Jake stayed on alert as he watched the man approach.
And his instincts screamed that this guy was… strong.
'Shit! He might even have a class above Rare, judging by my Instinct skill.'
"..."
Meanwhile, Grace's golden eyes glowed slightly under her hood as she stared at the approaching man, her hand already reaching for the gun behind her back.
Jake couldn't tell exactly what was going on, but since the man hadn't attacked them yet, he decided to keep his composure.
He raised one hand in a calming gesture while keeping his other hand free and ready.
"We're just adventurers who took a gathering quest in the outer forest," Jake replied steadily. "We finished collecting the herbs and hunted some monsters along the way. These sacks contain the materials we gathered."
The leader, a handsome middle-aged man with long brown hair tied back and a neatly trimmed beard stared at them for a few more seconds, his sharp eyes scanning their faces.
