Years of experience in the black sects made Poncokusumo wary of trusting strangers he had only just met.His seven disciples quickly left, leaving the old man alone in the stillness of the night. Only the heavy breaths escaping from his lips and nostrils broke the silence.“Let’s hope so,” he murmured softly, breaking the quiet. It was like love at first sight—except not in the literal sense. What Poncokusumo felt toward Arya was admiration and a deep hope that the young warrior would become part of his faction.Meanwhile, Arya had already entered his room. He quickly cleaned himself up, changed clothes, and then stepped out again. His destination was the chamber of King Damarjaya, to report what he had just learned.On his way there, Arya carefully observed his surroundings. Just like Poncokusumo, he didn’t trust strangers easily—especially those from black sects, which had proven time and again to be untrustworthy.Before Arya reached King Damarjaya’s chamber, Elder Wiyasa and Ratna

The arrival of King Karnakemala made Arya’s heart pound. At the very least, the decision of whether the war would continue or not was now drawing closer. Only one more night remained, and tomorrow the fate of the future would be revealed.From a distance, Arya simply watched the grand welcome given to the ruler of the Candipuro Kingdom. Not even the slightest desire arose in his heart to approach. He feared that someone might recognize him as a prince of the Sastrajingga Kingdom.However, Arya’s choice to stay away did not go unnoticed—it stirred deep suspicion in the mind of Tompel and his companions. Members of Poncokusumo’s group, who during the day disguised themselves as palace soldiers, realized that Arya was not among those welcoming the royal guest.Night eventually descended. Arya chose to remain in his chamber without stepping out at all—Elder Wiyasa and Ratnasari did the same. The three of them wanted to rest as much as possible, knowing that tomorrow would demand their pea

The journey back took almost the same amount of time as when they had departed. However, along the way—more precisely after they crossed the mountain marking the border between the Purareksa Kingdom and Swarnabumi—Elder Wiyasa suggested that Arya and Ratnasari should head straight for the Sastrajingga Kingdom.The founder of the White Eagle Sect explained that there was another route they could take without passing through Purareksa’s capital first. If they avoided the capital, they could shorten their journey by five to six days.“When you reach a large fork in the road ahead, Prince, take the path to the right. You’ll pass through two duchies—Kotasura and Jaya Amarta. After Jaya Amarta, you can ask for directions to the Sastrajingga capital,” Elder Wiyasa explained.“Very well, Grandfather. In that case, we’ll set off first,” Arya replied.“Wait, Prince… Given how complicated our current problem is, please try to avoid incidents that might waste time.”Arya gave a faint smile before

"Lies! I have never done anything to harm others!" the accused member of the sect retorted.Arya fixed his sharp gaze on the sect member pointed out by the villagers. He noted the man’s expression — so convincingly genuine, as if he had never committed the act he was accused of.But Arya would not be so easily swayed by mere pretenses. His vast experience dealing with all kinds of personalities during his travels had honed his ability to analyze every situation."Lies or truth are not based merely on words, but on evidence and witnesses," he countered."I’m not speaking carelessly, Warrior. The villagers who witnessed the incident can testify," the villager interjected. "I can summon them all if needed."Arya smiled faintly and shook his head. "No need. I already believe what you’ve said. It’s now clear who is in the wrong. One or two witnesses may still leave room for doubt, but when there are many, it’s almost certainly the truth.""I’m not lying, Warrior. They’re just trying to pro

Sastra Wijaya clenched his fists when the image of his daughter’s face flashed before his eyes. In truth, Wisnu only knew his mother’s name and had never seen her face. From the moment he was born, Wisnu had been separated from the woman who gave birth to him, never to meet her again.If that disgraceful incident had never happened, Sastra Wijaya would have gladly acknowledged Wisnu as his grandson in public.“Chandradewi,” he whispered softly, closing his eyes. “If only you had listened to your father’s words and stayed away from that wretch, I would never have done something so cruel to you.”Clear crystals of tears welled up at the corners of Sastra Wijaya’s eyes. The supreme leader of the dark sect could not hold back the grief he had carried for so long.“Ranggasura… you will not be able to hide forever!” he muttered darkly.Time moved on as usual. The stillness of night was replaced by the warmth of the morning sun illuminating the earth.The villagers, who had only just experie