Lord of Entertainment

(Arthur POV)

Moonlight streamed through my bedroom's enchanted windows, casting an ethereal glow on the floating system notification: [You've gained 10+ Divine Points]. The message hung transparent in the air as the desperate voice in my head finally started making sense.

A man begging for a role in my productions. Actually praying to me for it.

"Who in their right mind prays to me for acting roles?" I muttered, chuckling at the absurdity. The moment those words left my lips, my opulent bedroom blurred and shifted.

The scene transformed to a tiny, cramped apartment. Peeling wallpaper, a mattress on bare floorboards, and a man kneeling before a wall covered in my photos and movie posters. The grainy newspaper cutout of my face served as his makeshift shrine.

"So this is my crazy devotee," I mused, studying him closer. Nothing remarkable about his appearance, but the raw desperation in his prayer touched something in me.

I sighed, glancing at the divine points his faith had granted me. The system's interface showed a new entry under followers: John Joseph Nicholson.

I nearly choked on air. Looking back at the praying man, then at the name again, pieces clicked into place. "Could he be this world's version of that legendary actor?"

The possibility energized me. I explored the Divine Functions panel, discovering I could send financial aid and bestow blessings on followers.

Without hesitation, I transferred 5,000 dollars - enough to change his immediate circumstances. Then, focusing on his innate talent, I cast a blessing to enhance his already existing acting abilities.

If this man truly paralleled the legendary actor from my previous life, this investment might yield incredible returns.

From my ethereal vantage point, I watched John slump in defeat, clearly unable to perceive my presence. The system had merely projected my consciousness here to witness my first follower's prayers.

"Sigh, it seems that it didn't work," John muttered dejectedly.

I observed silently, anticipating his reaction to my response. The 1 DP I'd spent (0.8 for blessing, 0.2 for money) seemed minimal compared to the 10 DP his single prayer had granted me, though divine points were surprisingly precious.

Suddenly, crisp hundred-dollar bills cascaded through his open window like green leaves in an autumn breeze. John remained oblivious until a particularly thick stack smacked him square on the head.

"What?" He winced, rubbing his scalp before freezing at the sight of money carpeting his floor. His jaw dropped, eyes growing impossibly wide as he scrambled to grab the bills.

"This... This is five thousand dollars!!!" he whispered frantically, as if afraid speaking too loudly might make it vanish.

I couldn't help but smile at his bewilderment.

***

(3rd Person POV)

John's trembling fingers clutched the money as his eyes darted to Arthur's grainy photo. "Did it... Did it actually worked???"

He shook his head violently. "It can't be. He isn't even a god..." Despite his own desperate prayer minutes ago, the idea seemed absurd.

Then a peculiar sensation washed over him, like warm sunshine flooding his veins. Before he could process it, a familiar voice resonated in his mind: "As my first devotee, I bless your acting skills and given you five thousand dollars."

John collapsed backwards, his legs giving out. That voice - unmistakably Arthur Pendragon's! Though logic screamed it was impossible, the money in his hands and the lingering warmth in his body suggested otherwise.

Goosebumps prickled his skin as he fought the urge to tell someone, anyone, about what had happened. But who would believe him? They'd think he'd lost his mind.

***

Arthur's consciousness floated back to his bedroom, the familiar warmth of enchanted crystals washing over him. Moonlight filtered through gossamer curtains, casting shadows across his silk sheets, so different from the cramped apartment he'd just witnessed.

After helping John, Arthur turned his attention to the {Divine Functions} panel in his system interface, curiosity burning. Something about this development felt surreal - divine powers were supposed to be the domain of gods and celestial beings, yet here he was, accessing divine features through the system.

The DP counter and Divine Shop had always been there, but now new functions appeared, previously hidden from his view. All because of one devoted follower. The blessing he'd just bestowed on John was only the beginning of these newfound abilities.

Diving deeper into the panel, Arthur's eyes widened at each discovery. Beyond follower blessings, he could channel DP into strengthening his own magical and physical abilities. More intriguingly, he could unlock higher tiers of his Morningstar bloodline, advancing his demonic heritage beyond its current limits.

The "Skill Creation" function particularly caught his attention. The ability to combine fictional techniques like merging a "Kamehameha" with a "Rasengan" seemed almost too good to be true. Though the 1000 DP minimum requirement put such experiments out of reach for now.

At the same time, he could use DP to perform advanced and miraculous healing. With dozens or hundreds of DP, he could cure incurable curses or mend afflictions so severe that even the healing magic of Roses Magic could not provide relief.

Most surprisingly, he found a {Resurrection} function. Its DP cost varied based on the target - bringing back a young, ordinary person would cost far less than resurrecting an ancient powerhouse.

Among the divine functions, one feature particularly intrigued Arthur - the ability to create his own "Domain," a private space where he could directly communicate with his followers. This would be his most secure sanctuary, completely hidden from the world's prying eyes.

[Your first follower, John Joseph Nicholson, has placed his faith in you. His devotion will generate one Divine Point daily. Though his faith remains in its infancy, as his belief deepens, your daily Divine Points will increase!]

Arthur's lips curved into a smile at the notification. Another message followed: [Congratulations on gaining your first follower! As a reward, you may now create your initial domain without Divine Point cost!]

His excitement dimmed slightly upon realizing "free" had its limitations. The domain space barely matched his bedroom's dimensions - spacious for a room, but tiny for a divine realm.

Suddenly, Arthur found himself transported into a blank canvas of white nothingness. The space rippled like disturbed water, waiting to be shaped. The system informed him that he need only imagine to create.

Drawing on his vision, Arthur began crafting his sanctuary. The white void transformed into his Hellfire Studio office, but idealized.

Movie posters materialized on the walls - "Harry Potter," "Lord of the Rings," "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" arranged artistically beside vibrant anime and cartoon promotional art.

Dark wooden shelves sprouted from the walls, filled with leather-bound books and industry magazines. His mahogany desk appeared, complete with the ornate torch sconce casting warm light nearby.

In one corner, his Golden Laurel, Lunar Laurel, Celestial Crown, etc, awards gleamed on their special shelf, testament to his achievements.

Arthur nodded approvingly at his creation. The office would serve nicely - he could always tell future followers this was merely one room in a vast domain, concealing that nothing existed beyond these walls.

For now, this space would suffice. As his DP grew, he could expand, perhaps crafting an elaborate castle or seaside villa. The domain's grandeur would grow with his power and following.

Settling into his plush office chair, Arthur noticed the desk mirror's surface rippling like disturbed water. An image formed - John counting out money to a gruff-looking man, clearly his landlord. But more interesting than the scene was John's thoughts, flowing into Arthur's mind:

'Lord Arthur answered so quickly... He truly is a light for the hopeless like me. People need to know about him... I don't care if they think I'm crazy for praying to a demon...'

Arthur nodded, pleased with his follower's devotion. More believers meant more Divine Points, after all.

Then a chilling thought froze his satisfaction.

If word spread about him answering prayers, if a cult formed around him... The actual gods and their powerful followers wouldn't ignore such blasphemy. They'd hunt him down while he was still too weak to defend himself.

His expression darkened as he realized his first taste of divine power might have already sown seeds of danger.