomes successful there."
Touched, Maya's eyes welled up. She bowed so low it startled Arthur. "Thank you very much!"
Arthur smiled, helping her up. "Hey, no need to bow." He shook his head, amused. "Seriously, you Japonese... Why do you bow so much?"
Maya, overcome with gratitude, bowed even lower. "Thank you!"
"Okay, okay!" Arthur chuckled wryly. "Jeez, let's just go and discuss the procedure."
Maya's emotions intensified as Arthur revealed his willingness to invest substantially in her company for a mere 3 percent share. This generosity moved her to bow repeatedly, though Arthur gently discouraged it this time.
***
While Arthur made inroads into the Japon manga industry through Maya, the arcade machines at Hellscape Center gained popularity among thousands.
In just a few days, the machines attracted significant foot traffic to the mall.
James Blaze's event at Hellscape Center further amplified this trend. Thousands of demons flooded the mall, creating a tight squeeze that threatened to overwhelm the space. Only the diligent efforts of security prevented chaos.
The event cemented Hellscape Center's growing reputation.
Simultaneously, promotion for "Demonfather Part 2" began across Horn City, Morningstar, Thorn, Bharat, Empirica, parts of South Anatolia, Evros, and the Eden region.
Media outlets buzzed with anticipation for the Demonfather sequel.
In a café, demons discussed the upcoming film:
"I can't wait for Demonfather Part 2!"
"Yeah! The first Demonfather was amazing! I wonder if the sequel will be as good?"
An imp demon added hopefully, "I hope it will be good."
"It will be," a monkey demon assured. "Just don't listen to the media. They always like to bully Arthur just because he's a weak royal prince."
"I agree with you, we shouldn't judge Arthur based on the unreliable media these days," a bull demon said, sipping his coffee. "While Arthur may not be as powerful as his brother, he's certainly talented in entertainment."
"True," another demon friend nodded. "Though I wonder how the first prince of the Morningstar Kingdom is faring."
A panda demon chimed in, "Last I heard, he was sent to the prison realm to guard the gate. Supposedly keeps dangerous demons from escaping."
"Haha, come on. You still believe in the prison realm? It's a myth!" one scoffed.
"Then where is the first prince, huh?"
"Probably abroad, studying and living it up."
"But no one's spotted him anywhere. I really think he's in another realm."
"Haha, we haven't been able to travel to other realms for ages. We've even lost portal travel. Only the powerful and influential can use it now."
Many believed the "Prison Realm" was just a myth.
Four hundred years ago, after the demons lost the war, it was said that humans couldn't kill some demons, so they locked the dangerous ones in the "Prison Realm" - known in the western world as "Nether Realm".
Rumor had it that first prince Azazel Morningstar was sent to the Nether Realm to become its warden and oversee the gate.
Whether this was true or not remained a mystery to both demons and humans.
***
Around the world, millions eagerly awaited "Demonfather Part 2".
Whether the media or rival studios liked it or not, Arthur's first work, "Demonfather", had revolutionized the picture industry. Not just as the first colored film, but for its thrilling, edge-of-your-seat storytelling.
Even in kingdoms where the first film hadn't been screened, many had seen it through store-bought copies. Now, with the sequel's imminent release, those who'd missed the original rushed to buy it. Distributors lowered prices to boost sales before the sequel's premiere.
In the Bharat Kingdom, neighboring Morningstar, demand for the first film in developed cities quickly outstripped supply. Distributors ramped up production to meet the surge.
Arthur's profits soared, earning him about 3 million dollars in just a week since promotion began.
The hype reached fever pitch as "Demonfather Part 2" premiered in Horn, Morningstar, Thorn, Japon, and Choson Dynasty two weeks after promotions started.
Media outlets, abandoning their smear campaign, now praised the film sight unseen. "Experts believe Demonfather sequel will be a masterpiece like the first!" trumpeted newspaper headlines.
Media moguls hoped inflated expectations might lead to disappointment, tarnishing Arthur's reputation if the film fell short.
The first day's box office of 36 million dollars didn't surprise them. They patiently waited for a plummet.
Instead, the second day saw 42 million, the third a whopping 55 million. Even with a slight dip to 49 million on the fourth day, profits continued to soar.
Unexpectedly, the media found itself praised for its "accurate" predictions.
"Didn't expect the media was right. The Demonfather Part 2 was a masterpiece!" exclaimed a demon leaving the theater with friends.
"True. I can't believe Michael could be so cold. He's terrifying!" His friend nodded.
"Damn that Michael! He's one scary demon. He's the only one I'd never dare offend!" Another added.
"Do you think Arthur really wants to replace his father as king and rule Morningstar like Michael Corleone?" One said, a chill running down his spine.
"Dude, it's just a movie. Besides, there's no way Arthur could overthrow his father!"
"True."
"Demonfather Part 2" stirred a whirlwind of emotions across the world.
In Empirica, Aztec, and Kanata on the Empirica Continent, people began romanticizing mob life.
In Apple City, Empirica, a group of thugs fresh from watching "Demonfather Part 2" donned suits like Michael's. Their leader, Manny, embraced Michael Corleone's persona.
When one thug betrayed Manny, the others watched as their boss held the traitor affectionately, saying, "I know it was you, Buttcake. You broke my heart!"
"I... I'm sorry boss!!!" Buttcake wailed, imagining a Michael-esque fate awaiting him.
At the prestigious Harvard magic high school, a student president declared in a meeting, "My father taught me many things here—he taught me in this room. He taught me—keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."
"Umm... President, didn't your father die before you were born?"
Michael's lines permeated various cultures. In Japon, a Yakuza boss told his group, "If anything in this life is certain, if history has taught us anything, it's that you can kill anybody."
His subordinates exchanged terrified glances.
The film's impact extended far beyond entertainment, influencing behavior and speech across diverse societies.
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