Page 1
The days pass.
Quick flashes: Mabu rising early, Thian already waiting at the door. Mabu running behind Thian through the forest, soaked in sweat. Punches flying, laughter rising, small wounds forgotten by the next morning.
One day. One month. Two months.
Page 2
The forest. Early morning.
Mabu stands with a body that has begun to change — muscles pressing against his skin where there were none before.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Thian hammers a tree without stopping. Each punch heavier than the last. The sound echoes through the forest.
Page 3
Mabu takes his stance. Breathes. Strikes.
Crack.
A deep split tears through the tree from top to bottom. It sways. Falls.
Mabu stares at it in silence. Then a smile breaks across his face — one he can't hold back.
As for Thian — he has broken five trees today.
Page 4
Mabu wipes his sweat: "Finally… the training is paying off!"
They continue. The forest fills with the sound of fists on wood.
Then—
A faint rustle in the undergrowth.
Both of them stop at exactly the same moment. They exchange a look.
Page 5
The grass shifts slowly.
Then five men appear one by one — hard faces, hard eyes. One carries a knife. Another a wooden club. Their eyes sweep across the two boys with intentions that aren't hidden at all.
"Well, little ones… what are you doing out here all alone?"
Thian, calm: "Just training."
Page 6
The man with the club steps forward: "Training? Perfect… hand over everything you have."
Thian, without a trace of fear: "We don't have anything. You can leave."
The leader laughs and turns to his men: "What do you think — should we sell them to the city traders as slaves?"
Laughter fills the clearing.
"Excellent idea."
Page 7
Thian stares at them.
Then says with cold contempt:
"Slaves?"
His eyes change.
"Come closer… and I'll show you who the slave is."
One of them charges. Thian turns:
"Mabu — stay where you are!"
Page 8
The man with the club comes from the left. A powerful swing.
Thian slips past it with fluid ease and answers with a single punch that shatters the club completely.
The man stares at his empty hand in disbelief.
Then a punch to his throat. He chokes. Falls.
Page 9
Thian turns around, completely calm: "Anyone else?"
Two of them charge together. The first swings — Thian catches his arm and breaks it in one clean motion.
But the second reaches him from the other side. A punch connects with Thian's face and staggers him.
The man is on top of him now, striking hard. Thian blocks with both arms, struggling.
Page 10
Mabu hesitates. His feet want to move.
Thian shouts: "I said stay where you are!"
Thian hurls the man off him with force. Lands several decisive punches. Gets back on his feet fast.
But the knife comes from an angle he didn't see. It punches clean through his palm.
Page 11
Blood runs onto the ground.
Mabu screams: "Thian!"
Thian looks at his pierced hand for one moment. Then raises his eyes toward the man — calm in a way that should not be possible.
He doesn't step back.
Page 12
One of the men tries to rise.
Mabu turns and drives punch after punch into him until he stops moving entirely.
On the other side, the man with the knife slashes wildly. He opens cuts across Thian's hands and chest.
Thian takes one step back. Wounds mark his body. But he doesn't fall.
Page 13
Crack.
The fifth man brings the club down on the back of Thian's head from behind.
Thian goes completely still.
Then he falls — like a tree cut from its roots.
Sudden silence.
Mabu freezes where he stands.
Page 14
Thian is on the ground. Not moving. Blood seeping slowly from his head.
From where he stands, Mabu is shaking. His teeth are locked together. His eyes are wide.
Thian.
Why.
Inside his head — what do I do, what do I do, do I run or do I fight — and then, from somewhere old, a voice:
"Breathe deeply… and focus. Everything will be alright."
Mabu closes his eyes for one moment.
Opens them.
Page 15
His hands stop shaking.
He raises them slowly and takes his fighting stance.
One of the men points at him, laughing: "Look at that — the little one wants to fight!"
The man with the knife doesn't laugh. He looks at Thian lying on the ground.
"I don't care about the kid. I'll finish this first."
He moves toward Thian. Knife raised.
Page 16
The knife draws closer to Thian's body.
A dark shadow launches like a bolt.
BOOM.
Mabu's punch connects with the man's stomach — a force that has no right to come from a body this size. The man flies backward and crashes into the tree behind him.
Mabu stands between Thian and the man. His eyes are still. He says nothing.
Page 17
The man rises slowly. Picks up his knife. His face shifts from shock to rage.
"After I kill you… I'll cut you both to pieces."
He charges at Mabu.
Mabu looks at the ground for one moment.
Then raises his eyes.
And moves.
Page 18
Time slows.
Mabu's hand rises.
A strange darkness wraps around it — deep, shifting, moving as if it's alive.
Boom.
The punch drives into the man's stomach.
He stops where he stands. His eyes go wide. Blood slides from the corner of his mouth, slowly.
Then he falls.
He doesn't move.
Page 19
The last man steps back. Then again.
"Easy… easy, kid! I won't hurt you! Take your friend and go!"
Mabu says nothing.
He turns toward Thian.
Page 20
He lifts him onto his shoulder with both arms.
Walks. Then runs.
He comes out of the forest. The villagers see them and go still, frozen where they stand.
Mabu doesn't look at anyone. He shoves the front door open with his shoulder and shouts:
"Grandfather! Hurry!"
Page 21
The old man comes quickly.
He sees Thian — soaked in blood. His face changes, but his composure doesn't break.
"Put him here. Go to the doctor right now. Run."
Mabu is already out the door before the sentence ends.
Page 22
He pounds the doctor's door without stopping.
"Doctor! My brother is in critical condition! Come now!"
The two of them run back to the house together.
They arrive. The doctor enters. Examines. Stitches. Bandages.
Page 23
"His condition is stable. But he took a heavy blow to the head. He may need time before he wakes. Let him rest. I'll return tomorrow."
The doctor examines Mabu as well. Minor injuries only.
The old man thanks him. He leaves.
The house goes silent.
Page 24
The old man sits in front of Mabu.
He asks what happened — quietly. Mabu tells him everything.
The old man exhales deeply: "Thank God you're both safe."
Silence.
Then he looks at Mabu's hands — with eyes that are reading something he doesn't say out loud.
The night wraps around the house.
And Mabu sits alone beside Thian.
Waiting.
Continued in Chapter Seven