"Hey you, what the...." the woman's words were cut off when she saw my condition still fine after being beaten. "You, how can this be?"
"Well, I just..."
"No! How are you not injured at all?"
"I don't know, maybe your guards are just too weak."
"Miss, it seems this insolent man hasn't been beaten enough," the guard said.
"Enough!" the woman said to the guard. Then she looked at me. "Just say what you want."
"P-please give me a job to treat my parents!" I said while pointing towards Healer Sugeng who was in critical condition.
"I will employ you. With one condition."
"Alright! I will prepare right now!"
"What do you mean? You, who is weak, are not worthy. Still not...."
"Allow me to duel with your guard. I will prove it right now."
"Do it."
I took a stance, before being laughed at.
"HAHAHAH!" They all laughed at me in unison.
"Who is my opponent?"
"You are too arrogant, kid!" the guard said while throwing a sword at me.
Maybe for my whole life, this is my official fight. A one-sided match, but I was determined to stop being weak and exploited.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
Our swords clashed. More accurately, I was just trying to prevent this sword from slipping from my grasp while avoiding fatal injuries.
Splash!
Blood spurted from my shoulder that was cut. The sword also slipped from my grasp.
"Very boring. I will pay for your parents' treatment. You don't need to work for me," the woman said in a flat tone.
Healer Sugeng's condition was getting worse. Me, who always depended on his kindness, made my heart once again pierced by reality.
"Wait! Give me one more chance. I will be serious this time."
"Don't waste my time!"
"I won't leave here. Maybe you will be even more late."
"Whatever, you forced me," the lady answered while pointing at the guard. "Finish the boy off."
The fight proceeded as before. Only I was cornered. It seems I really shouldn't use a sword. I threw the sword away. I charged forward without thinking, letting my body be sliced by the sword. But this was nothing compared to the torture I had experienced.
An opening appeared. Now I managed to firmly grip the guard's hand. I wouldn't let go even if he threw me to the ground multiple times. Until finally I managed to hold his waist. With great difficulty I tried to slam him, but instead I was the one thrown.
Hungry. Not again. A feeling that brings back bitter memories. But what can I do. I have to endure it so I can get the job.
The guard was getting more and more serious. His slashes were sharper than before. His movements were more precise, as if he wanted to kill me.
My wounds increased. My clothes had lost their shape and blood soaked my entire body, but immediately it recovered. However, the worst of it all was the increasingly intense feeling of hunger. My stomach screamed. Every inch of my body shouted.
Pow!
A kick landed on my chin. I was thrown upwards. My vision became blurrier. Then darkness.
An empty dimension. An experience I had felt before, exactly when I lost consciousness. The difference is, only this time I was in chains.
The man pointed to the front. Instantly my consciousness left that space and I saw the sight of myself lying on the ground. Am I dead? I thought to myself.
Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!
The sound of bones rubbing, as if they were shifting, was heard from my collapsed body. A second later, my body woke up. How can this be? I thought to myself.
My body without consciousness stood up in a perfect stance. A terrifying aura even changed the surrounding atmosphere. My body immediately shot forward, attacking like a wild animal.
It turns out this is what happens when I'm unconscious. A very terrifying sight. The guard was cornered by the unpatterned attacks from my frenzied body. Until finally a scratch hit the man's body. Quite deep, almost like a slash wound. Causing the guard to be thrown and lose consciousness.
However, my uncontrollable body went towards the unconscious guard and continued to hit him. Blood splattered everywhere.
Thud!
A kick towards my frenzied body brought my consciousness back. But before that, the mysterious man who imprisoned me smiled faintly.
"Enough, kid. You've gone too far," said the other guard while landing a kick so hard I was thrown back.
My body recovered quickly. All the wounds from the sword slashes seemed to have never happened. As I stood up, suddenly a letter in my clothes fell out, surprising the woman.
"Hey you, kid! Where did you get this?"
"I don't know. Some people handed it to me. They said they were from the Red Eagle Squad."(1)
"Don't lie! Do you think I'm stupid? You must have stolen it."
"If you want, just take it. I don't need it anyway."
"Enough! You are a child who doesn't know manners. Talking to you just makes me emotional. Get on the carriage."
"Heeeee????"
"Quick! What are you waiting for? I will take Healer Sugeng to the best healer in this city."
I was confused why she changed so quickly. At first, she was so arrogant and haughty. After hearing the Red Eagle Squad, her nature suddenly changed. I didn't want to bother. I then got into the luxurious carriage with Healer Sugeng.
When we arrived in front of a very large gate, they welcomed our carriage very luxuriously.
"Before we continue, haven't we been introduced yet? What is your name?" the woman asked.
"My name is Karman. Karman Sutejo."
"Good, Karman. Let me introduce myself, my name is Ayu Putri. I am the child of the leader of the Azure Cloud Sect," she said proudly. "After this you must take the entrance exam to the Azure Cloud Sect. Because the Red Eagle Squad itself, or Elder Bejo, recommended you, so you cannot refuse."
"Whatever, I will do my best."
Our carriage entered and was greeted by many pairs of eyes from students and elders.
first Putri came out, and the second when I came out with clothes like this—some people looked jealous, others hateful with sharp stares. Especially the stare from Suheri, Putri's fiancé.
That's how that day went. An unexpected day where I got the fortune of help to treat Healer Sugeng.
"Prove your worth and pass. If you succeed, I will fully cover the cost of Healer Sugeng's treatment and living expenses," Putri said before leaving.
This morning is my proof and repayment to Healer Sugeng. There is no reason to fail, because from now on I will become the strongest on earth.
Upon arriving at the training field, all students were wearing the registration uniform, including me.
Turns out these clothes are good too for an exam student, I mumbled to myself.
The first test is to hit a physical strength measuring stone.
A 3-meter-high cube-shaped stone is hit. you can use a sword, fist, spear, or whatever. the important thing is that you can leave a mark. the deeper the mark you leave, the higher your physical strength.
when it was my turn. I tried to remember the stance adopted by my unconscious self.
An Elder, they called him Elder Hartono, who was watching from a distance, flinched. "What is this child's background" he muttered to himself. with wide eyes while seeing what I would do next.
I felt something strange creeping all over my body as I took this stance. it's like not only my lungs are breathing. even my skin. a sensation like a flow of water penetrating every inch of my body.
BRUK!
"HEEEEEEEEEEEEE??????"
---
footnote
(1). The Red Eagle Squad is the most elite squad in Murim after their achievements successfully surpassed the Golden Dragon Squad. Initially, the Red Eagle Squad only consisted of ten young people. Little by little, they carved out achievements by carrying out dangerous missions, until only 5 members remained. It's not that they didn't want to add to the squad, but no one else was able to join and keep up with their effectiveness in missions. The pinnacle was when the five of them became the main actors in the war against the Demonic Cult by beheading one of the Demonic leaders, successfully repelling the entire Demonic army and bringing victory to Murim. They are led by Bejo Bejan, a silver-haired man. Murim knows him as the Sword of Justice.