Chapter 3: Monster
Meanwhile when River was on the hunting trip, back to the Wind Leaf Village a young lovely girl was sitting under the shade of a peach blossom tree near the entrance of the forest. The girl was only wearing a common plain dress but her sweet adorable face could make her become a cute fairy making the simple scenery like a work of art.
May was only 14 years old having a straight long brunette hair and a lively cheerful hazel eyes and still have a cute baby-face appearance though, one can tell that once she reach adulthood she would definitely become a beautiful fair lady that will attract everyone’s heart.
But at this moment she was just a simple young girl patiently waiting for a very special boy.
While she was waiting for him to come back, in her arms was a basket with food that she cooked just for him. She was a bit anxious because of her weird behaviour which she felt very bad for avoiding him this morning. Alas, she decided to cook his favorite steam bean buns right from her mother’s own recipe.
Suddenly she felt nostalgic, during the time she was young her mother taught her how to cook. In her memories, she remembers how happy her mother was while she was cooking lunch for her father. Her mother Maria was the kindest, cheerful and the most beautiful woman in their village while her father Gilbert was one of the bravest hunters the village could ever have.
May’s mother once told her that her mother secretly admire her father but she was too shy to confess her feelings until she thought to catch the man she loved with her cooking skills. Every day she will cook different kinds of delicious food and every time she will wait for him at this same peach blossom tree. In the end her mother had successfully caught her father’s heart and eventually they married.
May really like her parents love story she was only 7 years old when she childishly begs her mother to teach her how to cook. She thought that if one day she is good as her mother she can also catch her future husband someday.
Reminiscing those silly yet happy times made her cute cheeks redden she thought how she and River was the same with her parents. Thus, she decided to personally cook for him from now on. She also won’t hide her feeling to him once River return home May will tell her affection to him.
Of course she was scared but she wanted to be honest with him so at this moment when she felt her restless heart was beating loudly she held her silver pendant with two white birds engrave in it. It was given by her mother before she passed on and from that small necklace May somehow can feel the warmth of encouragement that she needs to harden her resolve to confess.
However, it was already late. River usually comes back at lunch time or a little later. May couldn’t help but to worry she wanted to enter the forest yet decided not to she thought she was over thinking. She believe that River will be alright since she knows how strong he is.Hence she waits until noon came and finally made up her mind to go look for him, since her heart was very unease but something had caught her eyes.
“Eh?”
From the direction of the village there were black smoke scattering through the sky.
May hearts quickens as she thought that somebody’s house was on fire.
She wanted to help but she also wanted to look for River
“What to do…”.
In the end after wavering a few times she finally went to the village to help stop the fire fearing that it will spread.
Big brother River please be safe…
May pray that River will be fine she believes in him and she knows that if he was in her shoes he would definitely do the same thing.
Yet, once she was close in site, she heard a very loud horrifying scream. She was alarm and scared that something tells her not to go but since she’s very concern on what was going on she push herself to move forward.
When she came closer the noises of dreadful cried had resound everywhere, May quickly hides and to her surprised what came to her view made her ashen in fright.
There were unknown men armed with swords and spears they were ruthlessly killing all the people she knew even if the villagers beg for their lives and some cried to spare the little ones none of them were given a chance.
It was a horrifying bloody scene which continues to play in front of her moist eyes. The fear made her petrify that tears eventually falls down as one by one the villager were mercilessly killed.
She wanted to scream.
But she can’t as if her mouth was obstructed however she quickly thought about her grandmother. She turned and runs back to their house fearing that something bad had happened to her.
She run and run as she tripped causing the basket of food fall on the ground, she was wishing very hard that all of this was just a bad dream but she felt the pain from her fall making this nightmare a reality.
“Big brother…”
May cried out for the person she could rely on but it was no use River wasn’t there beside her, she could only rely to herself to mastered up her strength to know of her grandmother safety.
With her two frail arms she tried to stand up wiping the tears and sprint towards her house.Once she was almost there she quickly halted her two feet as she saw her dear grandmother being roughly pushed outside by a husky man.
“May quickly run away now—aah!!!”
“GRANDMOTHERR!!!”
In front of her very own eyes, her gentle grandmother was stab through her heart.
May yelled loudly she wanted to go to her grandmother who fell down bleeding but then her voice attracted the man’s attention and saw her.
She bit her trembling lips trying her hardest to tolerate it and instantly she run away.When the man saw her, he immediately chased after her.
May was frantically running towards the forest she was hoping to meet River or hides towards the woods.
But she was just a child that being chased by a man it was impossible for her to overrun him.
Soon their distance lessens and when the man was close enough to her, he raised his bloody sword and with a flash he….
…
“MAYYY!!!”
River woke up profusely sweating.
After he defeated the Lynx, he had lost consciousness that it was already late afternoon. During the time he was sleeping he had this very horrifying dream but somehow it felt so real that his heart was beating so hard like it was about to explode.
Anxiety, distress and fear washed him down fully waking him up as he struggled to stand up. He was still in a bad condition yet he pulled himself together and with every ounce of his remaining strength he runs back to the village.
“May! May! Mayyy!”
While he was running he cried her name over and over again, wishing that she’s okay and unharmed. If only he has wings he could fly faster and quickly return to her side.
“May please wait for me!”
…
…
After running for a long way he had finally reached the village and noticed the blaze light and black smoke blending to the sky.
“Nooo!!!”
Recalling his nightmare, River broke into cold fret his feeling was scourge by a storms making him loss composure. He instantly wanted to find May which he somehow knew where she is.
With haste, he runs towards that direction where he can find her and once he got out from the woods.
He finally saw her but…
“MAYYY!!!”
What he saw was no longer the lively and cheerful May. Instead she was lifeless with her clothes soaked with dirt and blood laying next to the peach blossom tree where they often meet.
“May…May…”
River hurriedly went to her side and eventually lost his knee lost its strength as he kneeled down. He tried reaching out his arms, he wanted to embrace her but his arms were trembling hard that he can’t do it.
He never felt this fear before and seeing she was like this made his heart cast out in the sea of waves full of resentful, sadness and regret.
“Why…why…why!…May I…I’m sorry…I’m sorry…”
Tears started to shed from his eyes. He was blaming himself for not being by her side. Blaming that he failed protecting everyone he loved including the girl he dearly cherish.
“R..River…”
When he heard a sweet yet weak voice, River quickly snapped back and looked up as he happily saw May was still alive.
“May?... May!!”
But it didn’t last long. When he gently took her into his embraced he realized how seriously she was wounded. The cut at her back was so deep that the bone can almost be seen. There were also signs that she had move from a few distance due to the trance of blood towards the peach tree.
“May! Hold on I’ll bring you back to Granny Ma and…”
He subconsciously thought to ask Granny Ma to help them but she too was also no longer there waiting at their home.
She was like his grandmother but now she and the other villagers were all brutally killed.
His family are gone…his neighbours….and his fiends.
Were no longer there…
Without anyone to rely on he was alone and helpless for the first time he felt extremely weak.
“River…”
May softly muttered, her eyes were already blurred yet she can tell that River has come to her side. She was glad as she was extremely worried about him that she even struggled to crawl to this place, she refused to die without seeing him even for the last time she wanted to make sure that he’s safe. Until her strength had passed out under the peach blossom tree but when she heard his mournful cry she slowly tried to wake up.
“I’m…glad you’re… okay”
May was already weak and tired she felt very sleepy yet she thought that once she closed her eyes she won’t ever see him again for that reason she tried her best to stay awake as possible.
“May I’m sorry…I’m sorry for not—”
River choked as he tried to apologize. He was crying so hard because of the pain was unbearable like he was being cut into pieces, it hurt so much that he doesn’t know what to do like it was slowly breaking him apart.
May saw his anguished face she already guessed that he was blaming himself that she then gently shook her head and tried her best to smile.
“River…don’t it’s not…your fault…I..I”
“May please don’t speak anymore I…I’ll find someone even if we go somewhere else I know we can find a village nearby to help us…so please stay strong. Don’t leave me… I promise as long as you’re okay I won’t practice anymore I won’t ever go to the deep forest to hunt…I promise to stay by your side forever so please…I beg you May please don’t leave me!”
River tightly held her he was afraid that once he let her go she will forever leave him alone.
May was also crying she truly wanted to stay with him forever but she can’t. Her eyes were heavy while her body was already numb, she knows that her time was running out.
“I…I…”
But before that she wanted to utter something very important to him which took all of her will to say itRiver noticed her trembling pale lips. As if she was trying to say something.
He then carefully moved her closer hugging her as he lean his ear to her.
“I…I lo…love …you”
River widened his eyes. The words had somehow cause ripples inside him from scourging flame into icy cold, bitting his lips so hard that it bleeds.
“May, I also love you so please stay with me”
He then tightens his hug but unfortunately May could no longer hold her eyes and in the end she gave out her last final breath as she lifelessly lean to his chest.
…
……
“Hurry up we need to go to the next village!”
“Captain Borg what’s the rush we still have time”
“Fool, we must not let the General catch us or were all dead.”
A total of 5 men were gathered at the middle of the plaza which was drench with blood and scattered bodies laying around.
These men have killed the innocent villagers, but they didn’t even feel any guilt or even regret for taking their lives for a whole month they have been travelling and razing every village they could find.
“Hey how many did you killed today, I killed over 28 hahaha!”
“Fuck! Is that all you’ve got I killed 36 and all of them were most women and children damn hearing those bitches scream was like music it felt good hearing their cries haha, I really like my job!”
“You are really a wicked man Barthus!”
“Hahaha! Too bad we can’t enjoy the women in every village, that stupid bastard doesn’t allow us to touch them!”
“Are you nuts he’s our Captain his already at the Saint Spirit Rank while you’re just a bug to him”
“Shut the fuck off! I don’t need you to remind me!"
“Hey someone is approaching”
“Huh?”
Suddenly a figure came closer to them a boy was steadily walking straight to them.
“Hey Captain there is a survivor!”
“What!”
When the Captain turn around, there was indeed one boy who survive.
“Quick! Kill that boy!”
“Capt let me handle him”
Borg scowled when Barthus volunteer to do the job. He knew that Barthus has a sadistic side. How many times he wanted to kill him for tempting to rape the women, even if they were task to kill villagers Borg refused to defile them anymore but since they were currently in a mission he can only tolerate his wicked behaviour.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Just make it quick!”
“Sure hehe”
…
…
River strolled aimlessly, he didn’t know where he was going but his feet had subconsciously taken him to where he should be.
“Brat! To think you escape from my clutches but since you survive this far I’ll play along with you a bit hehe”
River stopped to his track when he heard the man at front.
When he looked up, his sad dull eyes quivered with uncontrollable rage and glared at the man like a mad beast. The man was a head taller than him and has huge build. The man was hideous full of scars thick brows.
But River recognized him, from the bloody nightmare this man took everything from him including the person he loved.
From his very own hand he took May from me!
“GAAAAHHHH!!!”
With a loud angry roar River charges, even if his unarms he was not afraid the only thing that was ringing inside his mind is that the wish to kill this scumbag!
Barthus on the other hand sneered as he looked down at the boy who’s obviously drunk from rage. The brat had already lost his composure he was already an easy prey for him.
He was already at the 3 Lv Elemental Spirit Rank facing this brat was no problem to him so why not play with him for a while until he cried to beg for his pitiful life.
“Come on! Hahaha!”
“AHHH!!!”
River gave a powerful punched but the man Barthus easily avoided it like he was toying a child however, River is not an ordinary 15 years old he has a incredible body adding the fact that he was fuming with rage. Therefore, when his punch missed, he quickly step forwards close to the man and followed a a quick kick at his body.
“Guah!”
Barthus didn’t expert he was so sure that he was stronger than the kid so how is that possible to be hurt by just a kick. He didn’t feel any spirit force from his attack but the strength and speed could be compared at the peak of Earth Spirit Rank or even higher.
“You son of a b—Ahh!”
Before Barthus could spat his words, River continued with another punched to his stomach causing him to draw a few step backwards.
“Damn you!”
“Hahaha Barthus did you just step back! Hahaha you look pathetic wanna switch with me!”
“Shut up Mace I’ll kill him myself!”
Barthus was now seriously furious, he didn’t thought that a trash would have this physical strength to counter him, it was humiliating.
“Brat now you have done it, I’ll make sure to cripple you break all your four limbs beat you to death hahaha!”
He then took a stance unleashing his spirit force as wind and pressure press down towards River.
River was alarmed, because of the punched he gave he somehow calm down a bit but now when the man release too much spirit pressure he could not defend himself from it. He can rely onto his own physical strength and endurance.
“Brat time for you to die!”
With huge steps, Barthus instantly got closer and with an extremely forceful blow. River had no time to evade it he can only use his arms to shield himself.
“agghh!”
“Not yet! I’m not done with you hahaha!”
Barthus strike with full power he didn’t give River a chance to counter or to dodge. He barraged punches and kicks into the boy’s body like a sandbag.
Damn this kid is tough!
He’s still standing after all that!
Hahaha whatever he’s just longing for more beating then ha!
Barthus flashed a quick strong kicked to the boy’s belly and from the strong impact, River was blown far away as he crashed inside one of the house.
He was severely beaten as he vomits too much blood. Some of his internal organs were damage, his ribcage were fractured but still he tried to rise up but then he suddenly noticed a familiar object underneath his foot.
It was a cotton doll bath with blood. His eyes widened as he recognised that the doll was Lin Lin’s. He gradually scanned the place and was struck by lightning.
“A…Aunt Cassie?...Lin Lin?...Gus?”
Once he saw them, pain penetrates through his head then a vague flash vision played inside his mind.
…
“Lin Lin! Gus! Stay behind me!”
“Mom I’m scared!...wuu..wuu”
“Mom what’s going on…wuu…”
River painfully watched Aunt Cassie as she tried to protect her children with an iron axe that was use to cut firewood.
Bang!!!
Suddenly the door was forcibly opened as Barthus walks inside and when he saw a woman and children. His wicked heart cried in excitement.
“Hahaha nice I got myself a jackpot!”
As Barthus saw Aunt Cassie’s face and body, he’s bloodshot eyes was hungrily staring at every inched of her body like a beast in heat as he lick his lips eager to have taste of the meal in front of him.
“Don’t come here or I’ll cut you!”
“Haha what a feisty one, but I wonder will you still have that face once I have done it with you hahaha come let me hear your scream underneath me haha!”
“Nooo!!!”
“”MOM!!!”"
Even if she was wielding an axe it was still useless. Barthus easily brushed away the axe and quickly grabbed her neck choking her.
“Let go of my Mom you monster!”
“Mom…wuwu…wuu”
Gusto and Linssie was so scared but they were both worried of their mom, Gus who was only 5 rushed and tried to beat the man’s leg.
“Stupid brat! Don’t hinder me!”
“Guahh!”
Without conscious Barthus kick Gus causing him to crush to the wall.
“G..Gusto!”
“Brother!”
Both mother and daughter cried as they saw Gusto’s head was bleeding.
“Please spare my children I’ll do anything so please!”
“Hahaha good if you serve me well I’ll think about it”
With his brute force he tore off her clothes piece by piece and pushed her naked body to the ground. However before he could do the deed a gust of wind slash aiming at his direction, before Barthus could even react the sharp wind had already cut the woman under him and died.
“Why are you fooling around hurry up and finish them off!”
Barthus glared at the man if only he isn’t a Saint Spirit Rank, Barthus would have already killed him for butting into his business.
Since his toy was already dead, he ignored it like a trash as he walked towards the crying children and…
…
“AAAHHHH!!!”
River roared painfully as he clutched his head. It was breaking like string was being snapped tearing him apart while his heart was also screamingin agony. Little by little he was tortured by the visions of their deaths, their painful face and their screeching cries until they died miserably.
All of them!
Why!Why did you take them away from me!
I’LL KILL YOU!!!
River eyes flared with too much anger. Eventually his mind was swallowed by darkness making all his senses cold and numb while his loud beating heart quickens until it had suddenly stop as if it had strained too much stress that it somehow died.
River was envelop by a thick death air…
Deep inside him something was crawling out.
From the abyss pits a disdain cold voice echoed to his mind.
“…….How pathetic”
…
…
“Oi Brat! Are you dead yet!”
On the other hand Barthus was waiting for him to come out and this time he draws out his sword to deliver the death blow.
“Hahaha there you are…come I’ll put you out from your misery”
When River came out, Barthus didn’t noticed any changes but Captain Borg who previously watched at the side felt a strange cold shiver penetrates deep to his bones which was coming from the boy’s spirit.
“Barthus hurry up and finish him off!”
He doesn’t know why but his instinct told him that the boy became very dangerous. Throughout his entire life Captain Borg encountered deadly situation and battled stronger foes but never did he had such feeling which made him broke to cold sweat.
“Yes yes here I go”
Unaware of his Captain dismay, Barthus steadily approached the boy who was currently standing still.
“You idiot! Quickly or someth—!!!”
“What?”
When the Captain tried to warn Barthus he suddenly felt a prickly pain into his chest and when he slowly looked down.
A bloody hand had pierced right through it…
“guaah…”
With blood splattering out from his chest he eventually fell down to his knees then collapse.
“”Captain!!!””
The other men were all shock, they didn’t know what happen.Captain Borg died? He was at the Saint Spirit Rank, he was the strongest among them yet in a blink of an eye he was now a lifeless corpse. They didn’t even notice the assassin that creep behind them.
Nevertheless, before they could recover from their shock. The two men who was near had suddenly sense a violent wind pass through like a cold knife yet before they could figure it out, blood had sprayed out from their neck and with a clean cut their head flew off their bodies.
Thumb!
When the two headless bodies fell, the next one was a man named Mace he quickly wields his battle axe while his body was shivering in deep fear.
“W-What—guahh!!”
Unfortunately, it was too late before he could use his mighty weapon. The shadowy figure brushed his hand and released a slashing sound of black violent wind which shreds the man into pieces.
“You you what are you!”
In an instant, the four men were butchered without even putting a resistance. The cold dead air has already covered everything living only one man and a dark figure.
‘River’ was cloaked with a thick back mist his raven black hair was dishevel upward. His skin turned pale bloodless but the one thing that was very disturbing was the uncountable vile ominous air around him.
As ‘River’ turned back and look at Barthus, his hidden eyes soon revealed, a deep crimson eyes with cold indifferent glow as there were no emotion no hostility. Within those two red orbs only a deep hallow of indistinct gaze as if it was only looking at a insignificant ant underneath him.
Barthus staggered back as his arms were shaking. Terrified, he almost vomits due to an extreme fear and despair.
What he saw was no longer a human…
“Ahh! Don’t come near me!”
Barthus retreated back he was so scared that tears and snot dirtied his usually arrogant face. But when he tried to run as he turned around. ‘River’ already appeared next to him and with a flash his pale knife-like hand had pierce through his chest.
“Argghh!”
Barthus cried in agony as his heart was being tightly grabbed but it didn’t stop there the mysterious black mist which surrounds ‘River’ became much more thicker like tentacles. Shortly he injected this wild tentacle inside Barthus huge body.
“GUUAAAHHHHH!!!”
Barthus cried in agony, a tingling pain coming from his inside like something viciously creeping in and started biting every bit of his flesh and slowly grinding every bone in his body. He now experienced the worst anguish pain he ever felt.
Soon enough, blood had slowly began to surge out from, his eyes, nose, ears and mouth also his tough skin started to lacerate and with several cuts he was bleeding nonstop.
But he didn’t die or even loss consciousness and even if he wanted to something was stopping him.
‘River’ who was still coldly staring at him held his heart firmly while still continuously injecting the black eerie tentacles. Even if the heart loss too much blood or even if his brain lacks oxygen the black tentacles would pushed them to work making Barthus to be awake and alive while endlessly experiencing the unbearable torture.
“Mo…Monst..er”
When Barthus groaned miserably, ‘River’ response as the corner of his lips lightly smiled. It was simple yet it was cold. He was satisfied like he had taken his word as a compliment.
“arghhh…ggrhh!”
After a while, Barthus screamed became inaudible that it turned into a gargling sound from his own blood. He wanted to cry for mercy begging to let him die already but it’s impossible he bear the torment. Every passing time he became thinner his bulky muscles degenerate until he dried out from bleeding and finally after an hour or so he became dust.
“…”
From his cold pale hand ‘River’ was holding a dried stony-like heart and with little force he smashed it until it crumble.
As nothing else to do ‘River’ started to walk back ignoring the bloody mess and scattered bodies he strolled like he didn’t care.
He returned back to a certain tree where a certain cold body of a girl was gently laid there.
“…”
He was still covered with black mist and with his cold unfeeling red eyes it only stared at it.
Sorrow…regret…despair…or even rage.
He didn’t feel anything he only feel…
Empty as void…
At that time, the black mist soon became thinker and from his body he release even more of it but unlike its usually violent nature the thick black mist was surprisingly gentle that it eventually approached and slowly wrapped the girl’s body until she was…..