Excommunication Begins
In the heart of Manhattan, John Wick’s life had been altered irreversibly. Following the assassination of Santino D’Antonio on Continental grounds, he was labeled “excommunicado.” This decree stripped him of all access to the resources and protections once afforded by the global network of assassins. As the clock approached zero, John moved quickly.
At the New York Public Library, he recovered a hidden stash—an ornate marker medallion and a rosary—carefully tucked within a secret compartment. However, peace was denied. Ernest, a towering assassin, attacked before the grace period ended. Though injured in the scuffle, John survived and fled in search of medical help.
An underworld doctor, bound by oath to aid assassins, began treating his wounds. But time ran out. The doctor could do no more, and John was forced to complete the surgery himself. Bleeding and barely standing, he stepped back into a city already hunting him.
Relentless Pursuit
As the excommunicado order activated, gangs of trained killers emerged from the shadows. John, relying solely on instinct and skill, killed each who dared cross his path. Every corner of Manhattan became a battleground.
Seeking sanctuary, John approached the Ruska Roma. The Director, who led the crime syndicate, was shown the rosary. A plea for safe passage was made. Though reluctant, she acknowledged John’s ties to their order—he had once been known as Jardani Jovonovich. The price of passage was blood; the request was granted.
The Adjudicator’s Judgment
Elsewhere, the High Table began its response. An Adjudicator arrived in New York, bearing the Table’s authority. Winston, manager of the Continental, and the Bowery King, ruler of a vast street-level intelligence network, were given seven days to step down. Their aid to John had violated the laws of the High Table.
Zero, a highly skilled Japanese assassin, was appointed as the Adjudicator’s enforcer. His first act was brutal—both of the Director’s hands were pierced with blades as punishment for helping John escape.
Casablanca and the Elder
John’s journey led him to Casablanca. There, he sought Sofia, manager of the Moroccan Continental and an old ally. A marker was presented, reminding Sofia of a debt owed—John had once saved her daughter and placed her into hiding.
Unwilling but bound by honor, Sofia guided him to Berrada, a craftsman of rare information. Berrada disclosed the path to the Elder, the only individual capable of absolution. The route was perilous: John must walk into the desert until exhaustion overtook him.
When Berrada demanded one of Sofia’s dogs in return for his aid, she refused. A shot rang out. The bullet struck the dog’s bulletproof vest. Violence erupted. John restrained Sofia from killing Berrada, and together they fought their way through the kasbah. Upon reaching the outskirts of the desert, Sofia left John to fate.
The Price of Defiance
Seven days passed. The Adjudicator returned to confront the Bowery King. A refusal to resign was met with retribution. Zero’s students massacred the Bowery King’s men, and Zero personally inflicted seven slashes with a wakizashi upon the defiant ruler.
John collapsed in the desert. Carried by Bedouins, he was brought before the Elder. Pleading for a chance to live—not for survival’s sake, but to preserve the memory of the love he shared with his late wife—John offered his loyalty.
The Elder required proof of fealty. John severed his ring finger and relinquished his wedding band. The oath was accepted. A task was assigned. To be forgiven, John must kill Winston.
Return to the City
New York’s streets remained perilous. Upon return, John faced an ambush by Zero and his students. He reached the Continental just in time, regaining temporary safety. The Adjudicator followed, demanding compliance. Winston refused to step down. John refused to kill him.
Neutrality was revoked. The Continental became a warzone. Heavily armed enforcers descended upon the hotel. With support from concierge Charon and his staff, John held his ground. The floors were cleared with fire and fury.
Zero and his apprentices lay in wait. A brutal battle unfolded. One by one, they fell. The final confrontation between John and Zero was fierce and precise. In the end, Zero lay dying, defeated but respectful.
Betrayal on the Rooftop
A parley was proposed. On the rooftop of the Continental, the Adjudicator sat opposite Winston and John. Winston pledged renewed allegiance to the High Table. A demonstration of loyalty followed.
Shots were fired. John was hit multiple times and fell from the rooftop. His body struck metal and concrete, vanishing into the shadows below. The Continental was reinstated. Winston resumed his position.
But John had not died. Broken and battered, he was recovered by loyal operatives and brought to the Bowery King’s underground lair.
The War Ahead
In the dimly lit bunker, two men—each branded by betrayal and scars—conspired. Their common enemy was clear. The High Table’s authority would be challenged. As alliances formed in the darkness, the foundations of the assassin world began to tremble.
War was inevitable. And John Wick stood at the center of it once more.