Wiro Sableng - Volume 1 - Chapter 10

Wiro Sableng Book 1 Chapter 10

“Listen well Wiro…. More than 40 years ago I took a disciple named Suranyali. At that time he was only two years old. From that two years old, I started teaching him all kinds of basic martial arts and martial skills, but then after I found out that I had taken that beast of a human as my disciple. I let Suranyali to go down the mountain, I had given him all kinds of advices but deep inside that Suranyali was not a decent human being, once he was down the mountain, all the skills that I have taught him was used to do evil, to do wicked things. He brought chaos eveerywhere he was! Becoming the headof bandit! A blackmailer that even kidnapped many beautiful women and tainted their purity! I believe he is now around half a century old, already near his end! But this doesn’t give him any sense of regret. His crime recently is getting worse, already went beyond measure! Now he is brewing an evil plan against the Pajajaran (TN: an ancient kingdom based in the modern West Java). Pajajaran has been planned to have a blood bath in it! Therefore you have to quickly locate that accursed human being and told him to come here to face me and took responsibility for all that he had done while adventuring in this world outside! And for you to know, Suranyali is now using a new name, Mahesa Birawa!”
Wiro Saksana felt how sad it was to part with his master that had taught him for the last 17 years. But considering that this parting is to conduct a task from his master, he felt a bit conslation in his heart. Thus the youth replied: Granny’s task will be done without fail. Just that, what should I do if that Mahesa Birawa guey doesn’t comply with the order to come here….?”
“The answer is ne thing Wiro, beat that guy! Kill that cursed human! ” Wiro Saksana fell silent. In his silence he pondered up to what level is the might of this Suranyali a.k.a Mahesa Birawa? Would he be able to fight against a man that in actuality is his senior martial brother?!
“I know what’s in your mind Wiro,” Granny Sinto Gendeng suddenly said. This really surprised Wiro Saksana. “Suranyali is strong, I even heard that he took apprenticeship to another mighty sage on Lawu Mountain! But fear not! You have the Fire Dragon Hatchet 212. And you stood on the side of justice! Therefore you are truly in the right to kill this man, Wiro. First is because this is a task that I burdened on your shoulder to take! Secondly because this Suranyali a.k.a Mahesa Birawa himself was the one who murdered your father and mother!”
Wiro Saksana’s whole body abruptly shook violently. His expression grew increasingly solemn and grim! Since little, since he moved in seclusion at the peak of the Gede mountain he never knew what was hate and vengeance! But at that moment, his chest felt like it was about to explodeby the flame of hate and anger, as well as unprecedented feeling of vengeance!
“Your father’s name was Ranaweleng! He was murdered by Suranyali. Your mother was taken away by him. Afterwards, she committed suicied after her honor was tainted. You yourself almost met your end by fire when your father’s house was burnt down by Suranyali and his goons. It was a pure coincidence that I was passing by that place….”

Wiro dropped himself in front of his master.. “My gratitude Granny…. If you weren’t there, I….”
“Stand up!” scolded Sinto Gendeng. This weird lady hated the most being knelt at like that. “It wasn;t me that helped you, it was God!” she said. “Quickly rise!”
Wiro rose back to his feet. And Sinto Gendeng narrated the event that happened seventeen years ago as clear and vivid as she could. Now Wiro understood what was behind the lyrics of his master’s song from before. He braced his heart to control his feeling that was all over the place. He braced himself to hol the tears that was about to flow down his eyes!
“Granny….,” hissed Wiro Saksana, “When Granny was down the mountain, in that Jatiwalu village, why didn’t you intervene personally….?”
Sinto Gendeng laughed faintly. “Should have…. I should have intervened at that time. But when I found out that Ranaweleng, your father, has a little baby I had another tought. If I nurse the baby and teach him martial arts and martial skills then when he grows up than he will be even more rightful to end the life of this Suranyali a.k.a Mahesa Birawa. Otherwise it would be a waste of my breath that I taught you that this life is all summed up in this line of 212 numbers. Doesn’t all deed have their karma? Every crime has their perpretator? God had helped you, that means it was a 1. That Suranyali killed your parents means that it was a 2. Wiro! Don’t you dare to ever forget this!”
“According to you, does that scum of a human is still in the Jatiwalu Village with his goons….?”
“I can’t be sure of that, Wiro. It will be your task to investigate. What I know is that man plans to bring Pajajaran into a bloodbath. Therefore, you have to drag him here before it happens. And if he refuse, kill him!!”
Silence reigned for a moment. These two people all sink deep into their own thought.

“Are you leaving soon, Wiro?” The youth didn’t directly answer. And then he slowly nodded.
“My last will Wiro, when you are out of this mountain, use the name WIRO SABLENG (Sableng = Erratic, eccentric). It will be better for you. The teacher is crazy, the disciple is eccentric.” And after she said that, the old lady laughed giggling for a long, long time. But that laugh was only to hide her vulnerable heart, that sadness was only to hold back the tears that were close to bursting out!
“Granny…. when can we meet again?” asked Wiro.
Master Sinto abruptly stopped her laugh. “As long as the sky is still blue, as long as the forest is still green, as long as the river still flows to the sea, we will definitely meet again Wiro Sableng….!”

_____________

That restaurant was quite big, but at that moment there were only few patrons. Wiro Sableng gulped down his own saliva. He didn’t have enough money but his stomach was already hurting with hunger, his throat parched with thirst. He finally entered that restaurant.

Wiro sat on one of the corners. The chairs and table were covered in dust, but this long-haired youngster just ignored that thick dust. A grey-haired man came closing into him. He was the restaurant owner.
“Having your meal young lad….?” said he.
Wiro nodded. “But please not too expensive, I don’t have that much money!” said Wiro Sableng straightforwardly. The owner frowned. In his long years opening the shop in Jatiwalu, it was only today that there was a patron coming to his shop and said so. His eyes wandered Wiro Sableng’s body from his long-haired top to his dusty feet.
“You must be a traveler….” he said.
“Indeed I am,” Wiro scratched his hair. “Please be quick with the rice, sir. I am absolutely starving….!”
The waiter immediately fetched a plate of rice and a glass of water and then put them down on the table in front of Wiro. Wiro drooled upon seeing the food. For the seventeen years he stayed on top of Gede Mountain he only knew brown rice and vegetables. Now, facing white rice and fish as well as that delicious curry, he wolfed down the food with gusto. Sweat trickling down his face, he drank the water.

While he was rubbing his hard, full stomach, four men entered the restaurant. All of them were wearing black, with sabre on their waist. Their looks were truly ugly. They entered and sat carefreely. All four of them were bearded. The owner of the restaurant saw the presence of these four men and quickly went to serve them. It appeared that these four men were definitely people of great importance. Not long, delicious food was served on the table. Pure wine was also placed on a bamboo tube along with four glasses which were also made of bamboo.
All four men ate with their feet on the chairs. The noisy munching sounds of their mouth could be heard even to where Wiro Sableng was sitting. But of course this young man couldn’t care less about it. Even if they were munching as hard as the rumble of a thunder he still wouldn’t care! Wiro Sableng waved his hand to summon the waiter.
“How much do I have to pay?” asked Wiro.
The waiter spelled out the amount that needed to be paid.
“Oh my… so expensive!” complained Wiro. “I told you please not be too expensive…”
“That much was already very cheap, young sir,” the waiter said.
Wiro Sableng scratched his head. “There goes all my money for this meal.” He took out his money and gave it to the waiter. At that moment four waves of laughter could be heard from the four people sitting on that particular table. One of them, the shorty-baldie one spouted,
“If you ain’t got no money, don’t enter the shop, Brat!”
Another one chained, “Rather than fearing to spend money, you better find your food from the trash can!” All four men chuckled loudly.
Wiro looked at them. Even when he was jeered like that, this young man was still calm, and even a smile rose up on his lips while still scratching his head. Another man with long, falling moustache asked up, “Do you want to get money to buy your food?”
“Sure if I want if someone is giving me,” replied Wiro truthfully. He scratched his head again.
“Crawl here in front of me and bark three times, this master will surely give you money” The roof of the restaurant was seemingly about to collapse with the roaring laughter of the four men.
Wiro looked around. When he saw several several bunches of bananas lined up hanging above a table where they put fishes and curry on, the youth suddenly laughed. At first he was only softly chuckling but it gradually got louder, and he walked nearing the lines of bananas. He took out the rest of his money he still had left, meager but still could afford one bunch of bananas.
“Old man, I want to buy your banana,” said Wiro.
He took down a bunch while walking to the door, and he ripped off four pieces. He continued walking while on his back, he could still hear the roaring laughter of those four men. With a flash that was almost indiscernibly quick, without turning around, Wiro Sableng motioned with his right hand. Those four bananas whistled past over his shoulders. Behind his back, suddenly those four laughing sounds abruptly stopped, changed into muffled, choked sounds! All four bananas accurately plunged into the mouths of those four black-clothed men! Not even to mention laughing, they even having a hard time breathing! And outside, Wiro Sableng smilingly walked on along the road. He took another piece of the banana and started eating them. He strode along carefreely when a moment later he heard four footsteps of the men from the restaurant giving chase.
“You dare mess with us brothers!” yelled one of the pursuers.
“You dare to be insolent with us eh! Let’s mince him to pieces!” said the tallest guy.
Wiro Sableng kept on striding without any care in the world. He only once in a while waved his right hand to the back to throw the peel of the banana he just ate. Yet, a wave of his hand wasn’t just an ordinary wave to throw the peel! From the right hand of the youngster gushed out a storm of wind that appeard like a steel wall, blocking the run of the four pursuers! No matter how they tried to accelerate their run, they still couldn’t chase Wiro Sableng although the young man only seemed to be just within their arm’s length away!
The four men all yelled, grunted and cursed, reaching out their hands forward just because they were close to catching the back of Wiro Sableng’s cloth! But their movements looked just like four monkeys crazily running around all over the place! And the person being chased just kept walking carefreely, and he was even relaxedly eating banana!
The reason all these happened was all because Wiro Sableng had used his martial skill named: flowing layered wind wall! “So f**ked up!” grunted the tall guy running in the forefront. His name was Bergola Wungu. He was the leader of the other three and the one with highest level of martial arts!
Furious, he took out a dagger from his waist and threw it towards Wiro Sableng’s back. But weirdly, the dagger was bounced back at him, instead attacking Bergola Wungu! If he didn’t hastily threw his body to the side, his neck would definitely had been pierced by the knife! Finally, with cold sweat all over their body, Bergola Wungu and his lackeys stopped their pursuit. Today was the first time Bergola Wungu and his men faced this kind of thing. It was heart-wrenching but also incomprehensible. As the leader of the other three, as the one with the highest level of martial arts and might, it was surely a major embarrassment for Bergola Wungu! To cleanse his hand from the humiliation, he mumbled gruntingly:
“If that bastard not a humanoid demon, he was surely a devil disguising as human!”