The sun hung low over the battlefield, casting an eerie glow over the **scarred land.** Smoke and dust choked the air, the scent of blood and metal thick in every breath. The **12th day of war** had begun, and the Eastern Front was on the brink of collapse.
Karael stood atop a ridge, surveying the battlefield with **calculating eyes.**
Her forces had held the **Eastern Front** for days, but Vinay's army was relentless.
From the original **3000 commanders**, only **2987 remained.** **Thirteen had fallen.**
It was a small number compared to Vinay's losses, but it was a loss nonetheless. Every commander in the Goodie Hunters was **a force of destruction**, each one valuable.
Karael adjusted her gloves, her mind working at lightning speed.
The battlefield stretched out before her, a **chaotic mess** of bodies, blood, and war cries. The Goodie Hunters' forces were divided between the **Eastern and Western Fronts.** Some were locked in battle, while others were holding the lines.
But Karael saw **weaknesses.**
**Exploitable gaps.**
She had **minutes** to adjust before Vinay's forces broke through.
The **Eastern Front** was being **pushed hard.**
Vinay's commanders were using overwhelming force, brute strength, and sheer numbers. Their strategy was **direct and aggressive**—crush through the defenses, overwhelm, and **slaughter.**
But brute force meant **predictability.**
And predictability was **Karael's playground.**
She turned to Elyas, one of her **top-tier commanders.**
"We need to reposition immediately," she said, her voice sharp but calm.
Elyas frowned. "Our forces are already spread thin. If we pull back, we might—"
"We're not pulling back," Karael interrupted. "We're **baiting them in.**"
Elyas paused, then nodded.
Karael's mind was already ten steps ahead.
She turned to her messengers. "Send orders to the Eastern squads. Shift them into **Formation Delta.**"
The messengers hesitated—then ran off.
**Formation Delta.**
A trap disguised as a retreat.
The **illusion** of weakness to lure the enemy forward—**only to be surrounded and annihilated.**
Vinay's forces wouldn't see it coming.
On the battlefield, **Arhaan**, Vinay's commander, was **pushing forward.**
He had lost men.
He had seen betrayal.
But now, his focus was singular—**destroy the Goodie Hunters.**
With a roar, he **smashed through the frontlines,** cutting through warriors like they were nothing. His aura burned bright, **a crimson storm of destruction.**
The Goodie Hunters' lower-tier commanders fought back, but Arhaan was **a force of nature.**
Karael's trap was set—**but would it be enough to stop him?**
In the midst of chaos, **Rudra watched.**
He stood like a shadow, unmoving, **silent.**
Vinay's army surged around him, unaware that their **strongest commander was right there.**
His presence alone was enough to make even Vinay's warriors uneasy.
But Rudra did nothing.
He simply **observed.**
Karael knew **Rudra was dangerous.**
He was the one unpredictable variable—**the unknown.**
But he hadn't moved yet.
And until he did, Karael focused on **winning the battle.**
Vinay's forces took the bait.
They saw **Goodie Hunters retreating**—and they **charged.**
Just as planned.
Karael **smirked.**
"Now," she ordered.
Her hidden units—**elite forces—moved in.**
The illusion shattered.
Vinay's forces realized too late—**they were surrounded.**
The battlefield flipped.
Vinay's warriors, once charging with confidence, now **trapped.**
Goodie Hunters **collapsed in on them,** cutting them down with precise, brutal efficiency.
Karael's **mind games had worked.**
The Eastern Front **belonged to the Goodie Hunters.**
But she knew—**this war was far from over.**