Endless Extraction in a Game-Like World

Fortis-01 High.

"How do you feel after three students from your school officially signed a contract with a major guild, sir?" A cameraman and a reporter stood face to face with Principal Haris.

"I feel absolutely ecstatic," Principal Haris beamed with overwhelming enthusiasm. "Kevin, Julian, and Lena. They are the supreme treasures of Fortis-01 High. I knew from their very first year that they would achieve greatness."

"They are and will always be my shining stars. We fully plan on framing their portraits on the highest seats of honor within the school’s Hall of Fame."

"There are circulating rumors that Lena Ashborn got into the Black Lightning Guild strictly with the help of her older brother, who is already a senior member. Is this true?" the reporter pressed.

"Of course not. She is a premier talent who awakened a genuine Upper B-Rank talent. If the elite guilds of the Solaris Kingdom are not interested in her, then I do not know who else they would want."

"We firmly believe she will become one of the rising stars of this era. I personally see her reaching the Gold or even Crown rank in just a few short years."

"Alright. Now, can we move toward the student dormitories? It will be a fantastic addition to the documentary footage."

"Certainly. Let us head there immediately," Principal Haris maintained his polished, professional smile. "I already informed my students about your arrival."

---

"Hmm? What is happening over there?" The reporter frowned, spotting a massive crowd of students gathered tightly around the dorm courtyard.

"Did something happen, Principal Haris?" he asked, turning to the principal, whose professional smile had vanished into a deep frown.

"I will go check on it myself," Principal Haris stated quickly, rushing forward alongside the film crew.

However, in the very next moment, everyone froze in their tracks. The reporter keenly turned toward his cameraman, who gave a sharp nod and toggled the live broadcast button on his rig. Immediately, several small, stealthy drones shot into the sky, flying straight toward the dormitory courtyard to capture the unfolding drama.

---

A few minutes prior.

Caelus silently looked at his now-empty dorm room. He had packed all his belongings into a single huge duffel bag slung casually over his shoulder.

He made absolutely sure to take everything away. This small, cramped room was the very first place he had opened his eyes to when he crossed over into this world.

Now it was officially time to leave and look for a much better place to stay. With the massive amount of Origin Credits he currently held, he could easily rent a luxury villa right in the heart of Fortis City.

He planned on accumulating even more wealth through his Blacksmith profession. He possessed the Rainbow Light Forge. He could use it to forge Legendary or even Mythical weapons if his timing was perfect. Once he leveled the skill up to the Bronze tier, he could finally craft gear suited for his Iron II level. Right now, only high-tier equipment could effectively increase his raw power in reality.

As soon as Caelus stepped out of the dormitory building and into the courtyard, he found a large crowd of students already waiting for him. Every single one of them wore a scowl or a mocking sneer on their faces.

"If it is not the famous loser who just got expelled from the academy." The person stepping forward to speak was none other than Brad.

"Hey, do not call him a loser, Brad. He technically graduated way faster than us," Ivy mocked, standing right next to him with her arms crossed.

"Hahaha. Graduating into homelessness, maybe." A young man with neatly styled brown hair chimed in. This was Gilbert Washington, one of the major wealthy heirs attending Fortis-01 High. He constantly looked down on the poor, bullied the weak, and acted as a core member of Roland’s elite gang.

"I honestly do not feel an ounce of pity for you," Gilbert continued with a cruel grin. "You have been an annoying insect since our very first year. Always following Lena around like a licking dog, doing everything you were told like a trained monkey. It honestly disgusted me more than it amused me. You do not even deserve to be called a man."

"Look around you, Caelus. We completely belong to different worlds now. We awakened as powerful players. We will join elite universities, get recruited by top guilds, and make legendary names for ourselves. While you... you will be begging on the streets. Is that not completely laughable?"

By now, the vast majority of the student body, including the arrogant prodigies from the Special Class, had gathered to watch the spectacle.

"Hmph, it is that guy. Ugh... my day is completely ruined now. I had to see this guy’s face as soon as I logged out of the Domain," Lara clicked her tongue.

Right next to her, Ren observed the scene with indifference.

Everyone looked at Caelus with strange, alienating gazes. It was the collective cold shoulder of an entire society turning its back on a single person. In the students’ eyes, Caelus was an absolute outcast. Someone who simply did not belong in their superhuman era.

"Caelus, where exactly is Sylvia? She was last seen walking with you," Kevin suddenly stepped out from the crowd and demanded.

Caelus directly ignored the question. His golden eyes remained completely focused on Brad, Gilbert, and Ivy, all of whom were staring back at him with chilling, mocking smiles.

"Are you guys really so obsessed with me that you gathered the whole school just to see me off?" Caelus did not care about their heavy pressure in the slightest. He simply smiled back at them.

"Especially you, Brad. I am starting to seriously doubt your sexual orientation. Why do you always get so hot and bothered whenever I am in the room? Sorry to break it to you, but I do not swing that way. Maybe the dude standing right next to you might be into it." Caelus pointed lazily at Gilbert, whose face immediately flushed with visible anger.

Brad’s expression instantly turned freezing cold.

"Why is a crippled dog who does not even possess an D-Rank affinity still barking?" Brad did not waste any more words.

He was currently Level 12 with a Combat Score of 31 after grinding for a week. He had awakened the highly destructive C-Rank talent, Metal Infusion, which allowed him to transmute parts of his physical body into dense, heavy metal.

"He is done for. Brad is incredibly strong after grinding for a week. Only Player 555 and the top students of the special class in our merged region could even hope to stop him now," one of the onlooking players whispered in awe.

The others completely agreed. What could a talentless guy without even a basic D-Rank affinity possibly do against brad?

Ren and Lara shared similar thoughts. They vividly remembered seeing him once in the Server 513 beginner zone, yet he never made another public appearance after that. They clearly remembered how he had been pathetically neglected and abandoned by his own party members in the dungeon.

"Caelus, once you step out of these gates, I will personally send the members of my family to eliminate you," Roland Parker muttered coldly from the back of the crowd, watching the confrontation like a king judging a peasant.

Boom!

A metallic sheen coated Brad’s arm as he lunged forward with explosive, superhuman speed, bringing his heavy metal fist crashing directly down toward Caelus’s face.

Boom!

The sheer kinetic force of the impact shattered the concrete beneath their feet, sending a massive cloud of dust and debris erupting into the air, temporarily blinding the entire courtyard.

"A pretty decent punch," a calm, highly playful voice echoed from within the thick dust cloud.

The exact instant they heard that unfazed voice, every single student in the courtyard froze in absolute shock.

The smoke slowly cleared, revealing a dead silent scene that defied all logic.

There stood Caelus, not having moved a single inch. One of his hands was casually lifted, his fingers effortlessly wrapped around Brad’s metallic fist, completely stopping the strike dead in its tracks.

"???"