Lord of Entertainment-Chapter 265: One billion

(3rd Person POV)

The Two Towers continued to rake in massive profits, showing no signs of slowing down even three weeks after its release.

The buzz surrounding the film remained as strong as ever, and by the end of its fourth week, it had officially surpassed the box office earnings of Harry Potter, reaching an astonishing $943 million.

Though its earnings gradually began to decline, by the fifth week, the inevitable finally happened—

The Two Towers officially crossed the $1 billion mark.

Despite expecting it, the world was still in shock.

Another Hellfire movie had shattered records, leaving major film studios in envy and frustration.

Even Science Pictures, Titan Pictures, and other major studios that had attempted to compete head-to-head with The Two Towers suffered significant financial losses.

None of them had anticipated the film to be this overwhelmingly successful.

At the same time, the engagement and dedication of fans helped propel its momentum even further.

To fuel the excitement, Hellfire Studios organized fan events worldwide.

One of the biggest took place in Horn Kingdom, where Hellfire dropped replicas of the Lord of the Rings rings around the capital city, with the "One Ring" as the grand prize.

Despite knowing these weren't real magical artifacts, thousands of fans eagerly scoured the city in search of them, treating it as a real-life treasure hunt.

Some lucky fans discovered rings in random alleys, while the coveted One Ring was ultimately found near Hellfire's old headquarters building.

But organized real-world events weren't the only way fans were engaging with the franchise.

There was also Hellbook.

Though the internet and Hellfire Web were currently only available within Horn Kingdom, the number of computer users taking advantage of it had already surged to 230,000—and it had only been a few weeks since launch.

This was a staggering number, and if not for the Ancient Tree growing in the courtyard of Hellfire Park, the system might have struggled to handle so many users.

Fortunately, the Ancient Tree was at a high enough level to support millions—if not tens of millions—of users worldwide.

Among these early adopters were countless Lord of the Rings fans, eager to stay connected with the latest updates.

Through Hellbook and Hellfire News, fans received real-time announcements about Lord of the Rings events happening in the kingdom.

They were thrilled when Hellfire revealed an upcoming meet-and-greet event—one where they would have the opportunity to meet Imkrag in person.

At the same time, many fans felt fortunate to have subscribed to Hellfire Telecommunications, as they quickly discovered that several Lord of the Rings cast members were also using Hellbook.

Among them were Imkrag, Kurt, Firfel, and even Lewis Light, all with public profiles on the platform.

For fans, this was more than just a way to follow their favorite actors—

It was a new way to interact with them in real time.

As expected, Hellfire Web was beginning to attract serious attention—not just from the public, but from business-minded individuals who saw a golden opportunity in its growing influence.

Reports from financial news outlets highlighted how the new functions of computers were already streamlining government operations in Horn Kingdom, making business transactions faster, and even improving long-distance communication across various industries.

With hundreds of thousands of users already connected, Horn Kingdom was transforming into a hub of rapid digital communication—as long as one had a computer and a Hellfire Telecommunications subscription, distance was no longer a limitation.

Among those taking notice was a foreign businessman, Mustafa, from the Ottoman Empire.

His first encounter with Hellfire's technology had been through a local entrepreneur in Horn City, who had introduced him to computers.

At first, Mustafa had dismissed it.

He had come to Horn Kingdom purely for business, focusing on trading and selling luxury goods—jewelry, perfumes, furniture—things that had always been exchanged through traditional means.

But then, something unexpected happened.

During a business deal, he watched as his partner used a computer, trading jewelry in mere moments using Hellbook.

Mustafa was stunned.

He had assumed that business transactions required face-to-face meetings, negotiations, and lengthy discussions.

Yet here, right before his eyes—deals were being made instantly, over long distances, with just a few keystrokes.

For the first time, he saw the real potential of computers.

A future where business partners wouldn't need to meet in person to trade.

Unfortunately, the technology was still limited to Horn Kingdom—but even so, Mustafa knew exactly how to use it to his advantage.

He already owned a jewelry store in Horn City, and now, with Hellbook, he planned to expand his business and reach new clients faster than ever before.

Mustafa wasn't the only one.

Other foreign and local businessmen had also begun exploring ways to take advantage of Hellbook.

Although Hellbook didn't yet have a dedicated business category, many were already using it for free marketing—advertising their services and products in discussion threads.

Without even realizing it, this had inadvertently boosted Horn Kingdom's economy, allowing businesses to thrive in ways no one had predicted.

Meanwhile, within her office, Prime Minister Valerie observed the situation carefully.

From her position, she could see Arthur's grand plan slowly taking shape.

The economy was booming, just as he had promised.

She remembered the day Arthur boldly claimed that he would turn Horn Kingdom into a technological hub, surpassing even the dwarven cities—an idea that once seemed absurd.

Now, as she looked at the impact of computers and digital communication, she could see—

Though Horn Kingdom was still far from matching the dwarves' advanced tech cities, computers and the internet provided a completely different kind of advantage.

The ability to process vast amounts of information instantly, the ability to communicate over long distances in real-time—

It was a revolution unlike anything before.

She leaned back in her chair, muttering to herself,

"I thought his ambition was ridiculous... wanting to surpass the dwarven cities."

Her lips curled into a small, thoughtful smile.

"But now... it seems there's actually a chance."

She could see why other kingdoms and major corporations were threatened by computers—

And why some had even begun to suppress its growth.

***

At Hellfire Park, the atmosphere was electric with celebration.

The moment The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers surpassed $1 billion, Arthur initiated a grand celebration with his employees, marking yet another historic achievement for Hellfire Studios.

The courtyard buzzed with energy, filled with laughter, music, and the sound of clinking glasses as employees cheered and celebrated.

Arthur, too, was enjoying the moment, spending time alongside Firfel.

Though he had already confessed his feelings to her, Firfel had yet to voice her own emotions.

But Arthur didn't mind at all.

Right now, he just wanted to savor the victory.

Beyond the insane earnings of The Two Towers, Hellfire Telecommunications was also seeing a massive surge in subscriptions.

With more and more people discovering Hellfire Web, many new users subscribed—even those who had previously canceled their service were now returning, eager to access the new online world.

Then—

A familiar notification appeared before Arthur's eyes.

[Ding! Your movie, The Two Towers, has achieved $1.04 billion at the box office! A new record-breaking milestone.]

[Reward: One-Time Summoning.]

Arthur's eyes flickered with mild surprise as he read the notification.

He muttered under his breath, "One-time summoning, huh?"

His mind began racing with possibilities.

"What's that?" Firfel's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

Arthur blinked, then quickly shook his head. "Nothing..."

He turned to her with a small smile, smoothly changing the topic. "By the way, I have another film project in the works. I wonder if you'd be interested?"

Firfel raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued, but instead of answering, she gave him a knowing look.

"I am... but tell me, are you really going to busy yourself with another film already?" She paused, then added, "Didn't you see the news? The Morningstar Royal Family and the Thorn Kingdom just announced the arranged marriage between your younger sister and the Thorn Crown Prince."

Arthur's smile faded instantly.

Firfel's words hit like a cold gust of wind.

Just the other day, he had come across the news—his younger sister was set to be married.

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"You know I haven't had contact with my former family in years now," Arthur finally said, his tone quieter.

Firfel crossed her arms. "Yeah, but didn't you once tell me that you had a good relationship with your younger sister?"

Arthur fell silent.

Firfel watched him expectantly, her gaze unwavering.

After a long pause, Arthur sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Finally, he spoke.

"...Fine. I'll try reaching out to my younger sister."

---

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