Masked Swordsman

This article contains information found in chapters 156+ of the Ousama Ranking manga. If you are avoiding post-anime spoilers please proceed with caution!

Masked Swordsman (仮面の剣士, kamen'no ken'shi) is a character in Ousama Ranking.

She is a subordinate of the bandit gang that is affiliated with the Geslan Kingdom, that ended up becoming a traitor to the group after she killed the Thief.

Before becoming a subordinate, she was a slave that worked for Geslan Kingdom and was a friend of Ringi.

Appearance
Masked Swordsman is as tall as average-height men, which makes her taller than most of the woman characters. She is well-built woman with a more masculine look, haves wavy black hair, and light eyes.

When in disguise, she wears a mask that resembles an executioner mask, with a black long-sleeved body suit that covers along her head, striped pants with a sword belt, and black shoes.

Personality
Masked Swordsman has a muted personality, she is obedient and follow along any order that the Thief told right her until she betrayed him, she is cold-blooded and seemingly willing to kill without any remorse. Despite her coldness, she have a caring side especially towards her friends, it is shown on how she treated Ringi when they're in turmoil at Kuhya Kingdom.

Masked Swordsman is capable of talking despite almost never does it during her disguise.

Early Life
Masked Swordsman origin is unknown. She appears to have worked as a slave for Geslan for quiet a while, as she have handful of fellows there who she's friendly towards with. The kingdom also trained her to do sword fighting which ended up to her future position of being a Masked Swordsman.

Kuhya Kingdom Attack
When Bojji run away towards the forest after having an argument about Oyabu with Kage, he accidentally came across a camp of bandits, Bojji's arrival suprised them as they recognize him from Kuhya Kingdom, and brought chaos as they all wanted to kill the boy but unable to because of Bojji's ability to dodge the swords. The Thief, who lead this group of bandits, heard the commotion and came out of his tent to find out what's going on, the Thief realized that Bojji is not an ordinary boy because of his agility, he called over Masked Swordsman to help finish the job. But as she strike over him, he quickly jumped over Masked Swordsman and leaving her confused, Bojji ended up running towards the Thief in which he attempt to trap the boy by kicking off dirt towards him and strike an axe forcefully to his spot. Despite this attempt, Bojji still manage to dodged his attack and run away from the camp.

The bandit gang, who happen to work with Geslan Kingdom, agreed to do their plan of raiding Kuhya Kingdom. As they knew Bojji from that kingdom, this made them question if Bojji run away because he knew about the raid that's about to happen. Which lead them into suspecting that Geslan Kingdom is planning to plot something against the bandit gang, the Thief then decided to raid the kingdom but without cooperating with Geslan, as they plan to keep the belongings they steal to themselves.

As tomorrow arrives, the bandit gang started to raid the Kuhya Kingdom which leads to massive commotion and everyone around the town panicking as their belongings being stolen, but not long enough, the Kuhya's army led by Sadi come over to stop them. The citizens of Kuhya are ordered to get inside the castle, Sadi commanded Ringi to open the gate for them but little does he know that Ringi planned something different and abandon his mission as a soldier, which lead the citizens cornered at the entrance while Sadi protect them. As it turns out Ringi is working with the bandit gang, giving secret entrance for the Thief and Masked Swordsman to get closer to Kuhya King, who happens to be alongside Mehi and Oyabu at that time.

Throne Room Drama
As Ringi, the Thief and Masked Swordsman head towards the Kuhya throne room, Mehi tried to sneak above the throne room entrance door with a knife, right when the three are under her nose she jumps immediately to try and strike an attack, but Ringi swiftly dodged her and fights back to the point Mehi knife got overpowered and thrown away, leaving her and the king defenseless. As it revealed that Ringi has been working as a spy for Geslan all along, leading the bandits to be able to be this close towards Mehi and Kuhya King. Ringi main plan is to kill the king, but not long after he try to strike, Sadi arrives to the throne room because of Kage's help to rescue all three of them from danger. Sadi attacks Ringi, and Oyabu, who was seemingly crippled on his leg, join in to stop Ringi with his sword that happened to be his walking cane, revealing him to faked his cripple all along.

Ringi, feeling cornered by Sadi and Oyabu, decided to challenge Sadi first, which the Thief and Masked Swordsman spectate. Ringi then got defeated by Sadi and Mehi tied his hands in the back to stop him from getting away. As it's speculated by Mehi that Geslan's plan is to have a bandit attack Kuhya Kingdom and kill all the royalties and higher ups involved, leaving the Geslan Army to frame themselves as a savior when arriving at Kuhya and make the citizens easier to conquer. Which all ended up to be true as Ringi revealed that he's the signaler for the Geslan army to invade. The Thief tell Sadi that his bandit gang won't be cooperating with Geslan anymore and wanted to make agreement to take all the treasure and leave, but Sadi doesn't accept this and they ended up fighting, the Thief didn't expect Sadi to be so strong and Masked Swordsman decided to be his helping hand towards attacking Sadi. Shortly after, a small knife was thrown from above towards her sword which leaves it bouncing, as it turns out Kage arrived and was above the chandelier of the throne room, wanting to help Sadi, but the Thief threaten him and he got scared away. Sadi then ask if Oyabu can help him out, Oyabu smiles then walk towards the Kuhya King, pointing a blade at him, as it's revealed that Oyabu has been the boss of the bandit gang all along.

Sadi felt cornered by all this, as the Thief easily can tell whenever Sadi have a plan under his sleeve. Sadi then gives up and willing to do anything as long as they spare him, leaving Mehi, Kuhya King and Kage disheartened. Oyabu believes in Sadi and command him to kill Mehi, Sadi laugh and was excited to do it because he always wanted to cut a woman at least once, but before he do so, he walks toward tied-up Ringi and beat him up until he's unconcious, Sadi wanted to go further by stomping Ringi's head but Kuhya King stopped him. Kage in a verge of panic, decided to push over the chandelier to stop Sadi, which he ended up missed. Kage told Mehi to run and attempt to strike Sadi with a knife, Sadi, furious by this, slapped Kage away very harshly to the point he got knocked out. Mehi is bewildered by all Sadi's doings, but then she got reminiscent that Sadi has always been a sadist that takes interest in stabbing, which leaves her scared solid. Sadi pulls over his knife and stabs Mehi to the chest, leaving her bleeding and fall to the ground, which shocked everyone around the throne room especially Kuhya King, but leaving Oyabu ecstatic.

Kuhya King got devastated and furious over Sadi then charges towards him, Oyabu told Sadi to not kill the king but Sadi grin and decided to stab the king multiple times, then he tell the truth that he never intent to obey Oyabu in the first place. As a turn of event after both the princess and king died, Sadi decided to stab his own chest out of madness and slit his own throat, leaving all three passed on the ground of the throne room. Oyabu is speechless and frustrated by this, decided to tell the Thief and Masked Swordsman to make an escape, but as the Thief and Oyabu talked about how they should handle the situation, Masked Swordsman sneaks right behind the Thief and stabs him by the back with her sword.

The Thief bleed out badly and dropped to the ground, leaving him dead. Masked Swordsman head towards unconcious Ringi, who is still tied up, cut down the ropes with her sword, she then wake him up and told him all the things that happened. Oyabu was surprised to find out that they both work on the same side, Ringi then tell Masked Swordsman to kill Oyabu and she swiftly strike towards him, in which Oyabu parry back with his sword. Masked Swordsman having quick reflex makes her able to counter Oyabu's attack, as it ended up with Oyabu's sword being broken because after all the time it's used as a walking cane. Oyabu angered and panicked, decided to spit out blood towards her face as a distraction and run away, but Ringi who's been watching all along easily run to block him off from the exit, Oyabu tried to talk him out of it but Ringi knows his deceptive nature. Frustrated by all this, Oyabu broke down.

Small footsteps can be heard, as it turns out to be Bojji arriving at the throne room to check on Kuhya King. He saw everyone lying in the ground all bloody and just smile it out, Ringi, Oyabu and Masked Swordsman who still remember him from the camp felt confused by the boy. Bojji knew about Sadi's tomato trick, which ended up thinking everyone around is playing dead, he run in circles around Kuhya King, Mehi and Sadi's 'dead' bodies and jump over Mehi's then tickling her from the behind. Mehi can't hold it anymore and ended bursting out laughing, which ruins Sadi's plan to deceive the bandits. Oyabu and Masked Swordsman was surprised by this, but Ringi has always knew this trick from Sadi.

Bojji finally reunited with Kage after being separated for quiet a while, both of them are happy but Sadi however, got angered at how his plan is ruined. Sadi try to find a way to protect everyone in this situation, he spotted his sword right beside Ringi and try to signal Kage to help him get it, but Kage is oblivious and ended up making Sadi yell about it, making Ringi know and throw the sword away towards the entrance. Sadi then tell everyone to get back to his back so he can shield them, and try to signal the perfect time for them to run away and escape. As he told Mehi and Kuhya King to run, Masked Swordsman charges towards Sadi who's shielding Bojji and Kage, Bojji notices and reflect on stabbing Masked Swordsman's sword with his needle ability, making it deteriorates. Ringi try to make a run towards Mehi and Kuhya King who still haven't got out from the room, but Bojji outrun him and attack Ringi by the pulse, making him passed out. Everyone including Mehi and Kuhya King are shocked by his ability, Oyabu who's hiding behind the throne room entrance and watched the whole thing, is shaken at how Bojji able to kill with a small stab.

Mehi and Kuhya King reunites again with Sadi and thankful for him along with Bojji and Kage heroic actions. Ringi and Masked Swordsman however manage to escape during their celebration, Masked Swordsman carry along Ringi's body through the castle's hallway despite the assumption that he died, but suddenly Oyabu comes up from a corner while carrying a sword that Ringi threw towards the entrance earlier. Masked Swordsman is defenseless as she carry no weapon anymore while holding Ringi behind her back, Oyabu then strike his sword and slit her by the throat, leaving her bleed to death and both her with Ringi dropped to the ground.

After Ringi woke up, he took open her mask to check on her, here reveal that she was one of his friend whom he work together with at Geslan Kingdom, but he was unlucky as she already passed away, he put her mask back on and lay down her dead body to a more proper position, leaving her corpse back in Kuhya Kingdom.

Ringi
It is revealed that Ringi and Masked Swordsman has a history, as they both work for Geslan as slaves. Masked Swordsman can be seen laughing along Ringi during a meal with the other fellows, prove they're happy with each other's companionship. They both have loyalty and good cooperation for each other, as Ringi's willing to work together to betray the bandit gang and easily ask her to attack Oyabu, and Masked's Swordman willing to carry out Ringi's unconcious body while escaping despite her assumption that he died. Ringi was devastated when knowing she got killed, as he value Masked Swordsman as a friend very much.

Thief
Masked Swordsman serves for the Thief, she is very obedient towards him and accepts any command even as ruthless as killing a small boy. Not much is shown in their relationship, but the Thief never shown to hurt or treat Masked Swordsman badly and seem to respect her, unfortunately despite all this, their cooperation doesn't end well with her betrayal towards the Thief.

Swordsman
Masked Swordsman is very capable of handling and fighting with swords, she uses her sword gracefully and one of her main traits is how quick agile she is, as seen from her aiming and parrying every Oyabu attacks.

Trivia

 * 's mask design is based on an executioner mask hood from the 1700s. The mask is displayed in Medieval Crime Museum in Rothenburg, Germany.