LaPlume

Between the howls and wails, the screams and cries of women being raped, and the villagers being eaten and butchered like cattle, there was a middle-aged man who was desperately running away while yelling his lungs out.

''Why.... WHY!!! YOU ABSOLUTE FUCKERS!!!''

His clothes were in tatters and marred in blood, with his body being barely able to function. His state was simply beyond recognition.

As for where he was running to... It didn't matter... He just wanted to flee the hellish scene that was unfolding behind him.

His remote village, the one he had lived in his entire life, was now a fiery beacon illuminating the night.

''Whyyyyy areeeeeee youuuuuuuuuu runninnnnnnnnnnng awwaaayyyy froooooom usssssssss?''

Terrifying low growls and voices could be perceived behind him, and every time he heard them, his body released adrenaline to try to override its limits, but to no avail as his injuries were just too severe.

The humanoid creatures pursuing him were like shadows, barely distinguishable through the cover of the night.

Their eyes, akin to black holes, were fixed on their prey as it struggled for its pathetic life. Their faint and sinister giggles kept reverberating through the darkness...

***

As blood rushed up his throat and leaked at the corners of his mouth, his sinister appearance aggravated to where he resembled a devil.

During his maniacal laugh, his punctured lungs had finally given out, causing his whole body to collapse on the ground and dyeing it a scarlet shade.

His mind went blank, while his consciousness left his battered body.

***

After what appeared to be a few minutes, he suddenly woke up.

He was startled at first, but he soon realized that he had indeed died.

Everything around him was black, without an ounce of life in sight.

He was basically a spirit floating in the absolute void.

''So this is what happens when you die... You just drift in darkness... That's actually underwhelming. I wonder if I'll just fade away''

When Derrick's thoughts started to drift, a prompt appeared in front of him.

[Welcome to System Nemesis, Derrick Tarlin]

[Would you like to seek revenge? Yes/No]

System Nemesis

Derrick was simply surgical when salvaging corpses, with both his summons unable to look away during the process.

Its hide, muscles, ligaments, bones...

Nearly everything was going into his numerous magical pouches, where Derrick once again saw a fairly decent accumulation of prime materials.

These huge monsters were becoming more and more like treasure chests that would allow him to vastly expand his offerings during the next auction.

If he ever managed to get back there, that is...

Once everything was over, he once again stood next to a huge pile of freshly cut slices of meat, which honestly looked much more appetizing than the troll's.

It had some marbling and its fibers weren't too big, which was a huge factor in determining its chewiness. He really hoped they were as tender as they appeared to be.

Evolution