Novels by Alfonzo Perez

“My name is Sudirjo, headman of Jatisari Village,” the thick-mustached man said, introducing himself after Aji and Ratih had taken their seats across from him. “This is Lastri, my wife.”“I am Aji,” Aji replied with a respectful nod, “and this is my wife Ratih. We have traveled from lands far beyond these hills.”Sudirjo’s eyes moved from Aji to Ratih and back again, taking in the way they carried themselves—with quiet dignity and an easy grace that spoke of lives lived with purpose. In his heart, he could not deny that they made for a striking couple: the man tall and broad-shouldered with features as sharp as a blade, the woman with eyes like dark stars and a gentle strength that seemed to fill the room.“My guards tell me you have come to offer your help in finding our missing girls,” Sudirjo said, his voice heavy with sorrow. His left hand never left his wife’s shoulder, where it rested in a gesture of comfort—Lastri still trembled slightly, her cheeks streaked with tears from her

Faced with his wife’s rapid-fire questions, Aji remained silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on the dragon-headed hilt of the blade he held in his hands. Every detail of what he had thought was a dream flooded back into his mind—from the moment he had first been cast away by Damarjaya’s barrier to the final strike that had shattered the great hill. Not a single fragment of memory felt hazy or uncertain; it was as clear as the morning sun.“My love…” Ratih said softly, shaking his arm to pull him from his reverie.“Y-yes, my dear wife?” Aji stammered, breaking free from his thoughts with a start.“What were you thinking about so deeply?” Ratih asked, her gaze searching his face—concern evident in her dark eyes as she took in his confused expression.“Nothing of consequence,” he replied, though his eyes drifted back to the Mustika Dragon Earth Blade. “I was just remembering… well, what I thought was a dream I had last night. But now I cannot tell if it was truly a dream, or if it all re

Within the chamber’s walls, Aji did not seek rest at once. Though he had committed the Dark Dragon Blade Manual to memory during his years at the Dragon Blade Academy, he now poured over its pages once more—reading and re-reading each line until every word, every diagram, every nuance of technique was etched so deeply into his mind that it felt as though he had known them since birth. Only when he was certain there was nothing left to learn from the ancient text did he turn his attention to The Essence of Nature, spending the following days immersed in its wisdom. Aji quickly came to understand that both tomes possessed equal complexity, for as Damarjaya had said, they were two halves of a single, indivisible whole—their teachings intertwined like roots of an ancient tree, each dependent on the other to reach their full potential.Five days passed in what felt like mere hours, and Aji emerged from his seclusion to find Damarjaya seated alone in the great hall, his weathered fingers tr

Having left Aji at the crater lake, Damarjaya glided back through the radiant halls of his celestial abode, his form moving with effortless grace through the corridors of light and stone. Upon reaching the chamber where the sacred weapons and manuscript lay waiting, he gathered them up with reverent hands—the Dragon Earth Blade, the Essence of Nature Blade, and the ancient tome The Essence of Nature—each item heavy with the weight of centuries and the power of countless generations. With deliberate care, he carried them to a separate sanctum, hidden away behind walls of polished obsidian and veiled by curtains woven from starlight itself.Within this inner chamber, the air hummed with quiet energy, and walls were inscribed with symbols that seemed to shift and glow as one gazed upon them. Damarjaya settled into a cross-legged position upon a circular platform of white marble, placing the two blades before him so that their tips nearly touched, forming a perfect arc. Closing his eyes,

Aji stood transfixed for a moment before his body tumbled violently across the earth, sending fine grains of soil scattering in all directions. It was a most peculiar turn of events—he had felt no trace of energy reaching toward him, no hint of impending force, yet somehow he had been cast away as if by an invisible barrier that rejected his very approach.The young man, whose features bore the mark of quiet strength and keen intelligence, found himself consumed by curiosity at this strange occurrence. Determined to uncover whether his expulsion had been the result of deliberate action or mere happenstance, he steeled himself and began to advance once more, his senses sharpened to their utmost edge. He knew well that danger, if it lurked here, would likely strike when vigilance waned.Yet again, the same uncanny phenomenon unfolded. Even with every nerve attuned to his surroundings, Aji was thrown back the instant he drew within ten meters of the meditating figure. This time, the forc

Santoso’s heart hammered against his ribs like a caged beast, its frantic beats echoing in his ears as he watched Aji and Ratih approach. The pair of warriors who had shattered his life and brought an end to his reign of terror stood before him now, their eyes sharp and unyielding as they looked down at his kneeling form.“I need not waste time proving the grave crimes you have committed,” Aji began, his voice clear and steady as it filled the crowded village hall. Every word carried the weight of absolute truth, leaving no room for denial or excuse. “The testimony of the villagers—of the suffering you have inflicted, the taxes you have stolen, the lives you have ruined—is more than enough to pass judgment upon you.”The villagers leaned forward in eager anticipation, their eyes fixed intently on Aji’s face. For years, they had endured in silence, their complaints falling on deaf ears or bringing only punishment upon themselves. Now, at last, justice was within reach, and they waited

“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