At Niapru's command, the caravan rolled forward.
Seven wagons.
We weren't told what they carried. That wasn't our concern. Our duty was simple—escort them safely east of Luxina.
We would not enter Lavian Forest.
Instead, we would skirt south of it. A longer route. Supposedly safer.
I didn't argue. The memory of the giant wolf near that forest was reason enough.
Rusty moved smoothly beneath me as the formation settled into rhythm.
Ron guided his horse alongside mine.
"You're thinking about Bull Charge."
"Maybe."
He gave a faint laugh.
"As the name suggests, they believe aggression solves most problems. Strength first. Questions later."
"Then how do they still get hired?"
"Because they deliver results."
He subtly gestured toward them.
"They're not just a team. More like a private guild. Over a hundred members. They recruit young and train them from childhood. Two generations strong."
My gaze shifted toward their leader.
"The one with the long beard," Ron continued quietly, "is Rany. He uses a halberd. Brutal reach. Brutal control."
I memorized that.
"The one with the crossbow on his back is Saul. The man who clashed with you is Rahuan."
Ron's expression sharpened slightly.
"He's something else. A recruited genius. Personally scouted. Twin axes. Very dangerous."
That explained the confidence.
"There's also a mage among them," Ron added. "They don't reveal roles openly, and they don't publish ranks either. But rumor says their leader is near commander level."
Rumors in the North often had teeth.
The caravan settled into full formation.
Niles and Viper's Number One moved ahead as scouts.
The Winged Sword took the left flank.
Bull Charge controlled the right.
The remaining Vipers vanished into the surroundings.
I couldn't see them.
But my Sensory Field told me they were there.
I was assigned rear guard.
Not glamorous.
But if something followed us, I would see it first.
We passed several small villages along the route.
Most had no names.
In the North, only towns backed by a lord—or carved by someone powerful—earned names.
The rest were survival points on a merciless map.
By nightfall, we made camp.
The wagons formed a tight circle.
Merchants and cargo remained inside.
Mercenaries layered outward in defensive rings.
Position mattered.
I was placed along the left outer arc.
A mechanic-chef prepared food for the merchants. I ate jerky and fed Rusty preserved monster meat. He chewed calmly, unfazed by the tension.
Across the firelight, Rahuan stared at me again.
Measuring.
Not hostile.
Not friendly.
Just calculating.
I ignored him.
The night watch discussion began.
Rany spoke first, his halberd resting against his shoulder.
"Bull Charge will not take first watch. We require full rest for peak combat performance."
Ron frowned. "That's not how shared contracts work."
"If forced," Rany replied evenly, "we withdraw."
Simple blackmail.
The Vipers, unsurprisingly, volunteered for extended night watch. Darkness favored them.
After tense negotiation, the first watch was assigned:
Ron.
Number One.
Sam.
Viper Number Two.
Ron looked at me.
"You sleep tonight. Tomorrow you take night shift. You'll need rest."
I nodded.
Fair.
Inside my tent, I lay down.
Bharam's voice echoed in memory.
Human greed is more dangerous than monster claws.
Before closing my eyes, I activated my Sensory Field—faint, controlled.
Even in sleep, I kept it open.
Night guards should always be moving.
That was standard.
Static guards die first.
Through the field, I sensed normal ripples:
Footsteps circling.
Cloth shifting.
Wind brushing through grass.
Then—
A sharper ripple.
Fast.
Between the trees.
Not patrol movement.
Too direct.
My eyes opened instantly.
Slowly, carefully, I lifted the tent flap just enough to see.
A shadow slipped between the trees beyond the outer perimeter.
Low.
Quick.
Deliberate.
My heartbeat quickened.
The guards were moving—I could feel them circling.
They should have crossed that path.
They should have seen it.
Then—
A whistle cut through the dark.
An arrow shot from the trees.
It struck the ground directly in front of my tent.
The shaft trembled in the dirt.
The night was no longer quiet.