The three traits fused instantaneously, triggering a violent mutation across Ryker's entire body.
His left arm swelled dramatically. The bone density multiplied exponentially, and his skin transmuted into a dark-gold, metallic armor etched with the ferocious, jagged patterns of a prehistoric beast. Simultaneously, the raging current of Lightning Nen covering his body intensified, forming an absolute barrier that completely insulated him from the psychic onslaught of the Dark Continent's aura.
"You want to shatter the Gate of Rules? You'll have to crush me first," Ryker sneered, his eyes as cold as a glacier.
He raised his right hand, reigniting the hyper-compressed Lightning Core. But this time, he didn't launch it at the enemy. He slammed it directly into the pulverized earth beneath his feet!
"Seal of the Thunder God: Domain Lockdown!"
BOOOOOOM!
In a fraction of a second, the entire crater was covered in bizarre, jagged electrical circuitry! Concentric rings of silver-blue lightning runes expanded frantically outward, instantly forming an anti-dimensional spatial prison!
The phantom of Ging finally moved.
Forming a knife-edge with his fingers, he casually slashed the air, ripping a massive tear in the lightning domain. His movement looked effortless, yet every swing caused the very fabric of space at the edges of the lightning prison to shudder violently.
Blood leaked from the corners of Ryker's mouth under the sheer strain of maintaining the domain, but he refused to retreat a single inch. He violently crossed his arms, unleashing an explosive strike:
"Wrath of the Thunder God: Judgment Cross!"
Ten thousand bolts of lightning condensed into a massive, blinding cross that blasted ferociously toward the center of the phantom's chest!
But in the next second, the phantom simply walked through the apocalyptic lightning as if it were a gentle breeze, completely unharmed.
"Lightning... doesn't work?" Ryker's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately flipped backward to create distance.
"You are trying to use the rules of your world to fight an entity that exists entirely outside of them," the Ging phantom whispered. He suddenly raised his palm, exerting a terrifying suction force that began to violently inhale the shattered System data streams lingering in the air!
Zzzzt!
Ryker felt an agonizing spike of pain in his brain! Inside his System UI, countless plundered traits were being forcibly compressed, the data completely scrambling!
[System Core encountering unknown interference. Trait identification restricted...]
"No! If this drags on any longer, he'll rip my Lightning Core right out of me!"
A vicious, ruthless light exploded in Ryker's eyes. He shot a rapid glance at the edge of the battlefield. Behind a shattered stone pillar, Gotoh's mangled corpse was rapidly turning cold.
Gritting his teeth, Ryker forcibly unlocked another highly dangerous, forbidden trait sealed deep within his System:
[Forbidden Trait Unlocked: Mind-Pollution Plunder]
Description: Under extreme circumstances, the host can execute a deep-layer spiritual devouring on targets whose consciousness has collapsed but are not fully dead, forcibly tearing out their residual memories and Nen ability tags.
Ryker let out a furious roar, unleashing the absolute maximum output of his Lightning Core! A blinding beam of blue light pierced directly through Gotoh's shattered skull, violently dragging out the absolute last dregs of his residual aura!
[Plunder Successful: S-Rank Nen Skill — Heart-Piercing Venom-Flame Claw]
[Plunder Successful: A-Rank Stealth Skill — Shadow Step Assassination]
[Plunder Successful: A-Rank Aura Mutation — Lightning Core Detonation]
"System! Fuse the last two! Force a breakthrough on the identification lock!"
[Fusion Initiated... Successful!]
Ryker's body underwent a second, exponential qualitative mutation! The lightning coating his body liquefied into a state of absolute plasma! The Lightning Core in his chest formed a secondary resonance chamber, accelerating the flow of his Nen to a completely hyper-lethal state! He looked like the true God of Thunder descending upon the mortal plane!
"You want to see the Dark Continent?!"
Ryker's right arm instantly tore through space, locking onto the absolute core of the Ging phantom!
"Then let me give you a taste... of the rage of the world you're trying to invade!"
"Lightning Rend: Finality — Heavenly Judgment Fall!"
KABOOOOOOOM!!!!
The entire dimension let out an agonizing, shattering wail, like a ruptured eardrum! The ultimate lightning storm, fueled by the fusion of Ryker's newly plundered traits, violently pierced straight through the heart of the Ging phantom!
The phantom shuddered violently. The dark aura trapped inside it began to evaporate frantically. Within the blinding lightning, countless fragmented silhouettes and shattered memories floated to the surface—proof that the corrupted will possessing Ging's image was finally cracking!
But this was far from the end.
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