CHAPTER 231: Day-10 Concludes.
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The female Sentinel, dismissing Jay entirely, shifted her attention to the other two companions, Akor and Kensei. She extended the invitation to them with a haughty air of authority.
Kensei, without a moment's hesitation, responded with a firm and simple, "No."
Akor, however, was less composed and much more indignant. "Like hell I would join the same faction as someone who insulted my Liege!" he snapped, his words echoing with fierce loyalty.
The male Sentinel, his patience worn thin, laughed, a sound tinged with both anger and contempt.
"You insolent peasant. Countless would kill for an opportunity you are squandering away. And for what? For this worthless worm you call Liege? Watch me bring him to his knees and beg for mercy."
With that, the male Sentinel unleashed Tier Suppression once again, this time targeting Jay exclusively.
The intensity matched that of a Tier-6 Low-Phase lifeform, and Jay immediately struggled to stand. Breathing became laborious, each breath a torturous effort that seemed to be his last.
Yet, despite the overwhelming pressure, Jay did not succumb. Anger boiled within him as he locked eyes with the male Sentinel, Soren, whose snarky smile only fueled Jay's resolve.
To withstand the immense pressure, Jay activated every skill in his arsenal that boosted his stats.
He pushed himself to the mid-phase of Tier-4 alongside drawing on Olivia's Pseudo-Soul Energy, Rex's Pseudo-Speed Energy, and his own Thunder Miasma to alleviate some of the burden.
The sheer number of abilities Jay showcased left Soren incredulous, yet the Sentinel remained determined to break him.
Meanwhile, Felarial, Olivia, Akor, and several other strong individuals tried to retaliate against the unjust treatment Jay was enduring. However, they were rendered immovable by the female Sentinel, who commanded the serpent coiled around her neck to open its eyes.
The moment the snake's slit eyes opened, everyone within its reach was paralyzed, their bodies frozen by the creature's powerful gaze.
Felarial and Olivia, despite their paralysis, were about to use their Innate Talents to attempt a breakout. But Jay, through their mental link, advised them against it.
Inside his mind, MJ's cheerful voice chimed in, "Master, you are doing really well. No one suspected that you were faking it all along."
Jay suppressed a smile, maintaining his act as if he were on the verge of collapse.
In reality, the escalating Tier suppression had no effect on him. It had been this way from the very beginning; no Tier Suppression had worked on him since Day-1.
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Whether it was from the Plasma Predator or other Tier-3 monsters, he had remained unaffected. Even when facing the 100 Tier-5 Monster Horde in Round-2's Reality Emulator, where Dante couldn't move, Jay felt no Tier Suppression.
Initially, Jay had attributed this immunity to his high stats. However, as he encountered stronger opponents and even the Tier-5 monsters' Tier Suppression failed to affect him, he began to suspect it was due to his unfathomable Innate Talent.
If Jay were to remain utterly unfazed in front of Soren's Tier Suppression, he would only invite unnecessary trouble.
So, he gave his best performance, contorting his face into a mask of effort and strain, making everyone believe he was struggling immensely against the oppressive force.
The male Sentinel's frustration grew with each passing moment as he failed to break Jay's resolve.
He increased the intensity of the Tier Suppression, soon bringing it to the peak of Tier-6, making it appear as if Jay found it harder and harder to resist.
At least, that was how it looked to everyone. Jay seemed like he might collapse at any second, his body trembling and sweat pouring down his face, but he never did.
Inside his mind, MJ's voice sounded. "Master, I have prepared everything necessary for filing a petition to the System. Just say the word, and this orc of a Sentinel will be penalized."
Jay mentally denied the suggestion and replied, "No, not yet. If the petition goes through now, he would only receive minor penalties since no actual harm has been done through Tier Suppression. Moreover, my identity, according to the System, is just that of a regular Trial Participant. Do it after the rewards are issued. We have what, five more seconds left?"
"Yes, Master," MJ confirmed.
"Perfect. It's time to wave a red cloth at the arrogant bull." With that, Jay roared, his voice echoing through the tense silence as he provoked Soren while still seeming to be nearly crushed by the suppression.
"You call yourself a Sentinel? The creature I fought earlier was more of a challenge than you'll ever be. You might as well be invisible for all the impact you make. You're nothing but a joke of a Sentinel."
Jay's insults struck a nerve, and the Sentinel's anger was evident as his eyes turned completely red.
In a blind rage, he disregarded any thought of penalties and summoned a massive battle axe, its blade gleaming menacingly. With a roar, he rushed towards Jay and swung at his arm with terrifying speed and force.
Jay tried his best to evade using the Pseudo-Speed Energy, but Soren was too fast; Jay couldn't even see his movements. The Sentinel's attack sliced through Jay's full-body Centauri Kavach like butter, severing his left arm in one swift motion.
The male Sentinel didn't stop there. He cut off Jay's other arm as well before delivering a brutal kick to his chest. The force of the blow sent Jay crashing onto the ground, leaving a deep track of disturbed earth and a trail of blood.
Jay was left in an utterly wasted state, his body broken and bleeding, in no position to move even an inch. His breaths came in ragged gasps, his vision blurring as pain threatened to overwhelm him.
Everyone watching could only stand helplessly, paralyzed by the female Sentinel's serpent pet, their faces mirrors of shock and horror.
As if using teleportation, the male Sentinel appeared next to Jay with a swish of wind. It wasn't teleportation, but his actual movement speed, far surpassing anything the eye could follow.
He looked down on Jay with a sneer, his voice dripping with contempt. "Just a few casual blows and you're left in this sorry state. If not for the System Penalties, I'd have obliterated your pathetic life for your impudence. Know your place, worm."
Jay began to laugh, though it was a painful, blood-choked sound. "It's amusing to see your arrogance when you only defeated someone five Tiers below you. Just imagine, if I were Tier-6 or even Tier-5, would you still be so full of yourself?"
Jay's words made Soren pause for a moment, silenced by the biting truth. Before he could respond with another threat, Jay vanished into thin air, along with thousands of Alpha Chosen.
Just like that, Day-10 ended, transporting every Trial Participant to their respective home planets.
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