Hella knocked again hearing the sound of that knocking, Mitha hurried out and opened the house door, immensely shocked to see the severe condition of Hella's body.
"Hella?!!"
A few moments later in the living room, the two of them sat together while Mitha had just finished treating Hella with whatever makeshift medicine she had.
"What's wrong with you, Hella? What happened?"
"Nothing. Just a small problem."
"Why? Tell meeee..."
"Earlier I just fought with a friend from the SN FAMILY when that was done, Celis suddenly arrived. Then I continued fighting with Celis. Ahahaha..."
"You gave the medicine to Brother Celis, right? But then why did you suddenly fight? How could that happen?"
"I gave it to him. We fought because I was the one who got angry. Don't worry."
Hella stroked Mitha's hair with a sweet smile.
"Thanks for your concern."
Mitha's face turned red again with uncontrollable shyness, she stammered, trying to say something.
"I-I-I-I-III..."
With her words left unfinished without Mitha realizing it, Hella had already disappeared right before her eyes.
Hella looked in front of the bedroom door of her younger siblings, who were sound asleep. She covered the three of them with blankets.
On the other hand, in an unrecognizable place—like an office space containing only a desk and chairs, but also a lounge area to rest or discuss. The quality of its furniture was exceptionally high, like the arrangement of the sofas inside this room. The design was also very elegant using wooden textures. Its touch of luxury was apparent from the choice of lighting and the installation of tiered ceilings.
A man with neatly parted black hair—fluffy on both sides, but with the right side styled higher—looked quite elegant and wore casual clothes, sitting on the sofa while counting money.
Ferra was sitting there looking out the glass window, located inside a large, three-story glass building.
It turned out Fadil was still alive, walking toward Ferra, he looked in prime condition, yet still dirty as before.
Ferra asked Fadil.
"How's your condition?"
Ferra turned his chair to face Fadil, who stood in front of him.
"Don't worry, I won't die that easily. As for Hella and Celis, everything went according to plan. They fought, and in the end, Celis decided to leave them. But Celis was able to defeat Hella in a single strike with his new attack called Bypass Durability. That technique... I feel annoyed with him because he was faster than me when using it."
Ferra stood up from his chair and faced the glass outside—a night atmosphere of heavy rain that continuously covered the sadness.
"It's fine, take it easy... At least you tried hard to stall until Celis arrived. Thank you for your hard work that brought my expectations to reality."
Without a single word, Fadil gave ten million in cash to the man on the sofa and left the room.
"You're lucky to have someone like me."
A familiar voice was heard; Ferra responded to it while looking at him in the reflection of the glass.
"Isn't it equal? You're the lucky one to have us whom you turned into your chess pawns, while we're lucky to have someone wealthy like you. Furthermore, there's the information you provided regarding the rumors of Celis killing a small child in front of their mother in the Puhun Continent when we first met here. Right, Brand Bernata?"
"Don't call me by my school alias. My name is Jho Aldy... famous for my ability to read all kinds of data just by looking at a home screen."
Jho Aldy had a dual identity as an ordinary nerdy-looking schoolkid named Brand Bernata, and at the same time a spy and Celis's classmate back then who once helped unlock the passcode of Rehan's phone that Celis took. But right now, he was more charismatic and elegant with his handsome appearance.
Ferra sighed, complaining to him because of hearing that phrase over and over again.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Famous or not, just keep boasting about your power."
"Hm, does that mean you don't need me? What a shame, considering that without me, you guys wouldn't even have a room like this."
Jho had been constantly belittling Ferra, sparking a bit of emotion, but with his critical thinking, Ferra considered venting his anger at Jho to be tantamount to suicide—because the cash flow for the SN FAMILY organization originated from Jho.
"Whatever."
Ferra sat back down while calming himself. But Jho was still playing around with him.
"Turns out you can be patient too."
Back to Celis, who was cold, walking down Bougenville Road, passing houses as well as people driving cars and riding motorcycles.
"I'm willing to leave them behind for the sake of my goal, especially Shintia, who took care of me. But...,"
Inside the blank white feeling, a small black crack at the edge began to fracture further with a medium-sized crack at the tip.
"If I drag all of them into this trivial matter, the only one who gains the outcome and feels the result is me. I don't know what I was thinking when I talked about her to Hella back then."
He stopped by a fairly large eatery with a rather warm atmosphere and a visually appealing, stylish, or cool appearance featuring a 90s-style theme alongside cool posters on the wall.
With wet clothes and body, Celis walked inside, catching the attention of those around him and becoming a topic of gossip for sitting there. But Celis paid no mind. He sat at the furthest single table, which had two seats facing each other.
"Look at that! Soaking wet and walking right inside."
"The least he could do is dry his clothes first."
"Isn't it better to just change clothes right away?"
"Knowing it's raining like this, how is he still so reckless?"
"He even brought a sword into the eatery."
Without taking much time and without placing an order, a man with smooth black hair parted on the right side arrived carrying one of Celis's favorite meals a plate of crispy fried chicken breast cut into various pieces and smothered in black pepper sauce, along with rice shaped using a bowl, and a bottled drink.
"Here, busu, your order of black pepper chicken and mineral water."
Upon seeing him, Celis's eyes gleamed slightly.
"You always know what I want to order. Aji Kaden."
Aji Kaden was Celis's second cousin and his childhood best friend from when they were little up until middle school. The title "Aji" is a title for descendants of Kutai nobility the title Aji can only be passed down by Kutai noblemen, and an Aji woman who marries a commoner cannot pass down the Aji title to her children.
Clarification regarding the parties concerned: this is merely "fiction" taking reference from noble family parties, intended solely for introduction to the fictional world/outside world. "No bad intentions or disrespect intended" toward the parties concerned.🙏
"It's everyday with you, you always order the exact same thing."
"Eleh... not really."
Kaden sat across from Celis while saying firmly.
"There's no mistaking it."
Celis devoured it in an instant, finishing it completely.
"Give me seconds, bring three portions."
Kaden stood up to get them.
"Greedy."
Celis heard him with a slightly raised tone.
"Huh?!"
Shortly after, the rain had stopped, and customers began heading home. At this time, the plates on the table were full.
"Looks like you were really starving."
Celis burped.
"Nope."
"Cel, do you have a promise with them?"
"Them?"
"The Calumny."
"Huh?!"
"You don't know?"
"How would I know? I didn't care about the outside world for the past three years."
"Hedehhh .... But you've heard of them, right? Those who wear traditional masks of various tribes, spreading slander while granting them powers, which caused the destruction of Indonesian unity because of their actions. That is called Calumny—the bringers of slander as well as the masterminds behind the event named Slander Disaster, or simply the destruction of Indonesia. Shattering the long-held trust we fought for just like that."
"Woooah, really? Try explaining further."
The two of them looked around; it was quiet and calm, suitable for discussion right now.
"So..."
Where someone must make a promise to the Calumny—entities of the Slander Disaster—to obtain that power. The power will be given to the person who makes a promise and places their trust in the Calumny.
The granting of magical powers or various abilities from the Calumny is exclusive in nature, because after making a promise to them, the Calumny will vanish like light, though some vanish like dust. They also grant power depending on what was promised, and their fate will be determined according to their vow.
After we trust them and obtain power, this is what happens our minds are manipulated on a global scale, and at the same time, we are the ones who initiate racial hostility toward other tribes—and even racism toward our own tribe—fighting, torture, injustice, corruption, greed, and many inhumane things that have been committed.
"But strangely, after they returned to their respective tribal islands, cut off connections, and protected their islands with magical power that created a barrier... then their islands, including ours, floated into the air, leaving the land behind like pillars."
"That means you're one of them too."
Kaden approached Celis and whispered.
"Shh!! I'm not affected by that mental manipulation. If I get caught, I'll be hunted down by them."
Celis joined in whispering as well.
"Them?"
"The SN FAMILY—Suku Nasional Family. Several tribes united to form an organization. Even though they are from different tribes, they stand united for a single goal destroying our island, Kalimantan."
Celis was shocked to hear about the SN FAMILY.
"Destroy Kalimantan?"
"Yeah. They also act as subordinates to the Calumny, commanded to hunt down anyone who breaks a promise and vow to the Calumny."
"So that's their main goal?"
"Yes. They are touted as superheroes, but in reality, they are merely the Calumny's lapdogs."
They sat together as usual. Celis was shocked and asked his intent in sharing such important information with him.
"Why are you telling me about this?"
"Why?"
"Why are you asking me back?"
"Dunno, besides, I don't care about that kind of stuff anyway."
Celis looked around and smiled proudly while resting his chin on his hand.
"I guess your dream came true."
Kaden stretched his body, relaxing himself by exhaling a heavy breath.
"Yeah, I guess so. My past wish was to have a big, luxurious house, live in peace, especially having an eatery like this."
"Hahahaha... time flew so fast. Feels like yesterday we were still in elementary school. Suddenly we're in high school."
"Yeah, even though five years ago we had just walked home together."
"Uh-huh."
The two of them smiled sincerely at each other. Kaden's smile was as sweet as honey and wine, while Celis's smile was genuine but bland, like the taste of a melon that wasn't fully ripe yet.
Kaden remembered something.
"Wait a second."
Kaden stood up and left for a moment. Celis wondered what he was thinking.
"What's up, so sudden."
Kaden returned carrying something like a bundle of light brown cloth in his hands, then handed it to Celis.
"What's this?"
"My cloak. Back then I used to wear it often, but not anymore. So I'm giving it to you in case you want it."
Celis stood up, put it on, and showed it to Kaden. A light brown cloak featuring a hood, with the cloak shaped unevenly tapering downward the fabric covered his entire body, but at the arms, only half was covered.
"I think this suits you."
"Right? In that case, let's make a vow."
Celis realized that Kaden was about to give him power.
"No thanks."
"Why?"
"I think... I'll end up betraying the promise and trust..., again."
"It doesn't matter. I'm not thinking about anything else anymore. What matters most is that my power is given to you."
"Really?"
"Besides, my dream has already been achieved all that's left is to live it out."
Celis heard this with a heavy heart.
"I suppose..."
"In that case, I vow with...,"
The exact same words reminded Celis of his parents—the same phrase as their final words. The faint sound gradually became clearer. The tragedy where Celis's parents were killed right before his eyes with those final words.
Celis's father and mother said the exact same sentence.
"With my power, use it. We trust you and will protect you with our power...."
In the present, Kaden finished his words.
"I place my trust in you."
After finishing Kaden's vow to Celis, Kaden felt strange seeing the blank expression and empty look in Celis's eyes. Kaden tried to ask him.
"Cel? What's wrong?"
The painful past was remembered once more; painful feelings resurfaced in his mind. The blank white feeling with a black crack at the edge—which had broken again with a medium crack at the tip—now added more cracks in the same spot.
This was the feeling describing Celis's current mental state.
Simultaneously with the transfer process, a sphere of light emerged from Kaden and entered Celis's body.
Anxiety flared up again, making Celis's heart beat slightly faster. But Kaden kept calling out his name.
"Heyyyyy...!!!"
Kaden's shout brought Celis back to his senses. Kaden was confused by Celis's current state.
"What's wrong with you all of a sudden?"
Celis covered the truth with a lie.
"Nothing, just daydreaming."
Kaden raised his eyebrows, surprised to hear that.
"Really? Alright then. By the way, my power is blue butterflies. You can transform yourself into the form of butterflies and then return to your original form."
Celis brushed it off and belittled Kaden's power.
"That's it?"
"Not just that—it depends on how you use it yourself. Don't expect me to figure out your power for you too."
Celis mocked Kaden with a silly face.
"Nyah-nyah-nyah."
Kaden threw Celis's used food plate hard from the dining table, successfully hitting Celis right in the face.
Celis was in pain, his face red from taking the hit from Kaden's plate.
"That hurts, hey..!!"
Celis then joined in by throwing plates back at Kaden, but Kaden managed to dodge them. Several plates were thrown by Celis, and Kaden—refusing to accept being thrown at—joined in throwing plates back at Celis.
Celis was continuously hit by Kaden's throws, but Celis struggled to throw at Kaden, who always managed to dodge.
Celis felt annoyed by that, but a woman's voice screaming from the kitchen was heard by both of them.
"Heyyyy, what's that noise..!!! Kadennnn...!!!"
She came out of the kitchen and went to where Kaden was; she was Kaden's mother.
"What was that just now, Kaden..?!"
The situation there: the plates they had thrown were suddenly neatly arranged on the table where Celis had eaten earlier, and Celis had also vanished from sight, likely having managed to escape.
"Nothing, Celis just came by earlier."
Kaden's mother let out a heavy sigh.
"Huh.... What have you two been fighting about endlessly since you were little? Unbelievable."
Now in a fairly large field, Celis complained with gasping breath.
"Running from Samarinda to Bougenville took only thirteen minutes, then another two minutes to the Panji Sukarame Reservoir park, which drained all my energy. Even after relaxing at Kaden's place, the tiredness is still felt."
Celis walked into the reservoir park entrance gate.
"I'd better go inside instead of staying in the field."
As he entered, Celis didn't realize there was a CCTV camera at the gate spying on him.