With a wicked smile on his ghastly face, the Goblin-in-cage watched as all the defilers of Pie Chan received a threatening glare from their Chief. Certainly, their days as guards would be over if they didn't give a proper excuse. 

"Any last words?"

Hands behind his back, asked the Chief in boots with a thick frown as he scrutinized. 

Having caught the guards red-handed, it would be wishful thinking if they thought he would let them slip aside. 

"Khe! Khe! Khe!"

Laughing at their misery, the Goblin delighted, 'Serves you right!' 'That's what you got for stealing my stash' were the thoughts as he crackled loudly in the background, disturbing the heavy silence.

"Ch-chief… it was ah-" Stuttering, the young man averted the heavy gaze of the middle-aged man. 

To his side, is the scar-faced man, who first turned to the oddly delighted goblin behind them and then faced the disapproval gaze in front. 

"It's him, Chief" 

A hand pointed behind, the scar-faced rattled, "It's all because of him! We-we were patrolling the area when we heard something breaking. And when we open the door, we saw this Goblin-" 

Thwacking the chubby-faced back, he made him continue. 

"Ouch! Ah! Y-yeah! This Goblin was…was" His round eyes, roamed and landed on the square shaped window atop "breaking into the room! and when caught, it tried to kill us all, Chief. But we-we fought valiantly, and subdued him and locked him successfully-" 

Cutting him off, the pointed chin-faced lackey of the group sighed loudly. And spun the story at a level that made the already wide-eyed Goblin wish he could gauge his eyes out. 

"But alas! This hell-spawn little fiend had already summoned his allies-" Making a terror-stricken face, the lackey rasped "-those demons! They quickly overwhelmed us…and overtook our bodies to make us steal back their Vile and cursed armaments, but before they could force us to do anything more diabolic… Chief, you showed up" 

As if they saw a savior in the Middle aged man, who now wears an amused face, they all ran to his feet. 

"You saved us Chief! You saved us all from this little feind!" 

All four hands pointing to the Goblin-in-cage, they rasped in tandem, prompting the Chief in question to move his gaze at the suspect behind the bars. 

"Ghaaaa!" Shaking the iron bars furiously, the suspect screams in indignation, 'Milord! They're bullshitting, I'm innocent' 

"Ahem! And you, young man? Are you also with them?"

Nellar didn't join them as he just stared down, refusing to make a fool of himself in front of the Chief. 

"I asked him, Chief" Said the man from behind, with a deadpan look "I got something he lost in the dungeon, and told him to retrieve it"

Turning behind, the Chief raised an eyebrow at Waazir who just shrugged in response. 

"Alright, you keep what you lost, and you three… get up before I could fire you at this instant" 

Seeing the chance, all of them slithered back into a corner, more than happy to retain their job even at the cost of their dignity. Not knowing the punishment they would receive later. 

Ignoring them, the Chief then came towards the cage. And seeing this, the cornered Monster unconsciously retreated aback, feeling a sense of dread it had never felt. 

"So you survived, little one?" 

Getting down, his gaze loomed all over the naked Goblin, observing the changes a Nightmare Core can do to monsters when it survived the convergence that comes with it. 

"Hmmm… an ability to detach Soul… a high amount of Mana… fascinating…"

Even without forcefully checking its status, the Chief was able to gauge out some of the abilities based on the way its Mana-veins had spread through its soul rather than its fleshly body. 

And the more he observes, the more fascinated he feels. Although he had seen many monsters successfully evolving through the dreaded Nightmare Cores, a shaman was certainly a first, even for him. 

"Truly, fascinating…"

Feeling the intense gaze of the old man licking all over himself, the Goblin hastily scrambles into a corner in fear of something far worse than death, 'Now I know why the coin is stuck in the middle… this-this monster!

"Kyaaaaa!" Hands covering his shivering body, eyes spitting in fury, the goblin shrieked loudly. 

"Chief…" Bucky, the red righteous hulk, came forward as if sensing something was amiss in the way Chief gazes at the goblin. 

"It's a monster, Chief" 

Waazir reminded, unnecessarily. While the guards, who didn't know better just stare at the Chief with suspicious eyes; too afraid to ask what was in their minds. 

Eyes twitching, Hermann stands back and gives a glare at the chubby man who couldn't stop himself from asking what was in his mind. 

"Cough! You said he's also an artificer?"

Shifting the attention, the middle-aged suspect asked, while mentally Noting to himself, to give Waazir some more disciplinary work. 

"Somewhat" 

Confirmed the man as he saw the Goblin had changed colors, and looked nothing like his previous self except his cunning eyes, betraying the amount of intelligence it desperately tried to hide. Though it was a suspicion, Waazir let this slide, thinking it as some sort of mutation. 

"And also a great fighter, Chief" Boosted the Red giant. 

"So an artificer, and a shaman" Ignoring the Bucky, Hermann then thinks of what to do with this little monster they had caught. 

Though he had ordered them to catch every Nightmare Cores on behalf of his Lord, and because it will only spread death should anyone try to assimilate to themselves, Hermann didn't expect these idiots to capture a monster capable of surviving the convergence; Defeating and acquiring the power, the core originally belongs to. 

Moreover, the Cores those misguided cultists used were all at least Rank 5. And of the forbidden, Apoxal Dungeon, whose weakest monster can defeat tens of the Adjark's. 

Therefore, if this Goblin had withstood the convergence it certainly has a high potential, but alas, it's still a monster… and one whose species had been ostracized by every Lord.

Shaking his head, Hermann the chief sighed. 

"If our Lord hadn't forbade us for it, I would really like it if it joins our ranks" 

Furthermore, his Guild is in dire need of a good artificer. As every novice to expert blacksmith aspires to join the ranks of 'Anvil Forgery' other guilds are all but helpless to outsource their weapons needs to them. Even the ruler of Argon is not different. 

Thus, a monster slave excelling in smithing would be a great boon to them, and a much-needed force Hermann wants. But again it's only a wish he can't fulfill. 

"Why can't he join us chief?" 

Asked the Bucky, innocently. He was thinking to spar with the one who had defeated him, doesn't matter how underlegged the trick was. 

"Because he's a monster, Bucky. And monsters deserved to be in the dungeon rather than in open streets"

Or else, the line would become blurred and make us hesitate. Added the Chief internally with wisdom that originated from witnessing the era where the savage Demi-humans gained sympathy from all the other races and eventually joined the social circle of civilized ones. 

Scratching his head, the half-orc asked with a frown, "But everyone also said Bucky was a monster. So why did you accept me, Chief?"

At his words, Oscar and the others also turned attentive. Except for Waazir, who knows something they don't. 

"It wasn't me, Bucky. It was Lord Ganesh who personally chose you" With a smile, Hermann said this before quickly shifting the attention. 

"And today's your day, Bucky. Be prepared to make your presence known to other Lords in the festival" 

'Festival?' Oscar's eyes sparkle at that. He too loves to see a festival, but how could he do so in this situation, though. 

"Ch-chief!" 

Seeing the man walking out with the duo in tow, one of the guards, the young man, gathered his courage and asked. 

"What shall we do this one?" Hand pointed to the goblin in captivity. 

"Ah" Turning back, Hermann said as a matter of fact, "Bring him with us of course, he too will be joining the festival", Or rather, how could the festival will start without him…

"Alright, Chief!" 

When they were sure Hermann had walked away, all four of the guards saluted to the air before sorting the stolen goods back to their respective places. And swearing to quit stealing things from now on… or until the Chief had forgotten their misdeeds thoroughly. 

'A festival…' 

Sitting, Oscar missed the days when he too was used to setting up stalls in college fests. Though, his business always ends up in a loss, since he eats more food than he sold. But again the funds were provided by the college committee and not his, so it was still a profit to him. 

                                                           

Feeling the tremors, as the guards pushed his cage onto the trolly, Oscar peeks outside and saw the corridors they were passing through were all too high and looked grand, much like castles, and made to let even some trolls walk comfortably. 

Having nothing better to do other than wait, the Goblin summoned the [Coin Of Prediction], and tried to roll it with a question in mind. But doesn't matter how much he waits, the Coin kept rolling around the cage; refusing to settle and show any side, even the middle one.

Putting it away with a huff, the goblin then silently contemplated on his own. 

'From the looks of it, that creepy old man isn't letting me join his Guild. Whether a shaman and a proven artificer of great caliber or not, I'm still a monster to them. And understandably isn't the right material to recruit' 

Shrugging, 'Still, works better for me as I also don't want to join any guilds belonging to God's' 

'And though, I can't say for sure but that red demon, I mean Bucky, was certainly another Chosen one. Namely, the Lord Ganesh of this guild. But again I don't know what to do with this information, that bastar-ahem! Lord Prometheus didn't tell me anything about what to do when met with another Chosen one. Will I would have to fight with him again in the future, if so I may better weed out any competition as early as possible' 

His thought, sinister. Having watched many dramas of how a low leveled boss becomes a godly being, a Hero would have to fight at last; Oscar would rather kill them as early in the game, rather than become a headache later. 

But, having no confirmation on anything; whether he's the one or not, and if yes, then should he kill or not? And not knowing if he does kill, or manages to kill, will even impact him or Prometheus in any way in the long run. Oscar could only opt for the wait-and-see approach. 

Moreover, 'Let's just enjoy the festival first, where the other Lords will also make their appearance'

Yawning, and stretching around his stiff muscles, Oscar suddenly catches a great disturbance in the air. 

A clamor of loud noises vibrated the very fabric of air, making him wince aloud; having too sensitive ears isn't always a good thing to have. Meanwhile, a series of loud thumping war drums and blowing Horns threatened to make him bleed. 

'First mutation would be to make a cover inside my ear, to become deaf when needed' 

Noting to himself, the Goblin desperately tried to manually adjust his hearing before he could become deaf permanently. While he felt a warmth of a blazing sun wash over himself. 

"Lord Ganesh always arranges the festival to be grand. But it seems like this time They have overdone it" The scar-faced commented, awed by the scene he was seeing. 

"Yeah, I wonder why though" The other two guards, nodded in agreement. 

"They said, some other Lords will also be joining it. So, it was a given, the celebration of successfully repelling yet another overflow would be grand. Moreover, the elections are coming, The Lord would certainly like to raise our Guilds popularity as much as possible at any given opportunity" 

Said the Nellar, busy trying to undo the knots binding the Cage on the trolly. Though, his voice failed to reach the other guards as the volume was too high to let anyone talk peacefully. 

*Clink!*

Even while drowned in the sea of noise, the Goblin's sharp ears still caught the subtle sound of the unlocking of his iron cage. 

Without further ado, or even thinking if it was intentioned or not, Oscar seizes the opportunity and… blasted the door, that flung a meter away and landed with a cloud of dust, not able to withstand his violent punch. 

"Ghaaaa-!"

Bolting ahead, Oscar couldn't stop himself from screaming in delight, gaining his freedom back… only to stop abruptly as he finally saw what lays ahead of him. 

"HHHHOOO!"

War horns boomed, and drums beat. While the crowd filling the seats of the gargantuan stadium to the very brim cheers at his dashing appearance into the open ground, seemingly eager to see a naked Goblin than women. 

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Carnival of Horns. I'm your host Larry the lore maker and as usual, our first monster would be- ah? Hey! That's too soon!"

The crowd jeered at his surprised face, while the guards who had accidentally released the monster before the announcement chews their nails, already afraid of the upcoming punishment.

Watching the gate opening opposite to him, and someone coming out of it Oscar could only sigh as the realization drowned upon him. 

'Gladiator… really?' 

Snarling, Oscar screams internally, 'What festival! Those bastards lied to me!'