Boom!
With a deafening crash, Barros was instantly fixed to the massive silver cross. His wrists and ankles were secured by four thick, long nails, rendering any struggle useless.
Even the spectators couldn't clearly see how he had been secured.
Teleportation?
A power of rule?
Or simply extreme speed indiscernible to the naked eye?
Even Allen, the ability's creator, wasn't entirely clear.
This was the most incredible and unreasonable aspect of the Nen ability, Execution Cross!
As long as the pre-set conditions were met, and the four nails were successfully inserted into the four designated locations on the opponent's body, the opponent would instantly become completely helpless, regardless of their power.
Although the person hung on the cross could still use basic Nen, they were unable to perform any attack or defense. Furthermore, they could not make even the slightest hostile move toward the activator of the Execution Cross; merely having such a thought would immediately incur a terrible punishment.
"Summon: The Code!"
"From this moment forward, I am your judge, your jury, and your executioner..."
As these words left his mouth, a heavy black book materialized in Allen's hand.
"You... you completely modified the rules of the Execution Cross?!!" Barros's eyes widened in shock, rendering him nearly speechless.
It is well known that a Nen ability, from its inception to completion, often requires countless hours of thought, exploration, and refinement. This is especially true for rule-based abilities like this one, where modifying even a single clause can lead to unpredictable, severe consequences or loopholes.
And once a loophole is exploited by an opponent, the ability can potentially backfire on the user.
Yet now!
This teenage boy, in less than a week after stealing the ability, had completely redesigned it according to his own will. It was no longer about simple abuse and torture, but incorporated more serious and powerful restraints, akin to laws and judgment.
"Silence! The Court forbids shouting! No unauthorized speech allowed!" Allen warned, adopting a stern expression.
"What?"
Barros instinctively shot back, completely unaware that these words were also part of the Vow and Restriction.
But in the very next second...
Allen spoke in a detached, emotionless tone: "Violation of Article 34! As the Judge, I hereby declare the right to speak during this trial is revoked!"
Instantly, Barros's tongue was gruesomely severed by some unknown force, and dark red blood sprayed uncontrollably from his mouth.
At this moment, the intense pain finally made him realize what a huge mistake he had made: ignoring the warning in the first sentence.
To be precise, the true rule-based power of the Execution Cross had been activated the moment The Code was summoned.
Everyone involved, including himself and his opponent, was bound to strictly follow an entire set of rules for the confrontation.
But now, with his tongue cut out, he didn't even have the chance to defend himself, forced to watch as his opponent brazenly listed various arbitrary charges.
Undoubtedly, the Conjured Code was no actual law book, but a complete "Compendium of Grievances."
It twisted every action Barros had taken against Allen into a crime, using this as the precondition for entering the next stage.
Once Allen had gathered enough "charges," he immediately and ruthlessly declared: "After the unanimous decision of the Jury and the Judge! The Defendant is Guilty! The Defendant is sentenced to the Impaling Penalty! Executioner! Execute immediately!"
The moment the words fell, The Code in his hand instantly vanished, replaced by a long, sharp spear, which he drove straight into Barros's chest.
"Aaaarrrrgghhhhh!!!!!"
With a single, agonizing scream, the spear passed straight through his chest, its tip impaling his bleeding and faintly beating heart.
"Execution complete! Red Dragon. Devour him."
The moment the massive silver cross disappeared, Allen directly issued the command for his Nen Beast to feed.
The Red Dragon, which had been waiting for this moment, instantly manifested in its physical form. It opened its sharp-toothed maw and breathed the Flame of Life, enveloping the Floor Master, who was barely clinging to life, in a cocoon and consuming him. It then vanished again, satisfied, leaving behind only large patches of blood and a piece of limp, torn flesh (the tongue) on the ring.
After completing all this, Allen did not simply walk toward the fighter's tunnel as usual after the referee announced the end. Instead, he waved his right hand and used Nen to write a large line of text in the air:
"To the esteemed Floor Masters, the execution of Barros is my declaration of war to you, a challenge written in blood and death. Tomorrow night at ten o'clock, let us meet in the forest ten kilometers outside the city. Don't be late. We bet everything we have!"
Everyone present who knew Nen clearly saw the message. Those who were uninvolved showed expressions ranging from surprise to excitement or amusement, preparing to show up to watch the spectacle.
The Floor Masters involved in the ambush plan, however, turned utterly pale. Without a word, they immediately turned and left.
They simply couldn't believe that their carefully planned ambush had been discovered by the opponent before they could even act.
More ridiculously, upon learning about the absolute difference in numbers, Allen didn't choose to flee. Instead, he brazenly killed one of them in public and openly declared war.
If they couldn't eliminate him tomorrow night, they would lose face entirely, becoming objects of mockery and ridicule throughout the Nen user community.
They were now cornered. No matter the cost, they had to kill Allen and ensure he disappeared from this world forever.
Noticing the murderous looks in the eyes of the departing Floor Masters, Allen slightly curled his lips and murmured to himself, "Excellent! Just like that! Let anger dominate your minds! Then willingly become the nourishment for my growth! The Red Dragon is very hungry and can't wait to swallow all of them..."
"Are you sure you don't need to steal their abilities this time?" The Red Dragon's distinctive, little-girl voice suddenly sounded in his ear.
"No, there's no need. That's too much trouble. Besides, isn't there still the lottery element?" Allen shrugged indifferently.
Any target he personally damages to the point of near-death, be it an animal, a person, or a Nen user, can, in principle, be directly turned into a cocoon and devoured.
The only difference is that this type of passive absorption only takes the opponent's life essence and Nen energy.
As for the Nen ability itself, he can only rely on the "card drawing" process to rely on luck.
After all, the preconditions required for a 100% ability theft are too numerous and unsuitable for a fierce, multi-opponent battle.
Of course, if he encounters an ability he finds interesting or one with massive potential for development, he will choose to save that target for last, clearing out the uninterested ones first.
The thought of soon gaining a wealth of Honor, Talent Points, and cocoons caused Allen's mind to swell with excitement. He looked forward to the arrival of the next night with great anticipation.
————
You can read the ahead chapter on Patr if you're interested: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]