Chapter 355: Chapter 355: The Power of Godslaying - Unaffected and the Most Terrifying Effect

Long Jiu watched the golden light dissipate, his expression grim. Only now did he realize the determination behind their opponent's actions.

This was practically a trump card-level power in the world, and they were using it against "Sin"?

"Sin's" appearance had been an accident - they couldn't have prepared specifically for his arrival!

What had this power originally been intended for?

They had lain in ambush for so long... clearly harboring ambitions for quite some time.

"It seems history truly is fascinating," Long Jiu muttered. "Times of chaos always breed those with domination in their hearts. Your Illuminati never truly desired peace, did you?"

With a single-handed gesture in midair, Long Jiu compressed the atmosphere into what seemed like machine gun bullets, firing a continuous barrage at the figure in the sky.

Yet the Illuminati member showed little reaction, simply raising an energy shield with one hand to block what he could, enduring what he couldn't!

The black robe covering him was torn away, revealing a face with sharp features but an unusually sinister expression. Deep-set eyes, sagging skin that spoke of countless years, hollow cheeks combined with a prominent nose and cheekbones giving him a terrifying presence.

The man seemed unconcerned about his identity being exposed. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the golden-glowing object from the base of the skyscraper into his grasp.

It was a golden, needle-like object.

Nearly two meters long, resembling a rod but only slightly thicker at the center - just enough for an adult's grip - tapering into exceptionally sharp, elongated cones at both ends.

Holding it was like grasping an oversized double-pointed needle.

The moment it touched his skin, it was as if he'd plunged his hand into boiling oil - a sizzling sound erupted as Matthew instantly let out a pained grunt.

All of Long Jiu's compressed air bullets dissipated harmlessly around him like gentle breezes.

His entire arm instantly withered as if the flesh beneath had been vaporized, yet he endured the agony and maintained his grip on the object.

That thing called the Godslayer Spike.

Game lore claimed these were the same nails used to crucify gods.

Though its authenticity was questionable, it spoke volumes about the weapon's terrifying nature.

It had one singular purpose - suppressing divine power.

But in CHOSEN'S PARADISE, all players' powers fundamentally derived from divine energy. From this perspective, the spike was every player's natural enemy!

From the moment the Godslayer Spike appeared, nearly every player present sensed something amiss.

The most severely affected were top-tier players like Sun or Chiyo Eine.

Their magic-derived powers suffered terrifying suppression, their flames growing dim.

Everyone who had been battling Lu Ce moments ago rapidly retreated, clearing the area until only Lu Ce remained.

"Get out of there!" Long Jiu urgently warned. "This thing's different!"

Even he couldn't intervene - against this weapon, he'd be no different from an ordinary person.

Above them, Matthew's energy also waned. Though special circumstances allowed him to wield the spike, his power was now comparable to a dying old man's - he could no longer even maintain his aerial position.

With that, he began his descent, thrusting the spear-like Godslayer Spike directly at Lu Ce!

Lu Ce looked up. Hearing Long Jiu's warning, he instinctively grew alert but didn't flee.

He only felt something strange about the hand gripping his axe - as if he was simply holding a heavy object, with all instinctive knowledge of how to wield it suddenly gone.

The Scholar's Right Hand seemed to have deactivated!

Matthew roared mid-air as the Godslayer Spike's aura manifested not just around Lovers' Island, but as far as Penglai Island where the East Sea Debate had occurred.

For this operation, they hadn't prepared just one spike!

Long Jiu's expression darkened. These spikes were limited in number - even Dragon Group only possessed three.

During the initial global distribution among underwater organizations, their purpose had been to prevent disasters caused by powerful players - ensuring humanity didn't destroy itself before the game could pose any threat.

But according to the original agreement, even top organizations were limited to three spikes maximum.

The Illuminati... had clearly exceeded this limit.

Thoughts flashed through Long Jiu's mind at lightning speed. He realized he'd underestimated some people's ambition and shortsightedness.

All those wars across the world over the years...

"Don't actually try to catch it with your hand!" Long Jiu's heart sank as he saw "Sin's" movement.

This was his greatest fear realized.

Geniuses often fell to arrogance - their first true challenge becoming their last.

He began understanding the Illuminati's plan - they likely sought to position themselves as future world leaders.

If "Sin" was truly slain here, the victors could dictate any narrative.

Kidnapping during an engagement party, public execution, combined with previous propaganda against the strongest player...

The Illuminati could portray themselves as impartial arbiters of justice, a powerful yet mysterious "court" among players.

Soon, "He who controls the players controls the world" would become reality...

Now, Long Jiu watched with bulging eyes as "Sin" performed an utterly unbelievable act - he stood his ground, raising a hand to catch the incoming Godslayer Spike!

What?!

At least use your axe!

Long Jiu felt darkness cloud his vision.

Yet in those seemingly slowed seconds, Lu Ce's outstretched hand indeed grasped the approaching spike.

Time appeared to freeze.

Blinking, Long Jiu quickly realized - time hadn't stopped.

"Sin" had caught the spike and forcibly halted Matthew's momentum mid-air!

"What?"

The exclamation escaped Long Jiu involuntarily. For those brief seconds, he'd genuinely wondered if time had frozen.

Was there really a player with time-stopping abilities? He'd never heard of such a thing.

But he soon recognized his mistake - the reality was simply that "Sin" had physically stopped the spike with raw strength.

This shouldn't be possible!

Every veteran player knew the Godslayer Spike was their absolute nemesis - no matter how powerful.

Even Sun, merely affected by the spike's aura from a distance, saw his flames dim and felt obvious suppression.

How could someone directly facing it just catch it?

The spike didn't affect ordinary people - but "Sin" couldn't possibly be ordinary! That was ridiculous!

Unless... he was using pure physical strength?

But how? Even strength-focused players derived their power from in-game enhancements!

The only explanation would be if "Sin's" strength came purely from pre-game training, but players still suffered suppression from the spike.

No human, not even the world's strongest weightlifter, could perform so effortlessly under such conditions.

What kind of body was this?

Long Jiu wasn't the only one stunned - even distant Illuminati council members frowned in silence.

Had all those explosive displays of power... just been raw physical strength?

Not divine energy enhancing his body?

They began seriously wondering if the mask concealed not a man, but perhaps a machine.

Meanwhile, at the suppression's epicenter, Lu Ce felt even more confused.

What was happening?

Surely his opponent wasn't this weak?

Standing firm, he'd watched this dramatic charge with what seemed like a secret weapon.

Yet he felt no sense of danger.

Especially now, holding this rod without even feeling its weight despite the person attached to it.

He experienced no suppression whatsoever.

Just warmth spreading through his body... and slight itchiness.

[Chosen of Agony! Pain Points +2!]

"Huh?"

Lu Ce's mind clouded with confusion as the Pain Points notifications began chiming repeatedly in his head.

Meaning... theoretically, I should be in pain right now?

His thoughts grew sluggish - reasoning was never Wrath's strong suit - so he instinctively swung the spike in his hand.

Matthew was sent flying through the air like a ragdoll.

Matthew: ?

His deep-set eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets in shock exceeding even Long Jiu's.

What was this?

Why are you unaffected? Is this a counterfeit?!

Yet he himself still suffered the spike's suppression!

"What... are you doing?" came the hoarse, confused voice from behind the mask.

You're asking me? Shouldn't I be asking you?!

Matthew screamed internally, though his trembling lips produced no words.

If you're going to play like this... I can't handle it.

Could it be... all those accusations I made against you... were actually true?

Are you really the game's agent? Already recruited and controlled by it?

Lu Ce took a few steps before violently swinging, slamming Matthew into the ground with a shower of debris.

Matthew screamed - in his suppressed state, the impact nearly shattered his limbs.

His grip failed, sending him tumbling across the ground, barely surviving.

The Godslayer Spike now belonged to Lu Ce.

Curious, Lu Ce examined it, but soon noticed something odd.

The needle reflected his mask's glow.

But now the color wasn't pale green - it shifted constantly.

His expressions cycled rapidly - manic laughter, rage, madness, despair, cruelty.

The mask's colors changed just as quickly - gold, blue, pale green, endless variations.

Everything seemed thrown into chaos, his mind growing increasingly unclear.

Yet he instinctively knew one thing - this was wrong!

[Chosen of Agony! Pain Points +2!]

The notifications kept coming, confirming this object definitely posed some threat.

And gave his enemies absolute confidence in using it against him!

This couldn't be so simple.

In truth, the Godslayer Spike affected all players - Lu Ce was no exception.

But he was special - his power upgrades directly modified his body to gain strength.

Thus the apparent lack of suppression was simply his enemies weakening themselves, letting Lu Ce toss them around like toys.

Yet the effects persisted.

His body corroded, his mask and axe were affected, the Scholar's Right Hand skill deactivated completely!

As his mask cycled wildly through expressions, Lu Ce's thoughts grew sluggish. He suddenly threw the spike away, dropping to one knee weakly.

Clutching his face as the mask shifted like Sichuan opera face-changing, a bestial growl emerged:

"Wrong... this is wrong!"

"Take this thing away! Get it away from me!"

Seeing this, Matthew rejoiced from the ground. Despite his fractures, he shouted:

"Now's our chance! Take him down!"

Several Illuminati members, believing their opportunity had come, rushed forward despite the spike's suppression.

Long Jiu also moved to intercept.

Then -

The seemingly wounded "Sin" suddenly raised his head with a deafening roar.

The sound resembled a dragon's cry or tiger's roar - but nothing human.

His head snapped toward the nearest attacker.

The man froze - "Sin's" pale green mask now appeared fused to his face.

Wrath.

Overload!

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