(3rd Person POV)
The overwhelming presence of the Great Lich immediately alarmed Kaiser as he observed the Babylon Tower confrontation. "That accursed Lich. I never expected it to build an organization here," he muttered grimly.
Two hundred years had passed since the Solarus Faith had supposedly banished this entity from the mortal realm. Clearly, their efforts had been incomplete.
"If I don't intervene, this entire city could be destroyed within moments," he said quietly, preparing to act.
However, seeing John Wick remain completely unaffected by the Lich's presence gave him pause. "The creature won't likely destroy everything immediately after manifesting," he reasoned. "Better to observe what this Keanu will do."
His curiosity was piqued. Kaiser knew Keanu wasn't what he appeared to be, but the extent of his power remained unknown. This confrontation would provide valuable insight.
Meanwhile, Scarlet had just entered the monitoring room carrying coffee for Arthur when she spotted the Great Lich on the screens. Her eyes widened in shock.
'That Lich! How is this creature here? I thought the other angels and I destroyed it!'
Complex emotions swirled through her divine consciousness. Her warrior instincts screamed for immediate action.
'I must eliminate this abomination at once!'
She turned to leave, but Arthur's voice stopped her.
"Leaving already?" Arthur smiled knowingly. "The climax is just beginning. Don't you want to see how it ends?"
"I..." Scarlet hesitated, torn between duty and curiosity.
"Just sit," Arthur commanded with quiet authority.
"Hm!?" Scarlet gasped as her body moved against her will, forcing her onto the sofa. Her divine strength meant nothing against whatever compulsion he'd used.
'How is this possible?' She stared at Arthur with newfound wariness. 'What just happened to me?'
Unknown to her, Arthur had employed «True Authority»—a skill that could command absolute obedience from any being or object.
'Whatever that power was, one thing is certain,' Scarlet's expression grew solemn as she studied Arthur with new eyes. 'Keanu Reeves isn't the only unusual one here. This Arthur Pendragon is far more dangerous than he appears...'
---
Keanu studied the Great Lich with casual interest. Lady Fox and the remaining servants watched with growing confidence, certain their divine master would obliterate this arrogant mortal.
'Foolish human, mocking a being beyond mortal understanding,' they thought smugly.
"Your insolence demands punishment," the Great Lich intoned, dark energy swirling around its skeletal form like a suffocating shroud.
Lady Fox and the others choked just from witnessing the raw mana output.
Keanu stood completely motionless, utterly unaffected by the oppressive display.
The Great Lich's hollow sockets flickered with surprise. "Impressive. I'll offer you one chance, mortal—serve me willingly, and I shall grant any desire your heart holds."
Its servants gasped at this unprecedented offer.
"Serve you?" Keanu's tone carried mild amusement. "I'll pass."
The Great Lich's skeletal fingers clenched into fists. "Then you've chosen annihilation!"
Lady Fox, Smart Monkey, and True Devil relaxed, anticipating their enemy's destruction.
The Great Lich raised both arms, dark energy crackling between its bones. "Death's Embrace—claim this fool's soul!"
A torrent of necrotic energy erupted toward Keanu, who made no attempt to dodge. The spell enveloped him completely, black tendrils seemingly piercing his very essence.
"Pathetic," the Great Lich chuckled with satisfaction. "You should have accepted my generosity."
Unknown to the undead entity, Keanu felt nothing more than a mild tickle—like an ant bite against flesh.
As the Lich and its servants celebrated the certain kill, Keanu's voice cut through their triumph.
"That's it?" He waved his hand dismissively, dispersing the death magic like smoke. "I've felt stronger breezes."
Stunned silence filled the chamber.
"Impossible..." the Great Lich whispered, then quickly composed itself. 'This mortal is extraordinary! Perhaps the perfect vessel for my true power!'
But before it could speak, Keanu moved with blinding speed. His foot connected with the skull in a devastating kick that sent the Great Lich's head flying across the chamber like a grotesque ball.
The skull bounced off the far wall and rolled to a stop.
"My Lord!" Lady Fox and the others stared in horror.
To their amazement, laughter echoed from the severed skull. "Magnificent! Absolutely magnificent! You're everything I hoped to find!"
The skull's eye flames burned brighter with twisted delight rather than pain.
The severed skull floated back to its skeletal body, reattaching with an audible crack. The Great Lich pointed a bone finger directly at Keanu.
"You! You're the perfect vessel for my true essence!" it declared with manic enthusiasm. "Surrender your flesh willingly, and together we shall conquer this pathetic world!"
Keanu casually picked at his ear and flicked away the earwax with obvious disdain. "You're becoming tiresome. My answer remains unchanged—no." His voice carried cutting contempt. "You're not a mighty lich. You're just a leech, a pitiful parasite desperate for a host."
"Stop begging for my body like some common beggar. It's embarrassing," Keanu added, each word dripping with insult.
The Great Lich's eye flames blazed with pure fury. "Then witness the folly of rejecting true power!"
Devastating energy erupted from the undead entity's form. The chamber floor cracked and buckled as tremors spread outward like ripples in a pond. The entire Babylon Tower groaned under the supernatural assault, and the earthquake spread throughout the city.
Civilians going about their daily business suddenly found themselves in chaos.
"Earthquake! Everyone out of the buildings!"
"The ground is splitting open!"
People fled in panic as structures swayed dangerously. Princess Anahita was quickly escorted away by her guards.
"Princess, we must evacuate immediately!" her servant urged.
Anahita nodded but couldn't shake an ominous feeling as she stared toward the distant tower. 'What is this dread washing over me? I've never felt anything like this before.'
High above the city, Kaiser floated in the sky, observing the chaos below. "Perhaps I should intervene after all," he muttered, preparing to act. But seeing Keanu's continued calm composure made him pause. "Come on then, show me what you're truly capable of."
In the monitoring room, the earthquake rattled equipment and sent crew members stumbling.
"Strange," Klein observed nervously. "Why does this earthquake perfectly sync with that lich guy's rage?"
"You think that skull guy actually caused this?" Lilith asked with growing concern.
"Just a random coincidence," Arthur chuckled dismissively.
"Boss, shouldn't we evacuate?" a crew member asked anxiously.
"No need," Arthur replied with perfect calm.
Scarlet studied Arthur intently, her suspicions now crystallizing into certainty. 'He's far too composed. Normal people would be terrified right now. Just who exactly is this man?'
Arthur felt increasingly annoyed by the persistent tremors. Finally, he sent a telepathic message to Keanu: 'Just finish this already. It's becoming troublesome.'
Keanu received the instruction while observing the Great Lich's dramatic power display. Dark necromantic energy swirled around the undead entity like a malevolent storm.
"Compared to Aides, this is child's play," Keanu muttered dismissively.
The Great Lich froze mid-transformation. "What did you say?" Its voice carried sudden fear. "Did you just speak the name of the Forgotten God?"
Panic crept into its tone. "How do you know that name?!"
Keanu ignored the question entirely. "Time's up. I've played enough games."
Everyone present looked confused by his casual declaration. Then Keanu decided to reveal a fraction of his true nature.
Divine energy erupted from his form, transforming the underground chamber completely. The air filled with the sounds of clashing steel, warriors' battle cries, and the metallic scent of blood. The very stones beneath their feet seemed to flow like a river of crimson—as if they stood upon an eternal battlefield.
"What is this power?!" The Great Lich's voice cracked with terror. "No... this energy signature... This is a «Divine Domain»!"
The realization hit like lightning. A Divine Domain—the manifestation of a deity's personal realm projected into reality.
"You're telling me that you're actually..." The Great Lich stared at Keanu with flickering green flames, its skeletal form trembling with newfound understanding.
Before it could complete the thought, Keanu focused the domain's crushing force directly upon the undead entity. Divine energy pressed down like the weight of mountains, far beyond what any lesser being could endure.
The Great Lich couldn't even scream—only emit strangled groans as overwhelming power compressed its very essence.
CRACK
Like glass shattering under immense pressure, the Great Lich's form began fragmenting under the gravitational force of divine authority.
"Impossible..." were the only words it managed before its essence scattered like dust, banished back to whatever dark dimension had spawned it.
The chamber fell silent except for the sound of bone fragments hitting stone.
Lady Fox, Smart Monkey, and True Devil remained frozen in place, unable to process what they'd just witnessed. Their supposedly omnipotent deity had been crushed like an insect.
When Keanu turned toward them, they snapped from their stupor. To his surprise, all three immediately dropped to their knees in submission.
"I pledge my absolute loyalty to you, John Wick!" Lady Fox declared first, her voice trembling with genuine reverence.
"Please accept our service!" Smart Monkey followed desperately.
"We are yours to command!" True Devil added, pressing his forehead to the stone floor.
Keanu had no use for their servitude, but Arthur's telepathic message was clear: 'Spare them. They might be useful later.'
He simply nodded and dismissed their displays of subservience. The Great Lich's interruption had disrupted the filming schedule—they needed to return to the planned sequences immediately.
The script called for John Wick to pursue Viggo and his remaining forces, leading to high-speed chase scenes, gunfights, and ultimately Viggo's defeat. The lich's unexpected appearance had delayed everything.
Time to get back on track.
---
High above the city, Kaiser stared in shock at what he'd just witnessed. That energy signature was unmistakable—he'd felt it centuries ago during the divine wars.
"Impossible. Could that be... Enyalius?" he whispered in disbelief.
His mind raced with implications. "But he should be imprisoned in the Nether World! How is the God of War here?"
Kaiser prepared to report this discovery to the Three Known Gods immediately, but hesitated mid-flight.
"Wait," he stopped himself. "How could Enyalius be working with Arthur Pendragon? There's something crucial I'm missing."
He focused his divine sight toward Arthur's location, penetrating walls and barriers to observe the monitoring room. What he saw made his blood freeze.
Arthur was staring directly back at him through the supernatural distance, their eyes meeting across impossible space.
"He can see me?" Kaiser's voice cracked with incredulity.
Then he understood, and couldn't help but chuckle with grudging admiration. "So you're not the ordinary demon we assumed you were."
The pieces fell into place rapidly. "And by revealing yourself to me—by meeting my gaze directly—you're essentially gambling that I'll negotiate rather than report this to the Three Gods, aren't you?"
Arthur's expression was unmistakable: a challenging look that clearly communicated, 'Go ahead and report this, or sit down and let's discuss terms. Your choice.'
Kaiser smiled despite himself. "I can definitely keep secrets. But my silence won't come free," he said to the empty air, knowing Arthur could somehow hear him.
The game had just become far more interesting.
---
With the Great Lich banished, filming resumed its intended course. John Wick systematically eliminated his targets—Iosef fell first, followed by a brutal confrontation with Ms. Perkins, and finally the climactic battle with Viggo that ended with the crime boss's death.
The John Wick project was officially complete.
Extensive editing awaited, particularly the scenes involving the Skull Organization's leadership. Arthur planned to preserve the spectacular fight choreography—those sequences were cinematic gold—but the dialogue required careful replacement. References to genuine supernatural entities and real criminal activities needed to be scrubbed and replaced with fictional alternatives.
However, post-production concerns would have to wait. Arthur had more pressing matters to address.
He was prepared to meet the deity who had been observing their operation. His divine senses had identified the entity as the God of Wealth—not one of the Three Known Gods that dominated this world's pantheon, which made direct negotiation potentially viable.
Arthur had deliberately met the deity's gaze during his surveillance, a calculated gamble that signaled his awareness and willingness to engage.
"I hope this unfolds according to plan," he murmured to himself.
The stakes couldn't be higher. This was a genuine deity, not some mortal he could manipulate with ease. While Arthur could control mortals effortlessly, deities operated on an entirely different level—Keanu being the sole exception due to their unique arrangement.
Arthur had employed his «Director of Reality» skill, writing in the diary that this mysterious deity would choose alliance over antagonism. However, he couldn't rely entirely on the skill's influence. Deities possessed their own agency and power that could potentially resist such manipulation.
The next few hours or days would determine whether his gamble paid off or if he'd inadvertently made a powerful enemy.