"Hey, you! What the...?" The woman's words were cut off when she saw that I was still fine after being beaten. "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."
"Please give me a job so I can treat my parents!" I said, pointing toward Healer Sugeng, who was in critical condition.
"I will employ you, With one condition."
"Alright! I'll start right now!"
"What do you mean? You are weak and not worthy. Still not..."
"Let me duel with your guard. I will prove it right now."
"Do it."
I took a stance and was laughed at.
"HAHAHA!" They all laughed at me in unison.
"Who is my opponent?"
"You're too arrogant, kid!" the guard said, throwing a sword at me.
This might be my first and last fight. It was a one-sided match, but I was determined to stop being weak and exploited.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
Our swords clashed. I was just trying to keep the sword from slipping from my grasp while avoiding fatal injuries.
Splash!
Blood spurted from my cut shoulder. The sword slipped from my grasp as well.
"Very boring. I will pay for your parents' treatment. You don't need to work for me," the woman said flatly.
Healer Sugeng's condition was worsening. I, who had always depended on his kindness, felt my heart pierced by reality once again.
"Wait! Give me one more chance. I will be serious this time."
"Don't waste my time!"
"I won't leave here. Maybe you'll be even later."
"Fine, you forced me," the woman said, pointing at the guard. "Finish the boy off."
The fight continued as before. This time, I was cornered. It seems I really shouldn't use a sword. I threw the sword away. Without thinking, I charged forward, letting the sword slice my body. But that was nothing compared to the torture I had experienced.
An opening appeared. I managed to firmly grip the guard's hand. I wouldn't let go, even when he threw me to the ground multiple times. Finally, I managed to hold his waist. I tried to slam him, but instead, he threw me.
Hungry. Not again. It's a feeling that brings back bitter memories. But what can I do? I have to endure it to get the job.
The guard was becoming increasingly serious. His slashes were sharper than before. His movements were precise, as if he wanted to kill me.
My wounds increased. My clothes lost their shape, and blood soaked my entire body, but it recovered immediately. The worst of it all, however, was the increasingly intense feeling of hunger. My stomach screamed. Every inch of my body screamed.
Pow!
I was kicked on the chin. I was thrown upward. My vision blurred. Then, darkness.
An empty dimension. It was an experience I had felt before, exactly when I lost consciousness. The difference was that this time, I was in chains.
The man pointed forward. Instantly, my consciousness left that space, and I saw myself lying on the ground. Am I dead? I thought to myself.
Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!
I heard the sound of bones rubbing together, as if shifting, coming from my collapsed body. A second later, I woke up. "How can this be?" I thought to myself.
My unconscious body stood up in a perfect stance. A terrifying aura changed the surrounding atmosphere. My body immediately shot forward and attacked like a wild animal.
It turns out this is what happens when I'm unconscious. It was a very terrifying sight. The guard was cornered by my frenzied, unpatterned attacks. Finally, a scratch hit the man's body. It was quite deep, almost like a slash wound. The guard was thrown and lost consciousness.
However, I couldn't control my body, which continued to hit the unconscious guard. Blood splattered everywhere.
Thud!
A kick to my frenzied body brought me back to consciousness. Before that, though, the mysterious man who had imprisoned me smiled faintly.
"Enough, kid. You've gone too far," said the other guard, landing a kick so hard that I was thrown back.
My body recovered quickly. The sword slashes seemed to have never happened. As I stood up, a letter fell out of my clothes, surprising the woman.
"Hey, you! Where did you get this?"
"I don't know," I replied. 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 it, just take it. I don't need it anyway."
"Enough! You're a child who doesn't know manners. Talking to you just makes me emotional. Get on the carriage."
"Heeee?"
"Quick! What are you waiting for? I'm taking Healer Sugeng to the best healer in this city."
I was confused by how quickly she had changed. At first, she was so arrogant and haughty. But after hearing about the Red Eagle Squad, her attitude changed completely. I didn't want to bother, though. I got into the luxurious carriage with Healer Sugeng.
When we arrived at a large gate, the guards welcomed us luxuriously.
"Before we continue, haven't we been introduced yet? What is your name?" the woman asked.
"My name is Karman. Karman Sutejo," I replied.
"Good, Karman. Let me introduce myself. My name is Ayu Putri. I am the daughter of the leader of the Azure Cloud Sect," she said proudly. "Afterwards, you must take the Azure Cloud Sect's entrance exam. Since the Red Eagle Squad and Elder Bejo recommended you, you cannot refuse."
"All right, I'll do my best."
As our carriage entered, we were greeted by many pairs of eyes belonging to students and elders.
First, Putri came out. Then, when I came out wearing clothes like this, some people looked jealous and others looked at me with sharp, hateful stares. Especially Suheri's, Putri's fiancé.
That's how that day went. It was an unexpected day, and I was fortunate to receive help from Healer Sugeng.
"Prove your worth and pass. If you succeed, I will cover all of Healer Sugeng's treatment and living expenses," Putri said before leaving.
Today is my chance to prove myself and repay Healer Sugeng. There is no reason to fail because I will become the strongest on earth from now on.
When I arrived at the training field, I saw that all the students were wearing the registration uniform, including me.
These clothes are good for exam students too, I mumbled to myself.
The first test is hitting a stone that measures physical strength.
You can use a sword, fist, spear, or whatever to hit the 3-meter-high cube-shaped stone. The important thing is that you leave a mark, the deeper the mark, the higher your physical strength.
When it was my turn, I tried to remember the stance my unconscious self had adopted.
Elder Hartono, who was watching from a distance, flinched. "What is this child's background?" he muttered to himself, watching to see what I would do next.
I felt something strange creeping all over my body as I took this stance; it was as if not only my lungs were breathing, but my skin too, as if a flow of water were penetrating every inch of my body.
BRUK!
"HEEEEEEEEEEEEE??????"
---
Footnote:
(1). The Red Eagle Squad is the most elite squad in Murim, having surpassed the Golden Dragon Squad in achievement. Initially, the Red Eagle Squad consisted of only ten young people. They carved out their achievements little by little by carrying out dangerous missions until only five members remained. They wanted to expand the squad, but no one else could keep up with their effectiveness on missions. They reached their pinnacle when they became the main actors in the war against the Demonic Cult. They beheaded one of the Demonic leaders, repelled the entire Demonic army, and brought victory to Murim. The squad is led by Bejo Bejan, a silver-haired man. Murim knows him as the Sword of Justice.