Naara sheathed his sword and walked away from Dang's body. Everyone who was still silent could only look at him with admiration mixed with fear and curiosity.
"Let's go," he said to Niin who answered with a small nod but they stopped when Alma suddenly ran and blocked their way.
"Alma?" Niin stared in bewilderment and surprise when the girl suddenly bowed before them then said, "I beg you, please help us."
"Alma...."
"In the past, Alnafera Village was a very peaceful village, although it is not a developed village but the people live happily." Alma's eyes filled with tears as she recalled her village in the past. Everyone laughed, the children ran around happily, everyone was happy until... Tears started to fall, she imagined all the oppression that Animan had done to the villagers.
Seeing Alma like that, Niin felt pity but she also couldn't do anything about it.
Alma's hands were clenched into fists and her eyes were closed to suppress the anger that welled up in her heart. "I know my request is selfish but please stay here and free my village... sob... give this village smile back, please, sob..."
"Alma ..."
Everyone who has been silent fora a long time suddenly walked over and joined Alma. Together they bowed to Naara for help.
The wind blows dust and green leaves. Everyone was still waiting for Naara's answer.
"Let's go, Niin!" Ignoring the people who bowed before him, Naara stepped away. Niin, who couldn't do anything, could only express her regret to Alma and all the residents who now wore sad faces mixed with disappointment but before leaving she advised Alma to ask Anoa for help but Alma said that Anoa couldn't because Animan was protected by Aceblue.
Hearing the word 'Aceblue' Niin's face immediately paled. "A-Aceblue you say?"
"Three years ago a special organization formed by General Thougha came here and made a pact with Animan," explained Alma with a sad expression.
Unbeknownst to anyone, Naara who stopped, listening Niin and Alma's conversation immediately clenched his fists when Alma said Thougha's name.
"Sorry, Alma," said Niin with downcast eyes and walked towards Naara. "Come on, Master."
I don't know why he didn't move from her place.
"What is it, Master?"
"I changed my mind."
"What? B-but...."
"What's wrong? Don't you really want to help them," said Naara in a sarcastic tone. In the same vein, he said that Niin was heartless, stone-hearted and inhuman because she wanted to leave the village and didn't want to help.
Niin knew exactly that Naara replied to her words. Annoyed, she could only purse her lips and turn away from Naara. Meanwhile, Alma and the others were happy with Naara's decision.
*
The sound of crickets filled the silence of the night in the village surrounded by Cocoa Trees.
"Please come in." The door creaked as Alma's mother opened the wooden door of a simple house with a thatched roof and wooden walls.
Naara, Niin and several men from the village followed Alma and her mother.
A faint look of surprise appeared on Niin's face when she saw the boy she had met at the fireplace. He sat cross-legged near an old man who was lying on a woven mat. The old man was so thin that the outline of his face could be seen clearly, his left eye was covered with a white film, it was certain that the eye could not see.
"Aunt Marin, are you home yet?" said the boy who stood up to say hello and just like Niin, he also made a surprised expression when he saw the yellow haired girl he met yesterday.
"You?"
"Um, we meet again, Hmp." Nin smiled.
Seeing them, Alma asks if they know each other and the boy that Alma calls Ari says no, they just met yesterday.
After a short talk, they sat cross-legged around grandpa except Alma, the girl walked into the kitchen.
Aunt Marin explained that the old man was the head of their village as well as an ex-anoa soldier on Akar Island. Hearing that, Niin hid her surprise and tried to remain calm.
The old man's eyes seemed to be on Naara who was still wearing a hood. His right eye stared faintly, observing Naara's appearance from the bottom up.
"Mr. Lino, he killed Dangcaw, he is willing to free us from Animan," explained the thick-haired man sitting with them, his name was Mr. Kana.
Mr. Lino listened seriously when he was told about the actions taken by Naara against Dangcaw. In the middle of the story, Alma came out with several cups of hot tea.
Not long after the story ended, Mr. Lino took a closer look at Naara until a few seconds later he started to speak. "What do you want in return?"
Everyone who heard the question felt a little surprised but it was different from Naara who was smiling a little under his hood. "Hum. Information," he said.
"About?"
"Aceblue."
Expressions of confusion and shock were alternately painted on the faces of those who listened to him. But of all who were shocked there, Niin looked the most tense.
Niin thought to herself why Naara wanted to know about Aceblue.
"Hmm." Master Lino turned his attention away from Naara and looked up at the ceiling. "Aceblue, well. They are one of General Thougha's Ace organization group. They...." Mr. Lino started to tell him what he knew about Ace's organization. He said that Aces was tasked with carrying out a coup against countries that did not want to follow General Thougha's ideology and gathered powerful people and geniuses around the world to help manufacture lethal weapons.
"...I don't know the exact truth, but there is also news that the people Ace brought will be made an objects General Thougha's experiment," explained Mr. Lino.
Unbeknownst to each other, Naara and Niin both clenched their fists. But because Niin couldn't help feeling uncomfortable, she stood up. Aunt Marin asked what was wrong, she replied that she wanted to go out for a while to get some fresh air and then leave the people who were still talking about Aceblue.
After Niin came out, Ari was seen following her.
"Then what is the relation between Animan and Aceblue, why did Aceblue protect Animan?" asked Naara.
"That's because ..." This time it was Aunt Marin who spoke up. With downcast eyes, she informs that Aceblue is protecting Animan in exchange for Animan helping them find the whereabouts of her brother and sister-in-law who are Ari's parents.
"Mr. Aron and Ms. Lin are the two archaeologists who have successfully read the Elementary Inscription," said Mr. Kana.
"Basic Inscription?"
"Unfortunately, information on Elementary Inscriptions is very limited. About what and where the inscription is, we don't know," explained Mr. Kana.
"Brother Aron and Brother-in-law Lin never told either," Aunt Marin added.
*
Outside, Niin took a deep breath then let it out, she felt a thick cloud fill her chest. "I just want to live in peace, is it difficult?" Her eyes stared sadly at the moon which seemed to be covered in light clouds but then she turned around when she heard someone's footsteps approaching her.
"You?"
"What are you doing here?" asked Ari.
"Oh, it's okay. Just a breath of fresh air," Niin replied with a smile. Ari just stared for a moment then walked to the bench beside the house, Niin seemed to follow him.
Ari sat and stared at the moon. Niin could see the sadness in the boy's brown eyes.
"What's wrong, Ari?" Niin sits beside Ari.
"Nothing." Ari did not distract him.
"Okay. If you don't want to talk." Niin also looked at the moon. For a few seconds they let the silence flow.
"By the way, what's you're name?" asked Ari breaking the silence.
"Hmm." Niin looked at Ari who didn't take his eyes off the moon. "Niin." she answered.
"Only Niin?"
"Y-yes." Niin smiled awkwardly.
For a moment, Ari glanced at Niin and then returned to the moon. "Then he?" He asked.
"He?" Niin looked at Ari then realized that Ari was asking about Naara. "Ah, he's Na—" She cut off her sentence when she remembered Naara's wanted status, who kept the man's name a secret.
"Na?" Ari raised his eyebrows. Staring at Niin with a questioning look and it made Niin a little nervous.
"H-his name is Master . Well, Master," she replied with a stiff smile, glancing left and right, avoiding Ari's gaze.
"Master?"
"Y-yes."
Ari was silent for three seconds and stared intently at Niin, making Niin hold his breath in tension.
"Liar!" said Ari making Niin surprised.
Ari stood up and glanced sarcastically. "Honestly, you and he are fugitives right?"
Niin surprised again.
"You must be wondering why I know, right?"
Niin looked at the six-year-old boy who suddenly turned fierce.
Ari told Nin that from the start he was suspicious when he saw that the person who killed Dangcaw never took off his hood, plus Niin did not reveal her last name. Also regarding yesterday's doll, Ari said that the doll was very suspicious, Ari was sure it was not an ordinary doll, judging by its strange shape, Ari suspected that Niin might be a fugitive with the ability to control dolls but Niin denied it and tried to convince Ari that all that was not true but Ari does not believe, he is smarter than other children his age.
Now the boy looked down and stared at his own feet. "I thank you for helping Alma and Aunt Marin and for killing Dangcaw but if you did it because you had other intentions, I beg you to leave, this village is suffering a lot," he said in a sad tone.
Niin narrowed her eyes at Ari. She could see that Ari was a child who loved his village very much. Niin herself didn't know what was the motive for Naara to suddenly change his mind to help Alnafera Village, whether it was just to find information about Aceblue or something else, she didn't know. It was hard to guess the way the man was thinking. Plus, now she's still confused about why Naara is so curious about Aceblue.
Because there was no response, Ari lifted his gaze and found Niin's blue eyes staring at him but looking blank. "Wh-what's ...?" he asked making Niin wake up from her daydream.
Niin turned her attention to the moon peeking behind the cloud curtain then said, "You heard it too, master just wants information about Aceblue." Even though she didn't know Naara's thoughts, her heart felt sure that the man wouldn't do anything to harm this village.
Ari watched Niin carefully then was a little surprised when Niin suddenly saw him and smiled warmly. "This village is lucky to have you," she said.
"..."
*
"…General Thougha restricted all information," explained Mr. Lino
"I see." Naara stood up.
"Where are you going?" asked Mr. Lino.
"Finish my work, I'll leave her for a while," said Naara suddenly turning himself into a whirlwind, making everyone shocked.
"Remember if you kill the Animan leader, you will deal with Aceblue," Mr. Lino reminded him before Naara disappeared.
"H-he's gone?" Everyone had expressions of disbelief except for Mr. Lino who looked normal, as if he had expected it.
*
Inside the rectangular building, in a dimly lit corridor, there was a burly man with a ponytail walking with his eyes looking straight ahead. His brows furrowed as if he was deep in thought. "Unlucky." His steps stopped when he heard the conversation of several of his subordinates behind the wall. The conversation was about the person who had killed Dangcaw. His hands clenched tightly.
A whirlwind formed on the dark side of the building and immediately turned into Naara. "Where is your leader?" he said walking out of the darkness and startled all the building guards.
"W-who are you?" The guards made an alert position.
"I." Naara took off his hood so his face could be seen clearly in the moonlight.
For a moment there was an eerie silence. Not a few of the burly guards swallowed their saliva.
*
"Mr. Dzi! Mr. Dzi!!"
The ponytail haired man was slightly surprised to see one of his subordinates running towards him.
"What's happened?" he asked as his subordinates arrived in front of him.
The subordinates said breathlessly, that they had been attacked by the Blind Sword.
"What did you say?" Dzi's eyes went wide and he rushed out to see how things were going, but he stopped in surprise at the sound of a crack which in a second became an explosion and shattered the wall in front of him.
He stared straight ahead, at the shadow of a person walking out of the hole in the wall.
Dzi's looks at the figure standing among the rubble very sharply .
"You?" Dzi made an alert position while his subordinates had already fled. "What do you need here?" Dzi glared at him. Thin smoke like Dang started to come out of his body and soon turned into a horse man, he knew exactly who the man standing three meters in front of him was.
Sensing the aura his opponent gave off, Naara smiled sarcastically.
**
At Mr. Lino's residence, Niin asks where is Naara, Alma also tells how Naara disappeared after saying he would finish his work. At that time Niin knew what Naara's meant.
"Oh, I see." She looked away at the window.
"Sorry," said Alma sadly making Niin turn to her.
Alma regretfully apologizes for getting Niin and Naara into trouble. She knew that he and the villagers were very selfish. Wanting to be free, they jeopardize the safety of Niin and Naara.
"…if anything happens to that master I won't be able to forgive myself," said Alma looking down. Aunt Marin and everyone else in the room also lowered their heads.
With a smile Niin told Alma not to feel guilty and not to worry about Naara because Naara is not someone who is easily defeated.
*
At Animan's base, the Dzi has just been destroyed by Naara. Bloodstains were splattered on the corridor floor. With his body shaking violently, Dzi tried to stand up. "Don't interfere in the affairs of this village," said Dzi, holding his left hand which was probably broken.
"Actually I don't care either. I just want information about Thougha."
"..."
"If you give me information about that person, I will not kill you."
The dzi didn't budge. His mind drifted to the past. At that time he and his mother were also residents of the village of Alnafera. His mother was a beautiful widow who was liked by many men and because of that all the women in the village did not like her and called Dzi mother a temptress.
One day the village head wanted to marry her but unfortunately Dzi mother refused. Dzi mother reasoned that the village head was very old and married and had a family of his own but the village head could not accept thhats refusal. The village head paid several people to rape Dzi's mother and kill her.
Dzi who witnessed the incident clearly knew that the perpetrator was a villager himself and therefore the perpetrator also tried to kill Dzi.
Months had passed since he had run away from the village, he was living a homeless life, until when he was desperate in life, someone came and helped him. That person had given him the chance to live for revenge.
Flashback ends. He closed his eyes and smiled. "You will not get any information from me," he said.
"Hm. Good bye." Naara accelerated and as usual, he quickly got in front of the opponent with his sword.
*
Niin put the spoon into the bowl. She had just finished the simple soup Alma had served her. "Hmm, full."
"Thank God. Sorry if we can only give you soup," said Aunt Marin who was standing near the dining table, Ari and Alma were also there.
"Don't talk like that. This is more than enough for me." Niin smiled before finally looking out the window again. The leaves rustled against each other as the wind blew, some strands seemed to slip from the branches.
"Can he fight Animan alone? Maybe he's dead now," said Ari who immediately received a reprimand from Alma and Aunt Marin.
In response, Niin giggled and said, "That won't happen, he is very strong, It is not easy to beat him."
"Oh, then why are you so worried?"
"Mha? That...." Actually Niin wasn't worried about Naara against Animan because she knew Naara would definitely win. She was only worried about Aceblue.
"Is he greater than Naara the Blind Sword?"
"What?" Obviously the question shocked the entire dining room.
Ari reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a folded brown paper. He quickly opened it. It's a wanted poster.
There Naara's face was displayed so clearly. At the top of the picture there is the words 'WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE' and below the picture it says 'NAARA ARUDE (Blind Sword) then below the writing is written the number '700,000 Bowl' and in the lower right corner it 'ANOA'.
"I'm sure he's not as good as the Blind Sword," said Ari proudly of the blind sword.
"That... h-why do you have it?"
"I'm a big fan of Naara. One day, I will definitely become a great man like him!" said Ari confidently then ran outside.
"W-what?" Niin could barely breathe. Making S-class criminals as idols is certainly not a normal thing.
But ... actually that's not too surprising, considering the chaos of the current government. Many criminals are considered heroes by society and anoa are considered criminals. Power often makes Anoa arrogant and acts arbitrarily against the people. Those who do not accept being treated like slaves will start fighting for their rights, but those who oppose anoa will be called criminals.
While chuckling, Alma said that Ari idolized the Blind Sword since a year ago.
For a moment Niin could only be silent but her attention was distracted when she felt Naara's qiwer aura being carried away by a gust of wind and infiltrating between the wooden walls.
"He's coming!" she said as she stood up and ran outside. Alma and his confused mother immediately followed her.
"Hey what's wrong?"
"..."
All the men in the living room also came out following Niin.
Arriving outside, Alma and the others looked startled when a whirlwind appeared and transformed into Naara who covered his face under the hood. Without saying anything Naara dropped Dzi's body in front of everyone.
"H-he...."
"Dzi, the last leader of the Animan."
Everyone stared in disbelief.
**