"B... Benjamin Mark... has died...?" he whispered hoarsely, the words barely escaping his lips as shock rooted him in place.
[Hold it right there! The monster is going to strike you again any second now, you know. And I'm still alive. Only playing dead for the moment to buy us some time.] Benjamin's voice echoed clearly through their mental link, surprisingly steady despite everything.
[Eh? You truly are alive after that? But your body was crushed to a level that it would normally be censored with mosaic in any decent depiction?!] Tensei responded internally, his thoughts frantic and filled with disbelief as he remained outwardly still.
[That's not important right now. Because apart from the excruciating pain from my ribs stabbing into my heart and all my broken bones grinding together, I'm mostly fine and functional.] Benjamin replied with a hint of strained humor filtering through the connection.
