Endless Extraction in a Game-Like World-Chapter 47: Threatened with Expulsion! Heading to the District A’s Dungeon Zone
Fortis-01 High, Combat Hall.
Students were hard at work, utilizing their assigned Mana Training Arts to build their physical foundations and raw Combat Scores. While training held magical benefits inside the Domain, relying on it alone to level up was virtually impossible without immense natural talent. Real growth required combat.
Of course, those banned or permanently expelled for failing their mandatory Ascension Quests had no choice. They resorted to rigorous Mana Arts to painstakingly reach the Bronze Rank and beyond, a grueling process that easily took countless years.
Today was the fifth day since the Domain opened to the new batch. Most were already ten times stronger than before their awakening, provided they were carried by veterans or happened to awaken powerful talents.
Classes 1, 2, and 3 were gathered in the grand Combat Hall. In the center stood Teacher Aron, the homeroom teacher of Class-3 and a strict Mana Arts instructor.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Someone walked into the hall, hands casually stuffed in his pockets. Instantly, several students stopped their training.
"Well, well. Look who finally decided to show his face," a blonde young man near the front sneered. "If it isn’t the massive loser who ran away from the mandatory tournament yesterday."
Caelus turned his gaze toward the mocking voice. He knew him all too well. Out of the fragmented memories he possessed of the original Caelus, this man, Brad, was the one who had hurt him the most.
Brad constantly teamed up with Lena to force Caelus into demeaning errands. He was a known drug addict and heavy drinker, activities Lena also participated in. They used to beat Caelus and humiliate him in front of others simply because he firmly abstained from the toxic habits of rich kids his age.
"Give him a break, Brad. He has a trash E-Rank affinity," Ivy, another classmate and core member of Brad’s gang, chimed in. "No matter how much he tries in the Domain, he probably hasn’t even passed a Combat Score of 10."
"You’re right. Nobody would ever take an E-Rank into their party unless they miraculously awakened an S-Rank talent."
"And dyeing your hair white won’t change that harsh fact," Brad added with a thin smile. "Since Lena dumped her loyal errand boy, it seems you’re desperate to find another rich person to latch onto like a parasite."
The other students eyed Caelus with judging gazes. Yesterday, he had been the main topic of gossip across all three classes as the only student absent from the mandatory tournament. He was the designated target they laughed at to feel better about their own mediocre performances.
Caelus was genuinely angered and ready to throw hands. But before he could take a step, a stern voice cut through the chatter.
"Enough. Everyone keep quiet."
It was Teacher Aron.
"Why were you not present at the tournament yesterday?" Aron inquired coldly, adjusting his glasses.
"I was caught up in something important in Golden Eagle City," Caelus replied, his gaze unwavering.
Teacher Aron was an Iron III ranker. Despite his immense Combat Score, he had failed his Ascension Quest years ago and was permanently kicked out of the Domain. Failing was common; the vast majority eventually met the same fate unless they had top-tier talent or veteran backing.
Brad scoffed. "In Golden Eagle City?" He burst out laughing. "Could it be... that our dear Caelus is the legendary Player 555? Why else would he be doing important things in another city?"
"It’s possible! Player 555 had white hair too, didn’t he?" Ivy laughed alongside him.
The surrounding students looked on with deep scorn. What could be more important for a student than the academy tournament? It wasn’t like he was out saving the world.
Teacher Aron shook his head in disappointment. "The Ashborn family graciously gave you a rare chance to enter Fortis-01 High, and yet you act like this. Do you know how many kids would kill for your position? Caelus, I might seriously consider your immediate expulsion if you continue." He paused. "In fact, Principal Harris has already instructed me to expel you."
"What?" Caelus was stunned. "Expel me?"
Over missing a single aptitude test? Then he remembered, this teacher was closely tied to Lena and the Ashborn family.
Brad spoke up again, his voice dripping with fake sympathy. "Teacher, you can’t just expel Caelus. It’s his final year. If he gets expelled now, his record will be ruined, and he’ll essentially become homeless. No reputable guild or academy will ever take him in." Brad grinned wickedly.
In the crowd, Riya looked worried. "Teacher, I’m sure Caelus had something genuinely important to do. Expelling him over one absence is far too extreme, isn’t it?"
The instant Riya defended him, the class’s cold gaze pinned her down, and she quickly shut her mouth.
"How about this, Teacher Aron," Brad suggested smoothly. "Let the weakest student in our class have a friendly spar with Caelus. If he miraculously defeats him, or even lasts one minute, we can petition the Principal to let him stay."
Many chuckled darkly at the heavily rigged proposal. The weakest student, Toby, had a solid Combat Score of 13. They were certain Caelus, with his trash E-Rank talent, wouldn’t even have 10 combat score in total. In fact, they even doubted that if he was in a death cooldown or not.
"Let’s do exactly that," Aron agreed. "Hear that, Caelus? Your classmates are defending your right to stay. You should be grateful. A slacker like you is bad for morale. I’ve never once seen you in a combat class or the Mana Training Hall."
Aron turned to a scrawny student. "Come forward, Toby."
Toby stepped forward, exchanging a brief, sinister glance with Brad. Aron tapped his smartwatch, and a holographic screen popped up. A glowing defensive barrier formed around Toby and Caelus, sealing them inside a small arena.
Caelus’s expression darkened.
These people were truly vile, rigging a spar just to formally justify his expulsion and ruin his life.
Then, Toby whispered softly. "Don’t blame me for this, Caelus... it’s natural selection. Only the strong have a spot here." Toby grinned, a lethal aura erupting from him.
A sharp longsword materialized in his hand. He shot forward with genuine killing intent.
Caelus’s draconic eyes flickered dangerous red. Toby was already in front of him, the blade mere inches from his right arm. Caelus frowned deeply. His physical figure violently glitched out of place. Had his base speed been any lower, his arm would have been cleanly sliced off.
Toby was strictly following Brad’s orders to cripple him.
Caelus’s eyes shone with anger.
Brad’s ties to the city’s underworld meant the old Caelus could never fight back. Initially, Caelus thought he should let go of past grievances after crossing into this new body and start anew. But people never changed. Their view of him as a designated punching bag was firmly set.
He wasn’t going to let it happen this time.
Boom!
Before Toby could comprehend what was happening, his vision violently spun. His body was forcefully flung across the arena, his face crushing brutally into the glowing energy barrier. Several teeth shattered and flew from his mouth.
"Huh?" Everyone in the hall, save for a relieved Riya, stared in shock. Loud gasps rang out. They couldn’t believe what they were witnessing.
Teacher Aron rushed forward, furious. "You! What have you done?! Someone take Toby to the infirmary immediately!"
He glared at Caelus. "This was supposed to be a casual spar. Brutally crippling a classmate is prohibited!"
"He tried to injure me first. It was obviously clear, wasn’t it?" Caelus inquired back coldly.
"Bullcrap. Doesn’t toby not know the rules? I will personally inform Principal Harris about this vicious assault!"
"Yeah? I don’t care," Caelus retorted coldly, locking eyes with the teacher. "Do what you must. I will see this through to the bitter end. You’re just a corrupted pig working for the Ashborn family. I already know that much."
"What are you talking about?! You dare call your teacher a pig?!" Aron’s face turned purple with rage.
But Caelus didn’t stay in the stadium. He had already received a text from Sylvia. It was time to go dungeon hunting and legally awaken more of his hidden powers. He refused to stay weak for a second longer.
He had to uproot the Ashborn family as quickly as possible.
if he gets expelled so be it. It was time to put his plans into motion.
As soon as Caelus left, everyone students were talking amongst themselves with a stunned look.
Brad amongst the crowd glanced at Ivy who nodded at him. he swiftly took his phone out and dialed a number.
----
Fortis City, District A, Dungeon Zone.
The designated Dungeon Zone of District A was heavily guarded by elite military personnel. Dimensional dungeon gates typically spawned around this specific area. While random dungeons still popped up across the city, they followed a chain reaction, spawning close to active gates.
Thus, specialized Dungeon Zones were established across all major districts of Fortis City to heavily reduce the chances of gates opening in busy streets or residential towns. Even so, outbreaks still occurred in civilian areas occasionally, requiring heavy military force to suppress.
