Wiro Sableng - Volume 1 - Chapter 17

Wiro Sableng Book 1 Chapter 17

Even from afar, the sounds of clashing weapons and battle roars could be heard. Wiro Sableng sped up. When he arrived at the rather dark and gloomy front yard of the house then he saw how the yard had been turned into a battlefield. Six men, each pair battling the other in a brutal fight. On the stairs at the front porch he saw Nilamsuri standing alert.

Under the stairs, a tall, lean man stood with arms folded. Wiro had never seen this man before. However he was sure that this person was Kalingundil.

Near the end of the left front yard Begola Wungu stood standing. Just like the other two persons, his eyes watched intensely to the yard, observing the course of the fights.

Three of Kalingundil’s lackeys, namely Saksoko, Majineng and Krocoweti were actually not warriors of shallow martial skills. Their saber skills were quite formidable. However, when battling Bergola Wungu’s henchmen who were Ketut Ireng, Seta Inging, and Pitala Kuning it was apparent that they were overwhelmed by their speed. In nine stances, Krocoweti was done for by the crushing blow of Pitala Kuning’s spiked nunchaku! Krocoweti collapsed to the ground with broken chest!

After the next three stances, it was Majineng’s turn to bite the dust. His neck was hewed by Seta Inging’s klewang, his head almost completely severed from his body. The battle to last the longest was between Ketut Ireng and Saksoko. Both men had the same level of martial skills and used sabers. However, seeing his gang’s victory over the two opponents, Ketut Ireng was galvanized and frenzied. Five stances of his saber were undefendable. In the end, the potbellied Saksoko shrieked horribly when his bulging belly was slashed by Ketut Ireng’s blade! His entrails burst out and protruded to the ground!

Kalingundil’s jaws were tightly clenched and gnashed. His feet stretched widely. It was dark that time thus no one could see how Kalingundil’s whole arms up to his fingers gradually were blackened. Preceded by a mighty roar able to strike fear into one’s heart and shake the ground, Kalingundil jumped out to the middle of the yard where Bergola Wungu’s three minions stood. Seventeen years ago, the blow punched from that Steel Arms technique was terrifying enough. And now one could imagine how powerful it was!

Three death cries echoed in the darkness! Ketut Ireng, Seta Inging and Pitala Kuning were blasted five-six spear distances and laid dead on the ground!

Bergola Wungu witnessed the horrible death of his three minions with trembling body.

“Bergola Wungu! What the hell are you waiting for! Come and face me if you really want to get your stupid useless revenge!”

Despite his burning rage, Bergola Wungu replied, “Don’t talk too high of yourself, you bastard! I am still generous enough to let you live for a couple of hours more! I, Bergola Wungu, will wait for you tomorrow morning in Jatiwalu cemetery! I want your life plunged into the hell in front of my father and mother’s spirits!”

After blurting out his threat, Bergola Wungu turned around. In that instance, Kalingundil was charging towards him with two arms stretched!

Knowing the strength of those steel arms, Bergola Wungu did not dare to confront directly. He dodged to the side and waved his right hand. A gust of wind whirled to Kalingundil’s chest. Kalingundil jumped to the side and stroke back with a crushing blow from his fist. But this attack was also avoided by Bergola Wungu. In mere seconds, the two warriors had executed three stances of techniques. In the fourth stance suddenly there was a swearing voice from behind the mango tree.

“Kalingundil you crazy b*****d! He had given you the chance to fight tomorrow morning, yet you still attacked like a bull! Such a blockhead!

Kalingundil jumped out of the battlefield. He immediately smashed his arm to the direction of the source of the voice.

“Don’t just talk big, damn monkey! Show yourself if you dare!”

The destructive wind bursting to the shades, knocking the mango tree and toppling it down. However that mysterious person had vanished. When he turned his head, Bergola Wungu had also escaped!

Nilamsuri who recognized that cursing voice without a second thought was chasing into the shades. Few hundred meters from that place, in the outskirt of the village near the rice fields, the voice’s owner realized he was being chased. Using his light body skill in its most perfected level he jumped to a tree branch and waited.

It turned out the one chasing him was the blue-dressed girl. Quickly he jumped down.

“We meet again, Nilamsuri…”

“Uh, how do you know my name?” the girl responded curiously.

Wiro Sableng chuckled and answered, “More than enough people to ask. More than enough mouths to let me know! Why did you chase me?!”

“Why did you meddle in my father’s affairs?!” Nilamsuri retorted.

Wiro Sableng moved forward approaching the girl. His eyes watching intensely was causing the girl’s heart to thump hard. Wiro got even nearer to her. Nilamsuri stepped back but her back was obstructed by the tree.

“Your father is Kalingundil, right…? he inquired with a hiss.

The girl nodded.

Wiro grinned. He held the girl’s shoulders. Nilamsuri intended to push aside his hands but stopped it because Wiro bowed his head down. The warm feeling flew through the veins in her body when the young man’s lips touched hers. The young man’s hand caressed her face softly. She was quiet. She was still motionless when that hand slipped down from her neck.

“Wiro…you are so nosy…so sly,” whispered the girl in her moan.

The young man chortled.

“Why did you follow me…?”

“I… I have a crush on you, Wiro…”

Wiro did not ask further. He grabbed the girl’s soft voluptuous body and carried her to the middle of the rice fields where a shack stood. The night breeze seemed so chilly in that open space. However, their bodies were sweating hot, embracing the romance they had never experienced before, feeling the sensation they had never tasted before!

*****

The morning sunlight shine in golden radiance. The morning air was so fresh. However the refreshing atmosphere could not be sensed in the slightest by the three humans standing in the Jatiwalu cemetery. The two figures were Bergola Wungu and his nemesis Kalingundil. The third one was Nilamsuri. The girl looked a bit pale.

Bergola Wungu halted at few spear distances in front of Kalingundil.

“Draw out your weapon, Kalingundil!”

Kalingundil exploded with laughter and spitted on the ground. “To fight a lowlife like you, I don’t need any stupid weapon! Come, Let’s finish this quick!” Kalingundil’s mouth mumbled in low voice and soon both his arms were blackened!

Bergola Wungu actually grew uneasy over watching his opponent’s arms. But he definitely will not show it in front of his enemy. Instead he boasted, “Fine with me if you want to fight without weapons. It will be quicker to send you to hell!”

Bergola Wungu unsheated his long saber. With the tip of his saber, he pointed out to the two tombs at the cemetery hill.

“Do you see the two tombs at that slope, Kalingundil?!”

Kalingundil dared not divert his gaze as he was afraid this could be his opponent’s cheap trick.

“They are my parents’ tombs. The spirits of this cemetery will cheer in joy when seeing your head roll after I behead you!”

“No need to blab, you cockroach! Taste these arms!”

With rushing wind, Kalingundil’s arms punched consecutive blows. Bergola Wungu slashed his saber to cut Kalingundil’s arm! How shocked he was when seeing his saber could not hack his opponent’s arm and instead the blade were dented!

Bergola Wungu instantly released the most fearsome technique of his saber skills which was the “Tearing Sky” technique. In a blink of an eye Kalingundil’s body was wrapped in saber flashes! In a single stance, Kalingundil was heavily cornered. Even when Kalingundil repeatedly sent powerful punches to Bergola Wungu, he managed to dodge them all. Infuriated, Kalingundil attempted to swat his opponent’s weapon with both arms.

But Bergola Wungu indeed was not reckless. Why would he want to lash clash out his weapon against those steel-skinned arms?!

“Ha… ha… just make haste to repent to God for your sins, Kalingundil! Your head is about to roll any time now!” sneered Bergola Wungu.

Kalingundil was burning with fury. “We’ll see who will perish first, you bearded monkey!” he retorted.

Kalingundil shouted, “Let’s see how you handle my secret weapons, fool!”

Hundreds of black needles rained down on Bergola Wungu, however with just one spin of his saber all those needles were deflected and fell on the ground!

“Marvelous! Marvelous… that’s marvelous!” a voice came from the western side. The person who spoke was still about a hundrer spear distances. Yet as soon as that voice was uttered, at the same time he was already in middle of battlefield! One can imagine how high the level of his light body skill was.

“Indeed you are a formidable warrior, Bergola Wungu! But perhaps you don’t know that this man is mine!”

Both Bergola Wungu and Kalingundil ceased their fight and disengaged from the battle. It was advantageous for Kalingundil since he was cornered in these past few clashes. Both men inspected the man standing under the tree. Kalingundil frowned while Bergola Wungu clenched his jaws when he recognized the face of that newcomer!

“Kalingundil! No need to look at me with that frown! Where is that vile man called Mahesa Birawa?!”

“Insolent brat, who are you?!” snapped Kalingundil.

“I asked you and you asked me back instead! Such an a****le!” grumbled Wiro Sableng. “Seventeen years ago you along with Mahesa Birawa killed Ranaweleng, my father! You also killed my mother and Jarot Karsa! Do your small brain can still remember that?!”

Kalingundil cursed inwardly. Was this man also sought to exact his revenge just like Bergola Wungu? Sensing his inner power which accompanied his voice earlier, Kalingundil could measure how powerful this man was. He cussed and cursed!

He was already cornered when battling Bergola Wungu, let alone confronting two opponents at the same time!

“What the hell do you want, brat?!”

“What do I want…?!” Wiro chuckled.

The anxious Nilamsuri immediately interceded by saying, “Wiro… he is my father!”

“I know, my little beauty…,” and the young man laughed. In his laugh, he could still remember the intimate and blissful feeling he shared with that girl at the shack in the middle of rice fields last night. “That’s why I am generous enough to spare his life and come here only to cut his right hand!”

“Wiro!” Nilamsuri’s face became pale.

Deep inside, Bergola Wungu knew what Wiro said was not bullshit. He had already witnessed how formidable this youngster was from their clashes earlier!

On the contrary, Kalingundil roared in laughter. “A brat like you better go suck your mother’s milk!” he sneered.

“That’s hilarious, Kalingundil! I like people who always talk like idiots!” Wiro Sableng stepped closer to Kalingundil.

Nilamsuri jumped forward to hinder the young warrior, however coming from the side right at that moment, Bergola Wungu, who had been withholding his rage towards Kalingundil, when seeing the daughter of his nemesis moving closer, without a second thought he instantly slashed his saber!

Nilamsuri shrieked! Her body was thrown to the ground. Her chest was badly lacerated. Blood spurted severely from her wound! Bergola Wungu who saw no chance for him to settle the score with Kalingundil immediately fled to the cemetery hills and yelled:

“You brat calling yourself Wiro Sableng! We still have unfinished business! If you still have guts to continue our fight, I will wait you at Sanggreng Cave!”

“Damned bastard!” Wiro Sableng cursed. He punched his right hand to the hills. A massive whirlwind storming violently, let flew the tombstones along with the soil that dug beneath it. Trees collapsed and bushes uprooted! However Bergola Wungu had already escaped behind the hills!

Wiro Sableng turned his head and sweared again when seeing Kalingundil ran away. “You can turn your tail and run Kalingundil! But leave your arm first!”

In one leap, the young martial artist managed to closely chase Kalingundil. Suddenly Kalingundil turned back, pulling out the kris in his waist and stabbing it to Wiro Sableng’s belly!

The frantically executed attack with his cowering heart missed its target. Instead his opponent quickly grabbed Kalingundil’s right arm.

“Crack!”

Kalingundil howled in agony. His right arm was ripped off up to his shoulder. The bones were dislodged! The flesh, muscles and sinews were scattered horribly!

The bandit went crazy like a swine in his anguish. He was about to run in desperation.

“Errr…wait a minute Kalingundil! Why the hurry?! First you must receive this number as a token from me!” After saying that, Wiro Sableng stamped his right palm to Kalingundil’s forehead! His forehead’s skin was branded with the shape of a palm along with his five fingers and the number 212 in the middle!

Kalingundil frenziedly crashed here and there like a crazy pig! Blood gushing out from the nasty wound in his right shoulder. Wiro Sableng laughed heartily. He watched as the bandit ran wildly like he was being chased by the devil! Wiro’s left hand spun Kalingundil’s right arm that he was still holding. Suddenly he hurled the dismembered arm. Like an arrow shot, that arm darted and knocked Kalingundil on the back, causing him to fall face down on the ground, but he immediately got up and ran again!

Wiro Sableng stopped laughing when he heard Nilamsuri’s painful groan. He quickly approached the girl. He knelt down on the ground, his eyes narrowed when he saw the wide gash on the girl’s chest. Nilamsuri was beyond saving.  He carried the girl, bringing her to a shaded place and laying her down.

“Wiro…” Nilamsuri opened her increasingly blurred eyes. “Wiro… please hug me…,”

Wiro Sableng embraced the girl.

“Kiss me… Wiro…”

The young man kissed Nilamsuri’s cheek. Then he kissed her lips. The lips were cold and dry now, unlike the warm and wet lips he felt last night. Nilamsuri’s breath was getting slower. The light in her eyes gradually faded.

“I think our time to get to know each other is just over, Wiro…” whispered Nilamsuri.

“I will mend your wound, Nilam. You will get healed soon…” Wiro comforted her.

Nilamsuri smiled. With that smile on her lips, her soul departed and she passed away.

The young hero from Gede Mountain gave a long sigh. His heart ached to witness the girl’s death. It was just last night that he could still embrace her, caress her…but now he could never feel that body anymore, not even its warmth because Nilamsuri’s body was gradually becoming cold and stiff.

Again, he gave a long sigh. He pushed aside the torn clothes on the girl’s chest. On the intact part of her chest, right above the girl’s left breast, Wiro etched three number: 212 on her skin using his right index finger.

The soulless body was leaned on the tree carefully. Then the young warrior left the place. As if nothing had happened, like he did not experience anything, from the lips of his young man came a whistling sound. The whistle voicing random sounds…