Novels by Alfonzo Perez

“They move with impossible speed!” Bayu shouted, his voice strained as he parried yet another flying sword that came whistling toward his head. The blades seemed endless, arcing through the air in a relentless storm of steel that forced him to stay on constant guard. But defending against the projectiles was only half his burden—two masked figures pressed him from either side, their own swords flashing in quick, precise thrusts that left him with barely a moment to breathe.Across the clearing, Aji pushed his body to its limits, his feet barely touching the ground as he darted between the flying blades that pursued him like vengeful spirits. Each time he evaded a strike, he spun to deliver a counterblow to the two assassins who had closed in on him, their movements coordinated so perfectly they seemed to share a single mind. His muscles burned with exertion, but he did not slow—not when failure would mean death for himself and those he held dear.With a sudden burst of strength, Aji u

The two figures stood frozen in stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief as their carefully aimed strikes—blows that should have carved deep gashes into their foe’s flesh—slammed against what felt like a wall of solid steel. The impact sent sharp vibrations up their arms, and when they pulled their blades back to strike again, they saw with mounting fury that the edges had been dulled almost to uselessness.It was then that Aji called upon the ancient technique his ancestor had bequeathed to him in a vision, the night he had fallen into a deep slumber after vanquishing Prince Dananjaya’s army. In that dream, his great-grandfather—once a revered Duke of the eastern marches—had shown him the secrets of energy projection, teaching him how to shape his inner power into tangible bolts of force. With barely a thought, Aji unleashed a torrent of these energy strikes, sending them streaking through the air toward all four of his opponents in rapid succession.The four figures clad in b

Fifty strides beyond the village’s outer edge—where the fields of golden rice gave way to wild grasses and scattered shrubs—they found the path the innkeeper had described. Two ancient banyan trees stood like sentinels at its entrance, their massive trunks twisted together in a embrace as old as the land itself, their roots spreading across the earth like gnarled fingers. After a brief conference, they urged their horses into a swift gallop, leaving a thick cloud of dust to dance and swirl in their wake as they vanished into the green distance. Time slipped away like water through their fingers, and two hours passed before the trees began to crowd closer, forming the dark mouth of a forest that seemed to drink the light around it. From the road outside, the woods looked impenetrable—their canopies so dense that only thin shafts of sunlight managed to pierce through, painting shifting patterns of gold and shadow on the ground below. Bargowo’s brow furrowed with d

Bargowo turned his broad frame toward the inn’s doorway, casting a glance out to where Aji stood beneath the fading light of dusk. With deliberate grace, he raised three fingers into the air—a silent signal that was met with a firm nod of understanding from Aji, whose amber eyes held the quiet focus of a man accustomed to leading through action rather than words. “We shall take three rooms for the night, good woman,” Bargowo said, his voice deep and steady as he stepped back into the warm glow of the inn’s entryway. “What is the price for such shelter?” The innkeeper—her face still bright with the relief of knowing she faced no threat—looked up at him with a gentle smile. “For how many nights will you be staying, Sir?” “Only this night,” Bargowo replied, reaching into the leather pouch at his hip. He drew out a single gold coin, its surface gleaming with the soft luster of pure metal, and offered it to her without hesitation. The wo

The night air of the Duchy of Tanjung Rejo hung soft and still around them, scented with the perfume of night-blooming frangipani and the cool breath of the distant mountains. Ratih leaned against Aji’s side, her fingers tracing gentle patterns on his palm as she spoke, her voice a whisper woven into the fabric of the dark.“It is the way you hold me—like a precious jewel you would shield from every storm, yet also like a partner whose warmth brings light to your own heart—that binds me to you so tightly I could never bear to let go. You are, truly, the kind of husband every woman in all the realms might dare to dream of, Aji,” she said, her dark eyes shining with a love so pure it seemed to glow in the moonlight.Aji’s gaze lifted from her face to the heavens above, where the moon hung like a polished disc of pearl and the stars scattered across the velvet canopy like shards of crystal. His expression was thoughtful, shadowed by memories that still clung to him like morning mist. “I

The velvet curtain of dusk had long since yielded to the dominion of night, and within the grand halls of Tanjung Rejo’s noble estate, a weighty conversation unfurled beneath the glow of flickering candelabras, their flames dancing like golden sprites against walls adorned with tapestries of ancient valor.“Then who, I ask you, shall hold sway over these lands when Your Grace departs on the morrow?” Yoga inquired, his voice carrying the quiet reverence of one who understood the gravity of the moment. His gaze, steady yet tempered with humility, remained fixed upon the figure seated upon the carved mahogany chair at the room’s heart.“To you, Yoga, I entrust the governance of the Duchy of Tanjung Rejo for the time being,” declared Duke Hanggareksa, his tone firm as polished steel, yet laced with the warmth of unwavering trust. The candlelight caught the sharp angles of his face—features honed by years of leading his people through peace and peril alike.“I fear I might stumble in judgm

“But I will not accept being accused of belonging to that cursed sect! If they dare accuse me again, I’ll make sure everyone here dies!” A Long’s yellowish skin turned white as his anger flared.“Don’t be afraid, he’s only trying to scare us!” shouted A Fu, trying to sway the others.“If you accuse us one more time, I will let my brother here kill all of you!” Fang An barked, pointing his finger straight at A Fu’s face, which immediately froze in silence.“Watch your tongue, A Fu!” another man shouted, backing Fang An.Ying Sue and all the villagers in the dining house swallowed nervously. They didn’t know whether the young, sharp-eyed man’s words were true or just a bluff. But one thing was certain: the accusations A Fu hurled at the two young men were a mistake.“If you don’t want us in this village, we will leave. But only after we finish our meal. If I hear even one more accusation, I’ll hang the man’s head at the village ga

"Yu Wei, how are the preparations for the Grand Blood Moon Ritual? Is everything ready?""My apologies, Leader… Of the thirteen virgins required for the grand ritual, we are still short of two. Our members are already moving to find the remaining ones. I am certain that before the ritual begins, the number will be complete," replied the long-haired man named Yu Wei."For the success of this grand ritual, I entrust everything to you, Yu Wei. Do not fail me, for I have never known the word failure. You know very well what I will do to you if the ritual fails!" said the man who was, in fact, Ren Zhi, the leader of the Holy Blood Moon Sect.It should be known that the Grand Blood Moon Ritual was a mandatory ceremony for Ren Zhi. Besides strengthening his martial power, the ritual also served to keep the leader of the Holy Blood Moon Sect eternally youthful.If at present his face looked around thirty-five years old, then after the ritual he

Fang An gave a small smile and nodded."At the very least, we need some information from you, Sir, about the situation inside that sect."Duke Song Jian took a deep breath and released it slowly."As for the current situation, I do not know, Prince. It has been more than twenty years since I last joined them.""It’s all right, Sir. At least it can serve as a rough picture for the two of us about the situation there. But for now, we want to bathe first. Later, we will meet you again," Fang An said."Very well, Prince." Duke Song Jian bowed slightly to show respect. After that, he walked back to his chamber.Nearly two hours passed before Fang An and A Fu came out of their room. The two of them hurried toward Duke Song Jian’s private chamber to continue their discussion.Inside the chamber, Duke Song Jian still looked uneasy about the situation he was facing.On one hand, he feared that Fang An and A Fu might fail in their plan to attack the Holy Blood Moon Sect. If that happened, he to

Although it looked like a smile, to the four figures dressed in black, the smile on Fang An’s lips appeared terrifying and intimidating. The wide grin of the young man with white hair instantly drained their courage.“You must have thought we had already left this province, didn’t you?” Fang An chuckled softly, recalling how he and A Long had led their horses out of the palace gate earlier that morning.The four figures exchanged disbelieving glances. They, who were used to spying, had now been thwarted by two young men still younger than them in age.The exits were sealed tightly, leaving the black-clad figures confused about what decision to make. Their only hope of escape was to fight back, though they knew the chance of success was almost nonexistent.Unconsciously, cold sweat began to drip from their pores. The chill that gripped their bodies was nothing compared to the icy sweat brought on by fear.“Why do you look so confused? Relax, I won’t kill you. But on one condition—tell

“The Sacred Blood Moon Sect is a dark sect hidden in a valley beyond Mount Yuelu, Prince. They use the blood of virgins for their offerings,” explained Duke Song Jian.“Then why are they extorting you, Duke? What connection do you have with them?” Fang An pressed. He already sensed a breakthrough.The duke lowered his head, regret written across his face.“I was once part of them, Prince. I joined secretly before I was married.”“And after you married, you left them?”“Yes, Prince. I left without permission from Ren Zhi, the leader of the Sacred Blood Moon Sect.”Fang An nodded, understanding. He could see the duke’s regret was genuine.No matter how strong a man was, when the safety of his wife and children was threatened, he would become fragile—especially when he was powerless to act.“Very well. Now we know who the perpetrators are. What remains is to uncover which of their members is hiding inside this palace.” Fang An’s gaze lifted to the ceiling as he thought hard.“Do you have

Not long after, the two of them finally arrived in front of the palace of Province Sihan. The gates, which had been tightly closed, opened at once when the two young warriors arrived.From inside, a finely dressed man escorted by two guards hurried toward the gate.Fang An and A Long leapt down from their horses and handed the reins to a soldier.“Welcome to Province Sihan, Prince Fang An, Prince A Long. It is truly a great honor for me to receive the arrival of both Princes.” The finely dressed man, who turned out to be Duke Song Jian, bowed respectfully.“Do not be so formal, Duke. We just happened to pass by, so we decided to stop here. Besides, we also need a place to rest for the night,” replied Fang An with a smile, though his sharp eyes studied the finely dressed figure before him.From his experience dealing with officials, such respectful behavior often had two meanings. Some showed respect because of rank and position, while others used it to flatter or to cover up their wro