Chapter 148 - Fundraiser

The night of the fundraiser, in Raktor...

"Search every damn wagon coming in through this street. I don't care if they got green pus or a bruise - anything green is grounds for arrest." Alex barked to the other recruits. "Only either me or Damian can clear the wagons. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Ollie, Bola, and the other Seven Snakes recruits dispersed out, carrying Aspis MK2 repeaters and parts of knight armor. Checkpoints were set up all along a two-kilometer radius around the Golden Snakes shopping arcade, covering every main cobblestone road and dark alleyway. Cobras and their respective squads formed a border control, vetting everything living that tried to cross in and out while Niko and Monica swept each and every building.

Damian tapped his foot impatiently as he watched the wagons being checked one by one by the recruits, the clock metaphorically ticking down in his mind. The jitters finally got to him as he grabbed his radio, asking the same question for Yual knows how many times. "Niko, anything?"

[Nothing yet, I have no clue where they are hiding. I've checked every vantage point and roof overlooking the extension wing.]

"You need to find them soon. Baron Cain will be arriving shortly to host the fundraiser. If anything were to happen..."

[Relax. We did a tally of the goblin's numbers, and at best, the goblins should only have twenty of them, maybe even less.]

"You don't know that for sure." Damian retorted. "The rebels were already living outside of the kingdom's periphery. There could be dozens of them!"

[And if you keep distracting me, maybe I'll let in a few more! Now stop abusing the radio and giving away my location!]

"There's a dial for the volume at the side, you-" Damian heard a distinctive click, the radio connection being shut off on Niko's end. He inhaled sharply, trying to calm himself down when Alex approached him with a knowing nod.

"Dealing with kids is hard, huh?" Alex nudged Damian in the arm as they overlooked the checkpoint, the dazzling wagon lights extending all the way into the distance.

"That Niko, I fear the training in the Culdao Peaks has only made him even more cocky. It's getting even harder and harder to teach him anything." Damian complained while checking up on the progress of the checks. "Each time I try to get him to do morning training, I only ever find him hung over his favourite sleeping rope in the Seductive Serpent."

"The young ones don't know what's important until they lose it." Alex sighed. "Been trying to get Ollie and Bola into the trade school too, but you should know that is going poorly."

"Poorly is an understatement. They seem far more interested in bullying other slum kids with their Seven Snakes armband rather than protecting them." Damian nodded in agreement.

"Yea, Emily and I are trying to get them to change their mindset. The gang should be here to protect the interests of the locals, not rip them off entirely. Give and take."

"You should try to teach Niko that. Near impossible. Even seeing the face of Yual in person might not be enough to shake him out of his stupor."

"Me, a cobra, teaching a viper? Ridiculous." Alex scoffed. "Niko could beat me up, and not a single gang member would blink."

"I would. I'll blink. I usually blink."

"Funny guy now, huh?" Alex smacked Damian on the arm.

Damian feigned hurt with a laugh. "Still, you and Emily, huh? You guys a thing now? When are you going to tie the knot? I can get Mason to book out the main chapel of the Magda if you need it."

Alex gave an incredulous stare. "What are you talking about? Did you take a mindtwister or something? There's nothing going on between me and her."

"Yeah, sure, a single father letting a lady take care of his kids...Where have I seen that before? Must be a pretty good storyline, would do numbers on Thresher Street. Say, if you need extra cash, you could star in one of the erotic films-"

"I'm very much a normal man with an upstanding reputation, so unfortunately I'm going to have to decline."

Damian nudged Alex back. "You could be a superstar. Reese might have a few costumes you could wear. The training has bulked up your body, too."

"You can't be serious, what would Emily even think of me?"

"Why would you care what she thinks unless...?" Damian raised an eyebrow, before breaking out into a laugh at Alex's expense.

Frustration built up on Alex's face, but just as he was about to retort, a loud commotion began to erupt at one of the wagons currently stuck at the checkpoint, a familiar voice arguing with one of the Seven Snakes recruits. "That's not good," Damian muttered to himself.

Damian and Alex rushed over to the source, seeing Ollie try to explain things to a man decked from head to toe in 'luxury': a posh velvet cap, a well-pressed purple suit adorned with jewels and initials at the cuffs. A tightly folded handkerchief stuck out of his breast pocket, nicely folded and marked with the insignia of the Yual Dominion. Two arctech knights flanked him, each of them bearing a coat of arms that Damian could recognize from a mile away, his entire life here having grown up around them.

"You're telling me you want to search every single part of my wagon and my men? Do you even know who I am, little kid?" The man glared at Ollie and Bola, staring daggers right at them. "I could buy you and your family a hundred times over if I wanted to."

"I don't make the rules, old senile man." Ollie stood his ground, unafraid though his hands tightened nervously around the holster of his own repeater. His neck craned up to meet the glare of the man. "If you got a problem, then we'll just have to-"

"Baron Cain!" Damian quickly interjected before Ollie could do any more damage, bowing quickly before the Baron. "I apologize for the holdup and the attitude of my men. Please accept my sincere apology."

Ollie's eyes widened as he finally realized who he was talking to, Alex grabbing his head and forcing him to bow. Baron Cain adjusted his folded collar with an audible sound of disgust. "These kids need a proper lesson on who runs the city, and the world." Baron Cain chided Damian. "The next time they do that, it might be the last thing they ever say."

"Please forgive them, they are only children." Damian tried to console the Baron. "We'll let you and your men through right away. Alex, take care of the rest, I'm going to escort the Baron to the venue."

Alex nodded, motioning for the checkpoint guards to shift the barricades out of the way. "Permission to enter the cabin, Baron Cain."

"Finally, some etiquette. Granted." Baron Cain smiled, his ego appeased as he entered first. Damian climbed in after him and the wagons took off, Ollie and Alex still bowing in the wake of the dust clouds kicked up by the wagons. "It is such a breath of fresh air to talk to someone who actually understands hierarchy. That Kyle's continuous disregard for authority must be rubbing off on those kids of yours. Why is he not attending the fundraiser anyway?"

"Kyle is currently busy on another project elsewhere. Again, I apologize for the treatment. Children these days are a bit harder to teach."

"I consider any human able to carry, handle, and shoot a military-grade repeater on their own a full-fledged adult, regardless of age. If they are prepared to shoot, they must be prepared to be shot." Baron Cain was unrepentant. "But I'll let it slide. This time."

"Thank you, Baron, and thank you again for agreeing to host the fundraiser. If Sebastian had gotten his way-"

"That fallen noble will never get his way, not as long as I live. Does he really think he has more sway than I do? But you and I both know I'm not doing it for free. I still expect the rest of the payment to come through. If it doesn't..."

"We have the rest already prepared, I assure you."

"Perfect." Baron Cain held a self-satisfied grin as the wagon rolled into the foyer of the newly constructed extension wing, its grand pillars luxurious and astounding in every sense of the word. The elegant marble-based architecture exuded wealth, along with the intricately carved statues placed in rows, creating an entrance path towards the large ornate wooden doors. As soon as the wagon was parked, two servants hurriedly rolled out a red carpet, opening the door for the Baron to exit the wagon first while Damian followed suit, joining the entourage of arctech knights that exited from the accompanying wagons. A total of a dozen arctech knights escorted the Baron while servants and staff hurriedly led them to the main entrance.

Baron Cain eyed the statues placed outside the grand ballroom with caution. "Those statues... they are not of Yual Dominion. I don't recall seeing such a sculptor in our circles."

"You can raise the question with Kyle when he is available," Damian replied.

"Are you not the underboss? Surely you know where the statues come from."

"I do, but it would be better to explain it in a more discreet location."

Baron Cain caught the gist of what Damian was trying to say, nodding in silence and moving forward. At the very entrance to the grand ballroom, Keith was already waiting there, dressed in an immaculate suit that made him look like he was the son of a wealthy lord. "Baron Cain, thank you for taking the time to attend." Keith performed a formal bow.

"Not at all, it is my pleasure to assist where needed." Baron Cain gave a patronizing smile as he nodded at Keith's bow. "The last time I heard about the expansion plans, I don't recall there being a budget for art pieces, sculptures, and the like. Perhaps your newfound source of gold bars has been put to good use?"

"The gold bars? They haven't been used yet." Keith replied. "As for our art pieces, please have a look yourself." He motioned inside, prompting Baron Cain to enter the ballroom proper.

Baron Cain's jaw slightly dropped for an instant before he quickly recovered his confident posture. The sheer blinding glamour and glitz of the ballroom was nothing short of astounding, a far cry from the previous barren concrete walls and empty ceilings. Now, more than a hundred art pieces ranging from portraits to landscapes have been hung up, gracing the venue with equal amounts of elegance and charm. Sculptures of humans and battles were the main attraction on the floor, along with an enormous water feature in the form of a grand fountain, the rims of the marble adorned with gold. The other attendees clamored in a loud din as they ogled and marveled at the art around, Baron Cain able to overhear some of their speculative discussion.

"How did the Seven Snakes afford such amazing art pieces? They only have a single profitable weapons factory legally!" A gossiping noble's wife whispered to her friend. "They shouldn't even be able to win this at an auction if they wanted to."

"Indeed, some of these are valued in the millions. The entire ballroom put together might be worth more than an entire noble's family if we're following market rates!"

"Perhaps this is but a part of Baron Cain's collection, loaned out for the purpose of the fundraiser."

I wish I had such a collection. Even Baron Cain couldn't fathom just how the Seven Snakes got their hands on such luxurious items. The art pieces were not even the end of it: the tableware was all of the finest quality slivers, along with meticulously crafted flower vases, intricate arctech watches, and other custom-made furniture. Not even the amount of gold bars that Keith had sent as a forward payment to Baron Cain could buy even a third of the items here. Baron Cain spun on his heels, staring at Keith directly. "Just where are you getting this from?"

"That would have to be answered by Kyle himself, who is -"

"Unavailable, I know. But if this is from beyond Raktor... there will be taxes. Import taxes that would need to be paid." Baron Cain warned

"And we will naturally ensure that the right parties are properly compensated," Keith concluded with a knowing smile.

"Good. That's what I like to hear."

"INTRODUCING: BARON CAIN DEITRUS!" A servant shouted at the top of his lungs, attracting the attention of the rest of the attendees. They surged forward, though keeping the central aisle between the buffet tables clear for Baron Cain to walk down. Both Damian and Keith accompanied him along with the entourage of knights as Baron Cain spoke to the nobles first, greeting them personally.

"Thank you for attending this fundraiser. I understand my invitation came late, but-" Baron Cain shook the hand of an old, frail man.

"Not at all, Baron Cain. It is my honor to be here. Hopefully, we could continue our partnership with regard to the construction of the railway to Tryas." The old man shook Baron Cain's hand vigorously. "Our connection to the larger rail network is far overdue for such an industrialized city, and we would be well poised to take advantage of it before Baron Namor does."

"Then perhaps the Golden Snakes Construction company might fit the bill?" Baron Cain motioned at the surrounding architecture. "I have the highest of praises for them doing so well for the public good."

"Of course, of course! I would be pleased to donate what I can to such benign efforts."

"Good. I will have my men arrange a meeting with you."

While Baron Cain continued greeting each of the nobles who came at the behest of Baron Cain's invitation, Keith nudged Damian in the ribs. "Looks like everything is going to plan. Sebastian must be throwing a fit right now, seeing the nobles all gathered here." Keith spoke in a low voice.

"As long as the payment to Baron Cain is worth it. It is quite a significant chunk of the first shipment-"

"Much better than giving that crooked Sebastian 30% of every import and export out of his territory. We don't need his market anymore, not with the shipments from Kyle coming in. Eventually, our wealth will outpace him."

"That's assuming the war lasts forever and that there's no limit to the wealth that Kyle can extract," Damian warned. "There's only so much gold Versia could potentially have."

"Don't worry. Once we have all these nobles and investors rounded up, we'll be able to corner the entire South Sector, and Sebastian won't be able to hurt us one bit. Hook, line, and sinker."

"Only because of Kyle's efforts." Damian pointed out.

"Hey, I still had to get everything together. Give me some credit here."

"Right. But we're not out of the woods yet - Niko still hasn't gotten a lead on the rebel goblins."

"What?!" Keith whispered angrily. "You can't be serious. Baron Cain is scheduled to give his speech in a few minutes!"

"We'll triple the security in the ballroom. We've vetted everyone coming in and out of the checkpoints, and we'll have men inside as well in case they got through." Damian assured. "Relax, brother, like you said, we're already rich."

"We won't be rich for long if we somehow manage to have our reputation tarnished! This is our very first fundraiser, do you think we can hold another one if the goblins blast this to hell?" Keith shot back. "Get it sorted before Baron Cain makes the speech, I need to entertain the investors. Those uptight nobles won't even talk to them."

Damian nodded, noticing the ballroom's crowd was slightly split in half between the nobles and the investors. As Keith left toward the investors' side, his attention returned to a conversation the Baron was having with a noble.

"To be quite frank with you, I find it utterly repulsive that such a grand event would be marred by... them." The noble pointed towards the investors. "Slimy rats who have no heritage or backing whatsoever. They think themselves in the same class as us, even though their bloodline is common."

"While I understand your viewpoint, they are still a valuable part of society." Baron Cain tried to steer the conversation away, careful not to ruin his reputation as a ruler while balancing relations. "Their contributions to the fundraiser will help to split the burden us nobles bear so that we may focus our efforts on other better things, wouldn't you agree?"

"Now that you put it like that, I suppose I can tolerate their participation..."

Damn nobles...trapped in their own social bubble. Damian sighed, knowing there wasn't much he could do to change their minds. This was a cultural issue far above his head - what he needed to do now was solve the goblin issue. Again, he rang Niko up once more as he stood a distance away from Baron Cain. "Niko, please tell me you found the goblins."

[As much as I would like to, I haven't found a single clue, not even a single hint of them being in the vicinity. I'm starting to doubt whether they are even in the fundraiser at all.]

"They have to be. The Seeker said as much." Damian didn't relent. "Monica, you listening? Tell me you got some good news."

[Only good news I have is that they are certainly not in the area. We've been scouring for a day now, there's no nook or cranny where they are hiding.]

"Okay, keep me posted. Baron's about to speak soon. I want every Seven Snakes recruit on standby either outside or in the ballroom, ready to intervene at a moment's notice. Under no circumstances can we even let a single attendee be harmed, much less the Baron."

[Got it.]

"And now, we would like to invite our kind sponsor and gracious host to give a welcome speech - Baron Cain!" A staff member announced through the arctech speakers, drawing a round of applause as the Baron smiled and waved, moving up to the stage. Damian took position behind the Baron, standing nearby in case of an assassination attempt. His mind was still racing as to where the rebel goblins could be hiding.

They might be in this very room right now... the staff? Damian's eyes tracked the waiters and servers from the stage, even the crew that was preparing to use a lightcapturer for the speech, but all of them were human. He doubted that a human would be helping the goblins, but it was still important to be prepared for any possibility. He tried to run down a list of people that had been vetted. Everyone here has been vetted either by us or at the checkpoint, and the only ones I did not vet was...Baron Cain's knights? 

His head swiveled to the entourage of knights flanking the stairwell, their faces armoured. His suspicion grew even more until he saw a flash of human skin between the seams of the armor. None of their body types seemed to match a goblin's one either, the trademark neck arch missing. Where are they?

"Thank you all for attending the fundraiser." Baron Cain spoke into an arctech microphone at the top of the stage, addressing the entire ballroom. "Both noble, business owners and investors alike, I appreciate you taking the time off on such a busy week to help out for a good cause. The fundraiser is co-hosted by both me, and the Golden Snakes Construction Company, in a bid to raise funding for future endeavours. As the Baron of the South Sector, it is my responsibility to oversee the improvement of the Sector as a whole, and the Golden Snakes have done a wonderous job in providing housing, infrastructure and jobs to the unfortunate. They now seek funding to provide even more housing to get people off the streets, and to make our Sector the best to live in Raktor. And perhaps, in due time, we might even come to rival the cleanliness of the Central Sector.

"Construction serves as the backbone, the foundation for our Sector's continued economic growth. And I am proud to have the chance to create a system designed for the public good, to the betterment of our Sector as a whole. We can all rise as one, if we work together. Every good deed that we do will have its reward. The target for the fundraiser is two hundred million rakels, and while it might seem like a tall sum for any one of us individually, it is when we work as a community for the greater good that we can achieve the impossible!" Baron Cain asserted, clenching his fist up to his chest. "Naturally, I will take the first step and pledge fifty million to the future housing projects." He gestured for a staff member to bring up a donation box, while he motioned for a knight to hand him a paper check.

Just as the Baron was about to place the paper check into the box, Damian suddenly felt alarm bells ringing in his head, the same knight from which he saw a flash of human skin suddenly reaching for a knife holstered on the belt. The knight pulled it out, preparing to stab the unaware Baron right in front of everyone.

Before the knight could stab the Baron, Damian kicked into action, leaping forward in a body slam to tackle the knight right in the elbow. The sheer weight of Damian's body sent the both of them into a tumble down the stage as a collective gasp erupted from the attendees, while Seven Snakes guards filtered forward rapidly through the crowd, rushing the stage. Damian gripped the shoulders of the knight and slammed him into the ground hard before ripping off the helmet of the knight, revealing an unconscious hobgoblin coated in makeup, his skin a patchy blotch mix of green and white. "The knights are the goblins! Protect the Baron!" Damian roared.

Three other knights around the shocked Baron Cain lifted their repeaters, aiming them at the surprised Baron. The moment they squeezed the trigger, Damian retrieved his tower shield and leaped back up the stage, covering the Baron entirely from head to toe behind protection. The pellets slammed into the worn tower shield, denting the metal as Damian held firmly. "Stay behind me!" Damian urged.

"No need to tell me twice." Baron Cain whipped out an arctech pistol hidden in his suit's inner pocket, preparing to defend himself. "How the hell did my knights get replaced?!"

“We’ll figure that out later! KEITH!” Damian bellowed.

The Seven Snakes guards immediately engaged the knights head-on, turning the stage area into a firefight. Some of the pellets ricocheted off the walls of the ballroom, frightening the attendees and causing a panic as noble and investor alike tried to flee the fighting. "Evacuate them towards the shopping arcade! Lock down the ballroom - don't let any of the fucking goblins escape!" Keith quickly took control of the section, directing the horde of evacuees. "Host them in the light thrower theatre, you, make sure they are offered refreshments as well!"

Damian grunted as the tower shield wobbled from the pellet impact, his arms numb from the continuous barrage. However, he suddenly spotted a knight attempting to flank the tower shield, the barrel raising up to point right at him and the Baron from the side. But before the barrel could aim at them, two smoking holes burst open in the knight's chestplate, sending him reeling before another pellet found its mark on the knight's head, cratering the hobgoblin's brain into a mushy paste that coated the inner metal.

"I'll cover the rear, but I can't hold two flanks." Baron Cain urged. We need to move!"

Damian nodded, slowly lifting the tower shield and moving ever so slightly, taking great care to not expose any part of their bodies to the incoming pellet fire. However, the pressure on them was lightening up as more and more Seven Snakes guards were entering the ballroom, forcing the hobgoblins masquerading as knights to fight on two fronts.

< Kill the Baron, that is the highest priority! > A hobgoblin shouted, trying to charge forward at Damian in a bid to remove the shield. The hobgoblin barely made it to Damian, when Damian shoved the shield forward as hard as he could. The thick cold metal of the shield crashed into the hobgoblin's knight armor, causing the hobgoblin to stagger backward and serve as an easy target for the prepared Seven Snake guards. The resulting withering fire rag-dolled the hobgoblin's body, sending it tumbling along the stage in a glorious burst of goblin blood.

With the pressure lifted as the remaining knights were suppressed, Damian prepared to move the Baron to a safer location rather than be caught in a crossfire on stage. "We need to move down the stairs. I'll cover you, we'll move together!"

Baron Cain nodded, but just as he took a step out, one of the hobgoblins shot the Baron's ankle, causing the Baron to tumble over down the stairs at the side of the stage. Damian frantically dived along with him, the tower shield deflecting countless pellets as Damian struggled to carry both the Baron and the tower shield. "COVER!" Damian yelled to the guards, who began to rush forward to provide supporting fire, allowing Damian to stagger over behind the frontline of Seven Snakes guards.

Damian placed the injured Baron on the ground, and Niko and Monica were already rushing in from the outside to back up Damian. "Get the Baron to safety, now! I'll deal with the remnants."

"Are you sure?" Niko asked. "From what I experienced, they might have some formula up their sleeve and-"

"And I'll be more than enough than them. Go!" Damian roared, hoisting his tower shield again and preparing to join the fight when he suddenly spotted a knight suddenly expanding in size, the arctech armor splintering apart to reveal a growing hobgoblin far beyond what Damian was used to. The size was even larger than Osir's dead body, Damian's heart jolting a little at the sheer force he felt from each step it took.

"The son of Osir has come to reclaim his rightful throne!" The gigantic hobgoblin roared, the pellets shooting at him merely bouncing off his toughened skin. "And the filthy humans will bow at the name of me, Osiri! You - Damian! You shall be the first to fall!"

Damian was about to retort, but he wasn't fast enough to speak when the gigantic hobgoblin charged at him, closing the gap between them in just two strides. The giant hobgoblin wielded an glittering axe, swinging it in an uppercut at Damian's tower shield and carving a violent wound along its length. Damian felt himself being thrown back, his legs skidding along the slippery marble floor as he tried to regain his balance.

Just as Damian recovered, the giant hobgoblin slammed the axe down on Damian, Damian forced to block with the tower shield. The intensity of the blow caused Damain to buckle slightly as he held on firmly to the tower shield, the metal sparks flying everywhere as the shockwave of the impact disorientated the Seven Snakes around. The marble below began to crack, the seams travelling along the tiles towards the giant hobgoblin.

"I'm coming!" Niko drew out his pistol, but Damian shot him a stern glare.

"Get the fucking Baron out of here NOW! That's an order!" Damian bellowed at the top of his lungs, unleashing all his strength to force the axe back up in a burst of energy. The giant hobgoblin was taken aback, staggering back a single step while Damian pushed forward, his legs tensing up as he planted them onto the cracked marble surface firmly. With a battlecry, Damian punched as hard as he could with the edge of his tower shield, aiming right at the left calf of the giant hobgoblin. The rugged unsmoothed edge of the tower shield bit deep into the goblin flesh, each movement jagged and serrating the meat apart to the sound of pained roars.

Niko and Monica hauled the Baron out of the ballroom with a squad of Seven Snakes while Damian leapt out of the way as the axe came swinging down again, the glittering axehead missing him entirely. " Fool, you face strength unparalleled! You have never fought against someone like me!" The giant hobgoblin taunted. "Give up before I pulverize you into a pulp, and maybe I will keep your head intact while on display at the palace's gates."

"Unparalleled?" Damian smirked as he wiped a mixture of sweat and dust off his face with the back of his hand. "I fought someone far stronger than you, and you wouldn't even hold a candle to him."

"Big talk for a mere human. Goblins! Massacre these fools!" The giant hobgoblin roared, stirring the morale of the eight remaining hobgoblin knights. As the Seven Snakes guards clashed head-on with the rest of the troops, Damian and the giant hobgoblin were locked in their own battle in the middle of the ballroom, knocking over sculptures and ornate tableware.

Despite the giant hobgoblin's strength, he was unable to land a subsequent hit on Damian, Damian's footwork having improved tremendously. Damian flitted about the giant hobgoblin, landing hit after hit on the legs while avoiding every axe swing and slice. "Big axe, but it doesn't mean anything if you can't hit your target." Damian taunted with a grin, leaping off a tall human statue to land a punch right on the giant hobgoblin's face. The impact of the shield sent reverberations through the skull, the bone rattling within and giving it a temporary concussion.

< RAAAGH! I WILL NOT DEFILE MY FATHER'S NAME! > The giant hobgoblin swung wildly in a fit of anger, threatening to destroy some of the more pricey paintings and sculptures. Damian was forced to take the hits head-on, using the tower shield to block the incoming axe strikes. The tower shield creaked near its limit, starting to warp from the repeated strikes.

< THE GOBLINS SHALL STAND FREE ONCE MORE! > A single powerful enhanced strike from the axe pulsated out through its blade, crashing into the tower shield and finally splintering it apart into two separate pieces. The force sent Damian tumbling back, while the giant hobgoblin let out a sinister grin, its yellow canine teeth barred in a frontal charge. With an overhead swing, the axe came crashing down onto the undefended Damian, threatening to cleave him in half.

However, the moment the axe's blade slammed into Damian head-on, the giant hobgoblin felt a numbing vibration run through his arms, almost losing his grip on the axe. It felt as though he had hit a stone, but instead he saw Damian blocking the axe blade with his mere arms, arcia energy pulsating through the skin. Before the giant hobgoblin could come to terms with it, Damian grabbed the axe's blade with his bare blistered hands and tugged over his shoulder back, causing the giant hobgoblin to tumble forward only to meet Damian's fist.

The giant hobgoblin lost control of the axe, the axe clattering to the ground while he attempted to swipe at Damian. Instead of sending Damian flying, Damian was only pushed a meter, before reciprocating with a punch of his own that burst through the skin of the giant hobgoblins' forearm, drawing blood. "You're not the only one with a trick up their sleeves." Damian muttered as he unleashed a flurry of punches, the combo practiced over months of grueling training.

The rapid punches cratered the arm, causing multiple fist-shape wounds to appear as the giant hobgoblin recoiled in pain. Damian ducked to avoid another swipe, before reaching the leg of the hobgoblin and punching as hard as he could. The single punch caused the giant hobgoblin to keel over, crashing onto the ground hard.

Damian raised both of his glowing arms up, ready for another round when the giant hobgoblin began to shrink in size, apparently having exhausted his strength. The giant hobgoblin now shrunk down to a standard hobgoblin's body, panting and huffing from the copious amount of blood seeping from the various wounds. "So... it seems I have been bested. Looks... looks like I was just a pawn after all... a foolish one."

"Stop it with the riddles." Damian stepped forward. "Who's funding you? You couldn't have gotten any of these weapons or information without outside help. Who is it?"

The hobgoblin limped to its feet, grinning. " You know whats about to happen." Damian's eyes widened in realization and he didn't waste time, moving over and pinning the hobgoblin down, using a nearby sliver shard of a tableware to gut the stomach in a bid to remove the self-destructing flesh warpers. However, he couldn't find anything in the stomach at all.

The hobgoblin let out a weak smile, the life ebbing out of its body. "Hah. Guess he was right after all. He always knows."

"Who the fuck is he?" Damian roared. "Who's supporting you?"

"Who else? It's-"

Damian didn't even have time to blink as the hobgoblin's head exploded from the inside out, the flesh warper device having been engraved in his brain. Damian's entire face was splattered with a combination of brain fluid, blood and grey matter that slipped off his cheeks. He winced at the blood entering his eye, trying to find a cloth nearby to wipe it off.

"Fucking hell..." Damian cursed under his breath as he scrubbed the blood off, watching the other hobgoblins' brains all exploding despite them still fighting for their lives against the guards. Even the unconscious hobgoblin had their head blasted open, the devices eradicating any evidence. Damian fumed, grabbing the radio on his shoulder. "Adrian! Check for anyone watching in the vicinity!"

[I am! I don't see any observers, at all!]

"Damn it!" Damian punched a nearby table out of frustration. The fundraiser was now a complete mess, the ballroom coated in soot, grime and goblin blood that seeped through the cracks. Forget about getting funding, now no one would want to invest with us... Still, that was something else to worry about. Right now he needed to check up on the other Seven Snakes guards, most of whom thankful were not injured.

"Damian!" Keith called out a few minutes later while Damian was helping another guard up, running over to check up on him. "Are you hurt?"

"Nah, I'm good. Is the baron okay?"

"He's more than fine. But are you sure you're okay? I saw his size was like three times of yours."

"Size ain't everything. And if I had to gauge his strength... I'll say 1% of Ares. Still, I didn't get any information about who's behind them, but it's looking like it's Harrison again with all the contraptions..."

Keith gulped instinctively, while Damian was a bit confused. "Wait a minute." Damian asked. "You're not angry. And how did you know about the giant hobgoblin?"

"Huh? The lightcapturer crew is up there. They are showing the recording in the theatre right now. The fundraiser is an even bigger success than before!" Keith exclaimed.

"What? How? That doesn't make any sense!"

"Well, they just watched the Baron kill a hobgoblin, and you fend off an entire squad of hobgoblins along with an enhanced one too! They just know its going to hit the headlines tomorrow, so everyone is trying to get in and show their support. You know, earn some goodwill rather than look like cowardly pricks fleeing. Not a good look in times of war. Either way, we've hit the goal and beyond, and there are even more donations rolling in! Our reputation is better than ever before with a grand shot of you protecting the Baron."

"Even though we caused the problem in the first place? We were the ones who took over the goblins."

"Kyle did. Not us. Big distinction there."

"Okay.... anyway, that's great, phew." Damian's tense shoulder relaxed, a wave of relief washing over him. "Right, let's try to clean this place up and get the attendees back-"

"Clean the place up? Are you crazy?"

"Huh?"

Keith didn't bother trying to explain anything to Damian, leaving him behind and shouting at the returning staff. "You and you, and yes, you two. I need you to not clean up anything. Keep everything as is. Get Reese and the actors down here, now! I don't care if its overtime, I'll pay double. And get Baron Cain again if he's free. This is our film set. Come on, move move move, we got money to make if we want to ride the wave!" Keith yelled with a big grin on his face. "I don't care whether Sebastian or Harrison was behind all of this, but we're going to be rich!"