The party of four regrouped on the beach, but they did not set out at once. Instead, they turned back first to pick up Colin.
Earlier, because they had smelled the sharp bloody odor in the air, Nick and the others had temporarily left the boy behind for safety's sake. In a battle at the level of Professionals, he had no combat ability to speak of.
When Xia Nan saw the kid, he was hiding alone behind a huge reef, anxious and uneasy, his body hunched up like a quail. From time to time, he cautiously poked his head out, keeping watch in every direction.
When Colin saw their group, he first let out a huge breath of relief, then was delighted by Xia Nan's appearance. Without realizing it, he looked as if his sense of security had doubled.
Xia Nan greeted the boy from a distance, but his brow furrowed instinctively.
"This place is dangerous. Why did you bring him here?"
Although Colin had received some basic hunter training, he was still a long way from becoming a truly mature Adventurer, let alone a veteran like them who had already gained Profession Levels.
Even the prefix before his current sailor status still carried the word "Apprentice." Taking part in an adventure mission at this professional level was almost no different from seeking death.
Sensing the displeasure in Xia Nan's tone, Nick's expression stiffened. He forced out a smile, and even his voice dropped a little as he explained, "He was there too when that Monster attacked the village earlier. He was just knocked unconscious by the shockwave, so he counts as someone who experienced it firsthand."
"Laida has a Feat that can track the Monster's movements, but she needs Colin as an intermediary, so we brought him along."
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