In the crowd, someone couldn't help but remark, "We all just arrived in Otherworld at the same time, but the difference between us and that mysterious powerhouse wielding purple-gold flames is just too great, isn't it?"
"He may really rise and soar in this world, while we… might soon be left as minor characters who can only stare up at him from afar."
At those words, the plaza in the Divine Gift Domain fell into silence. They were all seventeen or eighteen-year-olds—who among them didn't harbor ambition and pride?
After arriving in another world, who wouldn't want to achieve something like the protagonists of novels and anime?
But reality was unbearably cruel. They weren't going to receive any protagonist-style treatment. Their only purpose might be to serve as backdrop and stepping stones for those Celestial Seraphim Divine Gifted and that mysterious powerhouse from earlier!
The melancholy of youth probably arises the moment one realizes they are not special.
…
Munir wasn't sure how his casual inquiry and one display of force could spark so many reflections.
He'd rested only briefly in the tree hollow before switching back into battle-ready mode.
Having reached Level 6 and gained 65 points in All Attributes, his keen perception allowed him to quickly hear footsteps from all directions, the scraping of earth and stone, the rustle of branches being pushed aside, and a chorus of shouts in a language very different from his past life's, yet fully understandable:
"Where the hell is that kid hiding? We have to capture him! His talent is good, but as a Slave he needs to be disciplined properly!"
"Exactly! We have to show him how severe the punishment for running away can be! It's about time we got some practice with our village's torture devices…"
Munir listened silently, a faint smile creeping across the corner of his mouth.
He noticed that those speaking did not take him seriously, still seeing him as a "just-awakened ordinary class-holder," their attitude casual and lax.
Munir understood completely.
If he were in their shoes, he wouldn't believe that someone who'd only just awakened a profession could wield much combat power either.
"Even if I did kill an Elf, they'd just suspect I used some hidden trump card—hardly think I could face their guards head-on under normal circumstances."
"Isn't that exactly my chance?"
Munir was well aware that the Elven Race's foundations were profound—not just a handful of Level 10-something guards. If they failed to capture him soon, they'd rapidly send out stronger pursuers.
What he needed to do was frantically increase his strength before the Elven Race raised their vigilance against him.
Munir's eyes glinted; he shot out of the tree hollow and, empowered by the [Jungle Skirmish Technique], slid along the ground. Driving his whole body with his hips, he pressed his center of gravity low like a leopard stalking in the undergrowth.
He deliberately mimicked an animal's movement patterns, his gaze cold and sharp as a blade, ever ready to reap lives.
Before long, Munir locked onto his first target. In the half hour he'd rested inside the tree hollow, another Elf patrol team had crept into this area.
To Munir's delight, these guards knew nothing of the terrifying power he'd unleashed earlier. As they scouted, they lounged lazily, pushing aside trees and bushes with little caution.
He spotted a two-man squad—looking the easiest to bully.
"You're it!" Munir's eyes flickered, and he quickly crawled closer.
As he approached, he could hear the two Elven Guards chatting idly:
"I didn't expect any Divine Gifted to actually escape."
"Not that surprising, really. After all, they're the 'Divine Gifted' chosen by the Great Ones—capable of creating any kind of miracle."
"True enough—they could pull off any sort of miracle. But that power's meant to serve our Elven Race in the end."
The other guard replied just as casually, "And since one did get away, it shows that Divine Gifted's potential must be enormous."
"Our Elven Race is surely destined for prosperity—not only did we unearth a Slave Contract in the ancient tomes that works on Divine Gifted, but we've even gotten such high-aptitude individuals among them… We didn't get many Divine Gifted on our side—what luck!"
The more they talked, the merrier they seemed.
As for the task of hunting Munir… they did put in effort, but they weren't about to get highly anxious over a Divine Gifted who'd only recently awakened.
Just then, thanks to his Jungle Skirmish Technique, Munir had already crept up right beside them.
Pressing against the rough bark of a massive tree next to the two Elven Guards, his skin felt the coarse texture, and his gaze grew even colder and more focused: "I can't take them on one-on-two lightly. I have to strike first—either severely injure both at once or kill one outright. Otherwise, if I get bogged down, more guards will rush in and the situation will be dire."
Munir analyzed the situation; though his heart was filled with an almost unbearable urgency, he steadied his mind and slowly crawled to the top of the tree trunk.
Below him, the two guards were probing ahead, about to pass under the very branch where Munir was hidden.
They chatted with keen interest: "What do you think will happen to that exceptionally gifted Divine Gifted once he's caught?"
"What will happen? It'll be terrible, no doubt. Our race's rules stipulate that if any Divine Gifted escapes, we must seize a few typical cases and punish them severely to intimidate the others… Someone with such high aptitude must be kept firmly under control. So I reckon… it'll be the 'Verdant Devouring Execution.'"
The other guard shivered instantly: "That's savage. I heard the Verdant Devouring Execution implants special seeds into the offender's skin, letting tree branches grow inside his body and drain his flesh and blood…"
"Aren't you worried about completely ruining that escaped Divine Gifted?"
Just hearing the name of the punishment was terrifying—being devoured by trees, flesh and blood tortured every second without release in death. It was more horrifying than any torture Munir had known in his past life!
"So what if he's torn apart? A Divine Gifted's talent is so immense that even if he loses his mind, we can still control his body to slay Demonic Beasts and boost our power. We'll use him all the same, right?"
They volleyed back and forth, as if already sealing Munir's fate: after enduring unimaginable agony, he would wail and become the Elven Race's stepping stone to greatness!
As for…
Could they find Munir? Could they capture him?
They didn't even mention it—disdainful disregard was the highest contempt.
In their view, that Divine Gifted had absolutely no chance of escape!
The entire forest had been sealed off.
As long as they searched methodically, sooner or later they'd locate him.
After a bit more conversation, one guard curled his lips into a cruel smile: "Many of us Elves have only heard of the Verdant Devouring Execution, never seen it ourselves. Looks like we'll get to witness it this time."
"You're right, haha…" The other guard was about to chime in, but his grin froze—his expression locked in place at that very moment!
High above, purple-gold flames flared to life, followed by Munir's furious roar: "Die!"
Activating Wrath of Rebellion requires a blaze of anger in the heart; Munir hadn't expected these Elven guards to enrage him so easily!
This empowered strike was far more ferocious than his previous two attacks!
The Elf below was no weakling—he was nearly Level 20, with all attributes topping seventy points!
Yet under that terrifying flame and Munir's fist, he was pulverized into a bloody pulp on the spot!
His severed limbs and blood were incinerated by the fierce flames into wisps of smoke.
On the other side, one of the Elves was blasted several steps away by the shockwave. When he looked back, dust and grime on his face, he realized that within the towering blast a figure was slowly materializing, like a demon in the smoke, like the Grim Reaper of vengeance, grinning coldly at him: "Don't worry, the next one is you!"
A light shone in Munir's eyes, and a screen flickered before him――
[You successfully resisted an enemy with extreme hostility toward you; their malice has been converted into fuel for your growth. You gain 2,500 experience points!]
[Your level has increased to LV7! (2620/1600)]
[You have received a one-time God-Tier Class upgrade attribute reward: All Attributes +10.]
As his enemy's flesh and blood turned to smoke, Munir's power surged yet again.
What thrilled him even more was that he'd discovered a new mechanic of his class: the stronger the malice directed at him, the greater the reward he gained when he resisted!
Throughout this entire forest…
Which member of the Elven Race wasn't filled with malice toward him!!