The rider approaching on horseback was someone Sancaka recognized. A figure from his childhood. The one who had once saved him from a Kurawa's pursuit in the forest. It was Bima. His appearance had not changed at all in the past five years—and he still wielded the same magic staff.
Bima dismounted and began chanting a spell. At first, Sancaka thought he had come to help. But he was no different from the others. Bima pointed his staff toward nearby villagers—and fired a burst of light.
"Uncle Bima, stop!" Sancaka shouted as he ran toward him. Bima paused. He studied Sancaka's face, sensing something familiar—but he couldn't quite remember. Sancaka noticed something strange.
On Bima's right shoulder, a metallic ring hovered—rotating slowly, emitting a red glow.
He didn't know what it was.
"Hey… weak village knight," Bima said casually, raising his staff toward Sancaka.
"What's your name?"
Sancaka clenched his jaw, irritated. "My name is Sancaka. Don't you remember me?" Bima scratched his head and looked upward, thinking.
"Sancaka…? Hmm… where have we met?" Frustration rose inside Sancaka.
"You once saved a child from Kurawa in the forest," he said firmly.
"Then you met that same child again in Wanasura Village. You were with Dharma Arjuna and Dharma Karna."
A memory flashed—
Bima handing him poisoned coffee… and Karna stopping him.
"Oh! Now I remember," Bima said.
"You were one of those kids who led us to find bloodstone. Turns out your friend lied."
That topic didn't matter to Sancaka.
"What matters is this—why are you Dharma attacking our village?"
"Because you're hiding the bloodstones," Bima replied.
"And you refuse to share them with us."
Again—
Bloodstone.
Sancaka only knew it was dangerous—from his senior, and from whispers he had overheard as a child.
But now, he wondered—
Why are they so obsessed with it?
"What do you even want to use bloodstone for?" Sancaka asked.
"It holds immense power," Bima answered.
"And it's extremely valuable."
"It can be used for daily needs… or for battle and war."
Sancaka remembered his senior's warning.
Bloodstone must never fall into the wrong hands.
He also recalled overhearing his father once—talking about destroying all bloodstones in the village.
"Tell me where the bloodstones are hidden. Now," Bima demanded, pointing his staff at him.
"There are no bloodstones in this village," Sancaka replied.
"Liar!" Bima snapped.
"I know you're hiding them. We have information from the inside."
"Wanasura Village is storing bloodstones. So don't lie to me, Sancaka… or I'll kill you."
Sancaka's mind spun.
Behind him—his mother and Nana needed protection.
In front of him—a Dharma who was supposed to be righteous… had become something else.
Without another word—
Bima attacked.
His staff thrust forward.
Sancaka instinctively drew his sword.
CLANG!
Steel met magic.
"Why are you attacking us? Can't this be resolved peacefully?" Sancaka demanded.
CLANG!
Their weapons collided again.
"We already tried negotiating with your village knights," Bima said.
"They refused to cooperate."
"The adults in Wanasura pretend to be heroes… too afraid of bloodstone."
Bima pushed his staff hard to the side—
Sancaka lost balance and fell.
Bima's eyes shifted.
He noticed two women behind Sancaka.
Without hesitation—
Lightning crackled around his staff.
Sancaka reacted instantly.
He shoved his mother and Nana aside—
The lightning shot past them and struck a burning house.
"Nana! Take Mom and get away from here!" Sancaka shouted.
Nana helped their mother up, and they began to run—
But they suddenly stopped.
A horse blocked their path.
Sancaka looked up.
Another familiar face.
Arjuna.
He rode forward, holding a white-and-gold bow.
Like Bima—
There was a rotating metallic ring on his shoulder, glowing red.
"Bima!" Arjuna called out.
"Our forces found the granary. It's full of bloodstones."
Sancaka's eyes followed the direction Arjuna pointed—
Toward the stone granary.
Arjuna then turned his attention to Sancaka.
He narrowed his eyes.
"You… have we met before? Your face looks familiar."
Before Sancaka could respond—
Bima attacked again.
CLANG!
Sancaka was pushed back.
"Sancaka!" his mother cried as she approached him, Nana behind her. "Stop fighting! We need to leave!"
"Hey, Bima," Arjuna called out.
"Do you know that knight?"
"His name is Sancaka," Bima replied.
"He's one of those kids who led us to the Ghost Cave five years ago. Said there was bloodstone—but it was empty."
"Oh… now I remember," Arjuna said.
"Then I'll just kill him."
Arjuna raised his bow and aimed at Sancaka—
But before he could release—
He was knocked off his horse.
"Gah—!"
Another horse had slammed into him from the side.
The rider—
Was Sancaka's father.
"Don't you dare harm my family!" his father shouted, positioning his horse between Bima and Arjuna.
"Tono… we meet again," Bima said.
"Bima! This attack is disgraceful. Withdraw your forces from Wanasura Village now!"
"We will not leave," Bima replied coldly.
"Not until we take the bloodstones that rightfully belong to us."
He unleashed lightning toward Tono.
It missed—but startled the horse, throwing Tono off.
Tono quickly got up and charged.
Their weapons clashed.
Sancaka wanted to help—
But his mother held him back.
"Be careful, Sancaka. That man is dangerous."
From the distance, Wanasura knights approached to reinforce them.
Arjuna noticed.
He quickly stood, raised his bow, and aimed an arrow skyward.
The tip ignited.
The metallic ring on his shoulder spun faster.
He released.
The single arrow split into many—
Spreading across the sky—
Then raining down.
Flaming arrows.
One by one, Wanasura knights fell.
Sancaka eyes widened.
So this… is the attack that burned the village.
He pulled free from his mother's grip.
He had to stop Arjuna.
Sancaka grabbed his fallen sword and charged.
Arjuna reacted instantly.
He turned and drew a dagger.
CLANG!
Blade met blade.
Now—
Arjuna's focus was entirely on Sancaka.
"You dare fight me?" Arjuna scoffed.
"I'm a Dharma. A novice knight like you isn't worthy of facing me."
He pushed forward with force.
Sancaka staggered back, barely dodging the dagger aimed at his chest.
He stepped forward—
Tripping Arjuna.
Before Arjuna could recover, Sancaka grabbed his armor and threw him several meters away.
Not giving him a chance to rise—
Sancaka lunged forward, pinning him down and thrusting his sword toward his face.
CLANG!
Arjuna blocked it with his dagger.
Their weapons locked.
Sancaka eyes shifted—
Toward the object on Arjuna shoulder.
"That thing… what is it?" he demanded.
Arjuna said nothing.
He shoved Sancaka aside and rolled away, then stood up, dagger ready.
Sancaka quickly regained footing.
Now both stood facing each other again.
Sancaka with his sword.
Arjuna switching back to his bow. Arjuna noticed Sancaka gaze.
"You want to know what this is?" he said, pointing at the rotating device. "This is a reactor."
"There's a bloodstone inside it."
Reactor…
The word felt familiar to Sancaka.
Then his thoughts returned to the bloodstone.
"My senior said bloodstone is extremely dangerous—"
"That's just the thinking of weak people," Arjuna interrupted coldly.
Suddenly—
The situation worsened.
Sancaka heard screams behind him.
He turned—
And shouted in horror.
Bima magic blade had pierced through his father.