Rengga once again examined the dry parchment spread across the table, stroking his beard, which was beginning to grow fine hairs."We don't need too many, Prime Minister. Three to five hundred archers at each point will suffice. We rain arrows on them, then retreat back to the capital city.""I understand, Elder." Prime Minister Bayu Aji no longer had any doubts about the intelligence of the man who would replace Arya as the Grand Commander. Even he himself had not considered such a strategy as Rengga had proposed.The discussion continued. This time, Rengga spoke little, as he felt the ambush plan they had devised was already in line with his own thoughts.The conversation lasted for half a day. Suddenly, a scout rushed into the hall, slightly out of breath. Dressed entirely in black with a yellow cloth tied around his arm, the scout knelt before King Wijaya Kusuma, paying his respects."What report do you bring?" asked King Wijaya Kusuma."Forgive me, Your Majesty. The enemy troops

A few moments earlier, Ratnasari and Rengga had already begun their activities before the sun rose to illuminate the earth. The two of them scouted the area, looking for the safest and most strategic spot to launch an attack.In a situation like this, Rengga was forced to think hard. Before him stretched a vast open field, which at first seemed advantageous. However, the lack of cover for his troops to release their arrows safely made him rack his brain even more.After discussing with Ratnasari and weighing various considerations, they finally decided to move farther from their initial position.After an hour on horseback, they discovered a small hill that was not too high. From its peak, they had a clear field of vision, and it would provide an excellent vantage point for the archers when launching their attack."This is the most strategic place to attack them, Ratna. But the problem is, we don’t know if they will pass through here or

Afterward, Rengga poured horse blood around the five corpses to make the scene appear more dramatic.Once the plan was completed, Rengga instructed the soldiers to prepare and roast the slaughtered horse's meat for their meal that day."Now, we just have to wait for their arrival," he said, then walked toward a large tree for shade.Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes into hours. The long wait gave the soldiers time to rest and let their horses graze.However, they remained vigilant. Some soldiers stood watch atop the hill, keeping a close eye on the surroundings.As night fell, a chill crept over the land, cooling the earth that had been bathed in sunlight all day. Rengga and Ratnasari climbed the hill to relieve the guards on duty. Their skills, far superior to those of the regular soldiers, made the switch necessary. Moreover, both Rengga and Ratnasari possessed the ability to see in the dark. The bright moonlight that illuminated

The three grandmasters of the dark sects, whose pride had been severely wounded, stepped out of the carriage one by one. They watched as Prince Purbaya entered the carriage before turning toward their respective sect members.Less than twenty minutes later, all the members of the three different dark sects separated themselves from the ranks of the royal soldiers. They remained in place, waiting for further instructions from their grandmasters regarding their next course of action.From the carriage window, Prince Purbaya smiled broadly, pleased that the dark sect members had distanced themselves from his troops. Now, in his mind, not only would the path ahead be secured, but the number of dark sect members would also be significantly reduced.“Are you sure your plan will work, my son? We still don’t know if Jaya Buana’s royal forces are observing us ahead,” said King Dharma Kusuma.Prince Purbaya furrowed his brows. “I am acting based o

The calm demeanor displayed by Rengga and Ratnasari actually surprised and puzzled the three leaders of the dark sects. The opponents standing before them were still so young, young enough to be their children or even grandchildren. However, they concealed their astonishment, knowing that showing it would only boost their enemies' morale.Atop the hill, two thousand archers awaited Rengga’s signal to unleash their attack.Wirakrama, the oldest among the three, harbored suspicions about the composure of Rengga and Ratnasari. Why had these two warriors stopped running when they had the chance to escape? His eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any indication that they had walked into a trap. Yet, as far as his sight could reach, nothing seemed amiss. Even when he glanced up toward the hill, he saw nothing out of place.Not long after, nearly a thousand members of the three sects arrived and assembled behind their leaders. Their faces displa