Threat

(3rd Person POV)

"Careful with those movements, ghost," Eloso cautioned as Chucky bounced around. "The mechanisms are delicate, despite their durability."

"Sorry about that," Diddy settled the doll into stillness.

Arthur stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Diddy, since you feel like you're inhabiting a child's body, can you sense pain?"

The doll's hands patted its plastic exterior. "No, just the metallic shell."

Eloso shook his head. "Not surprising. While I engineered working organs, breathing passages, and enough sensory feedback for basic physical awareness, I didn't include pain receptors. The artificial brain is purely decorative."

Understanding dawned on Arthur and Diddy's faces.

"I could install pain receptors if you're interested," Eloso offered, his craftsman's pride evident. "Wouldn't be too difficult."

"That would be interesting," Diddy mused from within Chucky. "Been years since I felt anything."

"That won't be necessary," Arthur cut in. He turned to Diddy's disappointed expression. "Trust me, you don't want that."

Diddy slumped. "If you say so..."

"Though if you're that eager to feel something, I could always arrange another punishment session," Arthur suggested with a slight smirk.

The doll went rigid before Diddy's form shot out of it. "No thanks!" The ghost vanished, clearly remembering previous disciplinary encounters.

Arthur turned back to Eloso. "About durability - can we make it stronger?"

"It's already quite sturdy," Eloso replied, "but seeing how that ghost handled it, we should reinforce it. Premium materials would help - enchanted ironwood from the Lunar Kingdom, metamorphic crystal from the Craft Kingdom. Not cheap, though."

"Cost isn't an issue."

Eloso nodded approvingly. "Good. With those materials, we can create something nearly indestructible."

After seeing Eloso out, Arthur visited the Hellfire Electronics factories. The computer production lines hummed efficiently, approaching their 100,000-unit milestone. Once they hit that target, he'd launch the full TV network rollout.

***

By late February, Arthur gathered George, Firfel, and Vivienne in the Hellfire Studio testing room. They watched as Eloso arranged several dolls with methodical precision.

"Never pegged you for a doll collector, Arthur," George smirked. "Want to have a tea party with your toys, princess?"

Firfel and Vivienne's giggles echoed through the room.

"These aren't for playing," Arthur replied calmly.

"Then what are they for?" Vivienne leaned forward, intrigued.

Arthur's mysterious smile said everything and nothing. "Watch."

The trio exchanged curious glances -knowing Arthur never called them together without purpose.

Suddenly, the dolls began to move independently. Firfel gasped, "They're alive!" Her eyes darted to Eloso. "I didn't know you could manage puppet animation magic!"

While George and Vivienne nodded appreciatively, Eloso chuckled. "Can't take credit for this performance."

Their confusion deepened until Arthur explained, "Meet our ghostly puppeteers - Diddy, Puffy, and Daddy."

"The ghosts are controlling them?" Vivienne's eyes widened.

Arthur and Eloso confirmed with matching nods.

They watched in fascination as the dolls moved with uncanny fluidity - eyes blinking, limbs gesturing with lifelike precision far beyond what manual ghost manipulation could achieve.

When Arthur revealed that the ghosts were actually possessing the dolls rather than controlling them externally, their amazement deepened.

"What's the endgame here?" George scratched his beard thoughtfully. "Giving your ghost crew new bodies?"

Firfel and Vivienne leaned in, equally curious.

"They're training for my next film project," Arthur explained.

"Film?" Firfel's pointed ears twitched with interest.

"What kind?" Vivienne pressed.

"Horror," Arthur stated simply.

George snorted skeptically. "Horror? That's box office poison."

"Only in demon realms," Firfel noted. "Perhaps he's targeting other kingdoms?"

Vivienne nodded. "Makes sense - why waste resources releasing a horror film in demon territories?"

"Actually, I'm releasing it everywhere, including demon realms," Arthur corrected.

"You can't be serious," George stared at his friend.

Arthur met their dubious looks. "I want all three of you involved. I'll send you the scripts - see what you think."

"Well," Vivienne's eyes sparkled with excitement, "even if horror seems risky, the great exiled one hasn't steered us wrong yet!"

Arthur chuckled warmly. "Trust me on this."

George's skepticism melted into anticipation - Arthur rarely included him in films.

Meanwhile, Firfel studied the possessed dolls intently. Though horror wasn't her preferred genre, her curiosity matched Vivienne's enthusiasm.

***

As days passed, the ghosts mastered increasingly sophisticated doll control. The new models' enhanced features allowed for nuanced facial expressions and fluid mouth movements - capabilities far beyond the original prototype. Eloso and his apprentices had outdone themselves with these advanced designs.

March brought striking evidence of entertainment industry evolution. In just two years since Arthur introduced VFX Studios, dozens of major production houses had developed their own facilities, ranging from modest setups to stadium-sized complexes.

The VFX boom created unexpected winners among established industrial giants. Mechanical Wonders Corp, an 8.5-billion-dollar dwarven automation company, now drew 15% of revenue from their VFX division, specializing in mechanical illusion systems and studio automation.

Steelworks Industries, valued at 6.2 billion, leveraged their construction expertise into studio frameworks and control systems, with VFX work generating 10% of their earnings.

The elven corporation Runelight Enterprises, worth 5.8 billion, found a lucrative niche providing illusion rune systems for VFX facilities.

These billion-dollar industrialists had previously ignored entertainment, but Hellfire Studio's 800-million-dollar earnings in mere weeks changed their calculations. Even if other studios earned less, the profit potential was clear.

Major human players joined the rush. U.S.E banking giant Arcanix Solutions, controlling 90% of international banking and worth 32.4 billion, began investing heavily in major studios.

While many studios remained private, some went public. Titan Pictures' IPO four months ago proved transformative, with steadily climbing stocks pushing its value to 2.1 billion dollars.

Titan Pictures' valuation surpassed Hellfire Studio's estimated 1.5 billion dollars. Though Arthur's company's true worth remained difficult to calculate, its value grew daily as it expanded across television, film, manga, and animation.

Major publications took notice. Craft Kingdom's premier business magazine, Forge & Finance, named Arthur "The World's Fastest Rising Businessman."

Sylvan Secrets, the elven realm's taste-making journal, declared him "The Demon Transforming Entertainment."

Even the human world's influential "The Times" recognized him as "Today's Most Rapidly Growing Power Player."

Arthur's own Forbes Magazine regularly covered his achievements, fueling his growing public admiration.

This mounting influence particularly disturbed the Shadow Court - Horn Kingdom's secret governing body established by its founding monarch.

In a windowless chamber deep beneath the palace, ornate chairs ringed a circular table of polished obsidian. Enchanted candles cast dancing shadows across the hooded figures of assembled nobles, their faces concealed in magical darkness. Only King Magnus Nightstar sat unveiled, his presence commanding attention.

Before him gathered the three noble families who had helped forge the Shadow Court: the Darkspires, known for their military might; the Ebonclaws, masters of commerce; and the Fellwings, keepers of ancient magic. These founding houses had guided Horn Kingdom's destiny from the shadows for generations.

"Your Majesty," the Fellwing patriarch's voice carried through the chamber's shadows, "the new EPA government appears to have ties to the exiled prince Arthur."

"How so? Hasn't Pendragon openly supported our Royalist Unit Party?" Darkspire's family head probe.

Ferdinand Fellwing leaned forward. "Police Commissioner Raff Diamond was suddenly replaced by an unknown demon - one who's been spotted with Arthur at multiple public events."

Magnus listened without comment, his expression carefully neutral.

"The Diamond family has shown unwavering loyalty to both the Shadow Court and House Nightstar," Ferdinand's tone grew urgent. "Your Majesty, I implore you to reinstate Raff to his position."

The king stroked his chin thoughtfully. "The EPA holds public favor. Interfering with Parliament's commissioner appointment would be unwise. Besides," his lips curved slightly, "antagonizing Arthur while he's driving kingdom growth could prove... counterproductive."

Disappointment rippled through the noble heads. "Are we to simply watch as Arthur's influence grows?" Darkspire pressed. "His connections to Japon's royal family are concerning enough."

Magnus's smile held quiet confidence. "Arthur's rising power requires careful handling. We'll watch and wait - when the right moment presents itself, then we'll address the exiled prince's... ambitions."

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