Novels by Alfonzo Perez

Ratih could sense the deep bitterness trembling within Aji’s voice. She knew very well that the man had never truly healed from the tragedy that had stolen the lives of his wife and child, leaving behind a wound that time itself refused to mend.Before long, Yoga and his master arrived at the palace gates. Their footsteps quickened as they approached Aji, who had been waiting anxiously for their arrival.“I knew you would come,” Aji said, offering a warm smile that carried both welcome and sorrow.Despite the shame gnawing at him, Yoga forced himself to return the smile. He understood clearly that without Aji’s guidance, he would have forever wandered in darkness—branded a traitor, condemned by society, and haunted by a disgrace he would never be able to wash away.“I have given my word. I will assist the Duke in resolving this matter,” Yoga replied with solemn determination.“Come, let us head inside. The Duke has been exp

“That is impossible! I refuse to believe that you were ever a robber. You must be joking, Aji,” Ratih exclaimed, her voice a mixture of disbelief and nervous laughter.Aji offered her a soft, knowing smile. From the expressions of the three people before him, he could clearly see how unimaginable his confession sounded to them.“I won’t force you to believe me, Ratih. What I revealed just now is a grim reality—one I had always intended to bury deep within myself for the rest of my life.”He shifted his gaze to Rangga.“And regarding your question, Rangga… I was the planner for every robbery my group carried out. All the strategies, routes, traps—every detail was my responsibility. The skills I use now were honed through those experiences. You may remember how I recognized the traps Bargowo’s group set for us in the forest. That was because those traps were painfully simple—common tricks any bandit would know.”Bargowo managed a twist

“Indeed, my Lord. In fact, Yoga will become a crucial figure in the grand design we have prepared,” Aji replied with unwavering certainty.“And if he chooses not to return… what then must we do?” Duke Hanggareksa pressed on. Doubt lingered in his voice like a shadow that refused to disperse, for he still could not fully believe that Yoga would truly come back.“He will return, my Lord. I am certain of it. But even if he does not, I have already prepared an alternative plan.”“We will speak of it again tomorrow. I am far too tired to think clearly now. Will you rest here tonight, or return to the inn?”“I shall return to the inn, my Lord. I must explain tomorrow’s strategy to Bargowo and Rangga,” Aji answered respectfully.“Very well. You may go. But at dawn, you and Ratih must already be here. With Yoga’s betrayal laid bare, there are few I can still trust besides the two of you.” Duke Hanggareksa exhaled sharply, his breath rus

“I still cannot grasp your meaning, swordsman. Could you explain your intentions more clearly?” the old man asked, his voice carrying the weight of age and battle-worn caution.Aji answered with a faint, composed smile—one so subtle it barely revealed itself, yet its confidence filled the dim cave like a quiet flame.“It is simple,” he said. “If Yoga truly wishes to accept my offer and return to serve the Duke, then I already have a plan prepared for him.”“A plan?” the old man echoed, leaning slightly forward.“You will hear the full details later at the palace,” Aji replied. “For now, everything rests on Yoga—on whether he is willing to redeem himself or continue down a path filled with regret.”The old man placed a gentle but firm hand on his student’s shoulder.“If you truly desire to atone for what you have done,” he said, “then accept the chance he is giving you. I believe you will come to no harm should you choose the path of honesty.”Yoga hesitated. Shame churned inside him l

The man clad entirely in black—Yoga’s teacher and the one who had guided him down the shadowed path—surveyed the surrounding forest with sharp, wary eyes before finally stepping into the mouth of the cave.From roughly thirty meters away, Aji watched the scene unfold. Though the night had swallowed everything in darkness, his gaze pierced through it with predatory clarity. Years living as a bandit had trained him to see what others could not, to catch the smallest movement even in the faintest sliver of moonlight. Shadows, distance, and darkness meant little to him now.---Inside the cave, Yoga sat alone atop a moss-covered stone, motionless and weighed down by despair. His clothes were filthy, dampened by dirt and forest residue, yet he no longer cared. The sting of regret drowned out all discomforts.His thoughts spun in chaotic circles.What would become of him now that his treachery had been exposed?Since the age of ten, Duke Hanggareksa had raised him as though he were his own

The moment he sensed the poisonous force spreading through his veins, he summoned the depth of his inner energy. A slow, deliberate breath escaped his lips as wisps of black smoke seeped out from beneath his skin—thin at first, then thicker, until the poisonous heat that had clouded his mind dissolved into the night air. Color returned to his face, his breath steadied, and his gaze sharpened like a blade just pulled from the forge.Unbeknownst to him, the Sword of Darkness strapped across his back stirred restlessly. A faint ripple of shadow pulsed along the scabbard, drawing in the remnants of the toxin that lingered inside his meridians. Because of that unseen assistance, Aji did not need to exhaust his inner strength to purge every last trace; the sword devoured the poison greedily, like a starving beast awakened from slumber.The man in black who stood across from him widened his eyes in disbelief.Aji had cleansed a deadly poison technique—his poison technique—with a casual ease

“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