Chapter 240: Diamond Ward

The villa was quiet.

The jet had landed a few hours earlier. The rescued prisoners had been handed over to Vanguard medical teams, and everyone had returned to the villa. After showering and eating, the team had gone straight to their rooms, too exhausted to do much else. It had been a long day, one that involved hijacking a train, destroying a foundry, and fighting a Rank 4 cultivator.

For Holden, the day had also ended with another breakthrough. He had finally reached Rank 3, 9-Star, the absolute peak of mortal cultivation.

Maeve had fallen asleep in the common room, something Holden rarely witnessed. Her monitors were dark, her tablet lay on the floor, and her glasses rested beside a cold cup of tea. She was stretched across the couch with her mouth slightly open, sleeping so deeply that even the noise from the others returning hadn’t disturbed her.

Holden had taken a blanket from the linen closet and covered her. She hadn’t woken up, although she had mumbled something about frequency calibration before turning onto her side.

That had been earlier in the night. It was now two in the morning, and the villa remained peaceful. Outside, the Capital had settled into its usual nighttime calm. The war was still going on, but for a few hours, Holden could almost forget about it.

He closed his bedroom door and locked it.

Then, for extra security, Holden pressed his palm against the metal frame and channeled a little Aether-Steel into the bolt. The metal shifted under his touch, sealing the lock firmly in place. At Rank 3, 9-Star, controlling the metal had become much easier. Ordinary steel offered almost no resistance to his strengthened body.

Satisfied, he sat on the edge of his bed.

The room was dark, but the System interface remained visible before his eyes. Its golden letters floated in his vision, showing his current cultivation and remaining KP. The display gave off no actual light, so the bedroom stayed completely dark.

Holden opened his Inventory and retrieved the Diamond Chest.

It appeared in his hands, its smooth, crystal-like surface giving off a gentle warmth. The chest was beautiful, with countless tiny facets that reflected different colors whenever he moved it. Even after receiving several Diamond Chests, Holden still found himself wondering what each new one would contain.

He placed it on his lap and pressed his thumb against the seal.

The six crystal petals slowly opened, releasing a deep red glow that filled the space around the chest.

Resting inside the chest, on a small cushion of red crystal, was a ring.

[Item Acquired: Rank 4 Crimson-Ward Ring]

[Type: Passive Defensive Artifact]

[Rank: 4]

[Passive 1: Blood Immunity. The ring grants complete immunity to blood manipulation, blood control, and blood-based attacks. Foreign blood energy cannot enter, leave, or alter the host’s body.]

[Passive 2: Decay Resistance. The ring grants absolute resistance to decay, biological corruption, and effects that cause the body to break down. External magical forces cannot age, rot, or dissolve the host’s body.]

[Passive 3: Curse Negation. The ring automatically detects and removes biological curses, plagues, and diseases that enter the host’s body. Detection occurs within 0.01 seconds, and the threat is neutralized within 0.1 seconds.]

[Description: Forged from crystallized blood-iron found deep beneath the earth, the Crimson-Ward Ring provides unmatched protection against blood and decay arts. Rather than blocking these attacks, it prevents their corrupting effects from taking hold within the host’s body.]

Holden stared at the description for a moment.

Then a slow smile appeared on his face.

"Well, that’s convenient."

He picked up the ring and examined it more closely. The metal was dark red, with a small garnet set in the center. A faint glow pulsed inside the gemstone. Despite its size, the ring carried a strange weight that he could feel through his fingertips.

Holden turned it over once before sliding it onto the ring finger of his left hand.

The metal immediately tightened around his finger, adjusting until it fit perfectly. A gentle warmth spread through his hand and traveled up his arm. It continued into his chest, where he felt a steady pulse before the sensation faded.

[Crimson-Ward Ring Equipped!]

[Equipment Slot: Left Ring Finger.]

[Passive: Blood Immunity Active.]

[Passive: Decay Resistance Active.]

[Passive: Curse Negation Active.]

Holden opened and closed his left hand, testing the fit.

The Kinetic-Nova Bracer was already secured around his left forearm, and now the Crimson-Ward Ring rested on his finger. Two Rank 4 artifacts on the same arm, each serving a completely different purpose.

He thought about the rest of his equipment.

The Eclipse-Sun Sword and Echo-Mirror were safely stored in his Inventory. The Sovereign’s Pendant hung around his neck, while the Blood-Amber Ring occupied his right hand. He also had the Void Mantle, Abyssal-Bone Wings, Phantom-Weave Armor, and Ember-Silk Cloak.

When he considered everything together, Holden couldn’t help feeling a little impressed.

His collection had grown considerably since the System first appeared. Each artifact gave him another advantage in battle, whether it was stronger defense, greater mobility, or an entirely new way to attack.

The Crimson-Ward Ring was especially useful because it protected him against threats that physical strength alone couldn’t easily stop.

Blood manipulation, decay, and biological curses were dangerous even to powerful cultivators. A strong body meant little if an enemy could attack the blood inside it or slowly destroy it from within.

Now, those methods would no longer work against him.

And considering that his next targets included some of the most dangerous members of the Eclipse Syndicate, the timing couldn’t have been better.

"Good ring," Holden muttered, admiring it one last time.

He returned the empty chest to his Inventory, stretched his arms, and lay back on the bed.

For once, there was nothing urgent demanding his attention. No enemy standing outside his door, no battle waiting to begin, and no immediate reason to stay awake.

Within minutes, Holden fell asleep.

Morning arrived with the smell of tea and the familiar sound of someone typing.

When Holden entered the common room, he found Maeve sitting in front of her monitors. All three screens were glowing, her tablet was connected, and two empty cups sat beside her keyboard. The blanket he had placed over her during the night was neatly folded on the arm of the couch.

Apparently, his sister had already been awake for hours.

"Morning," Holden greeted, walking toward her.

"Morning," Maeve replied without looking away from her screen. Her fingers continued moving across the tablet as she compared several files. "You’re up earlier than I expected."

"Says the person who apparently doesn’t believe in sleeping."

"I slept."

"On the couch, with your glasses beside a cup of cold tea. Very comfortable, I’m sure."

Maeve finally glanced at him.

"Someone put a blanket over me, so it wasn’t that bad."

Holden smiled but didn’t comment. Instead, he pulled out a chair and sat across from her.

"What are you working on?"

"The fifth entry in Vespera’s journal," she answered, turning her tablet toward him. "I finally managed to unlock it. This one had several layers of encryption, much more than the previous entries."

"Any idea why?"

Maeve paused before answering.

"Because this target has a connection to the Academy. And more importantly, to you."

That caught Holden’s attention.

He leaned forward as Maeve turned one of the monitors toward him. A detailed profile appeared on the screen, complete with a photograph, cultivation rank, and several records.

"Target five," Maeve said. "Lord Draven. Rank 4, 1-Star. His main abilities involve blood manipulation and decay."

Holden studied the photograph.

The man’s face looked strangely familiar. He had narrow eyes, a sharp jaw, and thin lips that curled slightly at the corners. His skin was pale and grey, giving him an unhealthy appearance. There was something unpleasant about his expression, as though he was constantly looking down on everyone around him.

Holden hadn’t met the man before, but he recognized the resemblance almost immediately.

"Draven..."

The name brought back memories of his early days at the Academy.

"The freshman," Maeve said, noticing his reaction. "The one who tried to bully you when you first arrived. You defeated him during the Academy tournament, and he was eventually expelled."

Holden nodded slowly.

"His father?"

"Exactly." Maeve opened another file. "Lord Draven was the head of House Draven, a minor noble family with connections to the former Royal Family. When the Royal Family fell, his house lost most of its influence. His son’s expulsion only made things worse."

"So what happened to him?"

"He disappeared from the Capital about three months ago. Most of his remaining allies abandoned him, and the family’s properties were either seized or sold. After that, he went underground."

"How far underground?"

Maeve tapped the screen, bringing up a satellite image of a vast desert.

Red sand stretched across the landscape, broken by patches of cracked earth and dark, rocky formations. A thick reddish haze covered parts of the region, making it difficult to see what lay beneath.

"The Southern Wastes," Maeve explained. "A toxic desert near the southern edge of the continent. Centuries ago, an Abyssal rift opened there and corrupted the surrounding land. The rift eventually closed, but the damage remained."

Holden studied the image.

"Does anyone still live there?"

"Not ordinary people. The air is poisonous in many areas, and the soil is filled with corrupted energy. Most animals can’t survive there either. Only creatures adapted to the environment can remain for long."

"Sounds like a lovely place for a holiday."

Maeve gave him a brief look.

"You’re going to like it even less when you hear what he’s doing there."

Holden raised an eyebrow.

"Go on."

"He’s building an army."

At that moment, Renna appeared in the doorway.

She was carrying her bow, as usual, and had clearly been heading toward the kitchen for breakfast. However, the word ’army’ immediately caught her attention.

"Wait, did someone say army?" she asked, stopping beside the door. "Whose army? And how big are we talking? Because if we’re fighting another few thousand soldiers, I need to know before I start counting my arrows."

Maeve looked toward her.

"Blood-Ghouls."

Renna’s expression changed.

"Oh."

The excitement disappeared from her face as she stepped farther into the room. Even someone as cheerful as Renna understood what that name meant.

Emric appeared behind her a moment later, notebook in hand.

"Blood-Ghouls?" he repeated, adjusting his glasses. "Those things are nasty."

Holden turned toward him.

"Explain."

"They’re corpses brought back through corrupted blood energy," Emric answered. "Usually around Rank 2 in strength. They don’t feel pain or fear, and they won’t stop attacking until you destroy them. Creating them is forbidden almost everywhere on the continent."

"That’s because the process is disgusting," Renna muttered.

"That too," Emric agreed. "And they’re dangerous even after you kill them. Their bodies contain decay energy, which can damage armor and flesh on contact."

Maeve brought up several images from the Southern Wastes.

"Lord Draven has been there for three months. The region contains plenty of old corpses and remains left behind by previous Abyssal outbreaks. He’s been using them to create Blood-Ghouls."

"So the whole desert is his workshop," Holden said.

"Pretty much. And the corrupted environment actually helps his cultivation. The longer he stays there, the stronger his control over blood and decay becomes."

"How many has he made?"

Maeve enlarged one of the satellite images.

"That’s the problem. The corruption in the atmosphere makes it difficult to get clear readings. But from the movement and energy signatures we’ve detected, I estimate somewhere between five hundred and one thousand."

Renna stared at her.

"One thousand?"

"That’s the upper estimate."

"Right. So definitely bringing extra arrows."

Emric stepped closer to the monitor and studied the image.

"Even five hundred would be troublesome. They don’t get tired, and they won’t retreat when injured. If they surround us, we’ll have to destroy every last one."

"What about their decay energy?" Holden asked. "How dangerous is it?"

"Very dangerous to ordinary soldiers," Emric replied. "Rank 2 armor won’t last long against direct contact. Rank 3 equipment should hold up better, but I wouldn’t recommend letting them grab you."

"So keep our distance and don’t let the walking corpses touch us," Renna said.

"That’s the general idea."

"See? You could’ve just said that."

Emric sighed while Renna grinned at him.

"There’s a reason I explain things properly."

"And there’s a reason I make them shorter."

Their exchange earned a faint smile from Holden, although his attention quickly returned to the screen.

"He’s building an army of corpses in a poisoned desert," Lyra said from the kitchen doorway.

She had apparently been listening for a while. Her spear was in her hand, and the cup of tea she’d been preparing had been forgotten.

"An army that spreads decay through anything it touches."

Maeve nodded.

"Exactly."

Lyra looked at Holden.

"And this man is the father of the student you defeated?"

"Yes."

"The same student who tried to bully you when you first entered the Academy?"

"That’s him."

"And after losing his position and influence, his father decided to hide in a desert and raise an army of corpses?"

Holden shrugged.

"Apparently."

Lyra turned back toward the monitor. For several seconds, she simply stared at Lord Draven’s photograph.

"He’s lost his mind."

"That’s one way to put it," Maeve replied. "From what I’ve found, losing his family’s position affected him badly. His cultivation technique probably made things worse. Blood and decay arts are known to affect the mind, especially when someone uses them for long periods."

"How badly?" Renna asked.

"Paranoia, obsession, and eventually losing touch with reality. Lord Draven was already obsessed with restoring his family’s status. Now, he seems willing to do anything to regain his former power."

"So he’s crazy and has an army," Renna concluded.

"He’s unstable, has an army, and is a Rank 4 cultivator," Maeve corrected. "That’s what makes him dangerous. We don’t know how far he’s willing to go, and there’s no guarantee he’ll act the way we expect."

"Great," Renna muttered. "Another lunatic."

The Twins entered the common room shortly afterward.

Cora and Sera had just returned from their morning patrol on the roof. Both carried their short swords, and neither looked particularly surprised to find everyone gathered around Maeve’s monitors.

"Is there a new target, Master Voss?" Cora asked.

"There is," Holden answered. "Lord Draven. Rank 4, 1-Star. He’s hiding in the Southern Wastes."

Sera glanced at the satellite image.

"The Southern Wastes?"

"Apparently, he’s been raising Blood-Ghouls there," Renna explained. "Somewhere between five hundred and a thousand of them."

Cora’s expression hardened.

"Then we’ll need to be careful. Those creatures are difficult to kill without destroying their bodies completely."

"Which is why we’re going prepared," Holden said.

He stood and moved closer to the monitor, folding his arms as he studied the photograph.

Lord Draven.

The father of the boy who had tried to make his life miserable during his first days at the Academy.

Holden still remembered that encounter. The insults, the threats, and the way the young Draven had looked down on him simply because he came from the slums.

Back then, the boy had been convinced that his family name made him untouchable.

The tournament had taught him otherwise.

And now his father had become another problem Holden needed to deal with.

Looking at the man’s photograph, Holden could almost see the same arrogance in his expression. Different faces, different generations, but the same belief that their family deserved to stand above everyone else.

The only difference was that Lord Draven had enough power to make his resentment dangerous.

Holden shook his head.

"I guess being a sore loser runs in the family."

Renna snorted.

"You’re really not having much luck with that family, are you?"

"Apparently not."

"At least this one’s in a desert. We won’t have to worry about him ruining the furniture."

"Renna," Emric said.

"What? I’m trying to find something positive."

Holden chuckled before turning back to the others.

"All right, everyone. We’re heading to the Southern Wastes."

The room grew quiet as the team focused on him.

"We’ll need light gear, equipment that can handle the sand, and full combat supplies. The environment is dangerous enough without the Blood-Ghouls, so I don’t want anyone going in unprepared."

He looked toward Emric.

"I need you to study the terrain. Find us a safe route through the Wastes, mark the dangerous areas, and work out the best way to approach Draven without getting surrounded."

Emric nodded.

"The Academy surveyed parts of the Southern Wastes years ago. I should be able to get the old maps and compare them with Maeve’s satellite images. That’ll give us a good starting point."

"Good. Work with Maeve on that."

"Understood."

Holden turned toward Renna.

"Your arrows are going to need extra protection. That decay energy could ruin the shafts before you even get close to Draven. Make sure the tips are enchanted too."

"Already thinking about it," Renna replied, lifting her bow. "I’ve got twelve storm-tipped arrows with Rank 2 corrosion resistance. The others need some work, though."

"How long?"

She thought for a moment.

"Two hours? Maybe three. I’ll need to coat the shafts and redo some of the enchantments."

Renna looked toward Emric.

"Hey, can you help me with the formulas? It’ll be faster if I don’t have to figure everything out myself."

"Sure," Emric answered. "A basic preservation enchantment should protect the shafts from the decay in the air. I’ll show you which one to use."

"Perfect! Give me three hours, and I’ll have forty-two arrows ready."

"Make sure they’re properly tested first," Holden reminded her.

Renna waved a hand.

"Relax, Captain. I’m not going to let my arrows fall apart halfway through a fight."

"That’s exactly what worries me."

"Wow. Such little faith."

Holden smiled before looking toward the Twins.

"Cora, Sera, you’re both coming with us. Make sure your equipment is ready. We’ll be dealing with enemies that spread decay, so avoid unnecessary contact."

"Understood, Master Voss," Cora replied.

"We’ll be ready," Sera added.

Holden nodded, then turned toward Lyra.

She hadn’t said much since the discussion began. Instead, she stood near the monitor, watching the satellite images with a thoughtful expression.

"Something on your mind?" Holden asked.

Lyra looked at him.

"This is the fifth target."

"Yes."

"You’ve already crossed four names off Vespera’s list. Three remain, including Draven."

Holden nodded.

"That’s right."

"And after Draven?"

"Commander Zahn is one of the remaining targets. Rank 4, 2-Star. Then there’s the Architect, the leader of the Syndicate. Rank 4, 4-Star."

Lyra’s expression grew serious.

"The Architect is at the Epicenter."

"I know."

"The same place where Vespera died."

"I know, Lyra."

She held his gaze for a moment.

Vespera’s death still weighed heavily on all of them, especially the Twins. The thought of returning to the place where their instructor had died was not something Lyra could easily dismiss.

But when she looked at Holden, she didn’t see the anger that had consumed him immediately after Vespera’s death.

He was calmer now.

That didn’t mean he had forgotten what happened. Far from it. Lyra knew Holden well enough to understand that he hadn’t forgiven anyone involved.

But something about him had changed.

He stood with a confidence she hadn’t seen before, and although she couldn’t explain it, his presence felt stronger than it had the previous day.

There was no obvious release of cultivation energy, yet she could sense that something was different.

Holden noticed her studying him.

"What?"

Lyra shook her head.

"Nothing. You just seem unusually confident today."

"Should I be worried that you’ve only noticed now?"

A small smile appeared on her face.

"That’s not what I meant."

"I know."

He gave her a reassuring look.

"We’ll deal with Draven first. Then we’ll worry about the others. One target at a time."

Lyra considered his words before nodding.

"You’re right."

She glanced at the map again, taking in the vast stretches of red sand and the dark patches of corrupted land.

"So we’re really going to the Southern Wastes."

"We are."

"And we’re going to make sure Lord Draven never threatens anyone again."

"That’s the plan."

Lyra tightened her grip on her frost-spear.

"Then we’ll see it through."

Holden nodded.

"Together."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. They had fought too many battles together to need a long conversation about what came next.

Lyra understood the risks, and Holden knew she would stand beside him regardless.

"Hold the line," she said quietly.

"We hold the line," Holden replied.

He turned to face the rest of the team.

Emric was already making notes, occasionally asking Maeve to bring up another section of the map. Renna had begun counting the arrows in her quiver, muttering to herself about protective coatings. Cora and Sera stood nearby, discussing which supplies they would need for the desert.

And Maeve, despite having barely rested, was already gathering the information that would help keep them alive.

Holden watched them for a moment.

They had come a long way since their first missions together. What had started as a small group of Academy students had grown into a team capable of taking on enemies that most cultivators wouldn’t dare approach.

More importantly, they had become people he trusted with his life.

His friends. His family. His team.

Holden clapped his hands once, drawing everyone’s attention.

"All right, gear up. We leave in four hours."