The shadows between the trees were becoming clearer.
Brajamusti counted them at a glance.
About ten people.
They wore dark clothing and carried all kinds of weapons. Some held swords, while the others carried machetes and short spears.
Sinta stood beside Brajamusti with her sword drawn.
“Don’t split up,” she said.
Brajamusti nodded.
“Are they Jaka Wulung’s men?”
“No.”
“More dangerous?”
Sinta stared at them.
“Far more dangerous.”
One of the men stepped forward.
“Hand over the Dragon Flute, and we’ll let you go.”
Brajamusti sighed.
“Why does everyone keep asking for this thing?”
The man smiled coldly.
“Because it possesses the power to change the martial world.”
Brajamusti tightened his grip on the flute.
“Then you’ve got the wrong people.”
The man gave a signal.
“Attack!”
All ten men sprang into action.
Sinta leaped forward. Her sword moved swiftly, parrying two attacks at once.
Brajamusti faced three others.
He dodged the first slash, ducked beneath the second attack, then struck one of his opponents in the chest with his palm.
One man fell.
But the other two attacked at the same time.
Brajamusti backed away.
A sword nearly struck his face.
“Brajamusti!”
Sinta shouted.
Brajamusti ducked just in time.
Sinta’s sword swept over his head and struck his opponent’s weapon.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t let your guard down!”
“I won’t.”
The battle grew fiercer.
Several minutes later, most of their opponents had fallen.
But their leader was still standing.
He was far stronger than the others.
Sinta stepped forward to face him.
The two fought at incredible speed.
Brajamusti watched from a distance.
Sinta landed several attacks, but her opponent continued to hold his ground.
At last, the man managed to kick Sinta to the ground.
“Sinta!”
Brajamusti ran toward her.
The man immediately attacked Brajamusti.
Brajamusti blocked with both hands, but the force of the attack drove him back several steps.
The flute at his waist nearly fell.
Brajamusti snatched it up.
He remembered what Sinta had said.
The flute was no ordinary object.
If he used it carelessly, he had no idea what the consequences might be.
But when he saw Sinta come under attack again, Brajamusti had no choice.
He blew into the flute.
A long note echoed through the forest.
The wind suddenly began to swirl.
Leaves flew through the air.
The ground trembled.
Everyone stopped.
Then a wave of air slammed into the attackers.
They were thrown backward and fell one after another.
Their leader still struggled to stand.
He stared at Brajamusti, fear written across his face.
“Impossible…”
Brajamusti himself was stunned by the power.
Sinta quickly got to her feet.
“Don’t use it again.”
“Why?”
“The flute’s power will draw the attention of people far stronger than them.”
Brajamusti looked at the flute in his hand.
But before they could say anything more, the group’s leader got up and fled into the forest.
Sinta was about to chase him.
“Let him go.”
Brajamusti stopped her.
“He could bring back more troops.”
Sinta looked at him.
“That’s exactly the problem.”
They eventually left the area.
As night approached, they found an empty hut on the edge of the forest. Sinta cleaned the small wound on her arm while Brajamusti started a fire.
“Why did you help me?” Brajamusti asked.
Sinta stared into the fire.
“Because I know what it feels like to be hunted.”
Brajamusti fell silent.
He didn’t ask any further questions.
A while later, Sinta said,
“If you keep carrying it, your journey will never be the same again.”
Brajamusti looked at the old flute beside him.
“I’m already carrying it.”
Sinta gave him a faint smile.
“Then you’ll have to learn to control it.”
Brajamusti nodded.
The night grew deeper.
Sinta fell asleep first.
Brajamusti sat in front of the hut, gazing up at the sky.
He took out the flute.
“Who are you, really?”
Suddenly, the dragon carving on the flute lit up again.
Brajamusti was startled.
Footsteps sounded in the distance.
He immediately stood up.
But it wasn’t just one or two people.
Dozens of footsteps could be heard approaching from the direction of the forest.
Brajamusti gripped the flute.
Sinta woke up and immediately grabbed her sword.
“Who are they?”
Brajamusti stared into the darkness between the trees.
He didn’t know.
But one thing was already clear.
The enemy coming this time was far greater than before.
And their journey had only just begun.