Unknown Assailant

(Arthur POV)

The sight of this Horn superstar, Caleb, filled me with disgust. His face showed no hint of remorse for what he'd done to Clint and Benny. The audacity of him bragging about his fame to me... Without hesitation, I closed the distance between us and planted my fist squarely in his face.

Boom!

Caleb crashed into the nearby wall, crumpling to the floor.

"Wh-what?!" The demon beside Caleb sputtered, pointing a shaky finger at me. "Why did you hurt my client?!"

I fixed him with a cold stare. "And you are?"

"I-I'm his mana-manager, Veret!" he stammered, trying to sound brave.

"You'd better leave before I decide to do something to you too," I warned.

Veret gulped, glancing at the unconscious Caleb before locking eyes with me once more. He didn't need telling twice - he bolted, panic written all over his face.

I knew he'd probably go for help, but I didn't care. I wasn't done with Caleb just yet.

I approached Caleb's limp form and roused him with a light punch. "Gah!" He jolted awake, pain etched across his features.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead. We're not done yet," I chuckled darkly.

"Why are you doing this?!" Caleb's voice trembled with fear and anger. "What did I do to you?!"

I flashed my vampire teeth in a cold smile. "Nothing. I just felt like beating someone today. Lucky you."

"Veret! Save me-" Caleb's cry died in his throat as he realized his manager had abandoned him.

"He left you to me," I informed him, my smile never wavering.

As Caleb's eyes widened in terror, I began the beating in earnest.

"Don't do it!"

"Please stop, I beg you!"

But his pleas fell on deaf ears. His shrieks of pain and agony filled the room as I exacted my revenge.

A few minutes later, I left Caleb battered on the ground. I made sure to leave him alive - I'm not a killer, after all. But I made damn sure he'd remember this lesson for a long, long time.

***

(3rd Person POV)

The next day, shocking headlines splashed across daily newspapers:

"Horn Superstar Caleb Diamond Found Battered in Penthouse! Manager Claims Noble Demon Assault!"

At news stalls, people buzzed with disbelief. "A Noble Demon attacking Caleb? Can we trust this?"

A nearby dwarf chimed in, "I'm skeptical of news lately. They've spread so much misinformation about the exiled prince's new film."

The newspapers' credibility had indeed taken a hit after their unfounded criticism of "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." However, as more reputable sources corroborated the story, doubt began to waver.

At the hospital, journalists crowded around Caleb's battered form and his father, Police Commissioner Raff Diamond.

"Any leads on who might have done this, Commissioner?" a reporter probed.

Raff's eyes turned to ice as he spoke, "One thing's certain. I'll find that demon, noble or not, and see him behind bars."

His cold tone sent chills through the room. It was clear Raff was already plotting his revenge.

After fielding questions, Raff had his officers escort the press out.

He hoped the culprit would read the papers and quake in fear. Raff Diamond was on the hunt, and he wouldn't rest until he found his prey.

In the wake of Caleb Diamond's assault, news broke about his earlier attack on Clint and Benny, the rising stars from "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." The public was in uproar, struggling to reconcile the image of their beloved superstar with these violent acts.

Media coverage was split. Some newspapers dismissed the allegations against Caleb as unreliable, while others reported them as fact. The Hellfire Agency's decision to press charges lent credibility to the accusations.

Fans found themselves torn. Caleb's devoted followers refused to believe their idol could be so cruel, clinging to supportive news outlets. Meanwhile, Clint and Benny's new admirers felt vindicated by Caleb's current predicament, seeing it as karmic justice.

At the Central Police Station, investigators briefed Commissioner Raff Diamond on their findings.

"From what we've gathered, your son did indeed assault those two rising stars-"

Raff cut in sharply, "Make sure this doesn't get out."

"Of course, Commissioner."

"Continue. What else?"

The investigator cleared his throat. "We believe there's a connection between the attacks. Shortly after Caleb beat those two, a demon infiltrated his penthouse and assaulted him."

Raff's brow furrowed. "Are you suggesting those rising stars took revenge on my son?"

"It's a possibility," the investigator nodded. "But there's more. Your son is involved in various... activities that could land him in serious trouble."

Raff nodded solemnly. He knew all too well the challenges of investigating his own son, whose shady dealings threatened to unravel everything.

"What about the demon assailant... Is it really a noble demon?" Raff asked, his voice tinged with concern.

The investigator nodded grimly. "I'm afraid so, sir."

Raff's frown deepened. "Are you certain?"

"Yes, Commissioner. The evidence supports it. He flew straight through your son's penthouse windows. The broken glass and marks on the damaged floor corroborate Veret's account. Our investigation confirms it was indeed a high ranking demon."

Raff sighed heavily, his hopes of an easier resolution dashed. Exacting revenge on a noble demon would be... complicated.

"If it is a noble demon, we're in for a real challenge," Raff mused. "And I doubt those rising stars have the connections to sic a noble demon on my son."

The investigator hesitated before speaking. "But sir, what about the exiled prince, Arthur Morningstar? Maybe he-"

Raff's laughter cut him off. "Impossible. It couldn't be the exiled prince."

"But he is a Morningstar, sir."

Raff chuckled, though there was no humor in it. "Indeed he is, but that ex-prince reportedly can't even conjure a fireball, let alone fly."

The investigator nodded, chastened.

"Keep digging," Raff ordered. "Noble demon or not, we need to find him and understand why he attacked my son. And of course," his eyes hardened, "he must be punished for his actions."

As the investigator left, Raff turned to the window, his mind racing. A noble demon assailant complicated matters significantly. But he was determined to see justice - or was it vengeance? - served, no matter the obstacles.

***

In the Hellfire Headquarters office, Klein approached Arthur, who was overseeing auditions for their next project.

"Boss, did you hear about Caleb getting beaten in his penthouse?" Klein asked cautiously.

Arthur chuckled, not looking up from his work. "Yeah... Guess karma works faster than we thought."

Klein nodded, eyeing Arthur doubtfully. He recalled Arthur's earlier words: 'I'll make sure Clint and Benny get justice, one way or another.' He couldn't shake the suspicion that Arthur was involved, but quickly dismissed the thought. After all, the attacker was reportedly a noble demon who could fly - surely beyond Arthur's capabilities.

"Caleb's concert's been postponed because of the incident," Klein continued. "Serves him right, though."

This caught Arthur's attention. "He has a concert?"

"Yes," Klein confirmed. "Ticket sales haven't even started, and it's already delayed."

"When's it supposed to be?" Arthur asked, his interest piqued.

Confused by Arthur's sudden curiosity, Klein explained, "In a few weeks." he added, "The concert was originally scheduled for two weeks from now, but it's been postponed. Even though Caleb will fully recover in a few days, he won't be able to perform then—the police are still investigating who assaulted him."

Arthur nodded, his expression unreadable. "When tickets do go on sale, buy them all. Speak with my financial advisors to arrange it."

Klein's jaw dropped. "What? Why? You want to support that scumbag, boss?"

"Of course not," Arthur's smile turned cruel. "I want him to perform to an empty house."

Klein was speechless.

Arthur laughed, clearly pleased with his plan. "Imagine the headlines: 'No One Attends Caleb's Concert.' It'll be epic."

"That's... that's cruel, boss," Klein said, a note of fear in his voice.