The Musafir

The fight with stealth

IF the Mantingan must indeed wait, because it is sought too Tapa Balian did not meet. The concealment of Tapa Balian is extraordinarily difficult to find. So instead of trying to find it, it is better to wait for the old grandfather who came out of his own will. However, if until when should Mantingan wait?

Mosquitoes began to swarm. Several times the Mantingan shook his hands to repel insects that however small really disturbing his vigilance. Not to mention, Mantingan must divide his attention to Pomegranate with the Science of Hearing Dew Drops that in fact have developed so that he can still hear voices in places so far.

The mantan was still waiting and waiting, because there was nothing else he could do while he was on the tree branch. Tapa Balian did not even see the trunk of his nose. Not above where the white mega-mega floats; not on the right, left, front, back where trees of various types grow lush. Where then is the old man who has been bent down so that he should not be able to do so?

When Mantingan became riled up due to waiting too long, only after enlightenment splashed his head. If Tapa Balian is not on the top, right, left, front, back, then which other place is not mentioned?

The mantle looked down. Facing the ground that looked as if it was completely meaningless. But however insignificant, Mantingan knew that it was there where Tapa Balian hid. In the ground!

Without waiting any longer, Mantingan stood up from his place while drawing the sword down. However, then he remembered that the Sword of Savrinadeya really did not have sharpness at all even though it had been flowed a lot of energy in, so his intention was to crush the ground with his sword, but with his palm!

After shining his sword on his waist belt, Mantingan dropped down with all the knowledge of body weights, so that's how his body glided very quickly down!

His head facing the ground, while his feet facing the sky—that's how he plunged with his body upside down. His left arm extended forward, splitting the wind. His fingers were stretched out, forming a site. A bunch of wind emerged from the site just before it hit the ground!

That's how the earth was made to be broken by the Mantingan. The ground, pebbles, leaves, grass, everything was scattered. The large fort that jutted into the ground was created as a result of the Blood Wind Tread for the Mantingan was not that much!

However, this time it seems that the Mantingan conjecture has met with error, which was really not found in the ground. There is no trace of his voice either. The mantan immediately bounces out of the puddle because however easily Tapa Balian can attack it from above while he is trapped in the hole.

Mantingan glanced around while thinking about what kind of silat used by Tapa Balian so as to hide without being sniffed at.

Kiai Guru Kedai once said to him:

“If your opponent is a swordsman, and he decides to fight while hiding, then prepare your patience carefully!”

Now Mantingan realized how his teacher's words were the truth. His patience is very tested at this time, because Tapa Balian decided to fight while hiding. And based on the stories of inter-breeder fights that ever existed, then the fight carried out secretly usually takes up to days, with the exchange of attacks that almost never occur.

“Sometimes, humans don't understand the meaning of waiting,” said the teacher.

So Mantingan still sharpen his vigilance as much as possible, because what awaited by Tapa Balian was just his negligence. All of a sudden, what kind of magic spell was being used by Tapa Balian.

How witchcraft is the same science used by the Unnamed Woman during her disguise as Rara, a science that can make the body invisible in the eyes of others, so free to roam without the slightest hint of being discovered. That is the science of sirep halimunan.

The Unnamed Woman had actually passed on the knowledge to Mantingan according to his words before meeting death, but Mantingan had not studied it until now.

Not only because when viewed apparently the science of sirep halimunan is very complicated, but also because the science in the Book of Savrinadeya really has not been mastered. In fact, the contents of the book had been a poultice out of the head, but still his knowledge could not be applied at all to any sword.

So now when facing the science of sirep halimunan, Mantingan does not really understand what he must do in order to win the fight. Not because he wanted the promised item to be given to him if he managed to defeat Tapa Balian, but as a benchmark to the extent of the results of his training for the last four full moons.

In the end, Mantingan decided to return to the tree branch he had just occupied. There Mantingan spread his legs with his back rested on the trunk of a tree. Although he looks very relaxed, but not the slightest bit of his vigilance is reduced.

Slowly his eyes closed, and slowly he began to snore loudly. How ever such a thing, the Mantingan was still in full consciousness. In other words, he did not fall asleep at all. Mantingan is deliberately presenting themselves as if asleep, which is the same as having released all his caution. But what he did was just the opposite, namely by planting the Science of Hearing Dew Drops whose levels had reached the highest level.

Right now, everything can Mantingan hear and see. Ants crawl in their artificial holes. The eggs of birds in the nest begin to crack because it is time to break. Tree branches that touch each other nian far dozens of spears there. Until the arrival of fresh morning dew that drips from the tip of the leaf, falls and is immediately absorbed completely on the ground.

Sounds that are however simple but very beautiful if heard carefully. Doesn't every simplicity always store beauty, which however hidden people may be if they underestimate simplicity?

However, all the beauty of the simple sound in the morning was not able to really enjoy Mantingan. The purpose of installing the Science of Hearing Dew Drops is to find and find the Balian Tapa, not to enjoy the beauty of natural sounds when the morning is still too fresh. After all, doesn't pleasure in the martial world often betray vigilance?