C24 Killing the Ghosts!

As the room teetered on the brink of collapse, Xiao Hao discreetly used a Spirit Bead to replenish his dwindling mana.

Each bead restored only 100 L of mana, keeping the shellfish house looking dilapidated, careful not to refurbish it so quickly that it would alarm the ghost.

Time trickled by, and the ghost grew increasingly suspicious.

The shellfish house seemed on the verge of ruin, yet no matter how it clawed, the structure stubbornly remained upright.

And yet, its life force was steadily being eroded.

29%.

28%.

The ghost's sense of impending doom intensified, though it couldn't pinpoint the source of the threat.

Even with a mere 10% health remaining, it was confident it couldn't be taken down.

With this thought, the ghost attributed its anxiety to its critically low health.

27%.

Unease gnawed at the ghost.

26%.

What was going wrong?

An internal alarm blared, and through the haze of confusion, the ghost sensed a discrepancy.

25%.

As its health plummeted to 25%, realization dawned on the ghost.

Its health had dropped by 5%, yet the shellfish house still stood defiantly—this was the glaring anomaly!

The adversary sought to hunt it down!

Ludicrous!

Utterly ludicrous!

Even with only 5% health, standing still for the opponent's blows would likely take them an eternity.

Such an oblivious fool deserved an early demise!

Was the room's oddity the reason for its growing panic?

The ghost's face, with what little muscle it had left, tightened. Xiao Hao observed the ghost's grave demeanor and knew it had caught on.

Xiao Hao's silence significantly lessened the ghost's alarm.

His reaction mirrored that of prey in its final moments.

Hadn't he been maintaining over 100 L of magic power in the room?

Then it was time for the ghost to unleash its ultimate attack!

Its ultimate move could obliterate the Shellfish House in an instant, rendering the Spirit Bead useless!

As the purple-black energy claw bore down on the shellfish house, the ghost's lips curled into a ghastly triumphant grin. Xiao Hao, meanwhile, had been patiently awaiting this very moment.

Clasping two cards between his index and middle fingers, Xiao Hao launched them in a swift motion.

"Return Card!"

"Double Return!"

"Defensive Barrier Card!"

"Invincible Defense!"

A purple-black energy claw slammed into the Shellfish House, only to be met by a sudden rise of an icy blue energy shield, encasing the structure like a crystalline turtle shell.

The formidable claw, now akin to an egg smashing against a stone, could do nothing but churn the surrounding waters against the barrier's edge.

Simultaneously, a pair of energy claws materialized above the ghost's head—two, not one.

The ghost sensed imminent doom, yet escape was futile.

Hadn't all his cards been exhausted? Six cards dissipated into nothing—how could he possibly have more?

Overwhelmed by a fear long suppressed, the ghost experienced a plummet from elation to despair. One moment it reveled in victory, the next it was humbled by defeat.

The purple-black energy claw, summoned from the depths, crashed down upon the ghost with a vengeance.

The card's enhancement was evident not only in the number of attacks but in their devastating potency.

Each claw, now a draconic bone, bore the intensity of a tangible dark laser, a demonic hand reaching down to wreak havoc. The ghost, diminutive as a puppet, was mercilessly battered by the relentless energy.

While the Shadow Hippocampus's assault continued to sap its life force, only adding to its decayed visage, the ghost's own signature move turned against it with cruel irony.

Its desiccated limbs were severed, ribs shattered, organs ruptured, and its skull webbed with fractures, threatening to splinter at any moment.

Dark red silt billowed around, marring the seascape.

The ghost's health dwindled to a mere 16%.

In a state of total disarray, the ghost made a desperate break for safety, uncertain of Xiao Hao's remaining arsenal.

But it clung to the adage: where there's life, there's hope—it vowed to return for vengeance.

With his adversary teetering on the brink, Xiao Hao was not about to squander this golden chance.

The Silence Card sprang into action!

Concealed outside the Shellfish House all night, the Peacock Mantis Shrimp burst forth from the earth!

A ghastly presence felt an overwhelming force bearing down on it, invisible shackles binding it in layers. The sea around it seemed to solidify into ice, pinning it in place, rendering it immobile!

The Emerald Sickles of the mantis whipped through the water with the ferocity of giant electric saws, tearing at the ghost's neck!

The ghost's flesh was torn asunder, yet its spine was extraordinarily resilient. The massive Emerald Sickles, like saws against steel, only managed to spark.

Three seconds flew by. With a piercing scream, the ghost lashed out with its Sickle Finger, repelling the mantis shrimp and notching even the sturdy Emerald Sickles.

The ghost's health dwindled to 14%.

Card after card emerged from the opponent, leaving the ghost no time to waste. It made a hasty retreat.

Even in flight, it cast a lingering, venomous glare back at Xiao Hao, its hollow sockets seemingly casting a curse.

But Xiao Hao was not one to let the tiger return to the mountain.

It all hinged on the final card, the Cursed Killing Card, capable of slashing 15% of the enemy's total health in a single strike—Activate!

The purple card swelled into a gateway of light, which then burst into a myriad of cryptic symbols. These runes interlinked, forming a web of purple Chaos Silk.

The Chaos Silk, serpentine and swift, quickly ensnared the fleeing ghost, binding its limbs.

The ghost fought fiercely, tearing through several strands of the Chaos Silk.

But the severed runes reformed and entwined once more, soon cocooning the ghost into a mummy-like figure.

The eerie bright purple script flared with blinding intensity, the searing light piercing the ghost's bones, impaling its body as if with needles.

The radiant purple glow, a beacon in the abyss, transformed the endless ocean depths into a blooming purple lotus. The light of the lotus, undeterred by the sea's depths, cleaved through the boundless gloom, heralding the dawn in the dark night.

Even players in distant realms took notice of the flickering purple star far away.

"Ahh!" The ghost wailed in agony, sensing its life force ebbing away.

Tormented by pain, unwillingness, and resentment, it spat out a few cryptic syllables just before its health bar depleted: "Hiss—Shah—Leth—!"

Thanks to the game's translator, Xiao Hao understood the meaning.

It was a curse in the vilest tongue: "The Deep Sea Phantom clan will surely shred you to pieces!"

But that threat flickered out as quickly as it came; when the light faded, Xiao Hao saw that the ensnared ghost had turned to ash, dispersing into the seawater.

The heavy burden that had pressed on his heart was lifted. Xiao Hao breathed a sigh of relief and noticed the cold sweat on his forehead.

It had taken all ten Cursed Killing Cards to vanquish the ghost.

Xiao Hao hoped that if he encountered the ghost clan in the future, he would have enough power to defend himself.

Beneath the dark ocean, the currents surged.

Where the ghost had perished, a vast crater formed, turning even the dark red sediment a deep purple.

Xiao Hao recalled all his guardians and retreated to the safety of the Shellfish House.

Despite the battle being over, a residual fear clung to him.

Thankfully, the soothing light from the Shellfish House lamps spread warmth, illuminating Xiao Hao's small refuge in this dark world and soothing his nerves.

As the boss of Beginner Village, there ought to be a game reward, right?

Filled with hope, Xiao Hao opened the game panel, eager to see what loot the creature had dropped.