The clock showed 4:15 PM. The afternoon air in the courtyard of high shcool 8 Jakarta still felt damp after the morning drizzle. RYAN, an second-grade student constantly juggling history assignments and soccer practice, sat leaning against the back fence of the school. A history book about the ancient kingdoms of the Indonesian archipelago lay open on his lap.
"…In the 15th century, the Majapahit Kingdom possessed a group of warriors known as pendekar—feared and respected for their strength. They were not only masters of martial arts, but also capable of wielding powers that could not be explained by the science of their time…"
Ryan frowned.
He had always believed stories about superhuman warriors were nothing more than ancient folklore. With a sigh of irritation, he closed the book, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and stood up to head home.
As he passed through a narrow alley behind the school complex, three large-built young men suddenly blocked his path. They were members of a local gang known for harassing students in the area.
"Hey, high school kid who's always busy with books," one of them sneered. "Hand over some money if you don't want trouble."
Ryan stepped back slightly. He wasn't the type who liked fighting, but he didn't want to surrender either.
Just as one of the men swung a punch toward him, a warm vibration surged from within Ryan's body—completely by accident. The punch struck his chest with a loud thud, but instead of Ryan falling back, the attacker was thrown several steps away.
"What the hell?! Why did you kick me from behind?!" the man shouted angrily at his friends.
Ryan himself was shocked.
His body felt lighter than usual, and strangely, his vision sharpened—as if he could see his opponents' movements in slow motion. Without thinking twice, he slipped between them and ran as fast as he could.
When he reached home, Ryan immediately searched for his older sister, RARA, a young archaeologist. He needed answers.
"Sis… earlier, I pushed away a big guy without touching him. I swear—I didn't do anything, but he flew back," Ryan said, his voice trembling.
Rara stared at him seriously."I've been meaning to tell you this for a long time, Ry. Come with me… to Grandpa's room."