Chapter 7: Roasted Snake!
Kampung Meranek was a village just outskirt of Kota Samarahan. It was located near the capital of Sarawak, Kuching. It was a small village situated by the river and surrounded by trees. Villagers do some farming and work on their paddy fields. One of the most famous delicacies of the village is its pineapple. Sweet flavorful pineapples. Not so sour, and the watery juicy sweetness is just enough to call it delicious. Besides that, there are even other delicious tropical fruits cultivated by the villagers.
Kim laying on the ground while reminding the time he went with his family to his grandpa orchards. He remembered walking around the pineapple plantation to help around. The sharp leaves of the fruit would cut him, so he ends up playing make-shelf boat with anything he could find and race it with his brothers by the small stream.
Sometimes he would climb the tree to grab some rambutan. He would fill up the basket that his grandparent carried and take it to their house by riding a bicycle. Of course, he would sneakily eat some without his grandparent looking. When he was caught red-handed, his grandpa would serve him sour soup to be eaten instead.
Talking about fruits, he often went to Nas's home to play. They would sometimes go the back of his house to grab some coconut and drink water from it. Having some refreshing coconut drink would rejuvenate them after playing a lot. The white pulp would slowly melt in their mouth as they savour the taste.
"Ahhh I'm hungry. I want to eat."
Tears started to roll down his cheek as he remembered his time with his friends and family. The village where he grew up was once decorated with nature. Now it has been reduced into a wasteland with no sights of living things around it. Cerberus flame has reduced everything into ashes and Hydra poison killed the earth and anything nearby.
"That was tiring..that was really tiring…."
He then stands up and approached Hydra dead body which has now burnt into a roasted snake. He punched one of its head again and again until the head would get smashed into bits. He then moved to another head and continued to do the same things. Sometimes he would kick it when his hands get hurt. He screamed in anguish as tears keep dropping down. He made sure to hit it as much as he could to vent his anger.
"Why.. Why… why… why"
He continued to massacre the dead body of Hydra without stopping. Sadness, anger, loneliness, despair, his mind was a messed. Usually, people would shout with joy for killing a mythical beast. Especially one which was the top among its kind. The King of all hydra. Kim however, did not show any of that. He only thought of revenge. Killing it was not enough. If its possible, he wanted to peel the skin of hydra and pluck its scale one by one just to hear it shriek in pain. Not just the hydra, but even the Cerberus.
Revenge was the only thing in his heart. "If I find any of your kind, I would make sure it suffer first before I kill it"
An experience, not even a grown adult would be able to face or even live to tell the tale of it. Kim has suffered through all that while he was still a small child. He could not take the despair that is eating his fragile heart now.
'There's nothing left for me to live, I should have died just now. I should get killed with everyone.
I will join all of you soon'
"You sure that is what you want, kid?"
As if knowing what he is thinking the voice resound. But Kim did not care less, and just lay on the ground beside the roasted snake.
"Killing hydra is not an easy feat. You even killed its King. And that Cerberus was an alpha as well. You…"
The sound continued to babble on without stopping as if trying to comfort Kim.
"When I was your age.."
Suddenly he started to talk about his past experiences. He sounded like his grandpa when he felt lonely. A lonely grandpa who wanted someone to talk to him.
"I even fought with.."
It mercilessly continued to speak with no consideration of his listener. Sometimes he shamelessly talked about his past glory where he fought an entire star by himself. He would even throw himself in a horde of million monsters because it seems fun to do. After several hours, he still speaking. It feels like it has been a while he met a person to talk to. And since Kim can hear him, he did not hold back while talking with a cheery tone which ends up annoy Kim.
"What do you want?"
"So, you finally replied"
"Leave me alone, I want to rest"
"There are more things in this world that what you could imagine"
"I have nothing anymore. Let me die peacefully."
"Sure, then let me continue to speak. I haven't seen anyone for a long time now."
"I rather kill myself now."
Kim started to gather energy in his right hand and tried to punch through a hole near his heart. To his avail, he did not feel anything. Then he tried to recreate the flame he did to burn himself
"Hellfire!"
Nothing happened!
"What the heck? Why can't I kill myself?"
"You are running out of mana kid, and your body is not the same as it was. It has been tempered and enhanced by mana. The fight with both of that monstrous beast has strengthened you more. I don't think you could die easily."
"Then I will just die of hunger"
"You sure? I haven't eaten anything for a long time now. I'm not sure how long you would last, but hunger is not a beautiful thing. Even saliva taste sweet now"
"Shoot"
"Yes, shoot. I wish I could die too."
"You seem strong, could you kill me then"
"Nope. I'm trapped. My people betrayed me and I am bound for eternity. I can't even move my finger."
"Well, suck to be you then"
"It is. So, what are you going to do now?"
"I'm going to find a way to kill myself of course."
"Still?"
"Yeah, what else could I live for?"
"Then, how about I make you strong enough to kill yourself then?"
"You could? Tell me."
"Before that promise me you would do one thing for me when I ask you"
"Is it not killing myself? Then no."
"Hahaha, I'm not that kind of merciful guy kid. I killed a bunch. That's how I'm suffering now you know? I don't care less if you want to die."
Kim thought for a while and said yes. He did not have anything to live for anyway. He was determined to end his own life as soon as he can.
"Before that, what is this mana you are talking about? I heard you mumbling to yourself about this whole mana things. You even mentioned about it while babbling through your self-glorified stories"
"First of all, it's not self-glorified. I'm telling you the truth I was.."
"I was asking about mana"
"…"
Then the voice continued to share his knowledge with Kim. Nature has always brimming with life. The world has become to how it is now due to the energy that constantly flows through it. This is called mana. And this energy is flowing throughout the universe.
According to the voice, mana has existed for a long time even before he lived. It has spread out throughout the universe and created several planets like earth. Often, they call it stars. Like earth, there are several worlds out there that have living beings reside in them. And like how earth now, it has mana flowing inside it too.
However, each star has different concentrations of mana. So, even ordinary people would be able to sense mana and practice to cultivate it at home if the world is dense with mana. The voice claimed he's been practising for almost several thousands of years now. For someone who can adapt faster and the longer they practice they would have unimaginable strengths that would reside within them.
Like how genius in this world, and how some kids are born with silver spoon in their mouths, some people are born to be talented with mana. And the voice, of course, made himself as an example. Times to times again he would slip some of his magnificent stories to Kim. Every single time, Kim would coldly cut him to go back to the topic he wanted to know.
"So, basically, if you listen to this Master and learn how to cultivate mana properly, in no time you would be strong enough to even kill me."
"What Master?"
"Aren't you asking me to teach you, my young apprentice?"
"Young apprentice? Who? I'm only asking for your help"
"Awwww, don't be shy, kid. I'm an Emperor who could kill anyone with just my words before but I'm getting softer now as a reflection of my action for thousands of year. Hahahaha, no wonder my own people would betray me."
"Emperor? Who would call you that? I won't even call your name even if I know it."
"Stop while I'm being nice, kid. Even your package down there is small. You have no right to look down upon me!"
"I'm still 12! It would grow sooner!"
"You sure kid? A crybaby like you can't do anything"
"Well, I killed a Cerberus and King Hydra in one day!"
"Lucky! Luck luck luck. I can kill them single-handedly."
"That because you are thousands of years ahead of me old geezer!"
Both the Master and apprentice continued to exchange meaningful remarks with one another to tighten their bonds. Anyone would cry seeing how beautiful their relationship is. They continued for several hours as night, fall. The night was chilly as wind blowing through the empty ground. Kim who has nothing to wear yet, in end caught a cold.
"Achoo!"
"Serves you right for not respecting your elderly"
"Yes, you are old. Achoo!"
Both fell silent. Kim then gives himself a deep thought while rummaging through the moulded skin of Hydra. He tried to make a blanket out of it to keep himself warm. He thought he should pay a visit to his house and take his belonging. Although he was not sure whether his heart is prepared to face what he will see, he still wished to go home to give his last bidding. He then breathes out a large sigh.
"So, what should I do?"
"Eat"
"What?"
"You can't train if you don't eat, and you have the biggest food source just beside you"
"Hydra? No. I'm not going to eat this snake"
"Usually it would kill a person to eat hydra. But your body somehow adapts to poison extremely fast. I thought you were just talented, but even your body is a miracle. No wonder you could survive."
"I said no. This snake…is an abominable creature, it killed Nas."
"Then that's why you should slowly devour it. Think about your revenge. Eat it bits by bits. Rather than let nature take it nutrient, you should make it yours. Hey, think how it will end up as a poop later."
The voice laughs to itself for making an unseemingly bad joke. Then there was total silence.
"Okay fine. Just eat the damn thing. It tastes better while it's hot."
Kim gives a thoughtful consideration and he agreed. He already killed it. What more can he do? Now he would ravage its body by slowly devour it into his body. Once a predator has now become a prey. Kim made a grin while thinking, how would Hydra feel to end up as food for others. What was once on the top of the food chain is now waiting to be eaten. There is no greater humiliation than that. A king which become a mere fodder to a kid.
"This snake actually taste delicious."
Kim continued to munch through King Hydra to fill his hunger. Every bite he took, he could hear someone gulping his saliva. A person who has not eaten for centuries.
"Roasted snake… Keep some for me, kid."
Kim happily ate the meat with thought full of grudge, accompanied by the cry of an old man throughout the silent night.