The air was crisp with the scent of pine and the frosty chill of an early snowfall. Perched on a towering cliff, overlooking the dense forest below, was a lone figure clad in dark leather armor. His cloak fluttered against the biting wind, the hood drawn up to shield his sharp features. At his waist hung a longsword, its blade honed to perfection; his crossbow slung over one shoulder, and an array of bolts was secured to his belt. The two scars on his cheeks, remnants of past battles, gave him a feral appearance, earning him the nickname “Wildcat”. Eyes as black as obsidian scanned the horizon.

“Dragons... creatures of legend,” Ogata muttered to himself with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, his breath billowing out in the cold air. He then pulled a spyglass from his belt and raised it to his eye.

The forest before him was no ordinary woodland. Known as the Dragonʼs Veil, it was rumored to be the home of ancient and powerful creatures—dragons. Ogata had heard tales of them—massive beasts said to breathe fire and control the elements—and he intended to capture one and bend it to his will, not for glory or gold but as a stepping stone in his quest for power.

From the pouch at his side, Ogata withdrew a piece of paper. It was a detailed sketch of a dragon, the result of his meticulous research. Specific points were marked on the dragonʼs body—points that, if targeted with precision, could immobilize the beast without causing it fatal injury. His plan was to use tranquilizing bolts, their tips smeared with a potent mixture of herbs rumored to induce a deep sleep in even the most formidable creatures.

Suddenly, his ears caught a distant rumble, like a thunderstorm brewing over the horizon. But the sky was clear. His gaze narrowed—that sound was not of thunder but of wings… large wings.

His heartbeat quickened, but Ogata maintained his composure. Drawing his hood closer around his face, he set off down the rocky cliffside with the agility of a mountain cat, following the direction of the sound.