The camp bustled with tension. Soldiers sharpened their blades, engineers reinforced the walls, and scouts rode in and out with reports. The bounty on Reinhardt Vale's head had turned the land into a hunting ground, and already, whispers of his whereabouts reached Billy’s ears.

  Kaela stood beside him in the war tent, her expression unreadable as she studied the reports. "Reinhardt’s been spotted in three different places. Either he’s moving fast, or someone’s spreading false trails."

  Aelric exhaled, frustrated. "Typical mercenary tricks. He wants us to waste time chasing shadows."

  Billy tapped a finger on the map. "He’s buying time. But for what?"

  Soria adjusted her glasses, scanning the parchment. "Reinhardt isn't the type to run forever. He’s regrouping. Maybe even forming new alliances."

  Billy’s jaw tightened. If that was the case, then Reinhardt wasn’t just running—he was planning something worse.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  "We're done waiting," Billy said, rolling up the map. "We take the fight to him."

  Kaela smirked. "About time."

  A Battlefield of Fire and Blood

  The intelligence led them to an abandoned fortress deep within the eastern badlands. Crumbling walls, overgrown courtyards, and a haunting silence greeted them as Billy’s forces surrounded the stronghold.

  Reinhardt was here. Billy could feel it.

  The moment they stepped inside, the trap was sprung.

  Explosions erupted, shaking the ground. Arrows rained from hidden archers, and from the shadows, Crimson Vanguard mercenaries surged forward, weapons gleaming in the firelight.

  Billy barely had time to draw his chaos blade before the first enemy was upon him.

  The battle descended into madness.

  Kaela danced through the fight, twin daggers flashing as she cut down foes with ruthless efficiency. Aelric’s greatsword cleaved through mercenaries like they were paper. Soria, standing atop the ruined battlements, barked orders to their archers, directing a lethal rain of steel.

  And Billy?

  He was hunting.

  Cutting through enemies like a storm, his eyes locked onto the one figure standing atop the ruined fortress tower—Reinhardt Vale.

  Their eyes met.

  Reinhardt smirked, saluting with his sword before disappearing into the shadows.

  Billy’s blood boiled. This wasn’t just a fight. It was a challenge.

  And Billy had every intention of finishing it.

  End of Chapter 82.