The sound of waves rolled through the midnight sea. The ocean wind pierced the skin, carrying salty mist that hung in the air.From the darkness beneath the surface, a small black dot appeared—a one-man submersible capsule, gliding silently toward the massive ship, Dark Leviathan.Inside, Bintang sat still. No sound, no heavy breathing. Only the ticking of the small watch on his wrist marked the passage of time.“Distance: two hundred meters,” Zidane’s voice came through the earpiece. “You’ll hit their lower hull in three minutes.”“Don’t wait for me,” Bintang replied quietly. “Once my signal disappears, detonate the sonar on the west side. Keep them occupied there.”“Copy.”Silence returned. Bintang stared ahead, his eyes as cold as the sea before him. On the small display, the massive silhouette of the *Dark Leviathan* loomed faintly—a black steel monster towering above the water.He took a deep breath, opened the panel beside him, and pressed a red button.Tskkkk!The capsule stopp

The morning mist had not yet lifted when Huan Li and hundreds of Silver Blades stood in formation like sharp shadows. Their swords gleamed coldly, their faces expressionless. Across from them, Bintang stepped forward alone—not merely as a man, but as a figure carved by destiny. His cloak fluttered in the wind, and at his waist hung the Dragon Sword, its sheath engraved with scale-like patterns, its hilt reflecting the light of the rising sun.Huan Li stared at him, his lips curling into a sneer.“Today, we will prove that the Dragon King of Amerta is no longer something to be feared!”“Hahaha! I also want to see him actually use that sword of his!”Bintang did not respond. He slowly drew his sword, the sound of metal sliding from its sheath humming like a distant echo. The moment the blade revealed its light, the air around him seemed to tighten—as if the very atmosphere could be split apart.“Honestly, this Dragon Sword isn’t meant for killing animals,” Bintang said calmly, “but oh w

Ardhana Putra stepped down from the border train with calm strides, but his chest pounded—not from exhaustion, but from the thick, foreign atmosphere. It came from the scent of salt, the charcoal smoke from ship furnaces, and the wary whispers of Dumai’s people, who looked at every stranger as if spotting a weasel in a cornfield.Beneath his black hat, his eyes narrowed, marking the line of checkpoint posts. In the distance, Dumai’s flags fluttered harshly atop stone poles—a symbol of power that refused to be humiliated. He knew that every small step he took would be weighed by countless eyes.A checkpoint officer approached, his arm gripping a long spear. “Who are you, stranger? What is your business at the Dumai border?”Ardhana lowered his head politely. “Traveling alone. Searching for traces of the past, not to cause trouble. I only wish to see Dumai up close.”The officer stared for a long moment, then sneered. “Be careful, outsider. Dumai is not kind to those who come merely to

Ardhana lifted his chin, a faint smile still lingering on his face. The sound of branches snapping underfoot signaled that they were no longer hiding. The cold night wind swept through, deepening the silence before the storm.“So you’ve chosen to wage war in the forest,” he said calmly. “Very well. Show me why you brought your swords out at this hour.”One of the ten men stepped forward, his voice hoarse—the kind often used by executioners. “You humiliated Commander Lio, brat! The order is clear—kill you or bring your body back. Alive or dead, the payment is the same!”Ardhana looked at them. In a glance, he read the fear hidden in their eyes, overshadowed by greed fueled by promised rewards—enough to give them the courage to take on Lio’s command.Wuuuuuush! Wuuuuuush!Without hesitation, the attackers charged at once. They wanted to finish off a lone young man quickly—making one fatal mistake.Ardhana stepped back, then moved like a shadow. No mystical techniques—just agility honed

From behind the faintly shimmering lotus pond, the silhouette of a woman slowly stepped forward. Her footsteps were calm, yet each step seemed to ripple the water around her.Her gown was silver-white, long enough to brush the floor, and a silver mask covered half of her face. Her hair was tied high with a pale pink ribbon—the only soft color in that shadow-filled place.Ardhana slowly raised his head, his eyes meeting the sharp gaze of the woman. Calm eyes, yet undeniably dangerous.The woman spoke, her voice cool but carrying an undeniable authority.“My name is Nimira, the successor to the head of the Sacred Lotus Pavilion. And you…” she paused, her gaze sharpening at the golden plaque in Ardhana’s hand. “You carry a symbol of honor without my direct permission. That means someone outside has placed great trust in you. But here, trust is measured by one’s ability…”Nimira raised her hand, and the water in the pond began to swirl as if pulled by an unseen force. From its depths, a s