"Alright. For the time being, until your memories return, I will call you Arya. You can call me Sarwana or King Sarwana," said Sarwana with a soft chuckle.
Arya couldn't help but smile at Sarwana's amusing expression when he laughed. The atmosphere instantly became lighter with their laughter echoing outside the hut.
"How about staying here for an indefinite time until you regain your memories?" Sarwana continued, posing the question after his laughter subsided.
Arya was silent for a moment. He still remembered the cruelty of the human trafficking syndicate members that led him to fall and end up at the bottom of Panguripan Gorge.
"Why are you quiet and not answering my question, Arya?" Sarwana asked curiously.
"I want revenge on them! But how? They must be eradicated so no one else becomes a victim of their cruelty!" Arya growled in anger.
Sarwana squinted, staring intently at Arya. Suddenly, he was reminded of a human he once knew.
"Why does this young man share the same spirit as him?" Sarwana wondered to himself.
"Why are you the one silent now, Sarwana? Are you having relationship problems?" Arya teased with a faint chuckle.
Sarwana looked at Arya, shaking his head slowly. He still couldn't believe how similar Arya's personality was to his late friend, a human who had a noble soul and a playful demeanor.
"Are you certain you want to seek revenge on them?"
"Not just them, but all evil people who only bring misery to others!" Arya replied, clenching his teeth. "But I feel like my desire is too far-fetched. I don't even have the skills to make it happen."
"I will help you achieve that goal!" Sarwana declared.
"Impossible!"
"What's impossible?" The king of the apes scratched his head lightly.
"If you come up with me to the surface, people will only be terrified by your large figure," Arya retorted quickly.
Sarwana lightly smacked his forehead. "Hah... That's not what I meant, Arya! I will teach you the martial arts my late friend once mastered before he passed away."
"Your friend was also an ape?" Arya raised an eyebrow.
"No." Sarwana shook his head slowly. "He was human, just like you."
Sarwana stood and walked to retrieve some blue-purple moss from a container, bringing it to Arya. "Eat this moss. The pain, hunger, thirst, and weakness in your body will be cured by consuming it."
"Every day?"
"Yes, every day while you're here," Sarwana replied.
Arya swallowed hard. As a human, he never expected to eat moss instead of rice or corn to fill his stomach.
Sarwana gave a faint smile, noticing the hesitation on Arya's face. "At least try a little. Once you know its taste, I guarantee you'll be addicted."
Arya took a deep breath and exhaled repeatedly. He was still hesitant but realized it wouldn't be right to refuse Sarwana's request after being saved by him.
With some reluctance, Arya grabbed a handful of moss and put it in his mouth.
Tasteless. That was all he could describe as he chewed on the moss. After a moment, he forced himself to swallow it despite his initial aversion.
Seconds after the moss entered his body, Arya felt something unusual. The hunger and thirst he had felt completely disappeared. Moreover, a warm sensation spread throughout his body, touching every part.
The warmth was different from anything he had ever felt before. It was soothing and indescribable.
"The moss you just ate is a rare type sought after by all warriors, Arya. It's called Tundra Moss. They desire it to strengthen their bones and inner energy. Additionally, consuming it frequently will make your body immune to even the deadliest poisons. Any open wounds will also heal on their own," Sarwana explained.
Arya touched his back where Darsa's sword had cut him. "So you healed my back wound?"
"I didn't heal you; the Tundra Moss did. I merely applied it to your wound, and the moss worked its magic."
Without hesitation, Arya consumed all the Tundra Moss in the container until none was left. He had already experienced its miraculous effects firsthand.
Sarwana laughed heartily, amused by Arya's actions. However, he didn't scold the young man at all.
"Now, follow me. There's something I want to show you!" Sarwana said.
"Where to?" Arya asked curiously.
"Stop asking questions and just follow me!"
Sarwana stood and walked to the door, with Arya trailing behind.
"Wait a minute, Sarwana! Are you going to carry me down?" Arya's heart began to race.
"Hahaha… I don't need to carry you. You can jump down yourself!"
"Are you crazy?! Do you want me to end up shattered?" Arya snapped in frustration.
"Didn't I just explain the benefits of Tundra Moss to you? Now's your chance to prove its effects on your body."
"What if the moss hasn't fully worked yet? What will happen to me?"
"Then you'll die!" Sarwana replied with a chuckle.
Arya gulped. He faced a tough decision: jump down or stay in the wooden hut.
Before he could decide, Sarwana's strong hand suddenly pushed him from behind, sending him plummeting downward.
"You crazy ape!" Arya shouted, his voice echoing through the gorge and drawing the attention of dozens of apes. They cheered excitedly as if watching an entertaining spectacle.
A loud thud echoed when Arya's body hit the ground, creating a deep and wide crater.
From above, Sarwana watched Arya's descent with a broad smile, especially upon seeing that the young man's body was completely unharmed despite the hard landing.
A second later, the giant ape leapt down gracefully, landing beside Arya. "Get up! Do you want to sleep there?"
"You crazy ape! Are you trying to kill me?!" Arya fumed in anger, standing and climbing out of the crater his fall had created.
"Do you think you're dead now?" Sarwana asked in return.
Arya examined himself from head to toe. Everything was intact, and he felt no pain at all despite the intense impact.