"Sorry, Grandpa, I'm late. I was helping my father harvest coffee in the garden," the girl said, saluting. The old man simply smiled and nodded.
"Ayuni, my student, now is the perfect time for me to pass on all my knowledge to you. You were chosen among my many students at this hermitage. Your martial arts skills are above average, due to your diligence and ability to absorb everything I teach," said the old man, who was none other than Ki Sentanu.
The girl, named Ayuni, was shocked, not expecting what her teacher had just said.
"Come with me now!" Ki Sentanu exclaimed, jolting Ayuni out of her shock.
As soon as Ki Sentanu was outside the hermitage, his body immediately shot up like an eagle. Ayuni followed the teacher's swiftness, using his equally powerful lightness skills.
In a valley where a waterfall rose, at the base of the waterfall was a pool of water, flowing into a rocky river. Right in the center of the pool stood a large rock, upon which two figures could be seen: one sitting cross-legged facing the waterfall, and the other standing behind her.
The cross-legged figure was a beautiful girl, while the one standing behind her was an old man in a white turban.
"Ayuni, now close your eyes and clear your mind!" the old man requested. The beautiful girl, Ayuni, simply nodded and did as instructed, who was none other than Ki Sentanu, her teacher.
Ki Sentanu placed his right hand directly on the crown of Ayuni's head. Soon, smoke began to emerge from between his palm and the girl's crown. Ki Sentanu muttered, while Ayuni winced as the heat spread throughout her body, sweat pouring down her beautiful face.
"I have poured all my knowledge and inner energy into your body. Now open your eyes, Ayuni! Watch my movements carefully!" Ki Sentanu exclaimed, then performed various movements.
The movements were divided into three powerful strikes. Ayuni watched each movement carefully. One of the powerful strikes taught was called Rajawali Mencakar Sukma, Ki Sentanu's signature technique, and Ayuni put it into practice.
Ayuni's body shot into the air and then dove sharply toward the waterfall in front of her, her fingers gripping and clawing at the waterfall.
"Craaaaasss!" The waterfall seemed to be cut as Ayuni's hands alternately clawed, spraying the waterfall and wetting the coral walls surrounding the waterfall's pool.
With the splashes, Ayuni's body shot back to her feet on the large rock where she had been standing with her teacher. Ki Sentanu smiled, feeling immensely satisfied with what he saw as Ayuni demonstrated the Rajawali Mencakar Sukma technique.
"That's the spell I used when I defeated Bagas Dipa, but it wasn't as powerful as the one you demonstrated earlier. At your young age, you were able to perfectly combine your inner energy into that spell," Ki Sentanu said in awe.
"Thank you for everything Grandpa Guru has given me," Seruni said, kneeling before her teacher.
Ki Sentanu stroked the girl's head affectionately. Then, together, they sped away from the waterfall valley. Ayuni was the only student who addressed Sentanu as Grandpa Guru; the other students and the villagers who knew him called the old man Ki Sentanu.
******
To the west, the slopes of Mount Kerinci were dense with large trees, and the valley was swampy, covered in undergrowth where venomous reptiles thrived.
Perhaps because of the eeriness of the place, there were no signs of human footprints or encroachment there, across the thickly-covered swamps there was a cave that was penetrated by a small river with murky water because the water flowed from the swamps.
One can only imagine how many reptiles, like venomous snakes, inhabited the watery cave, not to mention the leeches that naturally thrived in the water.
A black shadow flickered into the cave. Strangely, the cave, which should have been pitch-black, actually became brighter the further one went.
"Hmm, this is exactly the place someone mentioned in my dream a few nights ago," muttered the black shadow as it flickered into the cave and perched on a cliff.
"But where should I find that ugly-faced old woman?" the shadow muttered to itself again.
"Hik..! Hik..! Hik..!" A giggle was heard, and then the figure of an old woman with long, messy white hair, black teeth, and sunken eyes glowed red. It was truly terrifying.
"You've finally arrived, Bagas Dipa..! Hik..! Hik..! Hik..!" Exclaimed the old woman who suddenly sat on a rock attached to the cave wall.
"Hey, old woman, who are you? We've never met, how do you know my name?" Said the black shadow figure who had entered the cave, it turned out that figure was Bagas Dipa.
"Hik..! Hik..! Hik..! I know everything about the people in the Mount Kerinci valley, especially you Bagas Dipa, a vile and cruel human being!" Bagas Dipa's jaw clenched in anger at what the old woman said to him.
"Hey old woman with an ugly face, before I collapse this cave and bury you here, quickly tell me what's the purpose of inviting me here?!" Bagas Dipa's anger exploded.
"Hik..! Hik..! Hik..! Your arrogance is the main cause of your defeat to an old man named Ki Sentanu several years ago..!" exclaimed the old woman with a haunted face.
Bagas Dipa was increasingly puzzled as to how the ugly old woman knew about his battle with Ki Sentanu several years ago in the valley of Mount Kerinci in the north. He had been humiliated and rendered powerless by Ki Sentanu, and since then, a deep grudge against the old man had been festering in his heart.
"I invited you here to help you settle the grudge you hold against Ki Sentanu, Hik..! Hik..! Hik..!" the old woman continued.
"Fine, but first tell me who you really are, ugly old woman?" Bagas Dipa asked.
"I'm known as the Fiery-Eyed Evil Ghost..." The old woman hadn't finished her sentence.
"Ha..! Ha..! Ha...! It turns out you're even more vicious than me, ugly old woman!" Bagas Dipa interrupted, bursting into laughter.