The pair of eyes belonged to a massive dragon, deeply intrigued by the figure of Arya. Last night, it had deliberately let the handsome young man leave without restraint. This allowed the dragon more freedom to observe him closely.
"Turns out he wasn't lying," it murmured to itself. The great dragon considered Arya to be both fascinating and enigmatic.
Unaware that he was being watched, Arya practiced intensely, his focus solely on mastering the techniques written in the Dragon King’s manual.
The dragon remained hidden behind a large rock, continuing to spy on him. It was quite astonished to see Arya move his body like a dragon hunting its prey. In its assessment, the young man was practicing a technique clearly related to dragons.
Meanwhile, Sarwana perched on a massive tree deep in the forest, watching a group of eight individuals in the distance. Judging by their appearance, he could tell they were warriors.
One among them, an elderly man clad in all white with a long white beard, held an ivory-colored staff with a tiger’s head carved into its handle. The other seven wore white tops and black trousers, with swords slung across their backs.
Sarwana furrowed his brow. Their movements suggested they were searching for something, though he didn’t know what.
As the ruler of Panguripan Gorge, Sarwana had no intention of letting intruders roam his territory freely. Besides maintaining peace in his domain, he also needed to protect the rare Tundra Moss from being stolen by those who had long sought it.
As time passed, the group drew closer. Sarwana suppressed his energy to avoid detection. Not out of fear, but to remain unnoticed while gathering more information about their intentions.
The eight warriors stopped not far from the tree where Sarwana was observing them.
"Spread out! Don’t stray too far, so others can hear if you find any clues!" commanded the white-bearded elder.
"Yes, Master," the seven responded in unison before spreading out, advancing and flanking. The elder, however, stayed in place.
Not long after the seven disciples departed, a man wearing a bamboo hat arrived at the scene. A sword with a red eagle-head hilt hung on his back.
"Hahaha... Who would’ve thought Kelana Jati, known for his righteousness, would also covet the Dragon Fire Sword?" the man mocked, clicking his tongue in disdain.
The elder named Kelana Jati turned his head upon hearing the voice. Recognizing the newcomer, he fully turned around.
"So it’s you, Darmawisesa, the Red Eagle Warrior, also yearning for that sacred sword. Will you change your title to the Red Dragon Warrior if you succeed in obtaining it? Hahahahaha!" Kelana Jati retorted.
"I should ask you the same, Kelana Jati. Will you rename yourself the Ivory Dragon Warrior if you claim the sword? And will your school’s name change as well?"
"Don’t drag my school into this, Darma!" Kelana Jati snapped, his face flushing with anger.
"And what will you do about it, Kelana Jati? Do you want to resume the duel we left unfinished?" Darmawisesa taunted.
"You seem to have learned nothing from the past, Darma! Have you forgotten that if Mulawarman hadn’t intervened, you would’ve died by my hand back then?"
"Died, you say? Hahahaha! You’re too confident, Kelana Jati! Now that there’s no one to stop us, why don’t we finish what we started?" Darmawisesa challenged.
"Afraid of you? Never!" Kelana Jati scoffed arrogantly. "I’ll prove that you’ll never be able to defeat me!"
"You arrogant old fool... I’ll kill you!" Darmawisesa growled, his jaw tightening as his fingers curled into claws.
Kelana Jati wasn’t one to back down. His fingers also hardened into claws, fitting for the moniker he carried.
What followed was a fierce battle of claw techniques in the heart of the forest. Kelana Jati unleashed the Tiger Claw Hunter technique, while Darmawisesa countered with the Mountain Eagle Strike.
The hand-to-hand combat moved at incredible speed. Darmawisesa quickly realized that Kelana Jati’s strength hadn’t diminished over the years.
The Red Eagle Warrior was startled by Kelana Jati’s initial speed. He tried dodging swiftly, but another attack came from a different angle, accompanied by an immense aura that bore down on him.
"His movements are so fast!" Darmawisesa reluctantly blocked the attack, causing him to stagger backward several steps.
"I’ve roamed the martial world for decades. If needed, I’ll use all my strength to kill you this time!" Kelana Jati shouted as he launched another attack.
The battle intensified, with dozens of strikes exchanged in mere moments.
Darmawisesa had overestimated his ability to defeat Kelana Jati, which left him on the defensive against his longtime rival. Realizing this, he shifted his mindset and fought more seriously.
Despite his best efforts, Darmawisesa, lacking Kelana Jati’s experience, remained at a disadvantage. He focused on evasion, unable to counterattack as his moves were consistently thwarted.
Though accustomed to fighting speedy opponents, Darmawisesa was genuinely troubled this time. Kelana Jati’s techniques were more fearsome, infused with greater internal energy than during their previous encounter.
"How long will you keep dodging, Darma? Even with your speed, you’re no match for me in this martial world!" Kelana Jati spun and suddenly changed direction, targeting Darmawisesa’s exposed flank.
Thud!
Darmawisesa was flung back, crashing into a tree. His chest burned from the claw strike’s impact.
"Ugh...!" He coughed lightly, spitting out thick blood that disrupted his breathing.
Determined not to be humiliated by his old foe, he stood and blocked Kelana Jati’s next attack, aimed at his chest.
The 40-something warrior stumbled back but quickly advanced with his Mountain Eagle Strike. His claw-like hands, combined with his light-body technique, allowed him to move rapidly.
Gradually, Darmawisesa began to turn the tide, going from defensive to offensive. However, none of his attacks landed on Kelana Jati.
"His moves are so precise and deadly. What technique is he using?" Kelana Jati blocked Darmawisesa’s strike and used the impact to leap high. He grabbed his staff, still planted in the ground, and countered with swift precision.
"Hunter’s Staff Strike!" Kelana Jati shouted, slashing his staff toward Darmawisesa’s head.

Latest Chapter
END
---“Uncle, are you sure you want to continue the journey alone?” Arya asked.Karyo stared into the distance. All he could see was endless darkness. Doubts about continuing the journey began to creep into his mind.Arya noticed the hesitation in Karyo’s eyes. He felt uneasy about letting him go alone into the dark, quiet night.“Or how about this, Uncle... Since we’re also heading to the Purareksa Kingdom, why don’t we have Ratna accompany you for the rest of the journey? Once I’m done with the matter regarding Ki Ageng Wanayasa, I’ll catch up with you by passing through the Dead Forest.”Karyo looked at Arya with surprise. What difference would it make if he continued the journey alone or with a young girl? He didn’t even know her capabilities.“I understand your concern, Uncle. But believe me, it’s hard to find someone who matches Ratna’s abilities. Even if there are enemies ahead—three times their number—I’m sure they still wouldn’t be able to defeat her,” Arya added.“Well, what d
Leaving the Village
Arya handed the two pouches filled with coins to the girl. “Give one to your master, and the other is for you.”The girl looked at him in disbelief. Being saved from the cruelty of those men was already a precious blessing—and now, being given such a large amount of money felt almost unreal to her.“Just take it. Give the money to your parents,” said Ratnasari, noticing the girl’s hesitation.“Thank you, kind sir. But how can I possibly repay your kindness?”Arya smiled warmly. “If your parents are still alive, repay us by being devoted to them. And don’t forget to be kind to others. The smiles of those you help are sincere prayers directed to you. No one who has been helped ever prays ill for their savior.”“Now go home. We’ll take care of the rest,” Ratnasari added, following up on Arya’s words.“Yes, kind lady. Once again, thank you both so much for your help. May the gods grant you both lasting happiness in your marriage.”Arya and Ratnasari exchanged glances after hearing the ble
A Streak of Misfortune
"Uncle, are you sure you want to continue the journey alone?" Arya asked.Karyo stared into the distance. All he could see was endless darkness. A sense of doubt began to creep into his mind.Arya noticed the hesitation in Karyo’s eyes. He felt uneasy letting the man travel alone in such a dark and quiet night. “Or how about this, Uncle… Since we’ll also be heading to the Purareksa Kingdom later, how about Ratna accompany you for the rest of your journey? Once the matter with Ki Ageng Wanayasa is settled, I’ll follow—but through the dead forest.”Karyo looked at Arya with a puzzled expression. What difference would it make, continuing alone or being accompanied by a young girl? He had no idea what her abilities were.“I understand your concern, Uncle. But trust me, it’s hard to find anyone who matches Ratna’s skills. Even if someone with bad intentions lies ahead, even if they outnumber her three to one, I’m confident they wouldn’t stand a chance,” Arya continued.“Well? Are you willi
The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
The four men were startled and tried to retreat. But Arya didn’t give them the chance to even catch a deeper breath. The handsome young man, moving faster than the eye could follow, disabled all four attackers in an instant.“If you want to keep the only life you have intact inside your body, then tell me now—who is your true leader? Is it Ki Ageng Wanayasa, or is there someone else leading you?” Arya threatened.Over thirty members of the bandit group exchanged nervous glances. What they had just witnessed wasn’t some lucky coincidence for the young man. Resisting him now would be futile—nothing more than a senseless suicide mission.The invincibility of Arya’s body turned their inner fear into something visible—shown clearly through their gestures and expressions.“If you won’t talk, I promise none of you will walk away alive. Your actions have harmed so many people, and more could suffer from your barbarity!”Arya stepped forward and picked up a branch about a meter long from the g
A Perfect Disguise
Karyo pulled the reins to halt his horse-drawn cart. He glanced at Arya and Ratnasari in turn, trying to assess their characters.His focus also didn't stray far from the swords strapped to their backs. From that alone, he could tell they were likely a pair of warriors on a journey.Although he didn’t know how skilled they were, Karyo was still grateful to have their company on his journey to the Purareksa kingdom.“Very well. But I must apologize in advance—this cart isn’t built for speed,” said Karyo.“It’s no problem, Uncle. This is our first time heading to Purareksa, so at the very least, we won’t get lost if we travel with you,” Arya replied with an excuse.In truth, what he told Karyo was merely a reason. Traveling with a merchant might lure out the bandit gang hiding nearby to ambush them. It would be different if they were traveling alone through the winding path around the Dead Forest.Karyo’s cart continued to move. Though it wasn’t fast, it wasn’t exactly slow either. The
A Major Change of Plans
After a short while, two of the four rough-looking men left the eating place. The other two remained inside.Meanwhile, Arya and Ratnasari were enjoying the meal on their table while listening to the conversations of other patrons. They were particularly interested in the topic about the Cluring bandits, who were now operating outside their usual territory. This shift occurred because no one dared to enter the dead forest anymore.Arya’s thoughts were consumed by the pressing issue of the bandit gang that had been troubling the merchants. If left unchecked, it was possible that they would soon target the village of Karang Aji.To devise a further plan, Arya intended to ask the innkeeper where they were staying. At the very least, the innkeeper might have some information from the merchants who had lodged at his place.After paying for the food that now filled their bellies, the young warrior couple decided to return to the inn. However, the innkeeper had already gone home, and a serva
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