Surround by Enemies

Jagat Wengi was crushed under the frozen body of his deceased enemy. The enemy's blood slowly dripped onto his body.

"Posion Kala, you ruthless fiends!" shouted his rescuer with a strained and emotional voice. "Are you okay, Gendal?"

The voice belonged to Sangkih. His arrival raised a big question for Jagat Wengi because the entrance had remained closed despite the obstacle of the lifted beam.

While Jagat Wengi regulated his breathing, he heard the sound of his rescuer's sword slicing through the remaining two enemies. Both of them retreated in fear, and the instinct of one of them led him to move closer to the door.

Jagat Wengi wouldn't allow that to happen. Crouching slightly, he grabbed the enemy's sword from the floor and attacked the person attempting to flee.

The enemy was able to parry his attack, even in the darkness. Afterward, the enemy swung his sword haphazardly in an attempt to escape.

But once again, Jagat Wengi thwarted him. Once again, his escape was delayed, and he was forced to confront Jagat Wengi once more.

Amidst the fierce battle between Sangkih and his enemy, Jagat Wengi twisted his body, assuming a stance for a swordplay maneuver, although he was unaware of his opponent's swordplay skills.

The sound of his opponent's pained scream echoed. The enemy's gaze was diverted, and at that moment, Jagat Wengi swung his sword, cleaving through the darkness toward his opponent's neck.

*Clang!

The enemy stepped back, pressing his back against the wall, while Jagat Wengi continued to push, urging him to stay close to the wall. The distance between them was getting closer to the enemy's face, and at that moment, Jagat Wengi let out a startled cry.

This enemy turned out to be one of the workers who had built the fence when he first arrived at the school. Their plan had been in motion for quite some time.

"Gendal!"

Sangkih's shout came from behind as he continued to fend off his own opponent.

*Clang!

Sangkih had successfully blocked his opponent's sword that was aimed at striking Jagat Wengi's skull. The clash rang out loudly, causing Jagat Wengi's ears to buzz, as if bees were buzzing around him.

Sangkih had saved his life and resumed fighting with his enemy, but it left Jagat Wengi's abdomen slightly exposed, allowing the enemy to forcefully drive his knee into it.

The pressure on Jagat Wengi's sword was released, and the enemy swiftly resumed his intention to escape through the room's door.

He sprinted away with remarkable agility, managing to escape from the main building.

Jagat Wengi quickly followed him outside, managing to close the distance between him and the enemy slightly. However, an arrow had already been swiftly shot towards him.

*Twang!

A sword came slashing through the arrow from behind. Standing there was Sangkih, and indirectly, Jagat Wengi owed his life to him for the second time.

Knowing that their enemies were on guard outside, Jagat Wengi immediately secured himself by running towards the stable. Sangkih followed him, heading in a different direction, seeking refuge from the arrows in the darkness of the night.

The arrow attacks ceased, but they were replaced by the sound of galloping horses from beyond the gate. The noise was loud and chaotic, and in no time, a group from Poison Kala managed to enter and encircle the courtyard.

Two of them rode their horses deep into the premises, holding torches in their right hands. Jagat Wengi could only watch as they departed while he hid in the stable.

The forces of Posion Kala numbered ten people, with two having ventured far into the back courtyard. The torches they carried were used to set fire to the huts there.

In just a short time, the flickering flames had engulfed a portion of the finger-like thatched huts, spreading rapidly despite the absence of a breeze.

Sangkih emerged from his hiding place and faced eight enemies on horseback. It was truly an uneven battle, and Jagat Wengi had to decide whether to escape or repay his debt to Sangkih with his life.

If he were to come out of his hiding place in the stable, it would be as good as exposing himself to Sangkih as a thief of the sacred books. He recognized one of them.

"You cowards! How long have you been lurking around our school?" Sangkih was surrounded by eight mounted assailants. His body maneuvered around the encircling horses with unwavering firmness and great courage.

"Just show us the location of your book storage if you want to spare your life tonight," replied one of them, with a scar on his left cheek.

*Whoosh!

An arrow fell right in front of Sangkih's feet. The margin was incredibly slim. Then, arrows fell again on his left and right sides.

Such was the strength of the coordinated attack employed by the group from Posion Kala, to the extent of stationing archers outside the gate for their security measures.

The three arrows that had been launched earlier didn't escape Jagat Wengi's attention. He thought that he could take care of these archers to protect Sangkih.

The fence behind his horse's stable wasn't too high for him to reach and carefully jump over. Just as two enemies from behind had regrouped with their comrades.

Jagat Wengi circled around the tree where the archers were perched. He crept silently, ensuring that his presence remained unknown to these enemies.

As a diversion, he threw a small stone in a different direction to enable his first leap onto a branch. Step by step, he climbed from one branch to another.

In the courtyard, Sangkih still stood in the center, poised and ready to face the onslaught. His faint voice could be heard shouting in defiance of the group's demands.

"Step over my body first!"

The voice rang out just as the arrow that Jagat Wengi had stolen from his quiver pierced through the archer's neck, penetrating through both sides.

The bow and arrow had changed hands, and Jagat Wengi immediately repaid his debt by launching an arrow towards the group in the middle of the courtyard.

One enemy's neck was instantly impaled. This event undoubtedly shocked the enemy forces, and their panic gave Sangkih a reason to fight back.

Sangkih leaped onto one of the enemies still atop his horse. From the beginning, Sangkih had surely anticipated that his target would be the weakest. At least, that's what Jagat Wengi thought based on the fundamental principles of martial arts he knew.

By doing so, Sangkih could freely retaliate against the strongest enemies. And his target was someone Jagat Wengi recognized as a senior in the Poison Kala school.

*Whoosh!

The still air since the sky had obscured its brightness greatly supported the movement of Jagat Wengi's arrows towards his intended targets. He would shatter their attacks with a rain of arrows before Sangkih found himself in greater danger.

Two individuals had indeed raced swiftly on their horses towards the tree where Jagat Wengi was positioned. However, he paid no mind to that. His attention was focused on the battle in the courtyard because when the enemies took cover, it was the perfect opportunity for Sangkih to launch a strong counterattack.

Jagat Wengi knew one of them as a senior and he targeted his body with arrows from four different directions. It was effortless for him to break through these arrow attacks.

And it proved to be true. The arrow aimed at the senior from the Poison Kala school was successfully blocked. Before two horsemen approached to attack, Jagat Wengi managed to shoot an arrow back into the courtyard.

He had chosen the wrong target. He should have selected the weakest one to end their life with an arrow.

And he found that person taking cover behind a horse. Jagat Wengi was not a skilled archer, and the stolen ancient books he possessed rarely mentioned anything about arrows.

This ability was acquired through repetitive and rigorous training. However... well, who knows, perhaps the book hadn't been found or heard of by Jagat Wengi yet.

While he targeted the enemy hiding behind the horse, the two horsemen were getting closer. His focus on the battle in the middle of the courtyard made him unaware of a flying machete heading towards him.

Fortunately, the swing of the machete hit a tree branch next to him. He swiftly launched the arrow from the already drawn bow towards the machete thrower.

*Swoosh!

The arrow pierced his neck, and his companion immediately leaped from the horse, tucking his body in. His advanced skills brought him to the branch where Jagat Wengi was located.

Finally, Jagat Wengi's arrow attacks ceased. Two simultaneous battles took place.

Before descending, Jagat Wengi managed to grab one arrow and hid it up his sleeve while shouting, "Hey, friend! It's me, Jagat Wengi!"

The enemy immediately descended with the machete still held forward and asked in surprise, "You? Why are you here?"

"It wasn't me who shot at you. I just arrived and saw the fire from a distance. Look at your friend up there."

*Swoosh!

The hidden arrow had now shifted to impale the enemy's neck, standing upright. Jagat Wengi withdrew it, causing fresh blood to gush out onto the ground.

Two obstacles had been successfully neutralized. Jagat Wengi returned to his position, continuing his arrow assault.

Unfortunately, the number of arrows was insufficient to reach the middle of the courtyard. Reluctantly, Jagat Wengi raised his bow, hoping that Sangkih could deal with the remaining enemies.

Since the enemies believed their two companions had dealt with the mysterious archer, their attention had become lax again, unaware of the imminent arrow attacks from Jagat Wengi.

Three enemies fell lifeless. Only four enemies remained, and he had only two arrows left.

Jagat Wengi took a slow breath to ensure these two arrows would not go in vain.

*Whoosh!

A scream echoed from within the courtyard, causing the remaining three enemies to immediately seek cover. Sangkih, on the other hand, refused to take cover and searched for his enemies in their hiding spots.

Only one arrow remained. Its target would depend on Sangkih's success in eliminating his enemies.