The Sword Of The Fire Dragon

A Cunning Plan

When the young man accompanying Arya stood nearby, Sarwana immediately threw a question at him, “Who are you, really? Why have you transformed yourself into a human?” Without any formal introduction, Sarwana bombarded Hydra with questions.

Seeing the suspicious expression on the giant ape’s face, Hydra smiled. “Didn’t you already see me earlier?”

“When?” Sarwana replied.

Hydra answered by tilting his head upward.

Sarwana was taken aback. He understood where the young man before him was looking. “So, you are...? How did you get here and meet Arya?”

“You’d better ask Arya why I’m here. It’s because of him that I ended up stranded in the human world.”

Arya chuckled softly before explaining to Sarwana how the veil concealing the Dragon World had been torn due to the expansion of his inner energy.

The giant ape couldn’t contain his shock. The Dragon World, which he had always thought to be a mere myth, turned out to be real. And now, one of its inhabitants stood before him.

“There’s no need to be surprised. Anything in the universe can become reality. For instance, an ape that supposedly shouldn’t be able to talk can converse with me now. That’s just one example,” Hydra said.

“But I’m no ordinary ape, so it’s natural for me to speak. My ancestors even wreaked havoc in the Celestial Palace,” Sarwana retorted defiantly.

“Well, that’s another example. How could an ape possibly cause chaos in the Celestial Palace? From the golden staff you carry, I know it once belonged to the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea before your ancestor stole it.”

Sarwana chuckled. He did know the history of the golden staff he now wielded.

“We should continue this discussion inside. My people will clean up these corpses later!” Sarwana said.

Arya and Hydra nodded. The three of them then dashed toward the Panguripan Gorge.

Two hours later, two of Ronggo’s disciples, who had witnessed the battle between the giant ape and the warriors, ran as fast as they could to report to their teacher.

Following Ronggo’s instructions, if they came across important information, they were to report immediately and refrain from acting recklessly. Two of them decided to return first, while the other five remained in the forest to observe the ongoing battle.

The two disciples ran, panting heavily, toward a small hut located far from the forest. Upon reaching the hut, they paused to catch their breath before entering.

Ronggo greeted his two disciples with a broad smile. “What good news do you have to report?”

The two exchanged glances for a moment. Then one of them took the initiative to respond. “It appears that many warriors have learned about the appearance of the legendary sword, Master.”

Ronggo’s initially cheerful expression turned grim. “So it’s true,” he muttered softly.

Ronggo let out several frustrated sighs. “Continue your report!”

“There’s a giant ape in the forest that can talk, Master. We saw it fighting several warriors, and one of them was Kelana Jati.”

“What...!?” Ronggo stared at his disciples in disbelief. “Are you sure you weren’t mistaken? How could there be a giant ape that can talk?” the old man pressed.

“We couldn’t have been mistaken, Master. The giant ape seems to be the guardian of the forest. It likely has the task of preventing anyone from venturing deeper into the woods.”

Ronggo’s eyes blinked repeatedly as he tried to recall if there was any legend about a giant ape guarding the forest. Despite racking his brain, he couldn’t recall anything relevant.

“What was the outcome of the fight?” he asked.

“We don’t know yet, Master. We’ll have to wait for the others to return. They’ll surely know more.”

“Very well. While we wait, fetch me something to eat!” Ronggo ordered.

The two disciples nodded, stood up, and left the hut.

Meanwhile, in Sarwana’s hut at the Panguripan Gorge, Arya, Hydra, and Sarwana were engaged in a lively discussion, particularly about Sarwana’s fascination with the Dragon World.

Hydra explained everything about his world without holding back, including his decision not to return there and instead join Arya on his journey.

“Have you thought this through carefully?” Sarwana asked.

“What do you mean?” Hydra responded.

“I mean, if you join Arya, does that mean the sword goes with him too?”

“Oh, I see.” Hydra smiled faintly. “I’ve already given the sword to him. Aside from Arya having a good personality, he also possesses the natural element of the Dragon World. So, he is worthy of owning the sword.” Hydra gestured toward the Fire Dragon Sword resting on Arya’s lap.

“I want to ask you something, Sarwana. Don’t you want to teach Arya your fighting techniques? As a descendant of the legendary Monkey King, you must possess extraordinary skills, just like your ancestors.”

Sarwana smirked. “I do intend to share my techniques and spells with Arya, but only after he completes the Dragon King’s manual. I don’t want to overwhelm him, so I’m waiting.”

Hearing this, Arya smiled broadly. He was confident that Sarwana’s techniques and spells would be just as powerful as those in the Dragon King’s manual.

---

Five men sprinted toward the hut where their master awaited. They had important news to deliver to Ronggo about the appearance of a dragon hovering above the forest and the death of warriors who had fought the giant ape, assisted by two young men.

Upon entering the hut, they were startled by Ronggo’s scowling face. They knew that when the old man wore such an expression, they should brace themselves for his wrath.

Their fears turned out to be unfounded. The five disciples, who had been holding their breath in anticipation of their master’s fury, exhaled in relief.

“What news do you bring? Was the giant ape defeated?” Ronggo asked eagerly.

“Forgive us, Master.” A tall, stocky man with cropped hair spoke on behalf of his companions. “Most of the warriors who joined the hunt for the legendary sword met a tragic fate. Besides Kelana Jati, Red's Eagle Warrior and five warriors from the Falcon's Devil sect were also killed.”

“The Falcon's Devil sect?” Ronggo was startled. His mind wandered to the southern black sect, the largest in the region. If they, too, had learned of the legendary sword’s appearance, his chances of obtaining it would diminish significantly.

However, another thought crossed his mind—a cunning plan to exploit their strength. Killing two birds with one stone. Ronggo smiled slyly.