I am Villain Cultivator
Chapter 25: Spar with General Ruke

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Spar with General Ruke

A fifteen-year-old boy stood in the heart of a quiet training field, his figure as still as stone. His jet-black hair fluttered faintly in the wind, and his eyes, deep, abyss-like, reflected no emotion, only a calm.

In his hands, a sliver color sword shimmered under the pale sunlight, its edge sharp enough to slice through air itself.

He moved.

Fluid yet precise, the boy executed his sword forms with unwavering discipline. Each swing was measured, sharp, and deadly strikes honed not just with talent, but with practice. He cut through the air with ease, the movements growing swifter, heavier, until the very wind began to bend around his blade.

After a final spin, he raised the sword overhead.

His muscles tensed.

Then a downward slash.

The strike carved through the air like a thunderclap. A powerful gust exploded outward, scattering leaves and dust in a sudden burst. The grass around him bent under the force, and the very ground whispered of the strength behind that single cut.

After finishing the practice, Kaal feels dissatisfied. Looking at the sword in his hand, he concludes that with the correct body strength provided by the Myriads of Thousand Demon Body, a sword is not an effective weapon. Sword can’t display his pure physical prowess.

" Shadow Zero, bring General Ruke here, and also bring me a heavy weapon, blunt or sharp, it does not matter, it just has to be heavy," Kaal said, looking at the tree which was 100 meters behind him with his Mind Eye.

Suddenly, a man appeared out of thin air, dressed in flowing black robes. His face was concealed behind a dark veil, and his presence was utterly silent, like a shadow given form. His eyes, cold and expressionless, reflected no emotion. The aura he gave off... was that of a Truth Realm expert. Yet, if one looked closely, a hint of doubt could be seen in them. He was surprised that the Young master had noticed him.

"Yes, young master," said Shadow Zero, and disappeared without making any noise.

As Shadow Zero vanished silently into thin air, two girls stood in the background, observing quietly. One had soft pink hair and matching eyes, it was Jane. Beside her stood Mia, her fiery red hair flowing gently in the breeze, her violet eyes flickering with unease.

Mia shivered slightly."Young Master... that Shadow Death Squad of yours is creepy. I get goosebumps every time I see them," she said with a pout.

Jane sighed, clearly frustrated."Mia, how many times do I have to tell you not to speak so informally to the Young Master?"

"No one is around here, it is fine, big sis, Young master allowed it," said Mia while she stuck her tongue out playfully.

"It, ok, Jane, I prefer this way, don’t mind it," said Kaal with a small laugh.

Both Mia and Jane were his maids from childhood; rather than maids, he saw both of them as childhood friends.

"Young master, you are too soft on her; that’s why she is getting out of hand," Jane said with a slight, helpless expression.

Then Jane dragged Mia to the courtyard to make a drink for Kaal with bezzel fruits, which are good for the body; all top physical cultivators drink this.

After an Incense stick, Shadow Zero returned, silent as ever, his presence felt before it was seen. With him stood a tall, muscular man clad in the battle-worn armor of the military, General Ruke.

He was a fearsome sight, even with one glaring absence: his left arm. It had been severed not long ago, as a punishment by Elder Alvin himself after General Ruke failed to protect his grandson, Raven. Although, as an Opening Realm expert, Ruke had the means and resources to regenerate the lost limb, he never did. Out of guilt or perhaps fear of drawing Elder Alvin’s wrath once more, he kept the wound as a reminder.

Around Ruke and Shadow Zero stood an array of heavy weapons: greatswords, spears, axes, maces, war hammers, and iron rods, each forged for war, not display. Their presence alone made the air around them feel heavier.

Kaal, eyes gleaming with interest, stepped forward and spoke calmly, "General Ruke. Spar with me."

There was no hesitation in his voice, only eagerness. He wanted to test his full strength.

Shadow Zero narrowed his eyes slightly, but said nothing. As a Truth Realm cultivator, he had touched the Dao itself. Sparring with someone like Kaal would be like an adult indulging a child’s tantrum: unfair, unnecessary. Yet, his orders were clear: protect Kaal, as commanded by Charles himself. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Still, watching Kaal seek out a spar with a battle-hardened warrior like Ruke made Shadow Zero pause. He was curious how far the boy had progressed.

General Ruke stepped forward with a nod. "As you command, young master," he said. His eyes, however, flickered briefly to Kaal’s own sharp, calculating. Kaal wasn’t a normal boy; he was overbearing like an emperor. He still remembers how Kaal recruited him into the Shadow Death Squad.

As he reached for a Spear, Kaal suddenly noticed the missing arm. A glint of something unreadable crossed his face.

"Your arm... heal it, I will explain, to Elder Alvin," he said softly after Hell Asura Bloodline appeared in the Trial, his standing in the clan is whole new level.

Ruke didn’t answer. He only raised his weapon with one hand and entered a battle stance, waiting for the first move. General Ruke took an oath to follow Kaal, but still, he has pride; he does not want to fight Young master Kaal to solve his Grudge with Elader Alvin; he wanted to do it with his strength, this looks like an ant wanted to stop a chariot, but still, General Ruke prefers this way.

Kaal smiled at General Ruke with some respect in his eyes and thought, ’This is the reason I wanted to recruit General Ruke. ’

Without any delay, Kaal also chose his weapon, a hammer, and unleashed his Foundation Realm and charged at General Ruke.

The moment Kaal and General Ruke clashed, the entire training ground trembled. A deafening clang exploded through the air as Kaal’s heavy hammer collided with Ruke’s great mace. Sparks burst forth like shooting stars, and the sheer force of the impact cracked the stone floor beneath them.

Kaal’s feet slid back half a step. His eyes widened slightly, not in fear, but in acknowledgment. So this is the power of an Opening Realm cultivator...

His right arm trembled, muscles numb from the recoil. Even with the strength granted by the Myriads of Thousand Demon Body, the gap was evident. Foundation Realm against Opening Realm, two entire realms apart. That kind of power wasn’t something that could be overcome with brute force or raw talent alone.

Without hesitation, Kaal exhaled and shifted the hammer from his right to his left hand. He took a cautious step back.

It was a mistake.

That single step opened a space wide enough for a battlefield veteran like General Ruke to seize.

With a sharp twist of his torso, Ruke rotated his spear into position. His right hand shot forward like a flash of lightning. The spear lunged, its tip cutting through the air, aimed directly at Kaal’s chest.

In the blink of an eye, the weapon was already in front of him.

But Kaal activates his Mind Eye. His perception sharpened, time seeming to slow for a heartbeat. He saw the arc, the precise angle, and twisted his body just in time. The spearhead missed him by a hair’s breadth.

Before he could regain proper footing, Ruke was already upon him.

A fist stopped inches from Kaal’s face, solid, unflinching, and deliberate.

Kaal froze. The meaning was clear: he had lost.

He stared at the fist for a moment, breathing heavily, then lowered his hammer and let out a quiet sigh. I lost... badly.

Unfamiliarity with the weapon had played a role, but that wasn’t all. The true difference lay in the experience of years of life-and-death combat that could not be simulated in sparring sessions.

Yet rather than discouragement, a fire sparked in Kaal’s eyes. Gritting his teeth, he raised his head and met Ruke’s gaze.

"Once again," he said firmly.

Without waiting for a reply, he stepped aside and began switching his weapon to a Greatsword. The hammer didn’t suit him.

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