Lann followed his band of rangers across the wooden bridge and saw a ninja slumped against the tree roots on a slope opposite them.
He wore a short cape seemingly woven from the feathers of a large bird of prey, and his face was covered by a strange Japanese-style mask.
His attire was bizarre, and he wore no armor.
As Lann approached, he could clearly feel the individual's breathing pattern, a hallmark of ninja training.
"Who are you?"
Lann had only encountered three ninjas so far: two old men and the wolf. He had never seen someone dressed like this.
This person was severely injured; even with a body honed through special training, he probably wouldn't last more than ten minutes.
"Are you... that foreign warrior?"
He gasped and coughed up blood foam while trying hard to lift his head to look at the person before him.
"I was ambushed ahead of time... quickly, go save Lord Yuzi... quickly..."
