The Thousand Mask Warrior

Needles

Pratiwi was completely unconscious. Shuffling, the grandfather, Karsa, carried her. The fractured bones in his body took some time to come back intact. His shards were piercing his flesh from within.

"I can't wait any longer. Now or never," Yu said inwardly as he walked behind his grandfather and grandson. There was clearly a great contradiction in his soul regarding one thing and another so he felt he had to decide to do something right now.

"Grandfather, wait ... Waita minute!" yu suddenly shouted. They could be said not too far away from the ulin wooden fortress and still down the river bank. Even Yu could still hear the cries of war and the sound of iron clashing from within the fort.

"Why you? Hurry up, we need to go as far as possible. My granddaughter is in a weakened state. We need to get him help as soon as possible!" reply Karsa.

"Grandfather, please stop for a moment. I'm a healer, I understand how to treat Pratiwi. Don't you forget that, grandfather," Yu replied in a half-wishing voice.

Karsa was forced to stop and look back reluctantly at once riled up. "What's the matter, heh?" said the grandfather. Yu looked dull and lowered his head to hold both knees.

"Let's take a moment, cake. I'm wounded. You better put Pratiwi down first. I feel really pain. Help me immediately," Yu said.

Karsa felt that there was something suspicious happening to Yu's paddy. He obviously refused to put the Pratiwi on the ground just to check the situation of the Chinese man. Moreover, they were not far from the center of the war.

But as Karsa looked doubtful, Yu exclaimed back, "Don't think of leaving me here injured like this, cake. Me and Pratiwi who saved you from your death who I don't know for a few times. I am also the one who has been taking care of Pratiwi from his internal wounds. I understand the intricacies of Pratiwi's health, especially now. If you leave me, Pratiwi will get worse. Not to mention that she'll hate you even more because first, you instead of dragging Jayaseta to her, you intend to kill her and second, you leave her future husband, which is me, to die wounded," obviously Yu was at length.

"What did you say?!" Karsa.

"Yes, right cake. I proposed to Pratiwi. He agreed to marry me, with the note that I followed him looking for you and Jayaseta, and then gave lessons to the swordsman even if he could kill him. Now imagine, cake, if he realizes that he is in poor health and I am not next to him" Yu replied.

"Bang*sat! You're so chatty!" karsa Vows. However, he lowered Pratiwi to the ground and approached Yu. No matter how sorry he was, Karsa realized that what the Chinese man said was completely true. There's no reason not to listen to him.

Little Karsa knew Yu as a Pratiwi healer when they were in Betawi. When Pratiwi was in a very weak state, he asked his twin grandfather, Karsa and Mandura to force Jayaseta to come to Betawi, to be mated with Pratiwi, although the two choose to engage the Hell's Earth Needle members and try to kill Jayaseta, instead of forcing her to Betawi.

Therefore, Karsa was also convinced that the Chinese man was indeed injured. He could have been just a weak and frail healer, not mastering silat and only able to use the tools of his treatment, including throwing needles to save him and Pratiwi before.

Karsa's right. All his thoughts are correct. However, even though he did not know the science of canuragan well and as great as the warriors, it does not mean Yu is a stupid and innocent man. He has a lot of knowledge that, if needed, can be used to defeat opponents.

Unbeknownst to Karsa, as Yu lowered his head and held onto his knee, he secretly slipped a rusty needle and full of concentrated poison on his lips. He has mastered a way to make the poison in the needle not swallowed himself, namely by placing it on the dry lips in such a way.

The most appropriate way to use it is when the target is nearby. That's why Yu asked Karsa to come closer and put Pratiwi's body first. He doesn't want to make the slightest mistake.

Just two steps away from Karsa, Yu looked up at Karsa. The old swordsman immediately knew what would happen when he saw Yu looking at him, but it was too late.

Yu shot a poisonous needle out of his mouth by blowing it out loud. Yu's training in respiratory regulation has long been carried out in the demands of his work as a healer, which requires good physical toughness.

A needle slid through the unprotected layer of Karsa's eyeballs. 

Karsa held his bleeding right eye. His shout followed with so slashing sembilu.

Karsa then forced a look with one other eye that could still be used towards Yu. That was when the needle saru again pierced through his eye seeds.

Karsa roared.

Not finished his bones were broken back as before, now he felt the pain that made his head dizzy like a hammer hit.

"You're gonna kill the rancid bang*sat! Mampus you, makapusss...!" said Karsa swirling his hand to the various corners hoping to be able to hit Yu.

The Chinese man moved to the left and right side, lowered his head and retreated to avoid the old warrior's blow.

Karsa may be blind and in pain at this time, but the blow is still a blow full of energy like a swordsman. If Yu wasn't careful, one hit was enough to kill him.

The poison continued to flow into Karsa's bloodstream. An ordinary person would die in a few breaths, but for Karsa, poison would only hurt him, no matter how severe. He will not really die, because his limbs will still grow perfectly again.

Karsa pulled out the two needles that went deep into his eyeballs. Blood spurted out profusely.

Yu hesitated to take the next action, but he had no reason to cancel. It's getting stifled. He had to dare to bear the consequences because Karsa complicates Pratiwi's life.

He understood very well that Pratiwi was a swordsman, even the girl was an accomplished and dangerous killer. His life will certainly not be far from danger and fighting.

But with him, Pratiwi can change. This is a good time for the girl to leave her past behind slowly. And that wouldn't have happened if Jayaseta hadn't died. Unfortunately, nothing will happen if Pratiwi himself is killed.

Karsa, the grandfather is the source of the biggest problem. According to the explanation and news he got in Sukadana, he concluded that Karsa continued to live and would continue to hunt Jayaseta, while Yu himself was convinced that the swordsman was not their opponent. Jayaseta is a character who has to live on his own path. He and Pratiwi must step away from his path.

In order to untie this relationship of two intersecting paths, he must eliminate Karsa forever.

The old warrior's skin was hard and almost impenetrable, except perhaps on the neck. While he does not have any type of sharp weapons at this time. But it has been proven that the inside of the body of Karsa can still be harmed. The poison still affects him though not for long. His bones, heart and innards can be destroyed, although they can grow back. But he could die if burned.

Yu advanced quickly towards Karsa who swirled smashing his fists in all directions. Yu then gave one fist as hard as possible to the chest under Karsa's heart, then retreated as quickly as possible to avoid Karsa's indiscriminate attack. Yu's punch was clearly not going to produce results if it was aimed at injuring the outside of Karsa's body.

However, Yu pressed a certain point inside Karsa's body with just a little pressure. Karsa could feel nothing in his wrinkled skin, but his blood flow stopped suddenly, plus the poison that was still working into his brain. Back Yu applied the knowledge ability of his Dim Mak, for the second time in his life, killing humans.

The two blind eyes of Karsa turned. He did not even have time to say the oath. Again he died in a terrible state, his body falling to the ground.

Yu was sure, it would take a long time for Karsa to come back to life. The point he hit pressed the blood vessels into the heart, so that the air did not make it in.

Given the fractured bones, blind eyes, and a heart that no longer works, it took at least two days for Karsa to come back alive. And that was enough to make Karsa get the rewards of the Daya soldiers in the ulin wooden fortress. Yu was convinced that with Jayaseta on their side, the invading soldiers would not succeed. This afternoon, before sunset, success will be achieved. And when the citizens and the Daya warriors inspect the surroundings, they will get Karsa's body gnawed here. Punishment he will get.

Yu carried Pratiwi's tiny body which was still as neat as ever, looked at her ayu face and said, "Pratiwi, it's time for us to leave. We're not gonna bother anyone anymore. I promised to come with you to find Jayaseta and Grandpa. All I've fulfilled, you're the one who has to fulfill your promise. We will marry and build a life together, away from the hustle and bustle of the world and past."