I'm truly starting to feel disturbed when I see that mysterious man in the void. It's like I'm feeling a familiar sensation I've never experienced before. Anger, happiness, sadness, peace, regret, and other mixed feelings that never happened yet feel utterly real.
Who is he? What is his connection to me? I'm still confused.
I opened my eyes. The sensation was almost the same as when I first lost consciousness from hunger. Beside me was Physician Sugeng. But now he wasn't grinding medicine. Instead, he was still unconscious.
Perhaps his old body was already very fragile. And it was time for him to retire.
I still remember in my mind. Someone as kind and cheerful as Physician Sugeng actually harbored deep wounds in his heart. Every night he cried while looking at the painting of his child that he always carried in his clothes.
He once told me that his child might be around my age. But an incident had caused him to lose his child.
Blood Cult. His child was one of the victims of the Blood Cult's kidnappings. A heretical sect that committed atrocities just for fun. And that name always made my blood boil.
"So you're awake."
A deep voice from Elder Hartono broke my reverie.
"E-Elder Hartono, I'm not... I mean..."
"I was wrong. It turns out you're not the person I meant. But I want to confirm one thing. Do you know about the strange condition of your body?"
"You mean my body's regeneration? I don't-"
"No, not about regeneration. But you. Your body doesn't just regenerate, it's as if it refuses to die."
"What do you mean?"
"You have a unique body. But that's all. Your body is too weak. So you easily lose consciousness," said Elder Hartono. "You have potential. But you have absolutely no foundation."
I fell silent, then Elder Hartono handed me a book.
"Study this."
"Yes sir!"
"I will test you once a month. If you're lazy, then prepare to be beaten to death."
Elder Hartono left the clinic room and hurried to his master's grave. Upon arriving at the location. "Master, I won't think about revenge anymore. Now I've been given the fortune of having a disciple with potential. I will train him not for revenge, but to become a gem to protect Murim," murmured Elder Hartono while pouring wine. "Perhaps that child is the only one capable of mastering the Golden Body technique, because that technique doesn't require qi, but life energy."
Once again, tears fell on Elder Hartono's cheeks.
---
Thooong... thooong...
A bell rang to summon all disciples to gather in the middle of the field. Even new disciples lined up, making the field crowded.
"Good morning, my disciples," said the Sect Leader. "I bring good news to all of you, that Kidang Alas will be opened. And every disciple who can complete it will get credits to exchange for pills, weapons, and rare technique manuals," he continued.
Some were enthusiastic, others complained and were confused.
"So, prepare yourselves. The student with the highest contribution will participate in the annual tournament," added the Sect Leader.
---
"Karman, what's your plan today?" asked Tono.
"Huh? Uh, yeah."
"Answer properly, man!"
"I'm focusing. What kind of book is this? The movements are weird."
"Don't you care at all about what the Sect Leader said earlier?" said Tono. "Rumor has it, even if you want to eat at the canteen, you have to pay with contribution points."
"WHAAAAAT?"
"Lol, I thought so. You only listen when it's about food."
"So what is this Kidang Alas thing?"
"So, Kidang Alas is a secret realm that brought our sect to the peak of its glory. But..."
"But what?"
"In recent decades, it's been closed because it's claimed many victims," Tono said seriously. "That secret realm contains the world of beasts. Initially used as a training ground and resource mine for the sect. But, since a tragedy that killed many of the sect's geniuses, the secret realm was closed for safety reasons. And that also caused our sect's decline."
"Oh. Yeah, yeah."
"You don't seem curious at all. You're not even asking what disaster befell that secret realm."
"Sighhhh...." Tono exhaled. "So, due to overexploitation for hundreds of years, the realm eventually formed its own defense."
"What do you mean?"
"A beast king awakened, the White Tiger. Where we used to hunt beasts there, now the White Tiger hunts us. That day became known as the Kidang Alas Disaster and marked the beginning of our sect's decline. But there's good news. The White Tiger won't leave its nest unless provoked. So, this time the secret realm will be limited to explorable areas."
Karman just nodded and went back to reading the book given by Elder Hartono because he didn't want to be beaten again.
---
The next day during breakfast at the canteen. Everything looked normal. Except.
Tak!
Karman's hand was hit with a vegetable ladle.
"If you want more, pay with contribution points," said Bi Ijah, the sect cook.
"Please, just this once," Karman begged Bi Ijah for mercy.
"No no no.... I don't want my food eaten by lazy students."
"Come on, don't embarrass us, let's just go," said Tono.
"Oh, so the greedy village kid wants to act tough and cause trouble in the canteen," said Bonar.
Karman looked at the source of the voice and saw it was Bonar. He immediately avoided him; he didn't want to get into another fight and be punished with stupid penalties.
"Where are you going? Scared of me?"
"Wherever I want. I want to go to Kidang Alas. I want to get points for food. I'm still not full."
Bonar felt deeply insulted because this was the first time in his life someone had ignored him like that. After all, Bonar was the son of one of the richest merchants in the city.
Finally, Karman and Tono arrived in front of Kidang Alas. They registered and were given entry permits for new disciples.
Specifically for the peripheral areas of Kidang Alas.
"What is this? Where are the beasts?!"
"You're so noisy, Karman! Besides, this is better than being surrounded."
After looking around, they finally found a squirrel beast.
"Are you serious, Tono? What kind of squirrel is that big?"
"I told you, we have to be careful."
"According to the guidebook, the way to defeat a squirrel beast is.... Hey! Don't be reckless!"
"No matter how big a squirrel is, they're still just squirrels."
Karman immediately charged forward without thinking. Meanwhile, far away on the mountain peak, the White Tiger that was sleeping began to open its eyes.