Aji shook his head in quiet wonder, his gaze fixed upon the glossy black earth that stretched out before him. He could not begin to guess how many seasons would pass before this land might bear life again—if ever it would be fertile enough to sow crops or grow grass beneath the sun.“I must return,” he murmured to himself, his thoughts turning back to the academy and all those who relied on his protection.Once he was certain not a trace of poison remained within the Earth Dragon Sword’s dark blade, he pulled it free from the soil and slid it carefully into its scabbard, the metal whispering softly as it settled into place.Before setting off toward Ki Mangkubumi’s residence, Aji cast his eyes toward the village archway—and his jaw tightened at what he saw. Some twenty-five followers of the dark path were making their desperate bid for escape, streaming out of Kelor Arum with frantic haste. They had clearly realized their cause was lost, and now sought only to save their own skins by

In the wake of the savage assault waged by followers of the Dark Sect, King Wanajaya decreed that the grand tournament should be brought to an immediate close. To honor the brave competitors who had stood alongside the realm’s defenders in repelling the invaders, the sovereign of Cakrabuana bestowed upon every single participant the high honor of joining the ranks of the royal elite guard—a gesture of gratitude that spoke volumes of his respect for their courage in the face of darkness.For days on end, the students of the Dragon Blade Academy toiled alongside the surviving members of the guard, their hands calloused and their backs aching as they worked to mend the wounds inflicted upon their hallowed grounds. Splintered timber was replaced with fresh oak and teak; cracked stone walls were rebuilt with mortar mixed from ancient recipes; and scorched banners bearing the academy’s sigil of the coiled dragon were woven anew with threads of gold and crimson. And with solemn reverence, th

Aji’s eyes, honed by years of training to pierce through even the deepest darkness, picked out the faint outlines of figures moving through the trees—roughly twelve meters from the clearing where he and Ratih had made their camp. Though the shadows draped the forest in heavy folds, he could make out at least five men, and possibly more hidden just beyond his line of sight. Three of them bore burdens slung over their shoulders—shapes that shifted and sagged in a way that suggested they carried living weight, though he could not yet be certain what, or who, they held. Two others walked beside them, their hands gripping the edges of large wooden crates that creaked with each step they took.“Hahaha! Tonight we shall feast like kings, my friends!”The cry rang out sharp and clear across the stillness of the forest night, cutting through the soft rustle of leaves and the distant hoot of an owl. To be absolutely sure of what he faced, Aji channeled the ancient energy that flowed through his

“Just a moment—I will free you from these bonds,” Aji said softly, casting one last cautious glance toward the door before kneeling beside the girl. His fingers moved with deft precision, untying the coarse rope that bound her wrists and ankles—taking care not to pull too hard on the raw, chafed skin beneath.“Th-thank you, my lord,” she whispered, her voice hoarse and thin as if from hours of weeping. Her eyes, wide with a mixture of relief and lingering fear, remained fixed on his face as she struggled to sit upright.Aji nodded, his expression grave. “Hurry now—untie the other two. Do what you can to wake them. We have little time to waste.”With that, he rose to his feet and crossed to the door, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his blade as he peered through a small crack in the wood. He had barely begun to assess the situation outside when voices drifted through the darkness—rough, familiar, and drawing closer with every word.“Soon enough, we’ll have our turn with those g

Aji drew in a deep, steadying breath, holding it in his chest as the cool night air filled his lungs. For a heartbeat, all was still—then his eyes narrowed, focusing with the precision of a hawk upon the cluster of warriors below, each one marked in his mind as a target. His fingers flexed around the shards of glazed tile he held, counting them silently to match the number of foes he had chosen to disable first. Without a single sound to betray his presence, the fragments tore through the air at a speed that defied the naked eye. Each shard flew true, aimed with deadly accuracy at the throats and temples of the Dark Sect members who held the maidens captive. In an instant, the courtyard erupted into chaos—cries of agony and guttural shouts of death sliced through the night, echoing off the fortress walls as bodies crumpled to the earth, motionless and cold. Of the twenty tiles Aji had launched, eighteen found their mark perfectly. The remaining two had veered slightly as their targ