The air was thick with fog.
Dominic stepped beyond the mouth of the cave, the soft crunch of leaves beneath his boots echoing in the unnatural silence. The moment he crossed the boundary, a sudden system prompt appeared before him in glowing white letters.
[NEW QUEST: Purify the Cursed Forest]
Objective: Defeat all corrupted monsters within the forest and purify the land.
Rewards: +20,000 Gold | +EXP | +0.1% System Synchronization
Dominic exhaled, his breath misting. He muttered under his breath.
"I guess this is it, huh? My first real mission..."
He glanced at his stat window again.
➤ [ STATUS WINDOW: DOMINIC MENDEZ ]
Name: Dominic Mendez Level: 47
Age: 18 Race: Human (Modified)
Title: Outcast God Synchronization: 5.0%
Health (HP): 5000 Mana (MP): 2000
Qi: 10 Years Cultivation (Unlocked)
Divine Power: 3000 Faith Resonance: 5
Attributes:
• Strength: 234
• Agility: 215
• Defense: 221
• Intellect: 248
• Willpower: 276
• Charisma: 202
• Luck: ???
Skills:
• Pain Resistance (Lv. 5)
• Fire Resistance (Lv. 5)
• All Resistance (Lv. 5)
• Chain Combat Mastery (Passive)
• Basic Elemental Manipulation – Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning
• Intimidation (Passive)
Traits:
• Divine Spark – Your soul contains fragments of divinity.
• Lone Origin – Gain 2x EXP when fighting alone.
• Adaptation Engine – Rapidly adapt to enemies' attacks and techniques.
• ??? (Locked)
• ??? (Locked)
Inventory:
• Dual Dagger Set (Sharp Twinfang – Rare)
• Spare Outfit – Cloak of Blue Veil (Mystic Grade)
• 100,075 Gold
• System Tablet (Bound)
• Health Potion Flask ×3
"I'm cracked. And I don't even know how to use half of this yet…"
He flicked his wrist, and a swirling flame ignited in his palm.
"Damn…"
He closed it and summoned water — then wind, earth, and even lightning — each one bending naturally to his will.
"I don't think anyone from this world could pull this off so casually."
He smiled.
"Let's test it."
The forest responded.
Dark growls echoed through the trees. Shadows moved unnaturally. Red eyes blinked in the mist.
A corrupted wolf pounced from the trees—its body twisted, half-rotted, its flesh pulsing with black veins. More followed. Dozens.
Dominic raised a hand, eyes glowing faint blue.
"Let's go…"
He thrust his palm forward — wind pressure exploded outward, slicing three wolves mid-air. He spun and snapped his fingers, summoning a firestorm vortex that devoured four more.
Lightning surged along his arms as he dashed in a blur, punching through corrupted beasts like paper.
"Fire + Wind…" he muttered, drawing a circle mid-air. "Flame Tornado!"
He hurled it forward — a burning cyclone tore through the tree line, incinerating everything in its path.
A corrupted ogre burst out from the trees.
"Water + Lightning…"
He crossed his hands — sparks crackled — a pulse shot out.
"Paralytic Surge."
The ogre froze in place. Dominic's new dual daggers glinted in his hands as he dashed in and sliced its throat in one clean motion.
Dozens of monsters fell. One after the other.
His steps were light, precise. No wasted motion.
He wasn't just fighting—he was learning.
And the forest was falling to his divine fury.
Hours passed. Piles of corrupted bodies lay in the soil, turning to ash. The fog had started to thin—but something was wrong.
Dominic stopped near a deep glade. His hand twitched.
The ground trembled.
Something ancient was awakening.
He slowly turned his head as the forest behind him shifted unnaturally. Trees bent away. Birds fled in terrified silence.
From the heart of the land, something massive stirred.
The corrupted monsters had only been a warning.
And then…
A low, thunderous growl echoed.
BOOM.
The ground split open in front of Dominic.
Vines cracked. Black mist poured out.
A giant figure rose from the forest depths—twice the size of the Behemoth.
A creature of roots, bones, and blood-corrupted bark.
[WARNING: A Guardian has Awakened]
Elite Boss Identified — Forest Guardian: Corrupted Ancient
Status: Berserk. Unsealed.
Dominic took one step back. The divine interface flashed red.
The Forest Guardian roared — a roar that made even the wind scream.
"No way… THAT'S not part of the quest..."
📍End of Chapter 8
🔥 Cliffhanger: Dominic's purification mission has awakened something ancient — a corrupted Forest Guardian far beyond normal monsters. With his first trial barely complete, he now faces his greatest battle yet…