The caravan moved slowly along the dirt path below, wagons creaking under their load. Dust hung in the air behind them, drifting in the faint breeze. Axel and Prius watched from the hillside, hidden among the tall grass.

  Prius scanned the field again, eyes steady. “I do not sense any major foe.”

  Axel kept his gaze on the soldiers. “That’s a good sign. Means those poor soldiers stand no chance.”

  Prius did not answer at first. His expression shifted slightly, the kind he had when something felt off.

  “I can’t shake the feeling that it’s far too easy,” he said. “Would Ordine be so careless as to have a caravan move on the day their two commanders are busy?”

  Axel shrugged. “Happens to everyone at the top.”

  “Do not be foolish,” Prius said. “You haven’t dealt with Ordine for as long as I have. Their attention to detail is impeccable.”

  “So what now? Do we still go ahead?” Axel asked.

  Prius continued watching the caravan. “The people are starving. This is a risk we need to take regardless. Let’s wait it out a bit longer.”

  The two fell silent again. The caravan marched without hesitation, too uniform, too quiet. Something about it felt wrong, even if neither could name it.

  The prison gates groaned open as Giola and Dragora stepped inside. Damp air clung to the stone walls. Prisoners stared through the bars, their voices falling quiet the moment the two entered.

  Giola inhaled slowly, a small smile forming. “The smell of fear and despair will never stop being amazing.”

  Dragora kept walking, his tone dry. “You can truly be disgusting at times, Giola.”

  Giola waved a hand. “Oh, relax. Let’s focus on having fun.”

  Dragora glanced at him. A tiny twitch pulled at the corner of Giola’s eye. Dragora noticed it immediately.

  “Still upset at the General for not letting you attend the caravan?” he asked.

  Giola let out a short laugh. “Man, there is nothing my face doesn’t reveal, is there?”

  “No. You truly suck at it.”

  Giola picked up a small rock from the floor, turning it between his fingers. “Bet Leon is having much more fun than I am.”

  He crushed the rock in his palm.

  “Imagine getting paid to have fun and kill people all day. A dream.”

  “You could always do that,” Dragora said.

  “And have Ordine chasing my ass across the galaxy? No, thank you.”

  Dragora smiled faintly. “The great Giola does fear something.”

  Giola shot him a sideways look but did not respond. Dragora did not push the comment further.

  They continued walking down the hallway. Prisoners stepped back from the bars as they passed, whispering to themselves.

  Inside the cramped caravan, an Ordine soldier lifted the tarp and stepped into the small compartment. A shadowed figure sat near the window, boots propped on a crate, head tilted back as if bored by the world itself.

  The soldier let out a relieved sigh. “I’m so glad you came along. This mission will be a breeze now.”

  Leon leaned forward, dark hair shifting as his face came into the dim light.

  “But of course,” he said quietly. “Money is everything.”

  The soldier blinked. Leon let the silence sit for a moment before speaking again.

  “Who am I to question it?”

  The soldier’s throat tightened. “You would betray us?”

  Leon smiled faintly. “I wouldn’t love it, but I will wipe the tears away with the cash.”

  The soldier froze, fear tightening his grip on the rifle. Leon watched him like he was studying an insect.

  “Oh relax,” Leon said. “Your boss made sure to pay handsomely for this job.”

  The soldier exhaled in relief.

  Leon continued, voice calm. “But there will be complications. And there is apparently a succulent bonus on top.”

  He turned his head toward the window, eyes narrowing. Something outside shifted in the distance, barely visible through the dust.

  Leon tapped the glass once with his knuckle.

  “Stay aware and out of my way.”

  The soldier straightened immediately.

  Leon added, almost as an afterthought, “But most importantly, do not steal my bounty target.”

  His tone was soft, but the threat underneath was unmistakable.

  Just outside the caravan, Prius crouched behind a boulder and checked the placement of the charges strapped to his belt. The air was dry, the smell of dust and metal drifting from the wagons below.

  “Let’s move,” Prius said. “I will place the bombs. You distract the soldiers.”

  Axel cracked his knuckles. “Got it. Let’s go, old man.”

  He stepped out from behind cover and let out a sharp yell.

  “You greedy soldiers. Why don’t you share some of that fresh food?”

  The guards snapped to attention. Axel’s stomach growled loud enough that even he couldn’t ignore it.

  “Perfect,” Axel muttered. “Skipping breakfast is finally catching up to me. You said I fight better on an empty stomach. Liar.”

  He shook his head, as if clearing out a thought he didn’t have time for.

  “Where was I? Right. Let’s get this over with.”

  Axel rushed forward. The first soldier swung his rifle. Axel ducked under it, drove his fist into the man’s ribs, then kicked him in the chest. Training and instinct took over. He moved fast, knocking them down one after another, each strike cleaner than the last.

  Prius worked behind the caravan, attaching a small set of charges to the container door. His movements were efficient. He checked the wiring once, then again.

  A sudden voice cut through the chaos.

  “What is all this noise? Will you keep it down?”

  Axel froze mid-step. Prius turned sharply toward the sound.

  A man stepped out from the caravan interior, leaning casually against the doorframe. Dark coat. Relaxed stance. Eyes that made it clear he did not care about anyone in front of him.

  Prius exhaled quietly. “It’s you. Leon.”

  Axel glanced at him. “The fact you know him means this is either very good or we are completely screwed.”

  Leon brushed dust off his sleeve. “If you know who I am, then you know what I see when I look at you.” His gaze shifted to Axel. “All I see is how many zeroes will hit my bank account after I kill you.”

  At that precise moment, the bombs detonated. The food container door burst open behind them with a metallic snap.

  Leon pinched the bridge of his nose. “My poor ears. Couldn’t you have stopped them? It’s not like you will be taking anything.”

  Prius stepped in front of Axel slightly. “Watch him. Especially his bullets.”

  Leon turned fully, eyes settling on Axel. “So you are Tyron’s son. Finally, I get to meet you.”

  Axel stiffened. “Just how famous was my father?”

  “Famous?” Leon lifted a brow. “He had one of the biggest bounties on record. Every Forza hunter had him marked. Then that clown from Ordine killed him and didn’t even claim the reward.” Leon shook his head. “Imagine killing for free.”

  Silence. Leon studied Axel for a moment.

  “You have no bounty and no tie to this mission. So do me a favor and stay put. Do not move.”

  Axel stepped into stance. “You are even more delusional than these Ordine dogs if you think I won’t get involved.”

  Leon’s expression dimmed. “Shame. You had potential.”

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  He walked toward Axel with calm, unhurried steps.

  Prius called out, “Do not drop your guard.”

  Leon gave a short laugh. “You worry too much, Prius. I simply figured he should know who is about to kill him.”

  He stopped right in front of Axel and offered his hand as if greeting a friend.

  “Nice to meet you, Axel. I am Perfect Shot Leon.”

  Before Axel could blink, Leon drew his pistol with his other hand and fired. The gunshot echoed sharply through the empty field. A burning impact tore through Axel’s shoulder, driving him to the ground.

  “Axel.” Prius lunged forward, eyes wide.

  Leon holstered the weapon. “Relax. If I wanted him dead, I would have aimed at his head. He was completely open.” He looked down at Axel, who clutched his bleeding shoulder. “You will live. But watch carefully. This is now your reality.”

  Leon’s eyes drifted from Axel to Prius, as if finally bored with the warm-up. He rolled his shoulders once.

  “Back to the real deal,” Leon said.

  Prius stepped forward without hesitation, sliding into a stance. “Your specialty is long range,” he said. “Which means the closer I get to you—”

  Prius lunged. His fist cut through the space Leon had been standing in, but Leon fired a shot into the ground, letting the recoil blast him sideways. Dirt exploded upward. The sudden push launched Leon clean out of Prius’s reach.

  Leon brushed some dust off his coat. “Smart approach,” he said. “That would’ve worked on me… twenty years ago.”

  Prius scoffed. Leon raised his gun and fired. Prius lifted an arm, surrounding it with a thin shimmer of energy. The bullet sparked against the barrier and skidded off.

  Prius lowered his arm. “That’s all? Rather weak for someone of your caliber.”

  Leon clicked his tongue. “Will you shut it? I cannot stand arrogant people.”

  Prius gave him a look. “Aren’t you—”

  Leon cut him off by talking over him. “Looks like I will need to ramp up the shots. I could go full power, but that takes a toll on my body. I want to enjoy a drink after this, you know.”

  “How about you focus on surviving this fight?” Prius said.

  He dashed forward again. Leon sidestepped, firing a quick string of shots, each one forcing Prius to adjust his footwork.

  “Hold on a second,” Leon said while dodging. “Let me concentrate.”

  “Go to hell,” Prius said.

  “How rude,” Leon replied. “I was asking politely.”

  Leon’s expression sharpened. His posture shifted. A faint glow pulsed along his arm and the barrel of the gun.

  “Alright. Fifty percent.”

  He fired.

  The blast struck Prius square in the chest. Not enough to throw him, but enough to make him stagger back a full step.

  Prius gritted his teeth through the sting. Leon stretched his arm as if warming up a sore muscle.

  “Oh man,” Leon said. “This fight is going to drain so much energy out of me.”

  Prius steadied his breath. That was only fifty percent, he thought. If he goes any higher… I cannot afford to let him show me what one hundred looks like.

  He tightened his stance, energy flowing more controlled, sharper, more deliberate.

  “Pay attention, Axel,” Prius called without looking back. “This will be our next lesson.”

  Leon raised a brow. “Teaching during a fight? You must be confident.”

  Prius vanished forward in a burst of speed. This time, he stayed close enough to read Leon’s movements. He ducked beneath a shot, sidestepped another, slid past Leon’s right arm—

  And connected a full strike to Leon’s jaw.

  Leon flew back into the side of the caravan, crashing through a wooden panel. The entire structure shook.

  Inside the dust and splintered wood, Leon stood up slowly, wiping a smear of blood from his lip.

  “I see,” he said. “There is no other way. I will need to earn my pay.”

  A red aura pulsed around him. “One hundred percent.”

  Prius braced. Leon fired. The power doubled—no, tripled—but the speed did not. The beam tore toward Prius in a straight line.

  Prius tilted his head slightly. “So much hype,” he said. “And that was all?”

  Leon smirked.

  Then Prius felt something else behind him.

  A burning impact slammed into his back, driving the breath from his lungs. He stumbled to one knee, gasping as lights flashed across his vision.

  He turned and saw it.

  A small mirror fragment hovering behind him—then two—then three—multiplying in the air like shards of light.

  “You… reflected the shot back at me,” Prius said.

  Leon shrugged. “You stand no chance. Not many have survived this technique. Should I end your misery in one shot, or drag this out a little longer?”

  Prius pushed himself to his feet. Blood trickled down his chin, but he smiled anyway.

  “You do not get to my age by accepting death,” he said. “I am not done yet.”

  Prius dragged in a shaky breath as Leon’s last reflected shot burned across his back. His vision swam, but he forced himself to stay upright. What else can I even do, he thought. I am running out of options.

  A voice rang out from farther down the field.

  “I know you didn’t teach me to look helpless!”

  Prius barely had time to turn. Axel sprinted forward with surprising speed, his injured arm tucked in, his good fist pulled back. He leapt in, planted his feet, and drove a punch straight into Leon’s jaw.

  Leon flew several meters, rolling through the dust before stopping on one knee.

  He rubbed his chin. “What is with all of you aiming for the face?”

  He stood and flicked debris off his coat. “And didn’t I tell you to stay out of this?”

  Axel cracked his neck. “Wasn’t planning to join. But watching you look helpless was hurting my eyes.”

  Prius glared. “I was not helpless. I was thinking.”

  “Sure,” Axel said.

  Prius pointed at Axel’s shoulder. “And you. If you push that injury any further, you will bleed out.”

  Axel pulled his hand away, revealing that the wound was crudely sealed with hardened energy and pressure.

  Prius stared. “Where did you learn that?”

  “Oh, I saw my father do it in the vision,” Axel said. “Figured it couldn’t be that hard.”

  Prius gave him a stunned look.

  Axel shrugged. “I mean, I definitely need this checked after, but it’s holding.”

  Leon stared between them. “You are a crazy kid.”

  Prius scoffed. “You have no idea.”

  Axel’s grin faded when he noticed Prius swaying slightly. Prius straightened and nodded once.

  “Enough jokes. Get ready, Axel.”

  They both slid into stances. Dust swirled around their feet.

  Leon exhaled slowly. “Looks like I will need to go all out.”

  Mirrors began forming around them, one after another, hovering in the air like glassy traps. Soon the entire field shimmered with floating fragments.

  Leon smiled as the circle tightened. “Reflecting Inferno.”

  Prius and Axel tensed.

  “Let’s begin with one shot,” Leon said.

  He fired. The bullet zipped through the mirrors, bouncing at impossible angles. Prius and Axel dodged with practiced timing, each barely avoiding the strike.

  Leon chuckled. “Not bad. How about two?”

  He fired again. Two shots split into several trajectories, the mirrors redirecting every bullet across the battlefield. Prius and Axel ducked, rolled, and slid aside. A few grazes, but no hits.

  Leon huffed. “You two are a pain. Let’s end this. I will increase the reflection speed.”

  Prius’s expression darkened. He knew what that meant.

  A bullet snapped through the air toward Axel, faster than before. Prius shouted and jumped in its path. The impact slammed into his ribs, knocking him to one knee.

  “I am fine,” he managed.

  A second bullet hit him square in the side. He collapsed.

  Prius wheezed. “Never mind. I am not fine.”

  He dropped to the ground.

  Axel stepped in front of him. “We cannot keep dodging forever. One fatal shot and I’m done.” He lowered his voice. “But I have an idea.”

  Prius looked up, half annoyed, half exhausted. “That is reassuring. What is it?”

  “You would not approve,” Axel said. “Can you move?”

  Prius forced himself up with a groan. “Yes. Somehow.”

  Axel nodded. “Good. Then follow my lead. We are ending this.”

  Axel tightened his stance, breath steadying as he watched Leon reload with bored precision. The mirrors around them hummed like quiet blades. Prius struggled behind him, barely upright. Axel knew they could not drag this out any longer.

  He sprinted forward.

  The dirt tore beneath his boots as he jumped, pulling every ounce of strength into the leap. He shot straight upward, trying to close the distance before Leon could adjust.

  Leon tracked him calmly, lifting the gun. “Your ingenuity is truly hurting me. Guess you were never meant to have a long life.” His voice softened. “This is where Tyron’s bloodline ends.”

  He fired, the shot aimed square at Axel’s heart.

  Perfect. Too predictable.

  Axel twisted in the air and fired a small projection downward to adjust his angle. The blast was supposed to be small, just enough to tilt him. Instead it cracked the earth open beneath him with a violent flash of yellow light.

  A color he had never produced before. Brighter. Wilder. Hotter.

  Where is this coming from?

  The force lifted him higher than intended. The bullet ripped across his lower torso instead of his chest, punching through the muscle just above his thigh. Pain tore through him, but the angle was enough to keep him alive.

  Leon realized what had happened, but too late. Axel dropped behind him, slamming into the ground and grabbing Leon’s arms from behind. His grip locked tight around the hunter’s elbows, pinning them upward so he could not aim.

  Leon struggled, teeth bared. “Let go of me.”

  Axel held on with everything he had left.

  Prius stepped forward. His body trembled, but his energy surged. Shadows rippled around his arm, gathering into a dense sphere of pressure.

  “Shadow Punch.”

  Leon’s eyes widened. This was a killing blow.

  “I am not dying to some nobodies,” Leon hissed. “Damn you.”

  He summoned a burst of force into his foot and slammed it into the ground. The recoil slid him a few inches sideways. It was not much, but enough to shift his crystal out of the direct path.

  Prius’s attack connected.

  The impact detonated across the battlefield. A shockwave erupted outward, exploding dirt into the air in a thick cloud. Axel’s body was flung backward, sent tumbling across the field with a force that tore a scream from his lungs. Leon dropped to the ground hard, coughing as blood spilled down his chin.

  The dust swallowed everything.

  For a moment, there was only the sound ofthe wind. No figures. No outlines. Just the heavy settling of debris as it falls back to earth.

  Then the cloud began to thin.

  A silhouette sharpened first. Kneeling. One hand on the ground. Shoulders heaving.

  Leon.

  As the dust cleared, the second shape emerged. Prius stood several paces away, hunched and breathing hard, blood streaking down his side.

  Leon already aimed his gun, locked onto Prius’s chest.

  Blood trickled from Leon’s mouth, then he spat a thick red splatter into the dirt. He pushed himself upright, shaking, barely steadying his grip on the gun.

  “Do not even breathe,” Leon said, voice low and ragged. “I have a call to make.”