Darno stayed leaning back against the wall while the noise in the training hall buzzed around him.
He had no intention of stepping forward.
Now that he knew the truth of the situation, volunteering himself would be suicide. If he got hurt or caused another scene, Nesa would chew his ears off for the next week, and maybe even push for his dismissal on the spot.
And yet…
As the chanting of his name grew louder from the others, as the weight of their expectant stares pressed on him, another thought flickered.
If I win… if I beat the so-called guard of the Billion Bloodline group, won't that prove how valuable I really am?
Darno's eyes narrowed slightly, the familiar cocky smirk twitching at the corner of his lips.
He still didn't know what his fate at the company would be. After the reception fiasco earlier, he had half-expected Nesa to have him marched out immediately. If he was already marked for the chopping block, maybe this was his one chance to change her mind.
And if not…
If they're going to fire me anyway, then I'll do as much damage as possible before I go. I'll take their prized guard down with me. Let's see how they like that.
Darno stepped forward, just a fraction, just enough to feel the room's energy tip toward him.
Before he could say a word, Nesa abruptly raised a hand.
"I'm afraid I can't let this happen," she said firmly, stepping into the center of the sparring area before anyone could cheer louder. Her tone cracked through the noise like a whip.
"Darno is one of our top staff members," she continued, her eyes hard as stone. "And I can see now that it was my mistake, your bodyguard is incredibly strong. If the two of them were to fight, I fear they would both end up injured.
"It would be bad for the company if Darno is hurt. And I'm sure it's not easy for your group to find someone as talented as your personal guard."
A small ripple of disappointment passed through the gathered guards, but they didn't dare argue with her.
Max, however, couldn't stop himself from scoffing inwardly.
Not easy to find someone like Na?
There was a man who followed him everywhere, someone even more deadly than Na, more obsessive, more precise.
Then there was Wolf, whose sheer skill could tear through whole squads of men. And Steven was rapidly regaining his old strength too, growing stronger with every passing week.
Na was strong, yes, but Max had more than enough talent to replace him if needed.
Still, he didn't want to push Nesa. She had been respectful, thorough, and honestly more cooperative than he'd expected during this whole tour. He owed her that courtesy.
Max gave a faint shrug.
"I think we've seen enough," he said. "You guys keep training hard. Let's continue with the rest of the tour."
The tension drained from Nesa's shoulders instantly, though she tried to hide it behind a polite smile.
"Of course. This way, please," she said, quickly ushering Max and Na toward the exit before the guards could start grumbling again.
As they left the training floor, Max glanced over his shoulder once. He caught a final glimpse of Darno standing stiffly in the corner, jaw clenched, eyes burning with quiet defiance.
Max said nothing.
They passed through several more corridors. There weren't many areas left to show. The elevator rose smoothly toward the upper levels where the executive offices were housed.
Near the top floor, they stepped out into a quieter wing lined with carpeted halls and heavy doors.
"This level contains the residential quarters," Nesa explained. "Some of our staff choose to live on-site to stay close to the facilities. It helps with our 24-hour client coverage."
As they walked, Max's eye caught on one particular set of double doors. They were taller and broader than the others, with bronze streaks scratched into the surface in an almost artistic pattern. The handles gleamed.
"Is that the CEO's room?" Max asked, slowing his pace.
"You would think so," Nesa said, following his gaze, "but no. The CEO doesn't live here. That room belongs to… Darno."
"Darno?" Max blinked.
"Yes. He prefers to stay close to the training floors. Not all staff members live here, but he chose to. And… as you can see, he had the room remodeled to his liking."
Max hid a small smile.
If I like it, maybe I'll take it for myself, he thought. I do need a place to stay. And living here would put me out of reach of a certain stalker.
Finally, they reached the highest level. The elevator doors opened with a soft chime, and Max and Na stepped into a pristine office suite lined with sleek glass and dark marble.
At a large desk near the window sat a small man in a sharp black suit, his white hair and beard immaculately groomed. He nearly sprang out of his chair when he saw them.
"It's an honor to meet you!" the man exclaimed, hustling over with surprising speed. "You must be the representative from the Billion Bloodline Group. I am Tim Heart, CEO of the Fortis Group."
Tim gave a deep bow.
"I hope Nesa has treated you well," he said. "I trust you have been able to see our facilities. Although we are… struggling at the moment, I hope you can see the vision, the dream, to make this place work!"
His voice cracked with emotion. It wasn't desperation exactly, but close.
Max offered a calm nod.
"Nesa has been great to me," he said. "The Billion Bloodline Group will try to integrate itself into the Fortis Group smoothly.
"I think it's best if we talk about a few changes, some suggestions I've had, before I leave today."
Tim brightened, almost visibly relieved.
"Yes, of course!"
Max hid a flicker of amusement.
He has no idea he's talking to the one who actually controls the entire group… but it works. Better to keep it this way for now.
While he followed Tim into the office, Max's mind was already turning over ideas. He needed a way to fold this security firm into his wider network, to make it serve his gang while appearing legitimate to the world.
If he could pull that off, Fortis could become the perfect cover.
Meanwhile, back on the lower floors, the training hall had gone quiet. The Fortis guards were filtering into the locker rooms, stripping off their sweat-soaked uniforms and heading for the showers. Some were preparing to go home, while others would stay the night in the dormitories above.
Johna and Mateo lingered at one of the benches, still stewing.
"Man, I really should have just gone and punched that guy in the face," Johna muttered as he yanked off his boots. "That would've taught him."
Mateo snorted. "Would it really be such a big deal if you did? They're our competitors, right? If we… made the man have an accident, wouldn't that be a benefit to us?"
The two of them paused.
Then slowly, devilish smiles crept across their faces.
They didn't need to beat the red-haired brat in a fair fight.
They just needed to get his bodyguard out of the picture.