However, Ethan wasn’t paying attention to them.
His attention was fixed on Elena and Emily.
Neither of them had revealed their Talents.
Both remained unusually quiet.
’Could they have awakened SSS-Rank Talents as well?’
The thought suddenly crossed Ethan’s mind.
That would be ridiculously overpowered.
Could an entire group really produce several SSS-Rank Talents? What were they? Cabbages growing by the roadside?
"Ethan, what is your talent?" Grace asked seriously. She seemed quite eager to know Ethan’s talent.
"I..." Before Ethan could speak,
The 100-plus-kg, large-breasted girl who had screamed that Ethan had assaulted them, whose real name was Mia, stepped forward.
"So what if your Talent is impressive? Do you think an SS-Rank Talent makes you special?" she sneered. "The rule of this world is survival, and my Talent is even more suitable for survival than yours!"
Grace usually disliked Mia.
But even now, she couldn’t help but ask, "Mia, what is your Talent?"
"Address me as Tribe Leader, Your Excellency!" Mia’s voice, compressed by the fat around her vocal cords, burst out shrilly. "The Tribe Leader bears the responsibility for the entire Tribe’s development. Only my Talent—"
Before she could finish speaking, a Black-Maned Wolf as tall as a grown man burst out of the jungle.
Its sharp fangs clamped down on Mia’s left arm, and in an instant, her entire arm was torn off.
"Ahhh!"
Mia let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered.
Blood sprayed from her shoulder, and within moments, her face turned deathly pale.
However, after taking a single bite of her greasy arm, the Black-Maned Wolf actually gagged and spat it back onto the ground.
It then shifted its gaze toward the other, slimmer people.
Everyone panicked and cried out in unison.
"Help!"
"Everyone, don’t panic!" Ethan forced himself to calm down and shouted, "This wolf doesn’t look invincible. Haven’t you ever played games? There are always stronger monsters later. Stay calm, and let’s figure out how to deal with it together!"
Ethan thought, I’m a noble SSS-Rank Talent holder. I can’t die before I even get the chance to use my Talent. Absolutely not! I have to survive!
Unfortunately, some of the female classmates couldn’t hear Ethan at all, as though a man’s words were meant to be contradicted rather than listened to.
They fled in panic.
At some point, Elena had quietly moved behind Ethan. Emily also walked over without saying a word and stopped beside Elena. The two women instinctively chose to stand behind the only man present, while Ethan himself remained completely focused on the Black-Maned Wolf ahead, not noticing their actions at all.
Teacher Grace looked at Ethan and immediately made a decision.
"Ethan! Shoot it! You have the bow and arrows right now. Aim for its heart!"
Ethan nodded. He was the only male student in the class, and his relationship with Grace had always been quite good.
In a moment of crisis, everyone had to unite and help each other.
Taking a deep breath, Ethan steadied himself. He drew the wooden bow to its limit, the muscles in his arms, shoulders, and back tensing instantly. His well-defined physique became even more striking under the strain, making several girls stare at him in surprise.
"So strong..."
"I didn’t expect Ethan to have such a good physique."
"He actually looks so reliable..."
Whoosh!
Ethan released the arrow.
The stone-tipped arrow shot through the air and struck the Black-Maned Wolf squarely in the chest, accurately aiming for its heart.
Unfortunately, although Ethan’s aim was precise, the wooden bow lacked sufficient power, or rather, the Black-Maned Wolf’s hide and muscles were simply too tough.
The arrow penetrated only two or three centimeters into its flesh, far from enough to deal a fatal blow.
Instead, it completely enraged the beast.
With a furious roar, the Black-Maned Wolf charged straight toward Ethan.
As an ordinary university student, Ethan had never experienced such a life-and-death situation before. His handsome face instantly turned pale as fear gripped his heart.
But then, Emily suddenly stepped forward from behind.
With a swift movement, she grabbed Ethan by the shoulder and threw him backward.
"Ethan, get back!"
At the same time, she calmly announced, "I awakened an S-Rank Talent: Divine Archery."
Without the slightest hesitation, she took the wooden bow and arrows from Ethan’s hands.
Ethan stumbled back a few steps before quickly retreating behind Emily.
The moment Emily held the bow, it was as if something dormant within her soul had awakened.
She adjusted her stance with flawless precision. Her posture was far more refined than Ethan’s had been. She stood tall and graceful, one foot slightly forward, her left arm perfectly steady while her right hand drew the bowstring to its limit in one smooth motion.
The surrounding girls couldn’t help but stare at her in amazement.
"So beautiful..."
"It’s like she’s been practicing archery her whole life."
"Emily looks incredible..."
Just then, the enraged Black-Maned Wolf changed direction and pounced toward another frightened girl.
Whoosh!
Emily calmly released the first arrow.
The arrow streaked through the air like a bolt of lightning and pierced straight through the Black-Maned Wolf’s heart.
Before the beast could even hit the ground—
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two more arrows followed almost instantly.
The speed of the shots was astonishing, each one arriving before the previous arrow had finished shaking.
All three arrows struck the same vital point.
The Black-Maned Wolf’s body trembled violently in mid-air before crashing heavily onto the ground only a few meters in front of Sophie.
Sophie’s face instantly turned deathly pale with fright.
[Congratulations! You have killed a Common-Rank monster: Black-Maned Wolf.]
[You have achieved the World’s First Kill. After your Tribe is established, a global announcement will be issued, and the corresponding rewards will be distributed.]
The Black-Maned Wolf’s corpse gradually dissolved into countless particles of light before disappearing completely.
In its place remained two items:
[Black-Maned Wolf Meat ×1]
[Black-Maned Wolf Leg Bone ×1]
"What? We actually got the world’s first kill?" Christy, who loved playing games, bounced excitedly over to Emily, her two little white rabbits jiggling as she moved. "Sister Emily, you’re amazing! Can you protect me from now on?"
"That’s great! I thought we were finished for sure."
"So this is what an S-Rank Talent looks like."
One of the girls glanced at Ethan before curling her lips into a sarcastic smile.
"Hmph. As the only man here, wasn’t Ethan supposed to protect us little fairies? In the end, he couldn’t even kill a single wolf. His body looks impressive, but it’s all for show."
Another girl nodded in agreement.
"Exactly. He only managed to make the wolf angrier. If Sister Emily hadn’t stepped in, we’d probably all be dead by now."
Hearing their comments, Ethan’s face turned red with embarrassment as he silently hid behind Emily.
However, he wasn’t discouraged.
Instead, he looked at Emily with admiration.
Her calm expression, flawless archery, and the graceful curves of her body as she drew the bowstring were deeply imprinted in his mind.
In this Savage World... I’ve found the thigh I need to hold.
No matter what happens, I’m sticking with her.
Emily sensed Ethan quietly hiding behind her.
When she heard the girls mocking him, she instinctively frowned. She was just about to speak up for him—
"Ahhh!"
At that moment, Mia struggled to her feet, her face deathly pale as she let out another shrill scream.
"Ethan! Why did it bite me?! My arm... my arm!"
Then she suddenly pointed at Sophie.
"It’s all Sophie’s fault! She screamed first and attracted the monster!"
She immediately turned toward Grace.
"And you, Grace! You’re a university teacher! Why didn’t you stand in front and protect me? When we get back, I’m reporting you to the Education Bureau!"
Mia’s shameless accusations left both Sophie and Grace speechless.
She wasn’t finished yet.
Looking at Emily, she shouted again, "Emily! You were obviously strong enough to kill it! Why didn’t you attack sooner?"
Finally, she glared at Ethan with undisguised contempt.
"And you! You couldn’t even kill a single wolf! Hah! I knew men were unreliable. Muscles are useless if you don’t have the ability to back them up!"
Her shrill voice echoed throughout the forest once again.
But she wasn’t satisfied after venting once.
She pointed at Ethan with her remaining hand and continued cursing.
"You call yourself a man? You’re nothing but a pretty face!"
"What’s the use of having muscles if you can’t even protect anyone? You’re just a decorative vase!"
"I thought the only man in our class would be dependable. Turns out you’re nothing but dead weight!"
She sneered contemptuously.
"And you still had the nerve to act so calm earlier. What happened? Scared stiff the moment the monster charged at you?"
"You couldn’t even kill a single wolf. You’re completely useless!"
Her expression grew even more twisted.
"You’re just a coward hiding behind a woman!"
"What kind of man hides behind a woman after failing to do anything himself? If I were you, I’d be too ashamed to show my face!"
She spat on the ground near Ethan’s feet.
"Trash! Worthless! A burden!"
"I’ve never seen such a useless man. If you have even a shred of dignity, stop hiding behind and women and get out here!"
Mia’s insults echoed throughout the forest, becoming harsher and harsher with every sentence, while many of the girls frowned at her increasingly excessive behavior.
Ethan listened to Mia’s endless accusations in stunned silence.
He simply couldn’t understand.
What had he done to deserve such hostility?
A moment ago, he had risked his life trying to stop the Black-Maned Wolf. Although he had failed to kill it, he had at least bought everyone precious time.
For a brief moment, an impulse flashed through his mind.
This woman... she’s been screaming and blaming others since the beginning. If she keeps this up, she’ll attract another monster sooner or later...
But Ethan quickly suppressed the thought.
Taking a deep breath, he looked at Mia and asked, "What exactly did I do to you? Why are you targeting me?"
Instead of calming down, Mia sneered even more arrogantly.
"What did you do?"
"You still have the nerve to ask?"
"You’re the only man here! Protecting us should’ve been your responsibility from the very beginning!"
"You couldn’t even deal with a single wolf. What use are you?"
"So what if you’re handsome? Can good looks keep everyone alive?"
"You’re nothing but a useless pretty boy!"
The more she spoke, the harsher her words became.
"If I were you, I’d find a hole to crawl into instead of shamelessly standing here!"
"I’ve never seen such a pathetic excuse for a man!"
Before Ethan could reply, Elena could no longer endure it.
She stepped in front of Ethan and glared at Mia.
"Enough!"
Her usually gentle voice turned cold.
"Ethan never abandoned anyone. He was the first person who stood up to face the wolf."
"He shot first, buying all of us time. If Emily hadn’t awakened such a powerful Talent, none of us would’ve known the arrows weren’t strong enough."
"So what right do you have to blame him?"
Mia rolled her eyes dismissively.
"Oh? The little girlfriend is defending her boyfriend now?"
"Of course you would. You’re completely blinded by him."
Grace also stepped forward, trying to calm the situation.
"Everyone, stop arguing. We’re in an unfamiliar place. Fighting among ourselves won’t solve anything."
However, Mia ignored Grace completely.
She pointed at Ethan again and continued mocking him without restraint, as though she had found a target for all her fear and frustration.