At sunrise, the camp was filled with the low hum of restless murmurs.
The soldiers, still smarting from their failed hunt, gathered near the central fire, their expressions a mix of frustration and desperation.
The chill of the morning air did little to cool their rising tempers as they exchanged heated words, their voices tinged with bitterness.
"This is pointless!" one soldier exclaimed, his arms flailing in frustration.
He was a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, his voice booming loud enough to rattle the nearby tents. "We've searched everywhere! There are no mana beasts left in these woods!"
Another soldier, a woman with short-cropped hair and a bow slung over her shoulder, stepped forward, her voice laced with irritation.
"He's sending us on a wild goose chase, that's what this is. He must know there's nothing out there. Why else would we all come back empty-handed?"
