The rustling stopped at the edge of the woods.
Loa paused slightly in his chewing, his sharp gaze fixed on the direction of the sound. Without betraying anything, he swallowed the chicken in his mouth. His left hand still held the roast chicken steadily, but his right had quietly lowered, its fingertips barely an inch from the hilt of the sword leaning against the rock beside him.
He did not immediately stand or adopt an obvious defensive stance. He merely adjusted his position slightly so that the rock behind him covered part of his rear while giving him a broader view in the direction of the sound. He shifted his feet slightly back and lowered his center of gravity, like a leopard poised to spring, ready to attack or flee at any moment.
"Boss! This is where the smell's coming from!" A loud, grating voice broke the lakeside silence first, its excitement completely undisguised.
"Third! Can you keep your voice down?" A deliberately lowered male voice followed, noticeably displeased and sounding more composed. "How many times have I told you? Out here, a little more caution can save your life! Can't you learn from your second brother? Less talking, more doing!"
Amid somewhat disorderly footsteps and the sound of branches and leaves being pushed aside, three figures emerged one after another from the dim woods.
Loa swept his gaze over them. Leading them was a middle-aged man in a somewhat worn dark brown robe, holding a wooden staff topped with a pale blue crystal. His face was lean, and beneath his seemingly mild gaze lay experience and scrutiny-Loa sensed the strength of a Rank 5 Mage, most likely of the Wind Element. Behind him on the left stood a lean, sturdy, taciturn man with two blades, one long and one