In a big city, the marketplace was busy. It was filled with grand and luxurious buildings. Lamps and lanterns were placed in every corner. There was a small, well-maintained shack between the two castles. A place where unimaginable power is gathered.
"Before we begin, I want to thank our younger brother for taking care of this place so well," said the red-haired man.
"It's nothing, Elder Brother. This is my duty," replied the slender man gently.
"HAHAHA... Straight to the point. I don't need to explain, do I?" The man with the red hair spoke to the five people there. They sat at a round table, with one chair empty.
"To be honest, I feel a little empty, especially since the Eldest Brother never comes," said the very beautiful woman.
"That fool? HAHAHA! Whether he's here or not is not important," the red-haired man retorted.
"You!" the woman said, releasing a wave of strong energy. "You know what happened the last time someone sat there."
"Ha ha... It seems Fourth Sister has grown up," said the red-haired man, using his own qi pressure to counter.
The shack shook. The others didn't say anything, like this was something they saw all the time. But...
"Enough," said the Youngest Brother, sweeping his ink brush without thinking, and removing all pressure in the shack. "If this shack collapses, you're not going to get a burial," he said, smiling.
The atmosphere became calm again, and they continued their meeting.
"I'm sure you've all heard. "Isn't it a bit too lively this time?" the red-haired man said, thinking about it. "What should we do next?"
"Isn't that good? Maybe we should give it a little push," said the fat man who had been quiet until now.
"I agree with Third Brother. We must take advantage of this moment," said the man with the long mustache.
"Hasn't that taken too long already?" The man with the red hair stood up. "I'll check it myself," he said.
"Hey, don't cause trouble," said the beautiful woman, Fourth Sister. "Because of something you did twenty years ago, we've had to wait all this time."
"What do you mean? It was an honor for him to die by my hand. He was too weak," the red-haired man stated firmly.
"Elder Brothers and Sisters, I have an idea," said the Youngest Brother softly.
Everyone in the room became quiet. Usually, the Youngest Brother never shared his thoughts. But this time, for the first time, he dared to speak up.
"Haha, it looks like our little brother has grown up. So, speak," said the man with the red hair, sitting back down.
They kept talking, with the old shack as their witness. Maybe this time, the world order would really change.
---
Finally, our group was able to escape without getting hurt. We had a lot of injuries, but we were still alive.
I sat in the clinic corridor feeling a mix of emotions. Why is my heart so hard? I didn't worry or feel anxious when I saw my friends in danger.
All I felt was selfishness. I put myself first and didn't think about my friend's safety. When the White Tiger attacked, I didn't think about their safety. I just wanted to defeat that monster. Even when Putri fell, I kept my feet forward and did not turn toward her. At least I'm grateful that I still have reasonable logic as my limit.
"Karman, what are you thinking about?" Elder Hartono asked, standing next to me without me realizing.
"Greetings, Master," I said, surprised.
"I understand how you feel. But you can't solve problems by feeling sorry for yourself," said Elder Hartono.
"But..."
"I understand exactly how you feel," Elder Hartono interrupted me. "Don't blame your circumstances. You're the one who didn't make them change," he continued.
Then Elder Hartono came over and gave me a piece of paper.
"Write down the things you regret and the things you apologize for on this paper. From now on, we will begin our real training. Maybe a year, twenty years, or a day, it all depends on your talent."
I was shocked. I've been missing out on life all this time. I have been careless. This time, I've decided to change. I promise not to cause any more problems.
"Very well, Master! I'm serious," I said, taking the paper and pen to write a farewell letter.
"To my friends, please forgive my carelessness and mistakes. Because of them, you were injured. Maybe for a while, or years, or decades, we can't meet. And I promise, when we meet again, I will be a Karman you can rely on."
Then I put the letter on a small table next to Tono and Bonar. I also took Putri's letter to the Sect Leader's private clinic.
---
After being unconscious for several days, Tono, Putri, and Bonar finally woke up. The pressure from the White Tiger was still very intense. Even though they were unconscious, they were haunted by that event day and night.
[Tono's POV]
AAAAAACCCKKK!
I woke up startled. That scary creature is always in my mind, day and night.
But... Am I still alive? I said, feeling my body, then pinching my cheek.
Ouch! I'm alive. I survived. Bonar was lying next to me. So it wasn't just in my imagination. But then I realized something was missing. KARMAN! Where is Karman? Did he survive? Is he...
That's it!
My head hurt from thinking too much after I woke up. Then the door to the room opened.
"Oh, you're awake," said a doctor from a religious group. He was carrying some herbs.
"Doctor! Where is Karman? How is he doing?" I asked, wanting to confirm his condition. I don't want to lose him again.
The doctor said, "You should be thinking about yourself." He was sorting herbs. "Karman brought you here. His condition is better than yours," he continued.
"But where is he now?" I asked, just out of curiosity.
"I'm not sure. The last time I saw him, he left with Elder Hartono."
"Thank goodness," I said, relieved. I'm worried about what would happen if something happened to Karman because I took him to Kidang Alas.
"But before he left, he left a letter," the doctor said, pointing to the small table next to my bed. I read it slowly.
"To my friends, please forgive my carelessness and mistakes. Because of them, you were injured. Maybe for a while, or years, or decades, we can't meet. And I promise, when we meet again, I will be a Karman you can rely on."
Karman, you. You're right. I thought to myself, "This is our fault. We dragged you into danger." Tears fell down my face.
---
After a few days, my body was completely healed. I'm still haunted by that bad memory, all the time.
Finally, I, Putri, and Bonar met again in the cafeteria. The atmosphere was quiet and uncomfortable. We just ate.
"So," said Putri, stopping to eat for a moment. "I'm sure you've all read Karman's letter. What are your plans?"
I didn't say anything for a moment. "I... I don't want to be a burden anymore. It seems I'll go into seclusion," I said firmly.
"I agree. You might think I don't care because I don't talk about my feelings often. But I also don't want to be a burden to Karman," said Bonar, who was usually quiet.
"Okay, I've made my decision. Let's train and strengthen ourselves. And meet here again, stronger, before the tournament."
This was the end of our conversation. This is the start of our separation and the strongest bond we have, with a promise that we both held tightly to.