Chapter 242: Defeated! x247

The nearest Blood-Ghoul spotted him immediately.

It released a horrible screech and charged, swinging its long claws toward his face.

Holden moved his sword.

SWISH!

The blade passed cleanly through the creature’s neck.

A burst of crimson fire followed the cut, spreading through its corrupted body before it could even hit the ground.

The Blood-Ghoul’s flesh began to burn, and within seconds, its remains collapsed into a steaming pile of ash and dark fluid.

Holden didn’t stop.

Another ghoul rushed toward him from the left.

He turned and cut through its torso, then shifted his weight and struck the next creature coming from behind.

SWISH! SWISH!

Two more Blood-Ghouls fell.

A fourth tried to leap onto his back, but Holden stepped aside before its claws could reach him. His sword flashed upward, splitting the creature through the chest and sending it crashing into the sand.

Crimson flames spread across the remains.

Holden continued forward.

At Rank 3, 9-Star, his speed was far beyond anything these Rank 2 creatures could handle. Even when several attacked together, their movements seemed painfully slow to him.

And with his 10,000x processor tracking the enemies around him, it was almost impossible for them to catch him off guard.

A Blood-Ghoul rushed in from his right.

Holden cut it down.

Another came up from the sand directly ahead.

A quick thrust pierced its chest, and the Eclipse-Sun Sword’s flames burned through its body.

Three more approached from different directions.

He shifted his feet, avoiding the first creature’s claws before swinging his blade through the second. The third barely had time to open its mouth before Holden turned and struck it across the neck.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

The creatures fell one after another.

Their numbers meant little when they couldn’t keep up with him.

From behind Emric’s shield, Renna stared at the battle.

"He’s really doing it."

Emric adjusted his glasses, watching Holden move through the horde.

"Of course he is. At this point, I’m not even surprised."

"You’re not surprised? He’s fighting hundreds of Blood-Ghouls by himself!"

"Renna, we’ve seen him do worse."

She opened her mouth to argue, then paused.

"Okay, fair point."

Meanwhile, Holden was already pushing deeper into the horde.

His sword moved from one enemy to the next, each strike delivered with enough force to kill.

The smell of burning flesh filled the air, mixing with the rotten odor that already hung over the desert.

More Blood-Ghouls rushed forward.

Holden stepped between two of them and swung his sword in a wide arc.

SWOOSH!

The blade cut through both creatures, sending them tumbling into the sand. Before they could move again, the flames spreading through their bodies finished the job.

A third creature lunged at his exposed arm.

This time, its claws managed to make contact.

TSSS!

Dark fluid splashed across Holden’s forearm.

Under normal circumstances, the decay energy in that fluid would have begun eating through his flesh. Even a Rank 3 cultivator would have needed to remove it quickly to avoid serious damage.

But Holden had the Crimson-Ward Ring.

The garnet on his left hand gave off a faint red pulse.

Almost immediately, the decay energy lost its effect. The corrupted fluid continued sliding down his arm, but it could no longer damage his body.

A shallow scratch left by the creature’s claw also began closing as his Blood-Amber Ring activated.

Within moments, the mark was gone.

Holden glanced at his arm.

"That works."

The Blood-Ghoul responsible for the attack charged again.

Holden brought his sword down.

SWISH!

The creature split apart and collapsed into the sand, its remains quickly consumed by crimson flames.

He continued moving.

One minute passed.

Then two.

The Blood-Ghouls kept coming from beneath the sand, rushing toward him with the same mindless aggression.

Holden answered each charge with another strike.

Sometimes he moved forward, cutting through the creatures blocking his path. Other times, he stepped sideways or turned to deal with enemies approaching from behind.

His sword rarely stopped moving.

A pair of Blood-Ghouls came charging down a dune.

Holden waited until they were close before sweeping his blade across their bodies.

Both were cut down instantly.

Another creature tried to grab his leg from beneath the sand, but Holden noticed the movement long before its hand came out.

He lifted his foot, avoided the grasping claws, and drove his sword downward.

The blade pierced the creature’s head.

A burst of fire spread beneath the sand, ending its movements.

By now, the surrounding dunes were covered in scorched remains.

The battle had become so one-sided that even Renna had stopped firing.

There was simply nothing left for her to do.

"Should we help him?" she asked, keeping an arrow ready.

Lyra watched Holden move through another group of Blood-Ghouls.

"He seems to have everything under control."

"That’s what worries me. We’re supposed to be a team, but he’s turning this into a solo mission."

"Would you rather be out there?"

Renna looked toward the nearest Blood-Ghoul, which had just lost its head to Holden’s sword.

Then she looked back at Lyra.

"Actually, I’m quite comfortable here."

Lyra couldn’t help smiling.

"Thought so."

The Twins remained alert, carefully watching the dunes in case more creatures appeared behind the group.

Cora glanced at her sister.

"His sword is especially effective against them."

Sera nodded.

"The flames are destroying their bodies completely. Even their decay energy can’t protect them."

"Then Lord Draven may have a problem."

"A very big one."

Neither sister lowered her weapon.

They knew better than to relax simply because Holden was winning.

Out in the dunes, the battle continued.

Five minutes had passed since the first Blood-Ghoul appeared, and Holden had already destroyed most of the horde.

His movements remained steady, showing no sign of exhaustion.

The creatures, on the other hand, were growing fewer.

The Eclipse-Sun Sword flashed as Holden cut through another attacker. Its burning remains fell beside several others, sending a fresh cloud of steam into the already hazy air.

A second creature charged from the side.

He turned and struck it across the chest.

Another came from behind, but Holden stepped away from its claws and drove his blade through its neck.

The sword’s flames spread across both bodies, destroying them before they could rise again.

His Star Core Elixir continued helping him recover the energy spent maintaining the sword’s flames, allowing him to fight without slowing down.

And with every passing second, the number of enemies decreased.

Soon, only a few dozen Blood-Ghouls remained.

They were scattered across the dunes, still charging toward Holden despite the destruction around them.

He glanced over the battlefield and quickly counted their positions.

Then he moved.

SWISH!

The first creature fell.

A quick turn brought his blade through another.

Two more tried to attack together, but Holden stepped between them and struck twice, leaving both collapsing behind him.

He moved across the sand, cutting down the remaining creatures one after another.

Ten.

Eight.

Five.

Three.

Finally, the last Blood-Ghoul came stumbling over the nearest dune.

It spotted Holden and released a low growl before charging straight toward him.

Holden waited until it was close.

Then he swung his sword.

SWISH!

The blade cut through the creature’s torso, sending its upper body falling into the sand.

Crimson flames spread across the remains, reducing them to ash before the creature could move again.

And just like that, the battle was over.

Holden stood among the scattered remains, his Eclipse-Sun Sword resting at his side. The flames along its edge slowly grew smaller, leaving only a faint crimson glow.

Around him, the sand had darkened where the Blood-Ghouls had fallen. Small clouds of steam rose from the remains, while the last traces of corrupted fluid slowly disappeared into the ground.

Despite the hundreds of enemies he had just fought, Holden looked perfectly fine.

His armor remained intact, and there wasn’t a single visible injury on his body.

The Crimson-Ward Ring had protected him from the decay energy, while the Blood-Amber Ring had healed the few small scratches he’d received during the fight.

It had been a useful opportunity to test his new artifact.

And the results were more than satisfactory.

A familiar notification appeared before his eyes.

[Blood-Ghoul (Rank 2, 3-Star) Defeated! x247!]

[Base KP Earned: +130,000!]

[2x KP Booster Active!]

[Total KP Earned: +260,000!]

[Multiplier: 10,000x]

[KP Booster: 2x Active]

[Fighter Rank: Rank 3 (9-Star)]

Holden smiled faintly.

Every point brought him closer to the next breakthrough.

And considering that Lord Draven was still waiting somewhere deeper in the Wastes, Holden had a feeling there would be more opportunities to earn KP before this mission ended.

He closed the System interface and turned toward his companions.

They were still standing behind Emric’s shield, watching him from a safe distance.

Renna had lowered her bow, although she still seemed unsure whether the battle was truly over. Her eyes moved between Holden and the ruined battlefield.

Emric stood beside her, looking equally impressed.

Even Lyra, who had witnessed Holden perform countless ridiculous feats, seemed a little surprised by how quickly he had cleared the horde.

The Twins were the first to speak.

"Two hundred and forty-seven," Cora said, looking across the dunes.

Sera nodded slowly.

"And all of them in about seven minutes."

"Master Voss barely took a scratch."

"At this point, I don’t think these creatures were ever going to stand a chance."

Cora smiled faintly.

"Neither do I."

Holden approached the barrier and dismissed the Eclipse-Sun Sword to his Inventory.

The dark blade disappeared from his hand, taking its remaining flames with it.

Emric lowered his shield slightly as Holden came closer.

"Well," Renna began, "that was completely unfair."

Holden raised an eyebrow.

"To who?"

"The Blood-Ghouls, obviously! They came out here with hundreds of their friends, and you wiped them all out before breakfast."

"Would you rather I left some for you?"

Renna considered the question.

Then she looked toward the dark remains scattered across the dunes.

"On second thought, no. I’m good."

Emric laughed quietly.

"Good decision."

Renna pointed at him.

"Don’t start."

Holden shook his head, smiling.

"Everyone okay?"

"We’re fine," Emric answered. "The shield took some damage, but nothing serious. I can restore it as we move."

"Good. Keep it active. We’re not out of danger yet."

Lyra stepped closer.

"That sword really is something else."

Holden glanced at his empty hand.

"It gets the job done."

"That’s one way to describe it."

She looked across the battlefield again, then back at him.

"You made that look far too easy."

"Would you prefer I struggled a little?"

"No," Lyra replied, smiling faintly. "I’d prefer we all get out of this desert alive."

"Then we’re on the same page."

A familiar voice interrupted their conversation.

"Holden, are you there?"

Maeve.

He touched his earpiece.

"I’m here."

"I just checked the satellite feed. The energy signatures around your position have disappeared. What happened?"

"Ran into a few Blood-Ghouls."

"A few?"

"Two hundred and forty-seven."

There was a short silence.

Then Maeve sighed.

"Of course you did."

Holden chuckled.

"Anything else ahead?"

"More scattered signatures, but nothing as large as the group you just encountered. Draven’s structure is still northeast of you. I’d suggest moving before another pack finds your position."

"Already planning to."

"Good. And Holden?"

"Yeah?"

"Try not to destroy the entire desert before I finish mapping it."

"No promises."

Maeve ended the communication.

Holden turned toward the team.

"All right, the path is clear for now. Let’s keep moving."

He started walking northeast, heading toward the distant dunes where Lord Draven’s stronghold was supposed to be.

The others quickly followed, returning to their earlier formation.

Behind them, the battlefield remained covered in dark patches of sand and the slowly dissolving remains of the Blood-Ghouls.

The hot wind continued blowing, carrying fresh layers of red sand across the ground. Little by little, the evidence of the battle began disappearing beneath the shifting dunes.

Within minutes, the blackened remains were almost completely buried.

And by the time the team had traveled another mile, there was barely any sign that a fight had taken place.

The Southern Wastes looked just as empty and lifeless as before.

Only the endless red dunes remained beneath the corrupted sky.

But somewhere ahead, deep within the desert, Lord Draven was waiting.

And Holden had only just begun.