Season 1 Episode 12: Hunting

The next morning…

Claude let out a breath as he raised his palm high up into the air. He had finally reached the sixth rank, and he still had a month left, until the Inner Disciple Exams begin.

With this level of cultivation, he had a 50-60% chance of reaching the top ten. However, if he wanted to win, he'd need more than just a high cultivation level.

Not good enough! Claude shook his head. He needed to increase his chances.

"It looks like I may have to go to the Gryfino forest," Claude said after thinking deeply, and left his room.

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Inside a fancy building at the Outer Section.

"Junior May, why have you called us?" Inside the room stood three black-clothed young men, staring at the beautiful young girl sitting in front of her.

"Claude Rayforth made me lose face and he is just a mediocre outer disciple with no talent!"

May Stafford bit her teeth and said with murderous intent.

"Elder brothers, I am begging you. It seems like Senior Colton isn't planning on taking revenge for me. You have got to help me," as she spoke, she suddenly turned and looked at the young men with a teary eyed expression, and the youths' heartbeat started to thump faster. It could be said that she was the woman of their dreams.

She was full of fear and hatred. She was afraid of Claude, whom she had discarded without a second thought as soon as she joined the Academy. When she heard the news about Claude killing Aldrich in a practice match with just one move, she couldn't help but feel afraid. She was afraid that she made the wrong choice by pushing away Claude. May was someone who wished to never regret her actions, but was too insecure to actually feel that way. She didn't want to regret her decision, which was why she went to see him with Colton, to remind him of his place.

Regretfully, the truth of the events unfolding was much more fascinating than what was originally planned. In any case, she still had her arms wrapped around the gigantic tree that was Colton Grey, the one who had the most chance in reaching first place in the Inner Disciple Exams.

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An hour later, Claude had finally arrived at his destination, the Gryfino forest, the name of the biggest forest in the country. Being the largest forest of the surrounding countries, the Gryfino forest had many dangerous wild beasts, and near the centre of it there were high level predators far stronger than wild beasts.

Claude came to the Gryfino Forest to increase his cultivation through combat.

Swoosh!

His body was like a feather as he stealthily moved through the forest using the trees. Utilising the environment to one's advantage is also something that one has to learn when you're in combat. As the trees were higher than their surroundings, it gives Claude a more dominant vision of the environment. As he stood on the tree, Claude began to survey his surroundings.

"Got one!"

About one hundred metres away from his location, he could spot a huge bear, with large fangs that popped out of its mouth, its skin a dull brown color and the claws looking like it was borrowed from some prehistoric predator, seemed sharper than a butcher's knife. It was the 'Sabertooth Bear', an extremely famous beast in the Gryfino Forest.

"Time to test out my skills," Claude thought to himself and quickly used the Invisible Sword Technique, as a silver sword appeared in his right hand. He aimed the sword at the Sabertooth Bear and swung it in its direction, and the blade streaked towards the bear.

Shoosh!

An afterimage was left behind as the blade pierced through the bear's skin, and an angry roar was heard. It squinted its red eyes in Clause's direction and tensed its muscles, ready to pounce.

Claude saw the bear charge towards him, and he quickly used 'Floating Footsteps,' a new technique that he had learned to improve his footwork, to evade the attack of the bear.

The Sabertooth bear's reaction, speed and defense all far surpassed that of normal beasts. However, it wasn't enough to catch Claude, who moved carefully.

Claude knew how the beast would react, because it was, in the end, just a beast. But he didn't know if it was fast or slow, clever for its kind or not, so he stayed loose, already winding up his countermeasures, but keeping his aim flexible, as long as he could, to study his 'opponent'.

So he waited. The Sabertooth bear charged at him, enraged that its attacks weren't affecting him.

"Now!" Claude swayed left, and quickly used Astral Wing Blade, and countless light gleams rose up and flew with a flicker, and they cut at the Sabertooth Bear's head, in the back of the skull as the air filled with metallic ringing sounds.

Splat!

Blood spurted out, and the Sabertooth Bear collapsed down on the ground.

Claude let out a deep breath and revealed happiness on his face, but he quickly calmed down. He had come to the Gryfino forest as part of his cultivation training, and he sure wasn't planning on ending it with just one fight.