Apocalyptic Wasteland Simulator

In an instant, a thick fog, dark as ink, surged from every corner of Steel City. Like an invisible hand, it swiftly and tightly enveloped the entire metropolis. All buildings and streets were swallowed by the vast fog, and everything became chaotic and indistinct. It was impossible to tell north from south, as if one was trapped in an unknown, bewildering maze.

At the same time, several massive ice mirrors erupted from the ground on all sides. They were like cold, watching eyes, flashing with a dangerous, icy light that refracted the already complex elemental attacks, making them even denser and more erratic.

In the blink of an eye, the previously countable elemental attacks became a torrential flood, surging toward Chen Pingchuan to overwhelm him completely. It was as if the very heavens were collapsing, crushing down on him with apocalyptic force. It seemed all of creation had united to utterly obliterate the "uninvited guest" who had intruded upon Steel City.

"Heh, a little interesting."

While his words were defiant, his expression turned grave. He quickly waved his hands, instantly igniting a fiercely blazing fire barrier before him. The flames in the barrier leapt and writhed as if they had a mind of their own, blocking the vast majority of the elemental attacks. Where water met fire, there were crackling explosions, sending steam billowing as ice and flame intertwined. Where lightning struck, firelight flashed and electrical arcs danced wildly.

However, this seemingly indestructible fire barrier was virtually useless against the Ability Users whose primary attributes were pure strength and a rugged physique. Their eyes flashed with a numb madness as they ignored the scorching flames. Their skin sizzled and even split open into bloody wounds, yet they still charged at Chen Pingchuan without hesitation, their fearless resolve akin to moths drawn to a flame.

The attacks from the melee-type Ability Users could not yet break Chen Pingchuan's Fire God defense, but they continued their relentless assault. The vibrations from each impact transferred through the defensive layer to Chen Pingchuan himself. A flurry of fists, feet, and weapons whistled through the air, smashing and stabbing, overwhelming him. Despite his defense, the oppressive feeling of being surrounded by countless attacks was deeply unsettling, as if every inch of his skin were being gnawed by ants.

"How dare you ants lay a hand on a god?! Die!"

Chen Pingchuan's eyes blazed, and fiery anger surged through his chest as he roared at the heavens. The sound wave rolled like thunder, making the very air hum. With a fierce swing of his flaming longsword, the flames on its blade instantly swelled into a ferocious fire serpent, swallowing several Ability Users who failed to dodge in time. Before they could even scream, they were incinerated into piles of ash that scattered on the wind.

"Hahaha..."

Chen Pingchuan's laughter carried a trace of satisfaction and disdain, but before it could fade into the fog, the ant-like Ability Users charged forward once more, wave after wave, with no intention of retreating.

This time, the Ability Users outside seemed determined to fight to the death. They didn't hesitate to overload their spiritual attributes to unleash even more powerful abilities.

Immediately, Chen Pingchuan's vision began to blur frequently. The space around him filled with a strange and dangerous fluctuation, and his surroundings twisted and warped as if he had fallen into a deep, illusory trap where reality and fantasy were impossible to distinguish. Gritting his teeth, Chen Pingchuan focused all of his Spiritual Power, attempting to pierce the layers of fog and illusion. He relied on his innate, sharp perception to predict the direction of the attacks hidden behind the phantoms.

But the attacks were simply too dense and bizarre. Despite his best efforts to evade, he was inevitably struck. Each time a blow landed, the flames enveloping him would flicker violently, threatening to extinguish. His once-majestic Fire God form now seemed unstable.

On top of that, Chen Pingchuan had to constantly be on guard for the monstrous tree roots that could erupt from the ground at any moment. As time dragged on, his physical strength and Spiritual Power were rapidly depleting. He knew he couldn't last like this. While fending off the attacks, he scanned his surroundings.

His patience finally worn thin by these ant-like beings, Chen Pingchuan roared, "Divine Punishment - Human Purgatory!"

As he finished speaking, the enormous Fire God suddenly erupted in a blindingly brilliant light. A moment later, a crisp shattering sound was heard. When flame is compressed to its absolute limit, the result is an explosion of cataclysmic proportions.

Following the flash of intense light came a series of deafening explosions—BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!—as a terrifying power, like a rain of fire from the heavens, began to ravage everything in its path. The entirety of Steel City was instantly engulfed by the celestial flames, as if it had been plunged into a massive, high-temperature furnace.

Once-solid structures softened and deformed in the inferno, melting like wax figures and collapsing into pools of scorching molten iron. Towering skyscrapers came crashing down amidst billowing smoke and splattering molten metal, their collapse echoing with deep, sonorous thuds. On the ground, streets and plazas vanished, consumed by the heavenly fire. The hard concrete melted under the extreme heat, mixing with the molten iron to form a boiling ocean of liquid that radiated an eerie light.

The Ability Users who had been unable to escape, whether they were melee-types or specialists, were instantly obliterated by the terrifying heavenly fire, leaving not a single trace behind. Not even the men in black or Lilia's group were spared; all of them perished in the immensely powerful attack. The giant roots that had been reaching for the sky were burned to charcoal, lost all vitality, and crashed to the ground. The ink-dark fog was also dispersed by this mighty force, leaving behind nothing but a glaring sea of fire and overwhelming heat.

Under the horrifying power of Divine Punishment - Human Purgatory, the once-bustling Steel City vanished completely from the face of the earth. All that remained was scorched land and an endless, dead silence, as if a city had never existed there at all.

"Hahahaha..."

Chen Pingchuan exited his Fire God state once more. But unlike his previous voluntary exit, this one was forced. His condition was far from ideal.

"Cough, cough..." He coughed up two mouthfuls of blood.

This body's original owner was truly pathetic. Otherwise, I wouldn't be in such a sorry state. Utterly useless!

Just as Chen Pingchuan was wallowing in self-pity, crisp applause echoed from afar.

CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.

A shadowy figure slowly came into his view.

"You are truly powerful. Therefore, on behalf of Lord Divine Tree, I will grant you an opportunity."

"Become a believer in the Divine Tree, and you will not have to die."