The tension among the group thickened as they trudged through the dense, ominous forest.
The air carried a peculiar weight, a subtle hum of energy that prickled at their skin, reminding them that this place was far from ordinary.
Lyerin walked ahead of the group, his imposing figure unshaken by the strange environment. Suddenly, he stopped, his voice breaking the uneasy silence.
"We're close now," he said, his tone firm yet tinged with an uncharacteristic seriousness. "This will be your final task. Hunt the stronger eldritch beasts—ones with mana cores. Anything less will be useless."
The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances. They had faced horrors under Lyerin's command, but the idea of hunting eldritch beasts with mana cores sounded far more daunting than anything they had encountered so far.
"Stronger than the ones we've seen before?" Lucas asked, his voice low.
