28-1 Nagini's Mystical Power
Seeing Burhan chase after Broto but unable to do anything because his hands were stiff from Nagini's icy aura, the four bodyguards began to panic.
They feared the Great Madam more than they feared Nagini—even though right now, they were struggling to move their fingers on the triggers of their rifles.
Reno: "Damn it! What do we do, Ko?"
Riko: "If we can't finish them off…"
Rifai: "The Great Madam will be furious."
Rendi: "You all know what happens when the Great Madam gets angry?"
The four exchanged glances, dread of Mariana outweighing reason.
Reno: "She'll give you lumps or twist your joints."
Riko: "That's the lightest pain."
Rifai: "Sometimes she knocks out your teeth."
Riko: "That's only moderate pain."
Rendi: "The worst is breaking arms or legs."
Riko: "So far… she's never broken anyone's neck."
They looked at each other again. Fear of Mariana pushed away all logic.
Slowly, the numb fingers began to move.
Up ahead, Nagini lowered her stance, channeling her inner energy. Her right hand reached for four level-two poisoned needles.
Reno, finally able to move his hands, accidentally squeezed the trigger of his AK-47.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Ratatatatatat!
It wasn't just one bullet—it was a whole burst.
But Nagini's vigilance was razor-sharp, heightened by her mystical powers. The moment Reno pulled the trigger, she leapt lightly into the air.
***
28-2 Nagini Dodges the Bullet Storm
Hearing gunfire, Giono, Tono, Rani, Rina, Ngatmo Wijaya, and Karsiyah rushed toward the sound behind a door ahead.
Giono: "Well, I'll be a goat! Someone beat us to it!"
Karsiyah: "Curses! Let's go thrash Broto!"
Ngatmo: "The shots are behind that door."
Tono gripped his pistol tightly and joined the run. Rani and Rina followed.
At the door, without hesitation, Giono kicked it open.
BAM!
What they saw was stunning—a woman in a red leather jacket, floating in mid-air.
Her body was so light, it was almost clinging to the ceiling.
Rani: "Sister Nagini!"
Rina: "Sister Nagini?"
Giono: "Goat Almighty!"
Karsiyah: "Curses!"
Ngatmo: "Amazing!"
Tono: "Impossible!"
They were all astonished—some in awe, some in disbelief—that in the modern day, someone could still defy gravity.
Even more incredible, the red-jacketed figure was evading a storm of bullets beneath her.
***
28-3 Two Guns Pointed at Each Other
Meanwhile, Burhan, chasing Broto and Sawitri, gripped his pistol tight.
Burhan: "Stop, Broto! Or I'll shoot!"
Broto halted briefly and turned to face him, his own pistol aimed at Burhan.
Two guns, pointed at each other.
Sawitri, standing beside Broto, looked panicked.
Sawitri: "Stop it, Uncle Broto! Stop, Brother Burhan!"
The two men stared each other down.
Sawitri: "The Madam's been good to me, Brother Burhan…"
Burhan: "But your parents are worried sick."
Sawitri hesitated.
Sawitri: "They don't need to worry. I'm fine."
Burhan took a step closer.
Broto: "Stop right there, Mr. Burhan! One wrong move and it's over!"
Broto stepped backward, pistol still aimed, his left hand gripping a black case chained to his wrist.
Broto: "Let's go, miss. The Madam is waiting."
Burhan: "Stop! I will shoot!"
Broto: "And I will shoot you, Mr. Burhan!"
Neither dared pull the trigger first. Broto kept backing toward the top floor—where Mariana and the helicopter waited.
***
28-4 Helicopter with Tail Number 24C
On the rooftop, the helicopter's rotor blades began to spin slowly. The operator had just started the engine. The tail bore the number 24C.
Mariana stood at the helicopter's doorway. Each corner of the helipad was guarded by a man with a heavy AK-47.
Beside Mariana, a young man held a remote controller, his eyes glancing up at a drone in the sky before focusing on its live feed on the screen.
Not just any drone—a combat drone.
Mariana heard gunfire and felt a cold wave rolling in from the stairwell—a cold that wasn't natural, laced with mysticism.
Mariana (to herself): "Nagini…"
She lowered her stance and slowly unfolded a paper fan. From her wrist, a wave of heat began to spread, pushing back the cold.
***
28-5 Nagini's Rampage
While Nagini floated above, Reno's AK-47 rounds tore through the space below.
Thud! Thud! Thud! — hitting the wall.
Crash! Clink! — shattering glasses and bottles.
Bam! Bam! Bam! — smashing tables and chairs.
The air was filled with dust, shards of glass, and splinters of wood.
Below, Nagini saw Riko, Rifai, and Rendi swinging their rifles toward her.
Before they could fire, she unleashed four poisoned needles.
Whoosh! Whip!
A chill wind followed as the needles struck.
Crack! Crack! — hitting the rifle barrels.
Snap! Snap! — all four barrels broke clean in half.
The bodyguards stared at one another, pale and sweating.
Nagini dropped lightly to the floor and closed in.
Bam! — Reno flew backward, his jaw unhinged.
Smack! — Rendi spun sideways, cheek swelling like a melon.
Bam! Thud! — Rifai fell with his nose bent sideways.
Riko clutched his stomach, groaning.
All four were down, weapons ruined.
Without looking at Giono's group, Nagini dashed for the stairs to chase Burhan.
***
28-6 The Clash of Heat and Cold
While in the air, Nagini had felt an unusual heat rising from the stairwell—a mystical heat.
Nagini (to herself): "Mariana…"
Worried that Burhan might face Mariana, she struck the guards down and sped toward the stairs.
Giono, Karsiyah, Ngatmo Wijaya, Rani, Rina, and Tono followed.
Even they could feel the mingling currents of hot and cold.
Those who understood the mystical world—Ngatmo, Karsiyah, and Giono—knew what it meant: two great powers clashing.
Ngatmo: "Impressive. Their inner energy is two levels above mine."
Karsiyah: "Feels like soaking in warm water!"
Giono: "Goat Almighty! They're evenly matched."
Tono only shook his head, while Rani and Rina exchanged wide-eyed looks.
***
28-7 Mardian, the Combat Drone Operator
Meanwhile, on the top floor of the Kembang Setaman Disco building.
Mariana stood in a low fighting stance. The paper fan in her left hand was spread wide, while her right hand was poised to strike.
The helicopter rotors were spinning faster and faster.
Mariana's gaze locked on the stairwell door leading down. A mystical chill crept upward. Her eyes glinted sharply, jaw tightening, a sly smile curling at the corners of her lips.
She glanced at the combat drone operator beside her.
Mariana: "Hey, Mardian. Is there any danger above the helicopter?"
Mardian: "From the drone's observation, the airspace above the building is clear, Ma'am."
Mariana flicked a glance toward the airborne drone.
Mardian: "The danger may come from the stairwell door in front of us, Ma'am."
Mariana furrowed her brows, her stance unchanged. Her right hand remained ready to strike.
Mariana: "Mardian, bring the drone down. Pack it in the case, then get on the helicopter quickly."
Mardian: "Yes, Ma'am."
Mardian immediately brought the drone down, secured it, and rushed aboard the helicopter.
Four guards stood at the helicopter's four corners, each armed with an AK-47 assault rifle.
***
28-8 The Flight of the Cold-Edged Needles
As if sensing the situation above, while racing up the stairs, Nagini—pursuing Burhan—prepared her five poisoned needles.
One Level-3 needle—deadly—was in her right hand, while four Level-2 needles—still highly lethal—were in her left.
Nagini's mystical, supernatural instincts flared with warning—danger awaited.
She surged up the steps, deeply worried about Burhan.
Nagini (in her heart): Burhan, if only you knew how dangerous Mariana is…
Moments later, she spotted Burhan aiming his gun at Broto and Sawitri, who had already reached the top-floor door.
She saw Sawitri step out, followed by Broto.
The moment they exited, a wave of intense, unnatural heat blasted in from outside.
Nagini, already primed, unleashed the deadly Level-3 needle with her inner power.
Nagini: "Burhan! Drop down—prone!"
Whoosh!
A torrent of icy wind roared alongside the poisoned needle's flight.
Burhan ducked low. The poisoned needle whistled past over his head, toward the doorway and beyond.
As it passed, Burhan felt a surge of chilling wind above him, sweeping away the oppressive heat he had just sensed.
***
28-9 Clash of Heat and Cold Energies
Meanwhile, upstairs.
Mariana held her stance, eyes fixed on the stairwell door.
When she saw Sawitri emerge—
Mariana (to herself): Sawitri…
A moment later, Broto appeared, aiming his pistol toward the stairs below.
Mariana (to herself): Broto…
Then Burhan emerged from the doorway, gun aimed forward.
Mariana (half-shouting): "Officer Burhan!"
Rage flared in Mariana's eyes at the sight of him. Her jaw clenched, hands trembling.
In that instant, Mariana unleashed her fury at Burhan.
She flicked her paper fan—
Whoosh!
A scorching wave of hot wind blasted toward Burhan.
At the same moment, Nagini's cold-imbued poisoned needle surged forward.
Blar! Blar!
The two mighty forces collided, erupting in explosions and sparks.
Through the clash, Mariana glimpsed the poisoned needle streaking toward her. Without hesitation, she struck forward with her right hand.
A whip of hot wind intercepted the needle—
Blar!
The needle clattered to the floor, glowing red-hot as though burned in a furnace.
The force of the impact pushed Mariana back two steps. Her head tilted to the side, long hair spilling over her left cheek.
She looked ahead—
There stood the red-jacketed woman before Burhan.
Mariana: "Nagini!"
Her voice snapped like a whip.
Mariana was stunned—and not just by Nagini's sudden appearance.
All four heavily armed guards stationed at the helicopter's corners lay unconscious.
It turned out, when Nagini launched her needle at Mariana—seemingly only to protect Burhan—it was also a diversion.
The other four needles had in fact been aimed at disabling the guards.
Given the danger of those AK-47s—especially with Giono, Ngatmo, Karsiyah, Rani, Rina, and Tono following close behind—neutralizing the threat was a critical move.
End of chapter 28
To be continued 29