A System That Beats Death 31 Masked Vigilante

Her childhood was less than pleasant. Having grown up in a village with 2 parents that did not love her and kept their distance. It was as if they did not regard her as their own and she could not figure why. Luckily, she did not have any siblings or there likely would have been more than just emotional neglect. In retrospect, her life was dull and uneventful until the day which involved a group of raiders pillaging their partially impoverished homes.

She trembled in fear as she hid under the floorboards and awaited for either their rescue or their destruction. Her parents opted to remain in the open as they declared that they would n.o.bly deter any raiders. Not knowing that she was able to hear through the thick wood, she gasped in horror when she heard what her parents were telling the raiders. They handed over an exotic emblem and then voluntarily revealed her hideaway.

Understanding the disgusting and l.u.s.tful gazes that landed upon her, she kicked and screamed as she was unwillingly dragged away by the raiders. She glared hatefully at her parents that had sold her out. She even felt a sense of schadenfreude when seeing the raider decapitate her oblivious parents who had a.s.sumed they were spared from further harm.

With torn clothes and her alluring figure exposed, the worse than licentious men were quite eager to defile her. Due to her beautiful visage which caused more harm than good, they opted to go altogether instead of taking turns which ended up buying her more time. One brute seized each of her legs while another seized each of her arms. The others then helped to her down as she flailed with all her might. While doing so, the exotic emblem managed to tumble from one of the raider's pocket and attracted two dubious individuals.

Before the group of raiders could ravish her, the two suddenly executed them. Unprepared by the ambush, they were easily downed. The distinct symbol of a fang on their sleeve was the last thing she saw before blacking out in tears and utterly exhausted. Upon waking, she screamed as the raiders were mutilated and she seemed fine but felt something was wrong. She now knew that the two did not intend to save her but were just extremely s.a.d.i.s.tic monsters.

Taking advantage of the fact that her captors were dead, she ran back home and hid. She did not weep upon seeing the corpses of her supposed parents as her filial piety had died when they attempted to gift her like merchandise. She did not bury them and merely dragged the corpses away from plain sight.

Due to the region's conditions worsening and becoming increasingly war-crazed, she hid indoors and subsisted on what remaining food her parents had stockpiled. As her food supply dwindled, so did her will to live. What happened to being happy? Why had her life been reduced to hiding and eating spoiled grains? She only desired to live a peaceful life and fall in love with a caring man.

She knew her parents did not like her but she could not believe that they despised her to the point that they viewed her as nonhuman and expendable. As someone with no ability, how could she even survive? In a war torn region like the one she lived in, the only thing she could do was become a servant or a prost.i.tute. As a person without strength, she would be violated against her will so did her opinion and aspirations even matter in the end?

Finally succ.u.mbing to her ravenous hunger, she left the safety of her hiding place and was immediately captured. They were as perverted as the previous group but due to a slight scuffle and her slightly emaciated body, they had delayed the pleasuring session. As she had mentally blanked out to endure the torture of being violated, she caught sight of an unusual individual. He was quite attractive with a slightly arrogant demeanor that matched his chiseled features and cold gaze.

The two then made eye contact and she inwardly, felt hope once again. However, she refused to express her desire for salvation as the situation could end in the same way it did last time with her abandoned and left to rot by her lonesome.

To her surprise, he then walked up to her captors and actively demanded for her release. When they refused, he even fought and killed them for her.

Despite being covered in blood, she did not cower in fear from his approach. In fact, she felt an alien warmth surge and rejuvenate her.

"Your body and mind might have surrendered. But your soul still seems to yearn for more"

He then grasped her dejected self firmly and comforted her.

He gave her a place where she could belong.

He gave her meaning.

He gave her love.

He became her master and gave her a path to follow.

He then left abruptly.

Initially, she was devastated and waited for him to no avail.

But she could not forget her place by his side.

She would not let go him who belonged to her alone.

The him that she loved and was the only reason she continued breathing.

Her master that had guided her and caused her to bloom.

She would get him back even if meant imprisoning him in a room that only she could enter.

She would get him back even if his family refused, his woman refused, and an army refused.

All of her was already his. So, why couldn't he just accept it and take her? Regardless, she would return to where she belonged. By his side and caring for her master that needed to be reminded of her undying devotion.

With an aching heart, she pursued her master's trails relentlessly and finally an opportunity for their reunion arose. She had discovered that her master was actually a Sword Sage of the renown Mystical Blade Sect!

With a polite and gentle disposition, she asked a Sect Member through a melodious voice, "May I know if Guren is in the Sect?"

Yidong subconsciously s.h.i.+vered before saying, "He left a while ago" in a frightened tone.

Perplexed by his reaction, she tilted her head before saying, "Why does mentioning my Master frighten you?"

Yidong paled even further when realizing she was Guren's true disciple. He then slowly but elaborately spoke of Guren's recent exploits. She smiled when she heard of her Master returning to and surpa.s.sing his former glory. Yidong then told her the whereabouts of Guren and watched as she swiftly departed.

____

After the tournament, Guren and Tianli both left to go on journeys to the Sect's dismay. Not only was the Sword Saintess gone but also 2 Sword Sages. Zhuye and Hexiu were still recovering along with the Sword Saint who also fought Guren. Tianli was tasked to investigate the insignia left by the two intruders while he would go hone his skills through battles. He would have asked the others to help instead of Tianli as he kind of wanted to explore but the others were busy reforming their realm that had been defiled by the Diabolic One and were not that familiar with this world. He then a.s.sumed the ident.i.ty of a vicious vigilante to get more points.

"Men, that b.i.t.c.h looks quite nice! Take her before the others do!"

"Hah! That's what you get for not paying protection fees!"

"We already paid for 2 years", the female complained. She was furious as she knew that they should never have trusted bandits to keep their word but her husband just had to insist. Now, look where he had ended up. Dead and fed to dogs.

"You paid the previous leader. We have a new leader now", one of the lackeys exclaimed before letting the bandit leader through. The rugged-looking bandit leader then went up to her and lifted her chin. He then ogled her thoroughly and stated, "She will be good compensation. Count her as the protection fee"

Before he could return, he saw somebody else occupying his horse.

"Which a.s.shole took my horse!?"

Guren turned and stared at the indignant bandit leader for a moment before sneering, "The one collecting protection fees. Only heads count as payment"

The female watched in awe as her surroundings became seeped with the color of red due to one man's actions.

Many people also recounted similar stories where they were at a dead end and about to be wronged by wicked people. Then an incredible being apparated out of nowhere and dyed the world in crimson.

[8000 Points Added]

A previously unfortunate couple stated, "The man wore a peculiar mask and killed without even lifting a finger"

A merchant then stated, "He also wore a mask but he never unsheathed his sword"

A Swordwielder praised him incessantly, "I wonder if he is accepting disciples"

They were then interrupted by a soldier who was drinking away his sorrows.

"I hope not. He wiped out an entire army by himself"

"...Are you sure we are talking about the same person?", the merchant asked as he was sure his savior was extremely righteous.

"Yeah, he also had a weird mask and this really scary sword. He had 2 swords sheathed right?"

___

As Guren's exploits were told throughout the land, he was interacting with a forest nymph.

"Please forgive me, great one"

"Why should I?", Guren stated in a disgusted tone. So nymphs were just short for nymphomaniacs... I'm beginning to question the origin of tree sap and morning dew.

"I-I can accept a request"

"Then do you know where I can find more swords?", Guren said. To hide the Steel Slayer which allowed people to identify him, he had been picking up and using the weapons of bandits, merchants, and raiders. Out of all of them, the Steel Slayer was the only decent one and he could not use Dark Revelation as it was too ethereal to use when incognito.

"H-how about the Kingdom of Smiths?"

"You can take me there?"

The forest nymph nodded emphatically. The nymph then led Guren to a hollowed tree. To his surprise, the trunk shone radiantly and then felt the floor disappear.

They have teleportation?!

He then fell into a shallow lake and saw the silhouette of a female.

f.u.c.k! A cliche, Atlas thought.