Watching the number of internet users surge past one million on my office computer screen, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief.
Even though I expected this outcome—thanks to the "free internet connection" promo bundled with newly purchased computers—it was still astonishing to see people outside of Horn Kingdom willingly spend their hard-earned money on a technology they had yet to fully understand.
"It seems this world is adapting to computers far faster than I thought..." I muttered to myself.
Horn Kingdom was still leading in internet development, with hundreds of thousands of active users.
But now, the other kingdoms were catching up.
Just like the television boom, computers and the internet would reshape everything—from communication to entertainment, even influencing other industries.
With a shake of my head, I pushed those thoughts aside and headed to Hellfire VFX Studio.
Right now, the Star Wars project was in full development—filming had officially started recently.
For the role of Han Solo, I chose Clint Foster.
His fame, combined with his suave, gunslinger charm from his western films, made him perfect for the role.
He had just wrapped up his latest Western film with Damien as the director, and now, he was ready to step into the Star Wars universe.
For Princess Leia, I cast Alisa—Clint's real-life wife.
Their on-screen chemistry would be authentic, and it aligned perfectly with the story.
Beyond casting, Yoda had been invaluable to the project's development.
He even assisted with the script, ensuring the philosophy of the Force felt realistic and true to its essence.
Thanks to his teachings, my organization members had also improved significantly—their combat skills, awareness, and mental discipline had all advanced through their understanding of the Force.
Inside the VFX Studio, the set was brought to life through the illusions crafted by the VFX team.
It felt as if we were standing on an entirely different planet.
Clint and the rest of the cast members were already in their costumes, holding their lightsabers—though, at this stage, they were just sticks.
With the help of magic, however, they glowed vividly, perfectly replicating the legendary weapon from Star Wars.
The crew noticed my arrival, and within moments, a voice rang out, reminding everyone.
The cast turned, offering me respectful nods.
I nodded back, then spoke.
"We'll begin filming in a few minutes. Have the makeup artists get ready."
The cast acknowledged my words, and the crew immediately got to work.
Day after day, Arthur was fully immersed in the filming of Star Wars—a project that, despite being kept under wraps, had already attracted immense speculation.
With Hellfire dominating the entertainment industry, every move they made was under constant scrutiny from the media.
For now, the project was officially known to the public as "Life in the Stars Above."
And the media wasted no time in trying to uncover its secrets.
Hellfire's competitors, eager to disrupt their momentum, actively sought out leaks—hoping to spoil the excitement and sway public opinion.
And sure enough, rumors began circulating.
"Arthur Pendragon's Next Film Takes Place Beyond Our World?"
Another article speculated:
"Life in the Stars Above – A Story About Unknown Races Existing Outside Our Realm?"
The leaked information was vague at best, but one thing was certain:
They were right about the film's setting beyond their known world.
This led to some media outlets drawing comparisons to existing fiction films.
"Is Hellfire Copying Other Studios?"
It was a classic smear tactic.
With limited details, the media spun narratives to stir controversy, hoping to turn audiences against Hellfire by framing the film as unoriginal.
However, their attempts backfired spectacularly.
Instead of outrage, the leaks sparked curiosity.
"A movie about unknown races beyond our world? That sounds interesting."
"So far, films have only focused on the Four Known Races. Is Hellfire really making a movie about civilizations beyond our realm?"
"If it's Hellfire, I doubt they'll just copy existing films... Arthur's projects are always unique."
Rather than damaging anticipation, the leaks only heightened interest.
And one major factor played a role in this:
Hellbook. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on novel※fire.net
The platform's users, many of whom were already loyal to Hellfire, spread the news quickly—but without immediate judgment.
Rather than blindly reacting, most remained neutral—neither blindly praising nor condemning the project.
Instead, the general sentiment was simple:
"Whatever Arthur is working on... we'll wait and see."
Meanwhile, computer distribution across various kingdoms was progressing at an astonishing pace—so much so that some regions were already experiencing shortages due to overwhelming demand.
Sales had skyrocketed, reaching 2.7 million units sold, which directly translated into an equal number of new internet users.
After all, every newly purchased computer came with a one-month free internet connection.
This was made possible by the Hellfire internet modem, which utilized a single infused leaf from the Ancient Tree—providing access to the internet for a month before the leaf's essence fully dissipated.
However, renewing the connection wasn't as simple.
Users could either subscribe to Hellfire Telecommunications, linking their modem to the existing network, or attempt to refill the modem with Leaf Essence—a process that was highly restricted and unsustainable.
The problem was that refilling the Leaf Essence on a large scale wasn't sustainable.
With only 5 million leaves available, the rapid sale of 2.7 million computers had already depleted the supply to just 2.3 million remaining.
And as sales continued to surge, governments were quickly realizing the true potential of computers.
One by one, kingdoms adopting computers saw improvements in their efficiency, economic management, and money production.
Although most regions were still far behind Horn Kingdom in terms of programming knowledge, they could still use the pre-installed programs on their computers—making the transition much smoother.
At the same time, the barcode system was gradually replacing Dwalric's Rune-based price tags in shopping centers and grocery stores.
This shift led to a drop in product prices, making goods more affordable and further boosting consumer spending.
Before governments could even fully grasp the scale of change, their economies had already begun improving.
Locals, initially hesitant, quickly embraced computers and barcodes once they realized how much more convenient life had become.
Even nations like the U.S.E, which had vehemently resisted computers, were now forced to reconsider.
Seeing themselves fall behind economically, they reluctantly lifted restrictions and finally allowed the sale of computers within their borders.
As the release date for The Return of the King approached, the rush to establish local currencies reached its peak.
Kingdoms pushed to introduce their own paper money before the film's debut, knowing it would be another massive financial event.
Within just three days, Morningstar Kingdom and Moonlight Kingdom successfully released their new national currencies.
Each featured portraits of their royal families on the front and notable landmarks on the back.
The next day, other kingdoms followed suit—one after another, issuing their own unique currencies.
Within two more days, local currencies had fully replaced the Global Dollar in several major regions.
Within a week, even the largest kingdoms, including the U.S.E, had transitioned to their own independent monetary systems.
Only smaller nations were still adapting, but before long, they too had developed their own currencies.
Around the same time, The Return of the King's second trailer was released.
Advertisements appeared on billboards worldwide, drawing massive attention.
Then, the highly anticipated release date was officially announced:
Governments breathed a sigh of relief—they had successfully launched their new currencies before the next cinematic juggernaut hit theaters.