They are just done having their meals and they are ready to continue their journey. Alfi looks in a good shape already that he can manipulate the temperature around them by creating silver Iru orbs that float around them. Those orbs are like the ice that chills down the temperature around it.

'Good grief you told us the story, ßenlong. Listening to it makes me wonder about what I can do with my Iru. Thank you.' Alfi said.

'Don't mention it.' ßenlong replied while running to the stair to the eighth floor.

'Well, I am curious, to be honest. Actually, I planned to create a UFO for us to ride, but why are you so persistent to give us a ride?' Alfi asked.

'It's for my personal training program.' ßenlong replied.

'But I don't want you-'

'Enough already. I don't want to hear that from you. I'm fine, okay? And you should believe in me.' ßenlong reprimands him.

Alfi smiles and says, 'Yes, I should. Actually, I do. My bad.'

Alfi picks a strand of his hair and pulls the magic curtain from his bracelet. He covers the hair with the magic curtain, and when he returns the magic curtain to his bracelet, the hair has turned into a bag full of emping. He then gives it to Buriko.

'Dig in.' Alfi said.

Buriko takes a bite of it.

'Delicious!' Buriko is impressed by the delicacy of emping that he just ate.

'It's from Aceh.' Alfi said. 'And I guess you can keep eating it as ghosts can't have a disease, can they?' He added.

'Exactly! I'm glad that I can't enter Heaven nor Hell.' Buriko said.

'And not to mention that I can watch One Piece until the end and the other good animes soon.' Jeje added.

'Are you afraid of Hell?' Alfi asked.

'Have you forgotten already? Anyone, but you in this palace is wandering spirits who have unfinished business in the real world. Therefore, we are not allowed to enter Heaven nor Hell.' Jeje explained.

'Even if you were, I'm not sure that you guys would go to Heaven.' Alfi said.

'Look who's talking here.' Jeje replied casually.

Everyone is bursting out laughing.

'Brace yourself! We are almost there!' ßenlong exclaimed.

'The eighth floor, eh? Guess you'll encounter a worthy opponent, Alfi.' Jeje cut.

'Why tho?' Alfi seems curious.

'No one is able to pass the floor, no matter how strong you are.' Cocong said.

'I heard that no one is able to see its agile movement. What they see just their body on fire to crisp.' Aoi added.

'It is the incarnation of demon's misdeed. A demon who was born by the flame of wrath and the darkness of fear.' Buriko added.

'And, they call it...' ßenlong said.

'Banaspati, the Wandering Torch.' Jeje added. 'It is a manifestation of high-level witchcraft and it is really strong. Rumor has it that no one is able to defeat it even the gods. He will always wander and pulverize anyone put a step on the floor it guards.' He looks agitated.

'Then? What is the big deal?' Alfi asked.

'Aren't you trembling after listening to it, Alfi?' ßenlong asked.

Alfi does see that they are getting agitated knowing that they will encounter something strong and dreadful. Becoming agitated will only worsen their morale. Alfi just needs to encourage them that they will be able to defeat Banaspati.

'Then, what happened with "We will fight with you" thing?' Alfi asked.

They raise their head.

'You guys have encouraged me to stay alive, but why do you look so discouraged like that? How can we protect the world if we are afraid to encounter a mere demon?' Alfi asked.

'But, he-'

'Silence!' Alfi cuts ßenlong' rebuttal.

'I, no, we will defeat it! I might be not able to defeat it by myself, so, please believe in me and lend me your power!' Alfi exclaimed. 'Do you come with me just for killing time?' He asked.

'Of course not.' They responded.

'Discouragement does come anytime, yet don't give up before encountering it. We can do it together, right?' Alfi said. 'I fight calmly as I don't care to what will happen to me, yet I am just sure of one thing, I will never let myself lose.' He added.

Their morale gets increased by hearing what just Alfi said. They know that Alfi does fight without even concerning what will happen to him even though it is a suicidal way to fight. But, he is still with them right now. His empty yet bold gaze reflects despair and a will to live on the other side. It does not make any sense, but that's who Alfi is.

'I'm not discouraged anymore.' ßenlong said.

'Me either.' Jeje added.

'Me either.' Buriko added.

'Me either.' Cocong added.

'Me either.' Aoi added.

Alfi smiles seeing them not discouraged anymore. He did that as he used to be like that, but he realizes that he is not alone anymore, and he won't let his friends get discouraged too.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"If only they were here. I will be back no matter what." Alfi said in his mind.

'The gate is at the sight!' ßenlong exclaimed.

The gate of the eighth gate is at sight. They become vigilant as they will encounter the guardian who is known as the invincible one. But, they still will be encountering it anyway. ßenlong enters the gate and they find themselves in a dark place.

They cannot see anything at all. ßenlong then walks slowly as there is a possibility the guardian has set some traps like spikes or pitfall around them. They are still vigilant though there is nothing seems to threaten them at all. Suddenly a tiny yellow appears before them. They feel hostility from it. It is approaching them really fast that it passes through their bodies pulverizing them into ashes in no time.

'Tsk, what a bore.' The light that turns out to be a fireball said.

'So, you are Banaspati, the Wandering Torch, eh?' Alfi suddenly appears before it with the others behind him.

'Oh, so you are alive?'

'We are.' Alfi replied.

The ones that Banaspati pulverized are clones from a Jepitron that Alfi turned into his party.

'So the rumor is true. A gang of wandering spirits which is led by the Starless is trying to get to the top of this palace. No wonder you could do such a trick to me.' Banaspati said arrogantly.

'Will you let us pass?' Alfi asked.

'Oh, sure. Go ahead.' Banaspati said.

'Thank you.' Alfi and the others then walk passing it,

Suddenly Banaspati flies through all of them in no time. They are pulverized into crisps in no time.

'You may pass after I pulverize you into crisps of course!' Banaspati exclaimed.

Yup, you are right. They are just other clones.

'No negotiation, eh?' Alfi appears before it.

'How dare you mock me like that! But, that's ok, no matter how many times you trick me, you will not get away!' Banaspati exclaimed.

'Really?' Alfi shoots water from Duy-duy on his hand dampening Banaspati.

But, Banaspati isn't distinguished.

'Oh, so you are not a common flame, eh?' Alfi asked. 'How about this?' The Iru orbs around him fly hitting Banaspati.

Yup, it isn't distinguished already.

'Ah, shit.' Alfi sighed.

'YOU BASTARD!' Banaspati turns into a figure of a man full of fire like Human Torch of Fantastic 4 (It's not plagiarism as its form is like that based on the folklore anyway!).

It flies to Alfi really fast. Alfi unsheathes Tipit from his left sleeve and hit Banaspati to the sky like hitting a ball with a bat.

'ßenlong, Jeje!' Alfi exclaimed.

'Roger!' ßenlong and Jeje exclaimed.

ßenlong opens wide his mouth and Jeje expands his arms to Banaspati. ßenlong emits fire from his mouth and Jeje shoots blue beam to Banaspati. Fire and beam that hit it causes a great explosion, but they see Banaspati flies to their direction really fast. Alfi suddenly appears before them with a pair of black wings on his back hitting it with his jet black Pelidi.

'You are tough enough, for a Starless. I will not let you get away for embarrassing me like that.' Banaspati said arrogantly.

'Huh? Did I. I just want to put off the fire around you. I feel sorry seeing you on fire like that. Well, regardless, you are not pulverized tho.' Alfi said casually.

'Are you stupid or something? I'll put an end on your life with ash and smoke so you don't need to worry about having such a stupidity!' Banaspati exclaimed.

'I'm sorry. I guess putting yourself on fire is the stupidest thing I've ever seen. Probably stupider than me.'

'JANCOK!!!' Banaspati strengthens its blow.

Jancok in Javanese means bastard or asshole. It's one of the swear words in Javanese.

'Kuh...' Banaspati keeps advancing making Alfi lose his grip slowly.

"This is bad! If it keeps going like this, I..."

Banaspati keeps advancing that it dismantles him and passes through his body.

'You imbecile!' Banaspati multiplies himself to every direction and the fly hitting his body, completely pulverize him.

'Don't underestimate me! You fucking Starless!' Banaspati exclaimed.

'Look who's talking, you fucking torch.' Alfi is seen floating before it.

'Impossible! Why are you not dead!' Banaspati passes through him pulverizing him in a jiffy.

'It's no use. I'm telling you.' Alfi suddenly appears behind it. 'If your power is pulverizing things, then my power is resurrection by pulverizing.' He added.

Banaspati passes through his body to pulverize him, but Alfi keeps appearing after being pulverized like that making it an infinite loop. Meanwhile, ßenlong, Jeje, Buriko, Cocong, and Aoi are just watching Alfi ridiculing Banaspati there.

'I didn't expect that he could match the Wandering Torch. Not to mention he is ridiculing it right now.' ßenlong looks surprised by seeing it.

'I have to admit that his strategy is brilliant. I didn't expect that he could use Pukan that well.' Jeje said.

Flashback is coming!

They seemed to be agitated knowing that they had put a step on the eighth floor.

'The eighth floor, the floor of emptiness. Nothing particular here. The stair to the next floor will appear once we defeat the guardian of this floor, the Wandering Torch, Banaspati.' Jeje seemed agitated.

'Be very careful, it pulverizes anything it touches.' ßenlong was agitated too.

'Then, how do we defeat something untouchable?' Buriko asked.

'Banaspati is high-level witchcraft that uses heated egg as its media. The egg is enchanted by a menace witchcraft spell. It will be weaker every time it pulverizes anything.' Jeje explained.

'Then...' Alfi activated Pukan and pulled Jepitron from his bracelet.

Those clips had turned into black ones with 666 on the head.

'I just need to make it keep pulverizing me, right?'

'Jepitron? You are able to make clones of you with it, but isn't the use limited?' Jeje asked.

'It is. Normally I am just able to make up to four clones only. But with this, I can make an infinite number of clones.' Alfi said.

'How?' Jeje asked.

'You did say that Banaspati is an incarnation of high-level witchcraft, right? Then, with Pukan, I am also able to make my own witchcraft to counter it!' Alfi held a clip and enchanted the witchcraft spell.

'

'

The clip was glowing green and seeped in his body indicating that the speel had been activated.

'Done. Let's!' Alfi exclaimed. 'Oh, and ßenlong, get ready.' He added.

'For what?' ßenlong asked.

'You'll see.' Alfi threw a clip.

It turned into their clones.

'First of all, we have to make it come out.'

They were off to lure Banaspati out.

'Alfi, have you lost your mind?!' ßenlong exclaimed.

Alfi put his index finger to his lips and said, 'Just believe in me for now, okay?'

'And such a spell sounds strange for me.' ßenlong said.

'I have no idea. It must be the strongest one.' Jeje said.

"And what did he mean anyway?" ßenlong wonders in his mind.

Banaspati looks like it has reached its limit. Alfi is still floating there casually.

'What's wrong? Don't you want to pulverize me?' Alfi asked.

Its fire is burning wildly.

'Don't underestimate me! I, Banaspati, is the greatest demon ever! I am the menacing spirit that will send you right to the Inferno!' Banaspati flies to Alfi's direction.

Alfi unsheathes Tipit from his left sleeve. '"The greatest demon," you said? Don't make me laugh!' Alfi hits it with Tipit really hard and deflects it to ßenlong' direction.

'ßenlong! Swallow it!' Alfi exclaimed.

ßenlong opens his mouth wide and swallows Banaspati. The egg that he guards is cloaked in flame and he feels an amazing power flowing in his body. He sees Alfi smiling at him.

'Alfi... You...' ßenlong is speechless.

'Congrats ßenlong. You are getting stronger now.' Alfi lands smoothly. 'I realized how strong Banaspati power is and I think it would be a waste if I just killed it. Therefore, realizing that Banaspati is an enchanted egg, I thought that its power would suit you, ßenlong. And I was right.' He added.

Tears are rolling down from his wide eyes. He feels happy knowing Alfi cares about him that much.

'There, there, no need to cry. As a protector, you've gotta be stronger and stronger, right?' Alfi smiles at them. 'I realized that when you said that you want to give us a ride for training yourself.'

They see a light making a lane to the horizon showing where the stair to the next floor is.

'I told ya, right? We did defeat the invincible one.' Alfi said. 'If the invincible one guards this floor, I wonder what will we encounter next and beyond. Are you still discouraged?' He smiles at them all.

'No!' They responded with their eyes filled with a solid determination.

'Let's go then!' Alfi said. 'ßenlong.'

ßenlong runs to all of them. They have found themselves riding him in a jiffy. ßenlong then runs ascending the stair to the next floor.

"The higher we go, the stronger our opponent be. It is tough, but I have to get outta here no matter what! Kartika, Herman, Varz, wait for me!" Alfi said in his mind.