The Arkana: The Demon Hunters
The Back That Can Be Dependable

"I have one question for you, Arkana," Suratno said. He showed his grin on Darmanta. The situation was immediately silent for a moment. "Have you ever killed anyone?"

"You're the first one" Manta replied in a flat tone. The man stepped forward with a shimmering Bengisura sword in his right hand. He looked sharply at Suratno who was enveloped in an aura of darkness around him. The night wind rustled adding a dramatic impression to this situation.

With fast and precise movements, Suratno removed the magic kris from the sheath that was at the waist. The moonlight reflected the sharp glint of the keris, creating a terrifying mix of dark and bright rays. Their eyes were fixed on each other, implying that this was not just a physical fight, but a soul fight as well.

"Forward," said Suratno defiantly.

The fierce fight began. Darmanta ran towards him and launched an attack with agile movements, swinging the Bengisura directionally. However, Suratno was no less shrewd either. He dodged every attack of Manta with efficient movement, even several times had retaliated with a sudden attack that could hardly be anticipated by Manta.

The battle heats up, as the light from the Bengisura sword and the darkness of Suratno's kris clash with each other. Explosions of light and shadows blinded the eyes, creating a tense atmosphere.

With an angry look, Manta looked at Suratno. "Free their souls all."

"The only way to free their souls is to kill me!" Suratno countered Bengisura and slashed a stab towards Manta's left chest.

Manta darted slightly to the left to dodge the attack, then retreated three steps to keep his distance. He resets his breath and steps. After his position was good enough, without further ado, he came back crashing and attacking blindly.

Blood was spilled in the yard of the house belonging to the mastermind. The moonlight confirmed that the spilled blood belonged to Darmanta.

Suratno. "What's wrong? Aren't you the one who wanted to kill me? Why are you bleeding?"

The longer Manta stayed near Suratno, the heavier his chest was. His head also felt dizzy when he heard the light of the sinden tone in his ears. At one point, he lost his balance, and that's where Suratno swung his kris to slit Manta's throat. Fortunately Manta did not fall due to the dizziness he felt. The cold man held back the keris from Suratno with his left arm.

From the darkness of the night, the red-clad pesinden demon appeared with a sly smile. He had just given unexpected support to Suratno. His melodious voice seemed to seep into Darmanta's mind, interrupting the cold man's concentration.

For a moment, Manta glanced towards the bastard woman. The red-clad pesinden began to perform the dance and speed up the song. The longer, Manta is increasingly spoiled with drowsiness.

"Remember the person you hate the most ...." That whisper was ringing in his head. "Remember him and hold him in contempt ...."

Manta knelt down. His gaze slowly blackened to make Suratno who was not far in front of him fade. The magic power had left him lying in the courtyard covered in red grass. Darmanta lost his consciousness.

...****************...

"Before leaving, saying goodbye was the same," said a middle-aged man in his son who was still in elementary school at the time.

His name was Darmanta Kusuma. The man in pure white with the look of cold eyes pierced. He doesn't talk as much as kids his age. Naturally, he had lived in a frozen life after his mother died.

Manta's father worked as a painting artist. He always moved from one place to another, looking for references and ideas to create a slick work. As a result, Manta had to move schools and homes. He always adapts again and again. However, when he was comfortable in his new place, at one point he had to go again and leave everything behind. Now Manta doesn't need a goodbye, because he has long left something called 'friendship'. Until one day ....

"Manta, soon you won't move. Dad got a permanent job in Bogor. You'll be friends there."

The day in question arrived. Manta lives in a housing complex that is not too big. He also attended a public school near his home. Just like before, wherever Manta was he had always been number one in matters of lessons and popularity. It's just that in this place there's a little different. In this place he is only popular among girls only, while the boys ....

"Cool, Wo!"

A little boy with a somewhat filled body stood up with a wide smile. In the eyes of the boys, whatever the kid does is cool, because the kid always wins in any game. He is a little worse than the others when it comes to running, but when he steps on the pitch, there is nothing he cannot win. The boy was not talented, he was just a persistent boy fighting and would never stop before winning.

Darmanta clenched his hands tightly. He was envious, he was jealous, and desired to destroy the child. Manta loses, Manta hates staring at the backs of others in front of him and prefers to look down. The cold man preferred to walk the front and in the face of the people who were left behind.

It's not hard for a talented Manta to look better than the kid. In addition to lessons, apparently Darmanta is also good at various types of sports. He competes with the cool kid and slowly seizes everything. Manta has always been a champion in every race in school beating the boy, and subconsciously they become eternal rivals. The boy also harbors ambitions on Manta because since the arrival of the handsome boy, the cool always be number two.

However, behind the cold war there are similarities that unite them.

"Oh, can you see it too?"

Manta looked towards the door. His eyes squinted at his eternal rival in front of the door carrying a plastic containing fruit.

"Lu too?" ask Manta flat.

Although many found it strange that several times he was caught talking to himself, at least .. in the eyes of the child, Manta was not a strange person.

...****************...

The red-clad satanic demon still continues to influence Manta with his magic. He ate the hatred that resided in Manta's chest through the man's memories.

"Name the name of the person you hate the most?" ask the devil.

Manta who was lying unconscious started to open his mouth.

"Wibowo Mahasura ...," murmured Manta lirih.

On the other hand Suratno was already in front of Manta. He raised his hand and was about to finish off the man right now. However, the mastermind let his demons play around enjoying the final dish of the hatred of an Arkana.

The red-clothed demon sniggered. "One last question." He nodded towards Manta. "Do you want that person dead?"

Manta was silent for a moment. While Suratno held his kris above, waiting for Manta's hatred to peak until the desire to curse the person he hated came out of his mouth. The mastermind understood his devil's favorite food. A vengeful Arkana soul is the most delicious food for the demons.

"No" answered Manta. "He must not die, for Bowo is a precious friend."

The devil's face turned furious. "KILL HIM RIGHT NOW, SURATNO!"

Suratno changed the direction of his keris with the tip facing down. As fast as the wind, he leaned his seat towards Manta's left back.

Blood flows back into the grass. Suratno's keris bounced and lay on the ground. The middle-aged man's hand was injured as it hit the atma shield protecting Darmanta.

"WAKE, DAMMIT! SO WHEN DO YOU WANT TO FALL IN FRONT OF YOUR ENEMY, HUH?!"

Hearing that person's voice, Manta woke up from his sleep. The devil's magic couldn't keep him unconscious any longer. Slowly Manta looked towards the fence. He smiled at the bald man who was standing on the fence with his pride varsity jacket. Right next to the man, a little boy was sitting leisurely while throwing a smile at the demon.

Manta tried to get up with a trembling body. The effect of the red-bred pesinden magic was still residing within him, flowing through the veins. However, seeing the presence of Wibowo makes Manta try to get up. He does not want to look weak and lose only from that one person.

The bald man on the fence came down and walked towards Manta. He grabbed the handsome man with one hand and said.

"Nothing occasionally seems weak. There are times when we need someone else. Don't think who's better between us, because we're both the best."

Manta smiled at Bowo's sometimes philosophical remarks, then sat back down on the ground. This was the first time he had seen Bowo's back.

"It turns out not as bad as the cave thought," said Manta.

There is nothing to worry about anymore, because the back looks very reliable. Bowo walked followed by Yasa. The man's eyes shone sharply at Suratno, while Yasa was more attracted to the red-clad demon.

From the direction of the fence, a 30-year-old man walked in carrying a piece of paper. "Suratno, or we call it Ki Keep Shadow. Be a mastermind for twenty years. Three years ago was left dead by his wife and exactly three years ago the beginning of his career as a mastermind went up bombastically." That man is Mahari. He gazed at the souls of the sindens who sat in fear, then turned to the one sinden with red power who helped Suratno. He pointed at the devil. "Time to get rid of the trash."