Grease and dust erupted in an instant beneath the spray of sparks, and orange-red flames swallowed the massive creature's upper body in the blink of an eye.
Buuuuum—
A high-frequency wail, like trembling energy, sent ripples spreading through the mist. The pain and struggle contained within it could be felt with perfect clarity.
The blazing firelight reflected in Winter Tree's eyes, dyeing them flame-red. He stared blankly ahead at the ferocious Monster twisting in the mist, his body stiff and taut as he shielded the girl behind him, frozen in place as though time had stopped.
A scorching gust from up ahead whipped at his hair and the hem of his clothes.
The next second, when Winter Tree realized what had happened and instinctively looked away from the Monster, wanting to turn and look behind him—
That tall figure clad in Chainmail, cold, deep, and forbidding, had already arrived beside him without a sound.
"Mr. Xia... Mr. Xia Nan!?"
His mouth fell open on reflex, his pupils trembling. Winter Tree's astonishment almost spilled straight off his face.
Behind him, Lillie, dressed in a plain white long dress, was even more stunned, staring blankly at this Adventurer who should not have appeared here.
Those dark eyes swept over the dust-streaked cheek of the boy and the blood-soaked bandage on the girl's arm.
Seeing that neither of them seemed to be in any serious danger, Xia Nan gave a slight nod, turned his head a little, and lifted his chin toward the space behind him, signaling for the two of them to retreat.
"Get farther away."
At a moment of crisis, both the boy and girl proved extremely quick-witted.
Winter Tree seemed stubborn, but that only showed when matters involved the girl he loved. Having undergone years of Hunter training, he was