Sniper

"You dare to come back!" Fandral Staghelm, seeing Khadgar's return, was immediately filled with surprise and uncertainty, because it likely meant that the other party had found reinforcements.

Sure enough, Khadgar, looking confident, sneered, "Why wouldn't I dare to come back? Surely someone as clever as you wouldn't think I came alone, would you?"

Staghelm looked around. Although he didn't see or sense any other enemies approaching, he couldn't be sure Khadgar was lying. This mage was clearly a coward. From how he tried to erect an ice wall to stop him just now, it was clear that Khadgar was a mage who cherished his life. Staghelm didn't think the other party would come to his death alone.

Especially with that confident look, he must have other support!

"Call them out! Let me see how capable you all are!" Staghelm couldn't help but shout.

He could no longer turn back. Since that was the case, why fear whether there were many or few enemies!

"As you wish!" Khadgar snapped his fingers twice.

Staghelm thought a group of enemies would suddenly appear, but he didn't expect the mage to only summon two water elementals.

"Are you toying with me?" Staghelm roared in anger.

"Don't be impatient, let's warm up first." Khadgar revealed a very smug smile, "They'll be here soon. I won't lie to you this time!"

But this time Staghelm would no longer listen to him. The Arch-Druid let out a furious roar, and the soles of his paws, in leopard form, were ablaze with flames. He turned his anger into speed, leaving a long trail of red light in the air as he pounced on Khadgar like lightning.

In just under a second, the original thirty yards between the two were reduced to just a few body lengths. Staghelm then leaped forward with unparalleled speed, opening his bloody maw in mid-air, and bit fiercely at his prey's neck, wanting to tear the hateful mage's throat to shreds!

However, one second was enough time for Khadgar to cast a complete spell. He raised his hand towards Staghelm, and vast arcane energy gathered into clusters of dazzling blue light spheres, which then burst forth towards Staghelm.

Staghelm had no room to dodge. Five arcane energy bolts were guided to hit their target, blasting the flame-infused leopard until its skin was torn and flesh was rent. However, not much blood flowed from the wounds, because after changing his faith and accepting the power of the Fire Lord, Staghelm's body had already become "fire elementalized."

But he could still feel the pain. The pain of being bombarded by arcane energy made him even more furious, and the fury made him want to kill the mage even more!

Arcane energy couldn't stop his attack! In the blink of an eye, he had pounced on the other party. He adjusted his posture, pinned Khadgar down with his forepaws, knocked him down, and then bit his neck to sever it!

Trading injury for life, quick battle and quick resolution, this was Staghelm's established tactic!

However, instantly killing a mage was not that simple, especially since Khadgar himself was very powerful. He was once Medivh's apprentice. The curse in the Tower of Karazhan that stole his youth also gave him great power, and later journeys in Outland and the Twisting Nether made him even stronger.

Khadgar's current strength is among the best in the entire Kirin Tor Council, which means that his strength is not inferior to Staghelm—the former Staghelm.

Even if Staghelm's power doubled after becoming a Flame Druid, Khadgar was by no means without the ability to fight back.

Before the pair of sharp claws touched Khadgar's body, the defensive spell on his body was triggered, and a shield made of ice protected him. Although it only blocked the pair of claws for 0.1 seconds, it was enough for Khadgar to break free.

With a flash of white light, he appeared dozens of yards away. After the Blink, he immediately began preparing the next spell.

Khadgar won a little in the first round. At least he wasn't injured, while Staghelm was.

Staghelm was not willing to fail like this. He turned back into his human form and instantly summoned a Ring of Fire. The scorching ring of fire continued to spread outwards, pressing closer and closer, making it impossible for Khadgar to concentrate on casting spells. After casting the spell, he immediately turned into a leopard again, relying on his unparalleled speed to pounce again.

The two fought again. After a few rounds, they had explored each other's strength and moves. The gap in raw strength made Khadgar's situation increasingly difficult. The area where they were fighting was ravaged by flames, and there were fewer and fewer places for Khadgar to hide. When Staghelm forced him into a dead end, he had to sigh softly and summon an Ice Barrier to protect himself.

Staghelm pounced up in leopard form, stopped outside the Ice Barrier, and returned to his original form. He stared at Khadgar, who looked helpless inside the solid ice, and sneered, "It all ends here, mage!"

At this time, Khadgar couldn't answer him. However, Staghelm didn't mind. He revealed a cruel smile and summoned a Flame Orb, pushing it towards the Ice Barrier.

The power of the flames in the orb would easily destroy the solid ice. The Ice Barrier could not bring Khadgar safety.

Just as the orb was about to touch the ice barrier, Khadgar took the initiative to cancel the defensive spell. However, Staghelm would not cancel the Flame Orb. It continued to roll forward, almost engulfing Khadgar.

Fortunately, at the last moment, he still used Blink and successfully escaped.

"Alright, I admit... cough cough... you're powerful! Goodbye, Staghelm!" Khadgar waved to Staghelm on the other side of the passage, then immediately cast Invisibility and stealthily left.

He stalled for a full two minutes, enough time for Cordana and her two Watchers to escape—if they didn't, it could only mean they didn't trust their allies. Either way, he had fulfilled his responsibility.

Runetotem ultimately failed to kill the detestable mage. He forcibly suppressed the urge to pursue and turned to sprint towards the exit. Escaping was the most important thing now; only by surviving could he exact revenge!

Khadgar hadn't gone too far. Seeing Runetotem run, he emerged from his hiding place and leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.

"Getting old, getting old!" he said with a self-deprecating bitter laugh.

Two minutes later, Broll arrived. The Archdruid saw Khadgar looking exhausted and, before he could ask, the other pointed in the direction Runetotem had fled, saying, "That way, two minutes ago!"

Broll didn't say much either, hurrying after him.

Now that Liana and Garona had been captured, only Runetotem remained at large. As the most important prisoner, Broll couldn't let him escape!

—

Normally, in a pure speed contest, Runetotem, being the stronger, couldn't possibly be caught. But his escape route wasn't smooth. Broll and the others had cleared out the Twilight's Hammer cultists and traitors who had infiltrated, leaving only trusted members of their race. This meant that everyone Runetotem encountered would be his enemy.

Although most of these enemies were easily defeated, he still had to spend time dealing with them. Therefore, he couldn't capitalize on his speed advantage and was slowed down by these elite guards.

Nevertheless, due to his strength, Runetotem reached the entrance of the Ragefire Chasm before Broll and the others caught up!

"You can no longer trap me! My revenge will come soon!" Runetotem shouted after striking down the guard at the entrance.

Next, he only needed to transform into a fire hawk, and no one could catch him!

This was one of the most painful journeys of his life. A thousand years ago, he lost his son; today, he lost his granddaughter and daughter-in-law. The Runetotem family was now reduced to him alone, like a wandering ghost. Now that he had joined the ranks of the Fire Lord, revenge had become his highest pursuit.

He looked back and saw Broll, in his cheetah form, appearing at the end of the passage, but it was still a little too late!

"When I return, you will all be burned to ashes!" Runetotem laughed maniacally. He wanted them to watch him transform into a fire hawk and escape safely. Runetotem believed that would be a blow to these heroes—consider it a tiny bit of interest for his revenge!

Unfortunately, he celebrated too early.

"Bang!" A crisp gunshot rang out. Two hundred meters away, "Piltover's Finest" Caitlyn, holding a sniper rifle, steadily pulled the trigger, firing a specially made magic bullet. At this distance, no one could escape her sniping, and neither could Runetotem!

The bullet plunged into Runetotem's right shoulder as he was about to transform. The enormous kinetic energy caused him to stagger, and then the crushing pain in his right shoulder spread throughout his body.

Runetotem screamed miserably. This shot almost scared his soul out of his body!

He dared not have any other thoughts and immediately transformed into a fire hawk. However, the wound on his right shoulder was reflected in this new form, causing severe damage to the connection point of his right wing. With the slightest exertion, a tearing pain shot through him.

Ignoring the pain, Runetotem ran forward a few steps and took off shakily. The immense pain when flapping his wings almost made him fall from a few meters above the ground, but he endured it with his strong will and desire for revenge.

However, Caitlyn's gun held more than one bullet. As a top sniper, her accuracy in hitting moving targets was equally terrifying.

"Bang!"

After the second shot, Runetotem finally let out a wail and fell from the sky.

At this moment, Broll ran out of the cave entrance, roaring, "Runetotem, you can't escape!"

After landing, Runetotem reverted to his human form, blood flowing from both shoulders. That was Caitlyn's handiwork.

His eyes were dull, and all hope of escape had been completely stripped away.

He had forever lost the opportunity for revenge, which was more despairing than any physical pain.

"I can't escape, but you won't be spared either!" Runetotem roared madly. "The judgment of the end is coming. No one can escape, no one!"

The other heroes stepped forward to surround Runetotem. Now, this mad betrayer had nowhere to run.

Broll said with a somber face, "Even your master, Ragnaros, the lord of the Firelands, can't protect himself. Who can judge us? Only justice judges evil, now and forever!"

"Hahaha, no future, you have no future! Under the true apocalypse, all your hopes and justice will be shattered. The whole world will be destroyed in despair and madness. No one will be spared! You will lose all your relatives and loved ones, lose everything, just like me!"

"You're insane, Runetotem!" Broll said disappointedly.

He looked at the other heroes and said in a deep voice, "Do it!"