Nith stood in front of the shadowy statue, a sly grin spreading across his face. He clenched his fists, feeling the strange power of Concealment humming within him.
"So it worked…" he muttered, a flicker of disbelief crossing his face. "They really can't see my talent!"
In front of him, there was...
[Ding! You've Awakened the A-Rank Skill Talent Devour]
[Talent Description: 10% chance of devouring and obtaining the talents of whatever creature you kill.]
Nith's heart raced as he looked at the screen hovering before him.
His gaze swept across the vast temple. The endless statues loomed like silent sentinels, their mysterious auras exuding power.
'If one talent worked… why stop here?' Nith thought.
"I've already come this far," he said to himself, cracking his knuckles. "Let's gamble a little more."
Nith approached the next statue—a figure clad in shining armor, a massive sword resting on its shoulder. It radiated strength and power, like a warrior who could crush mountains.
He hesitated. "A sword talent, maybe? Something physical? Let's see…"
Kneeling before it, he muttered, "Oh great… uh… warrior god statue thing. Grant me your strength. I'll swing swords, fight monsters—whatever you need me to do. Just gimme something useful, okay?"
Magic gathered again. The familiar hum filled the air.
"Talent Awakened: A-Ranked Talent—Sword Mastery."
Nith's eyes widened. "W-What? It worked again?!"
He jumped to his feet, glancing nervously around the temple as if expecting someone to storm in and call him out. But nothing happened. The hall remained silent.
His lips curled into a smile. "This is insane… I can keep doing this."
Meanwhile, in the Grand Arena, the universal guardians sat in their towering thrones, watching through their ethereal projections.
"Something is strange," murmured one of the glowing gods, his radiant form flickering. "Why is the mortal praying to multiple statues?"
Another god stroked their flaming beard, frowning. "Perhaps he was rejected. Do you guys feel any aura from him or see his statue's screen?"
A chorus of voices answered.
"No."
"Not me."
"I sensed nothing."
"Nor did I."
The guardians exchanged confused glances.
Because they were merely guides, there was virtually no way to know if the gods in the Divine realm had granted him ability.
Every being was only restricted to one talent, with some exceptions managing to awaken two—the current highest.
But these exceptions were extremely difficult to find.
It was like looking for a rock in a vast sea.
"Then why is he moving on?"
The goddess in silver robes tilted her head thoughtfully. "Perhaps the mortal cannot accept rejection."
"Hmph. He's wasting his time," scoffed one of the gods. "He's just praying to empty statues."
Back in the temple, Nith was on a roll.
He sprinted to the next statue—a robed figure holding a staff, its face obscured beneath a hood. "This one's gotta be magic!"
Dropping to his knees again, he pressed his hands together. "Oh mighty mage, I've always dreamed of throwing fireballs or lightning bolts. Hook me up, will you?"
The hum returned, and Nith held his breath.
[Talent Awakened: B-Ranked Talent—Blood Manipulation]
"YES!" Nith shouted, pumping his fist into the air. "Now we're talking!"
Without wasting time, he darted toward another statue—a gaunt shadow with shadows dancing underneath its foot.
"Shadow manipulation? Invisibility?? Let's roll the dice!"
[Talent Awakened: S-Ranked Talent—Shadow Extraction.]
Nith practically danced in place, a grin stretching ear to ear.
He wiped his hands together smugly, his confidence bubbling with every new talent gained. It was like stealing candy from a blind man.
'Wait... that sounds so wrong and cruel.'
In the Grand Arena, the gods continued their discussion, still unaware of what Nith was pulling off.
"Perhaps his persistence is admirable?" one god muttered.
"Admirable?" another snorted in disdain. "He's embarrassing himself!"
The silver-robed goddess narrowed her glowing eyes. "There's more to this mortal… but I cannot see what."
Nith, meanwhile, was losing all self-control.
He'd already snagged four talents, and he wasn't stopping anytime soon. Like a kid in a candy store, he rushed from statue to statue, his prayers growing shorter and more desperate.
[Big guy with an axe—come on, strength!]
"Talent Awakened: C-Ranked Talent—Enhanced Strength."
"Yes!"
"Cool-looking monk statue—gimme something!"
[Talent Awakened...]
"Perfect!"
By the time he'd stopped, Nith had a solid stack of talents under his belt. He fell to his knees, breathing heavily. Sweat rolled down his forehead, but his grin never faded.
"This… this is too easy," he whispered, barely containing his laughter.
He thought there would be a limit, but so far he hadn't even sensed a bit of restriction!
'I am limitless!!'
Nith couldn't help but look at the shadowy statue that had granted him the Conceal Talent.
He wanted to run up there and shower it with kisses but held back.
Little did he know that beneath the shadows, there was a mischievous wicked smirk on the statue's lips.
At that moment, the booming voice of a god returned, shaking the walls of the temple.
"Mortal!"
Nith's smile vanished in an instant.
"Oh crap, I almost forgot about them."
The air crackled with power as the unseen god continued.
"None of the gods have granted you their blessing. You are among the rare mortals who have been completely rejected. There is nothing we can do."
Nith blinked, feigning shock. "Rejected?"
"Yes," the god said gravely. "It is unfortunate, but you must accept your fate."
Nith bit his lip, forcing his face into a look of pure devastation. He sniffled loudly. "I… I see."
The gods watched silently as he rose shakily to his feet. His head hung low, shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world rested on them.
"I'll be fine," Nith murmured, his voice trembling with barely restrained sadness. "I'll… I'll be alright."
He rubbed his eyes, faking a sniffle. "Thank you for trying."
The guidance, watching from above, looked at each other uncomfortably. Some even sighed in pity.
"Poor mortal," one muttered.
"Such misfortune…"
Nith's surroundings began to blur as the process of reincarnation started. The temple faded away, the statues melting into mist.
But as he was pulled into the next world, Nith's sorrowful mask cracked. His lips curved into a maniacal grin, his eyes sparkling with triumph.
Then he started to laugh like someone who had gone mad. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"
His laughter echoed faintly as the transition completed.
The guardians looked at his disappearing back and thought while shaking their heads in pity.
"The rejection has made him lose his mind."
"Such a kind soul. It's a shame that he would forever live a life of mediocrity."