SWORN ENEMY

30 Minutes before incident.

Johan paced through the bustling market, his anger palpable. "Who does he think he is?" he muttered to himself, his voice filled with frustration. "That stupid, weakling Damon, getting on my nerves." He clenched his fists, recalling past that had left him seething.

"I should have dealt with him in the forest," Johan continued bitterly, "but whatever, I don't need them. I am good on my own." He tried to convince himself that solitude was better, though uncertainty lingered.

As he walked, Johan's frustration was interrupted by hunger pangs. "All this walking makes me hungry," he grumbled. "I wonder where the restaurants are?" He glanced around, hoping to find a place to satisfy his craving for food and some peace of mind amidst the tumult of emotions.

Johan's heart softened as he saw the lonely little girl sitting by the roadside. Though he tried to resist, he couldn't ignore her. Approaching cautiously, he asked with concern, "Hey, what happened? Why are you sitting here alone?"

The girl, Dipa, looked up with teary eyes and replied, "Mr., I am hungry." Her vulnerability struck a chord with Johan, reminding him of his own past.

Concerned for her safety, he inquired further, "Where are your parents? Did they leave you here?"

Dipa nodded sadly, "They are gone." Her words echoed the pain of Johan's own losses, evoking memories of his deceased father and mother.

Feeling a connection with the young girl, Johan gently asked, "What's your name?"

"Dipa," she replied softly.

"Alright, Dipa," he said warmly, "you are hungry, right? Let's go and eat some food."

Upon hearing those words, Dipa's tears turned into a grateful smile. "Thank you, Mr.," she said, her trust in Johan evident.

Johan and Dipa couldn't find a nearby hotel, so they decided to go to a big bar that also served food.

As Johan and Dipa made their way towards the big bar, he couldn't shake off the mix of emotions he felt. Part of him was glad he had found Dipa, and he wanted to help her, but he couldn't help feeling angry at the society that had let her slip through the cracks.

Curiosity got the better of him, and he asked, "Dipa, how did you manage to survive without your parents until now?

With a glimmer of resilience in her eyes, Dipa replied, "Sometimes, some good people throw their leftover food on the road, and I eat that. Other times, I find a lot of food in the treasure box." Her innocent happiness touched Johan's heart, but confusion lingered as he asked, "What's a treasure box?"

With a smile, Dipa pointed towards a nearby roadside dustbin, saying, "Oh, there! It's my treasure box. I find food there sometimes." Johan's heart sank upon hearing this. He couldn't believe that a little girl had to rely on discarded food just to survive.

In that moment, he felt a deep sense of sadness for Dipa and countless others who were forced to endure such hardships. Anger swelled within him, directed at a society that had failed to protect and care for its most vulnerable members. He silently vowed to do whatever he could to change things, starting with making sure Dipa never had to scavenge from trash again. Determination welled up within him to be a source of support and love for this young girl who had inadvertently reminded him of the harsh realities that lurked in the shadows of society.

Johan and Dipa finally arrived in front of the bar, and he turned to her with a warm smile. "Let's go, Dipa. Today, we are going to eat until our stomachs burst," he said with enthusiasm.

Dipa's eyes lit up with delight, and she replied, "Really, Mr.? Thank you! This is the best day of my life!"

As they entered the bar, Johan couldn't help but notice the presence of dangerous-looking individuals – robbers, thieves, and gang members – all immersed in their drinks. However, Johan was determined not to let their presence dampen the moment. He guided Dipa confidently towards the bar owner or cook, catching the attention of everyone in the room.

Fearless and without paying much attention to the others, Johan placed a generous order for all the food available. The dangerous-looking people watched in silence, intrigued and perhaps bewildered by the sight of Johan's compassion and fearlessness.

Despite the atmosphere of the bar, Johan's focus remained on Dipa, ensuring she felt safe and cared for. The food arrived, and they enjoyed a hearty meal together, momentarily forgetting the world around them.

Amidst their joyous meal, two imposing men approached Johan and Dipa, making their intentions clear. "Hey kid, looks like you ordered quite some food. Let us help you finish it. You guys can't fit it all in your tiny stomachs anyway," one of them taunted. Johan tightened his grip on the food, unwilling to back down, but the other man warned, "Leave it, kid. You don't wanna mess with us. We're from the gang members. You know what that means, don't you? Now let us have some food. We're quite hungry."

Johan's eyes blazed with determination as he refused to submit. He kicked both men, sending them crashing into another table. He whispered reassuringly to Dipa, "Don't worry, Dipa. You don't have to be scared at all. You can eat as much as you want."

With unwavering faith in Johan, Dipa replied, "Don't worry, Mr. I am not scared."

The two men, now infuriated, grabbed chairs and threatened Johan, "You messed with the wrong person, kid!" But before they could strike, Johan's lightning-fast reflexes were on display as he skillfully dodged their attacks and unleashed a flurry of powerful strikes, overpowering the surprised intruders.

The onlookers were shocked by Johan's prowess, but they remained silent, perhaps out of fear or respect. They watched as Johan continued to fend off the men with sheer determination and skill, protecting himself and Dipa.

Suddenly, a new man entered the bar, and his imposing presence demanded attention. Without hesitation, he intervened and delivered a powerful punch, sending Johan sprawling to the ground. The man berated his subordinates, "I was wondering what took you guys so long, but you were getting your ass kicked by some random kid? And you call yourselves my subordinates? Pathetic."

As Johan struggled to his feet, it became apparent that this man was the leader of the gang, and the two men were his subordinates. Johan wiped the blood from his lip, undeterred by the setback. He had faced challenges before, and he wasn't about to back down now, especially with Dipa's safety at stake.

The atmosphere in the bar had shifted dramatically. The once hostile crowd was now unsure how to react, witnessing this unexpected confrontation. The gang leader's gaze bore into Johan, his eyes filled with curiosity and intrigue, as if he had just found someone worthy of his attention.

Unfazed by the leader's menacing presence, Johan stood his ground, ready for whatever came next.

The man praised Johan for his resilience, acknowledging that he was not a mere brat. However, he decided to end the confrontation, claiming he had no time to play with someone like Johan. As he focused on berating his subordinates, Johan seized the opportunity to strike with superhuman speed, attempting to punch the man. But to Johan's astonishment, the leader effortlessly caught his hand, revealing his own extraordinary strength.

With a powerful kick, the man sent Johan flying to the back of the bar, causing extensive damage. Spitting blood from his mouth, Johan couldn't help but wonder about the man's identity and the source of his incredible power. He suspected it could be linked to the mysterious "Gufa."

The man, still irritated by Johan's defiance, muttered, "That kid is really pissing me off, but I can't stand out here. Leo Brandon is here. If he finds me here, I'll be killed by no.1." Just then, another man entered the bar, and the leader recognized him as his little brother, Kasim.

Curious about his brother's presence, the leader asked, "Kasim, why are you here?"

Kasim replied, "Brother, you're taking too much time."

Realizing he was running late for a meeting with no.1, the leader hastily said, "Oh, sorry, sorry. Kasim, I want you to take care of the matter here. There's a boy, handle him. I'm going where no.1 is. I'm already late, so take care of things here."

With determination, the leader left the bar, leaving Kasim in charge. Kasim turned to the subordinates, a hint of disdain in his voice, "Can't you even handle one kid? What a bunch of losers."

The subordinates, feeling the pressure of their leader's expectations, straightened up, determined to prove themselves to Kasim. Little did they know that Johan, although seemingly just a kid, was no ordinary opponent, and the encounter between them was far from over. As the stage was set for further conflict, the bar became a battleground.

Kasim saw Dipa eating alone and couldn't resist taunting the little girl who was eating alone, teasing her for being greedy. But his attention shifted when Johan, the boy he was supposed to handle, entered the bar. Amused, he acknowledged Johan's feat of defeating the two previous adversaries but scoffed at his ability.

Johan, not one to back down, demanded to know who Kasim was. Before he could respond, Kasim swiftly punched Johan to the ground, mocking him for being easily defeated. But Johan refused to stay down and retaliated with a powerful kick, sending Kasim flying towards the benches.

Unfazed, Kasim laughed, acknowledging Johan's skills but reminding him of their vast difference in power. As Johan charged again, Kasim utilized his unique ability, making his hands grow four times larger, and delivered a devastating blow that sent Johan crashing to the ground, leaving him defeated and frustrated.

As the bar cleared out, leaving only Johan and Kasim inside, Dipa stood outside, urging Johan to win. With his fists enlarged by his powers, Kasim launched another attack at Johan, but he managed to evade it and attempted to use his spiritual pressure to subdue Kasim, to no avail. Kasim swiftly overpowered Johan, throwing him to the ground and sitting atop him.

Tauntingly, Kasim reminded Johan of his audacity to challenge his brother, the 5th commander of the Carang gang. Hearing this, something inside Johan snapped, triggering a surge of anger that turned his eyes a fiery shade of red. The revelation of the 5th commander's identity brought back memories of the sworn enemy who had taken his parents' lives, igniting an uncontrollable rage within him.

CHAPTER 9 ENDS

NEXT

CHAPTER 10- UNCONSCIOUS POWER