(3rd Person POV)
Seeing the eager anticipation in Keanu's eyes, Arthur reached into his storage system and withdrew a bound set of papers, placing them on the desk between them. "This is the script. Take a look."
Keanu accepted the pages with careful reverence, his eyes immediately drawn to the title page: John Wick: Chapter 1. Below the bold lettering was standard formatting—project details, production information, and most notably, the screenwriting credits.
Screenwriter: Arthur Pendragon and Derek Kolstad
"So it was co-written with someone called Derek?" Keanu murmured, studying the unfamiliar name. "Who is this person?"
Arthur suppressed his amusement at the question. Derek Kolstad had been the original creator of John Wick in his previous world, and when Arthur had purchased the script through his System Shop, it had come with the original content—though not without modifications. Arthur's name appeared as co-writer because he'd adapted the script to fit this world's context and culture, but the core creative vision belonged to Derek.
"Derek Kolstad," Arthur said smoothly, "is a creative mind from another world. He conceived the original idea for John Wick, and we collaborated to bring it to this world."
The lie came easily—Arthur had become quite practiced at creative explanations for his otherworldly knowledge.
Keanu's eyebrows rose with genuine surprise. "You've already begun traveling to other worlds?"
'Arthur can traverse worlds independently now?' The thought was both impressive and concerning. While inter-dimensional travel wasn't impossible for deities, it was extraordinarily difficult and dangerous. Even Keanu, despite his divine status as a former God of War, would need a Divine Ship to safely navigate the treacherous void between worlds.
"I have developed that capability, yes," Arthur confirmed with deliberate vagueness, enjoying the mixture of awe and curiosity in Keanu's expression.
'Such a young deity, yet he's already mastered inter-dimensional travel? How did he achieve this?' Keanu wondered silently. Beyond Divine Ships, only certain legendary artifacts could enable safe world-crossing, or perhaps Arthur possessed some unique inherent ability. The possibilities were intriguing, but now wasn't the time for such questions.
Setting aside his curiosity about Arthur's mysterious capabilities, Keanu turned his attention to the script itself, flipping past the title page to begin reading the actual story.
Time seemed to compress as he became absorbed in the narrative. The character of John Wick emerged from the pages—a retired assassin seeking peace, only to be dragged back into his violent past by tragedy and injustice. When Keanu finally finished the last page, he looked up with an expression caught between disbelief and understanding.
"So the legendary underworld assassin John Wick returns to his former life... because some criminals killed his dog?" Keanu asked, his tone suggesting he found the premise almost absurd.
Arthur leaned back in his chair, his expression patient and knowing. "It wasn't just any dog, Keanu. It was the final gift from his dying wife—the last connection he had to her love and memory. Can you imagine the emotional significance?"
Keanu considered this, his expression softening as the deeper meaning became clear. "I suppose... if I were in his position, I would probably react the same way."
As he reflected on John Wick's character and motivations, Keanu felt an unexpected resonance with the fictional assassin. Like John, he too had been forcibly separated from his life and purpose—chained in the Nether World by the Three Known Gods, stripped of his power and freedom. The desire for justice, for retribution against those who had wronged him, burned within him just as it drove John Wick.
The difference was that John Wick possessed the strength to act on his desire for vengeance, while Keanu was still rebuilding his power, still preparing for the day when he might face his own enemies.
'Perhaps I can channel these feelings I've kept buried in my heart through John Wick,' he thought, a new understanding dawning. 'Maybe playing this role will help me explore my own desire for justice—and prepare me for what's to come.'
---
The day had passed quickly, and the sun had begun its descent behind the mountains surrounding Victory Peak, painting the sky in brilliant shades of amber and crimson.
In the comfort of his luxurious villa, Arthur sat on the terrace with a glass of wine, enjoying the peaceful evening atmosphere. Firfel nestled comfortably beside him on the elegant outdoor sofa, while Vivienne occupied a nearby chair, all three watching the spectacular sunset.
Since learning about Arthur's secret organization, both women had been intensely curious about Hellsing's operations. To their relief, they'd discovered that Arthur's group focused on intelligence gathering, protecting certain people, and combating genuinely evil organizations rather than pursuing criminal enterprises.
The tranquil moment was interrupted as Sylwen emerged from the villa's shadows, her expression serious yet satisfied. "I finally have information regarding the Skull Organization's main headquarters," she announced without preamble.
Firfel and Vivienne exchanged meaningful glances before Firfel spoke with careful diplomacy. "Forgive me for asking, sister, but... given your history with the organization, shouldn't you have already known the location of their main base?"
Arthur interceded before Sylwen could respond, his voice gentle but explanatory. "Sylwen was a low-level operative within their hierarchy. She only had access to minor safe houses and operational bases, never their central command structure."
Sylwen nodded gratefully. "That's exactly right. The organization operates on strict compartmentalization—lower ranks are kept deliberately ignorant of critical information." Her expression darkened slightly. "If Arthur hadn't intervened when my identification mask was destroyed, I would have faced immediate execution."
"I understand now," Vivienne said with sympathy. "That level of secrecy must have been suffocating."
"So where is this main hideout?" Arthur asked, leaning forward with genuine interest.
"The Skull Organization's headquarters is located in the Persian Empire, specifically within Babylon city—the empire's central hub and most populous metropolitan area," Sylwen reported with professional precision.
"The Persian Empire," Arthur mused, processing the information. From his previous research, he knew that region held particular historical significance regarding the world's linguistic unification.
"According to our operatives' reconnaissance, there are unusual energy signatures emanating from the Tower of Babylon itself," Sylwen continued.
"The Tower of Babylon!" Vivienne exclaimed, her eyes lighting with recognition. "That's one of the tallest structures in the world! Firfel and I visited there during our vacation last year!"
Firfel nodded enthusiastically. "I remember that trip vividly. There was something deeply unsettling about that tower—indecipherable inscriptions covering the walls, and..." She paused, her expression growing thoughtful. "I had this overwhelming sense that something truly terrifying resided in the restricted upper levels where tourists aren't allowed."
Arthur stroked his chin contemplatively, weighing this new intelligence against his broader strategic considerations.
"What's your assessment? Should we mobilize all available operatives for a full-scale assault on the tower?" Sylwen asked, anticipation evident in her voice despite her professional demeanor.
"Wait, sister!" Firfel stood abruptly, concern etched across her features. "Wouldn't that be extremely dangerous?"
"I have to agree," Vivienne added with worried conviction. "If there's something that powerful hidden in that tower, rushing in could be catastrophic."
Sylwen considered their concerns seriously before responding. "Your caution is understandable, but the Hellsing Organization isn't lacking in powerful operatives. And more importantly," she glanced toward Arthur with obvious confidence, "we have Arthur, whose capabilities far exceed anything the Skull Organization has encountered. Ultimately, the decision to proceed rests with him."
Both Firfel and Vivienne studied Arthur's contemplative expression intently, assuming he was carefully weighing the tactical risks and strategic considerations of confronting such a dangerous organization.
However, unbeknownst to them, Arthur's thoughts had taken an entirely different direction: 'Perfect timing. My John Wick project is about to begin production, and I desperately need to make it as realistic as possible. I refuse to cast random nobodies as Keanu's co-stars—after all, he's a former God of War. To create truly authentic action sequences with genuine violence and incredible fighting choreography, the combat needs to be real. Obviously, ordinary actors couldn't possibly match Keanu's abilities, even if he restrains his power to human levels. His capabilities are still terrifyingly formidable.'
He continued stroking his chin thoughtfully. 'This could be the perfect opportunity. I can manipulate the Skull Organization operatives into becoming unwitting cast members. If I position them correctly, it won't matter whether they survive their encounters with Keanu or not—what matters is capturing genuinely realistic combat footage.'
Arthur's mind began crafting an elaborate scheme: 'Instead of simply destroying them, I'll manipulate events so that our confrontation becomes the movie itself. The Skull operatives will believe they're fighting for their lives against a real threat, while we're actually capturing authentic combat footage for John Wick Chapter 1.'
'I can structure it around the basic plot—Keanu as John Wick being forced back into action, facing off against criminal organizations. The Tower of Babylon could serve as one of the movie's key locations. Whatever high-ranking members they have will deliver their most genuine performances because they'll truly believe they're in mortal danger. Their fear, desperation, and combat instincts will create scenes no professional actor could replicate.'
'I can have my camera crews positioned as "backup operatives" while we capture every moment. The Skull members will think they're fighting for survival, but they'll actually be creating cinematic history.'
Arthur had fallen silent for nearly a full minute, lost in his creative plotting. The three women, observing his intense concentration, interpreted his demeanor as evidence of serious tactical deliberation. Their respect for his leadership deepened as they witnessed what they believed was his careful consideration of the dangers ahead.
They had no way of knowing that their supposedly strategic mastermind was actually planning an elaborate film production that would transform their enemies into unwitting movie stars. If they had realized the truth—that Arthur was mentally casting criminals as entertainment rather than planning their destruction—they probably wouldn't have known whether to laugh at the absurdity or cry at the audacity of it all.