The Sword Of The Fire Dragon

Sarwana's Suspicion

Meanwhile, Kelana Jati and Darmawisesa found themselves once again facing Sarwana. Neither of them had time to consider the two young men who had arrived, as Sarwana immediately blocked their path as they attempted to attack Arya.

"I will fight you!" Sarwana roared, swinging his golden staff toward Kelana Jati. The immense power unleashed by the ruler of the Panguripan chasm created a deafening sound that echoed through the forest, rattling their ears.

The old man barely had time to evade. He raised his own staff to block the golden staff's swing, aimed straight for his head.

Boom!

A deafening explosion reverberated through the forest. Leaves scattered into the air, and thick dust billowed, obscuring the view.

Blocking the attack proved to be a grave mistake for Kelana Jati. Despite channeling all his internal energy to counter it, his body was flung backward, crashing into a massive tree that splintered under the impact.

Lying on the ground, Kelana Jati coughed up fresh blood. His eyes stared blankly at the wide-open sky above.

He couldn’t think straight. His arms were numb from the clash, and to his despair, his precious staff had shattered in a single blow from the great ape.

Darmawisesa, who was near Kelana Jati during Sarwana’s devastating strike, also suffered the consequences. The shockwave threw him several meters away, causing him to crash into another warrior who had been fighting Arya.

The collision proved fatal for the unfortunate warrior. He died instantly, unable to even draw another breath.

Realizing they stood no chance of victory, Darmawisesa decided to flee the battlefield.

But that, too, was a mistake. Sarwana wasn’t about to let his opponent escape so easily. He had already given them a chance to leave the forest, but they had ignored his warning. This time, there would be no mercy.

Darmawisesa staggered to his feet and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Utilizing his body-lightening technique, the middle-aged warrior sped through the forest, desperate to save his life.

Sarwana smirked as he watched his opponent flee. With a single precise aim, he hurled his golden staff. The staff cut through the air like a streak of lightning, chasing down Darmawisesa, who was already far ahead.

No matter how fast Darmawisesa ran, he couldn’t outrun the golden staff. In moments, the staff caught up to him, piercing through his back and emerging from his abdomen.

After claiming Darmawisesa’s life, the golden staff returned to Sarwana’s hand. Without delay, the great ape leapt toward Kelana Jati, who was struggling to stand.

"It’s time for you to join your friend!" Sarwana grinned, baring his fangs.

Kelana Jati looked at the giant ape with sheer terror. His legs trembled uncontrollably as his heart raced. The fear of death consumed his mind.

Elsewhere, Arya was still holding his ground against two warriors attacking him.

Even though Arya only used a single technique, he mastered it to perfection. The handsome young man combined his Mighty Dragon Palm technique with his near-perfect body-lightening skill.

The two warriors struggled to keep up with his movements. Their lack of skill, combined with the fluid and unpredictable nature of the Mighty Dragon Palm, left them unable to anticipate his attacks.

Gradually, Arya overcame his nervousness, allowing him to move with calm precision. His attacks effortlessly broke through the defenses of his two opponents.

Both warriors collapsed to the ground, their bodies emitting thick smoke. They had died instantly after Arya’s palms struck their chest and abdomen with devastating accuracy.

Meanwhile, Kelana Jati felt as though he were staring at the Grim Reaper himself. His knees buckled, and his heart pounded erratically. The specter of death seemed to dance before his eyes.

The old man couldn’t think clearly, nor could he find a way to save himself. Resigned to his fate, he waited for the inevitable.

The thought of fighting back didn’t even cross his mind. The destruction of his beloved staff had crushed his spirit entirely.

"It’s time to say goodbye to this world!" Sarwana declared, swinging his golden staff toward Kelana Jati’s frail body.

The old man didn’t attempt to block the attack. He closed his eyes, surrendering to his fate, as the golden staff reduced his body to a cloud of dust and fragments.

Sarwana hissed softly, satisfied that he had sent the intruders to meet the afterlife.

His gaze shifted to Arya and the other young man who had aided him. Though he was confident he could defeat them both, their assistance had somewhat eased his burden.

Yet one question lingered in his mind: who was this young man accompanying Arya? In all his centuries dwelling in the Panguripan chasm, Sarwana had never encountered another human aside from his late friend.

Elsewhere, Hydra was finishing off the last remaining warrior. A swipe of his claws crushed the man’s skull, ending his life instantly.

Arya sighed deeply, horrified by the brutality of his new companion.

"Why are you staring like that?" Sarwana’s voice startled Arya, who hadn’t noticed him standing nearby.

The young man gestured toward Hydra with his eyes, prompting Sarwana to follow his gaze.

"Oh, that...! One day, you’ll understand, Arya. In the harsh world of martial arts, scenes like that are common. And you might even become the perpetrator yourself," Sarwana explained.

Arya nodded silently. At heart, he despised violence. But after falling victim to a human trafficking syndicate, he had learned to channel his anger into fighting back. Especially now that he possessed formidable skills.

He was beginning to understand the harsh realities of life outside his sheltered world. For the sake of ambition, people were willing to kill one another—whether friend or foe. Anyone who stood in the way would be eliminated.

"Where did you meet that young man?" Sarwana asked, snapping Arya out of his thoughts as he stared at the scattered corpses around him.

"Uh..." Arya hesitated, unsure how to respond. After all, Hydra wasn’t human like him. What puzzled him even more was how Sarwana hadn’t noticed Hydra’s otherworldly energy.

"You’d better ask him yourself," Arya finally replied as he saw Hydra approaching them.

Sarwana watched Hydra’s steady steps. From the way he moved, Sarwana became certain that this young man wasn’t human like Arya—a suspicion that only grew stronger.