Chen Wo stared at the new intruder, his eyes narrowing as it stared deeply over Aaron's lifeless corpse.
"Branch master!" The remaining elders materialized before Chen Wo in a flash, forming a tight, defensive circle around him. Their robes fluttered in the residual winds of combat, faces etched with concern and readiness to strike.
"Who are you?" Chen Wo demanded, struggling to rise to his feet despite the agony ripping through his body. His severed arms lay nearby, blood pooling darkly on the cracked earth, staining the soil a deep crimson.
With no hands to brace himself and his legs weakened by deep wounds, he faltered, collapsing back down.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, mixing with grime and dried blood, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Urgh," Chen Wo groaned, the sound low and guttural, frustration mingling with the sharp stabs of pain that radiated from his injuries.
