I am Villain Cultivator
Chapter 58: Kaal Vs Founder Kilvish Arthur

Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Kaal Vs Founder Kilvish Arthur

The air in the sealed arena was thick and suffocating, pressing against Kaal’s skin.

Across the platform stood a boy who couldn’t have been older than him. Fifteen, perhaps, draped in sleek black robes that seemed to drink in the dim light. A dagger danced between his fingers, spinning with effortless grace, its edge glinting like a serpent’s fang.

His hair, black as ink, fell carelessly across his brow, framing eyes so dark they might have been carved from polished onyx. And within those depths flickered something unsettling, a spark of mischief, yes, but beneath it, something colder. Sharper.

Then came the laughter.

It was cheerful, almost playful, yet twisted in a way that sent a shiver down Kaal’s spine. The sound didn’t fade like normal laughter should. Instead, it clung to the air, echoing unnaturally against the curved stone walls, bouncing back in distorted ripples like a melody from some forgotten nightmare.

"So you’re the one?" the boy mused, his voice light, almost musical. "The chosen descendant." A tilt of his head, a slow, deliberate smirk. "You look tense. That’s no fun."

Kaal didn’t answer. His crimson eyes narrowed, his body taut as a drawn bowstring. Beneath his skin, Qi surged molten iron coursing through his veins, the power of the Myriad Thousand Demon Body coiling in his muscles, ready to unleash devastation at the slightest provocation.

Yet the boy, the clone of Kilvish Arthur, only smiled wider, as if Kaal’s tension were the most amusing thing he’d seen all day.

Then, without warning, he vanished.

No sound. No ripple in the air. No telltale distortion of Qi.

Just... nothing.

Kaal’s instincts screamed. His Mind Eye flared to life, the world around him slowing as rings spiraled within his pupils, peeling back illusions, seeking the truth beneath deception.

A flicker there and gone. A blur too fast to track, his Mind eye was able to track the founder clone, but the next movement clone disappeared and reappeared in a new place, even with mind eye, he failed to track the movement of the founder clone.

A presence hovering just at the edge of perception, like a shadow slipping through his fingers.

Kaal whirled.

Too slow.

Cold steel whispered against his ribs. A sharp, biting pain, then warmth. Blood arced through the air, a crimson spray painting the stones beneath his feet. Kaal gasped, his body lurching backward as the world tilted, darkness rushing in like a tide—

Then, nothing.

[System Notification:]One life has been claimed. Death registered. Respawn Protocol engaged... Countdown: 3... 2... 1...Revival complete.Remaining Lives: 9. ]

Kaal’s eyes snapped open. His chest heaved, lungs burning as if he’d been drowning. His hands trembled not from exhaustion, but from the raw, visceral shock of what had just happened.

He had died. Not just defeated. Slaughtered. Like an afterthought. He looked at his body and remembered the voice telling him that he had nine lives remaining, meaning he had nine chances left.

He looked at the Founder. His breath came in ragged bursts, fingers curling into fists against the cold stone beneath him. When he lifted his gaze, the clone was already watching him, perched atop a high stone pillar, one knee drawn up lazily, the dagger still spinning between his fingers as if nothing had happened at all.

"Whoa," the clone said, tilting his head with mock sympathy. "You died kinda fast." A chuckle, light and airy, as if they were discussing the weather. "First death’s always a little weird, huh?" He flicked the dagger into the air, caught it by the tip. "Bet that hurt."

Kaal’s jaw clenched. Rage simmered beneath his skin, yes, but something else, too. Something colder.

Awe.

They were the same age. The same realm. And yet, this thing had killed him as easily as plucking weeds from a garden.

Effortless.

The realization settled over him like a shroud. This wasn’t just a fight. It was a lesson.

And the lesson had only just begun.

Kaal shivered. His fists clenched.

"Blood Art: Fog of Crimson."

Blood erupted from Kaal’s pores in a sudden, violent surge. Within moments, a thick, oppressive mist blanketed the arena, swirling, writhing, alive. The scent of iron hung heavy in the air, and the world was swallowed by crimson. He uses blood fog as a way to block Founder clone vision.

"Blood Needle Rain!"

From within the fog, dozens of blood-forged needles formed, vibrating with murderous intent. They darted erratically through the haze, whizzing through the air, creating a chaotic storm of projectiles that made it nearly impossible to pinpoint Kaal’s exact location.

This wasn’t just offense, it was misdirection, a battlefield shroud meant to stall. Kaal wasn’t aiming to kill. Not yet.

He needed space. He needed time to think about his next move. Kaal’s eyes gleamed with determination, and Qi surged through his body.

With a step forward, he condensed Azure Qi around his fist, concentrated and sharp, like a comet poised to fall. Then, he struck.

The blood mist parted briefly as his punch tore through it. The ground didn’t just crack, it splintered, spiderweb-like fractures crawling outward from the point of impact in all directions. The force shook the platform, rumbling beneath their feet.

But the punch struck only air.

From above, a voice echoed, casual and mocking.

"You know... you’re starting to look like a vampire. Red eyes, regeneration, super strength... Tell me, do you burn in sunlight?" said this clone and appeared above the kaal like an eagle diving for a hunt.

Kaal’s gaze snapped upward. Then his Mind Eye caught a Figure above his head, in response,

"Too late," said the founder clone.

A dagger slid into Kaal’s collarbone.

[ Death Count – 2. Respawning...Revival complete.Remaining Lives: 8. ]

Kaal returned, panting.

"You regenerate like crazy. Vampire confirmed. I wonder if I kill you again, will I get some EXP?" Arthur chuckled, spinning his blade.

Kaal’s mind burned. ’Vampire... EXP... It’s from Earth. He’s speaking like the Gamer. Always think like a Game logic. That’s what this is.’

He steeled himself.

Arthur disappeared. Kaal’s Mind Eye caught the movement. He turned

But his body couldn’t follow.

A blade tore through his abdomen. This time, Kaal didn’t flinch.

[ Death Count – 3. Respawning...Revival complete.Remaining Lives: 7. ]

Reving Kaal appeared calm, and he began to analyze the founder clone pattern.

’I can see him now. The most annoying thing is founder footwork; he can appear from any direction silently. I’ve tracked his footwork. Twelve directions, but he’s not limited to them. Up. Down. Between. He is everywhere.’

Kaal narrowed his eyes, threads of understanding weaving together with dangerous clarity.

This wasn’t some illusion or high-speed movement. It wasn’t even teleportation in the traditional sense. No, this was something far more calculated.

Game logic.

Kilvish Arthur, or rather the clone that bore his name, wasn’t fighting like a cultivator. His movements followed a rhythm Kaal knew too well. Patterns designed not by Qi arts or divine comprehension, but by mechanical rule systems.

And Kaal knew this because he had seen it before.

In Raven’s memories.On Earth, the RPG mode game.

The assassin character Raven was once portrayed as light-footed, unpredictable, and lethally efficient. A ghost who moved through shadows, always seeking the opening behind the neck, always hungry for a backstab.

’That was always Assassin’s chracter favorite move,’ Kaal thought, his lips curling into a thin smile. ’Strike from behind. Silent. Precise. Ruthless.’

But not this time.

This time, Kaal laid the trap.

The blood fog thickened once more, swirling like a living creature. Hidden within its depths, Kaal raised his hand calmly.

"Blood Art: Heaven Piercer Spear."

A crimson spear of condensed blood roared to life in his palm and tore through the fog like a blazing javelin. Its trajectory was straight, its intent murderous.

But, as expected, Arthur’s clone evaded it with effortless grace. His footwork bent space itself one step seemed to span ten, and the arena responded to his movement like a tamed beast.

He was already closing in. Exactly as Kaal wanted.

With a deep breath, Kaal summoned his Qi and unleashed.

"Burst Qi", the Move that was taught by General Ruke.

BOOM!

An explosive burst erupted from his core, rippling through the mist in a shockwave that hurled Arthur several paces back. His black cloak flared out as he landed, boots skidding, a laugh bubbling from his lips.

"Whoa! What was that?" Arthur grinned, eyes shining with amusement. "That was cool. Do it again!"

Kaal didn’t flinch. He didn’t answer. He simply smiled and waited.

He had baited the first strike.

Now came the real game.

Arthur vanished again, dissolving into the mist like a phantom. He reappeared in front of Kaal for just a breath and then disappeared again.

Kaal’s Mind Eye snapped open, spiritual perception flaring. He caught the flicker of motion to his right and turned, unleashing a powerful punch wrapped in Azure Qi.

The air howled—

But the strike hit nothing.

Wrong side.

Arthur reappeared at Kaal’s back, dagger poised for the killing blow.

But this time, Kaal was ready.

"Blood Chain Bind."

Chains surged upward from the ground, coiling around Arthur’s legs like living serpents of crimson light. They locked tight, halting the clone’s momentum mid-strike.

His golden eyes widened.

Kaal turned his head slightly, voice cool and calm.

"I knew you’d appear behind me."

He clenched his fist, Azure Qi gathering like a miniature sun around his knuckles, and pivoted with a roar. His punch rocketed forward.

Arthur barely had time to raise his arms in defense.

CRACK!

The impact echoed across the arena like thunder. The clone was launched backward, skidding across the blood-soaked floor, his boots tearing trenches in the stone. After twenty staggering steps, he came to a halt.

His right arm trembled. Something had cracked. A thin trickle of blood slid from the corner of his mouth.

He coughed once, then chuckled.

"What a monstrous strength... Are you Hercules or something?"

With a swipe of his wrist, he wiped the blood away, still smiling, but this time, the grin was sharper. Hungrier.

"Now this is getting exciting."

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