After battling through a series of monstrous foes—goblins that ambushed them in the dense underbrush and a pair of aggressive mountain wolves that had been stalking the group—the adventurers and mercenaries finally arrived at their destination: the fallen laboratory of a Black Mage. The structure was a crumbling relic, half-buried in the rocky earth, its ancient stones etched with eerie runes that glowed faintly in the dim light.
As they approached, an unsettling silence enveloped them, broken only by the distant echoes of wind howling through the mountains. The air felt charged with an unnatural energy, sending shivers down Saeko's spine. She instinctively tightened her grip on her katana, feeling the familiar surge of adrenaline course through her veins.
"Stay alert," one of the more experienced mercenaries warned, scanning the area for signs of danger. "Chimeras are cunning and powerful. We need to be ready for anything."
