Evil Samurai In Cultivation World

Two men walked through the crowded pathway in the busy streets of Dawsbury city. One was an extremely large person with a long and thick beard on him, while the other was small and thin, but had a distinct twirling moustache on his face.

"Finally!" The short man laughed out loud, causing the street vendors to turn their heads and stare at him with confused gazes. The man twirled his moustache and said, "The scent has led us to Dawsbury city. I can't believe I didn't go with my first hunch and instead decided to search all around the Clawferry Prefecture. We wasted our precious time!"

"Is this where man, Gaston?" The big guy with the beard asked, and the short man, Gaston, nodded his head. "Oh yeah, Barris. We're finally here!"

He stretched both of his hands wide open and laughed once again, attracting the eyes of the people walking around him. But he didn't care. Gaston had wasted far too much time going around the Clawferry Prefecture instead of trusting his gut and starting from Dawsbury city itself. But that was all in the past, and he wouldn't be able to change it even if he wanted to. Right now, he was closer to the White Dragon's tooth than he's ever been. 

"Gaston, happy?" Barris placed his index finger in his mouth and began sucking it as he asked, and Gaston patted his stomach and replied, "Oh yes, Barris. Gaston is very happy. He's so happy that he's referring to himself in the third person. That's how happy he is."

"If Gaston happy, then Barris happy..." Barris mumbled under his breath and Gaston jokingly punched him in the stomach. "Yeah yeah… We still have to grab the White Dragon's tooth first, so don't get too happy. Not yet."

He then turned his attention towards the large building that seemed quite far away from the busy streets of Dawsbury city. That building was, of course, the entrance of the Golden Avarice Academy, now renamed Royal Academy. 

"So our little thief is a Royal Academy student, huh..." Gaston placed his hand on his chin and murmured to himself. "That does complicate the situation a bit. However, I'm sure we'll get our chance soon."

He smiled devilishly.

----------------

The Elder announced the next battle. 

"Next match, Claude Rayforth vs Eva Walker!" 

"Claude Rayforth..." Eva Walker turned to look at Claude, who was standing next to Russell Davies and Javier Banderas, and narrowed her eyes. "Don't worry brother..." She said with a smirk on her face. "I'll defeat this so-called genius and move to the next round; And then, I shall avenge you..." 

Claude felt a murderous gaze on him, and he furrowed his eyebrows. But he didn't turn around. He knew that it most likely had to be Eva Walker. After all, it was only after the announcement that he felt the intensity of the gaze. And more importantly, Claude had already noted the positions of every member of the faction in his mind the moment he entered the training ground sectors, updating every now and then. 

The only reason he decided to do this is because right when he entered the training grounds, he felt an intense gaze land on him, but before he could identify where it had come from, the person immediately withdrew his gaze, and Claude couldn't identify the culprit. Claude didn't want to make more enemies, but if there really was someone who had enmity towards him, then he would want to know who and where this person was.

Because of this, he had a faint idea as to where Eva was currently standing. 

'Is she really going to be this blatant?' Claude sighed as the intense gaze he was feeling on him only increased after a while. She wasn't even trying to hide it at this point. 

'Very well. If you really wish to make me your enemy, then I can fulfill your desires,' Claude said to himself. He wasn't an impulsive or short tempered person who would get angry at the slightest form of inconvenience, but he definitely wasn't someone forgiving. 

'I'm going to make sure that she gets just what she's asking for,' Claude smiled as he began walking towards the arena.

"Don't lose now, junior brother Claude." Russell Davies said with a short chuckle. "Or else I'll be extremely disappointed."

Claude ignored his comments and entered the arena, and began walking towards the centre where Elder Kenneth stood.

Eva Walker, who had also came down from the spectators stand, entered the arena and walked up to the Elder, while glancing at Claude with her narrowed eyes.

"Warriors, bow your heads!" Elder Kenneth yelled as soon as the two reached the centre, and the two contestants immediately lowered their heads as soon as the Elder spoke.

"Greetings, junior brother Claude." Eva Walker said as she bowed her head with a smile. Claude looked at her for a brief second with an indifferent expression on his face, and simply nodded his head as he bowed. Eva ignored Claude blatantly ignoring her greeting and continued, "I've heard a lot about you. You're a hot topic these days, did you know that?"

"Oh, am I..." Claude said with an indifferent voice. "You may think I'm lying but it's the truth. Which is why I'm interested in this fight."

Claude had an indifferent expression the whole time she was speaking. However, if he could, he would've rolled his eyes multiple times. 'Was this girl actually serious?' He thought to himself. Clearly, she was trying to get him to feel comfortable in front of her, so that when she does become aggressive during the fight, he'll be caught off guard.

Which, to be honest, isn't that bad of an idea. But nevertheless, it was not going to work against Claude.

"Warriors, step back!" Elder Kenneth ordered, and the two contestants exchanged one last nod.

"I know that you beat Ian Jefferson. But don't underestimate me just because you beat him, alright?" Eva said before turning around and walking back, and Claude did the same. 

They walked in opposite directions to their respective spots. Elder Kenneth looked at the two, and after making sure that they were both in their respective spots, he nodded his head and yelled out, "Contestants! Assume your battle stance!" 

BZZZ!

As soon as he finished speaking, Claude waved his hands in the air, and his katana appeared in his hands. He gripped it tightly and held it close to his chest, staring at Eva with a serious expression on his face.

Whoosh!

Eva waved her hands in the air as well, and a long spear, similar to the one used by her brother, Ray Walker, appeared in her hands.

"Brother..." The smile on Eva's face disappeared, replaced by a serious expression, and she murmured to herself. "Don't worry. By the time you leave the infirmary, I'll have succeeded in avenging you!"

Elder Kenneth looked at both of the contestants and yelled out, "Start!"

BOOM!

As soon as the Elder finished his words, Eva disappeared from everyone's view, reappearing right behind Claude as she thrust her spear!

It all happened in just a split second, and the audience had no time to react as Eva's spear pierced right into the back of Claude.

"Sorry, junior brother Claude. But I'm afraid this is the end of your line." Eva said. But right then, the figure of Claude began to shake violently, which made Eva tilt her head in confusion, and take a few steps back.

Whoosh!

Eva watched as Claude's figure, on whom she had stabbed her spear into, turned into smoke right in front of her, before vanishing into thin air.

"An after image?" Eva Walker, who realised what was going on, widened her eyes, and immediately turned her head around to find where the real Claude was.

"Looking for me?" Eva Walker tilted her head upwards and saw Claude, who had appeared right above her, descending downwards with his katana swinging in her direction!

"Shit!" Eva cursed as she immediately pulled up her spear horizontally and tried to block his attack!

The katana collided with Eva's spear, resulting in a loud explosion that shook the arena.

BAM!

Eva was flung back following the explosion because of the tremendous force of Claude's attack. Claude on the other hand, landed gracefully on the ground, and immediately shot forward, heading for Eva who was still in the air.

"Damn it! I can't lose! I have to take my revenge!" Eva was pissed. She definitely wasn't expecting this. And from a junior no less! She had promised herself that she would avenge her brother, and yet here she was, on the verge of losing to a junior. This was humiliating!

Plop!

She twisted her body in the air and landed on the ground by planting both her feet and her hands, and raised her head up only to find Claude who had appeared right in front of her with a devious smile. 

"Sh*t!"