I Attack 10,000x Times Stronger-Chapter 20: Exiting Marlin Academy Fortress!

Caleb smiled brightly, patting Igris on the shoulder. "Guys, this is my good friend, Igris."

Caleb then turned to Igris to introduce the group. "The human with the saber is Philip Malone. The Elf is Cindy Anderson, and the Vampire is Chuck Overton."

Philip was a thin, average-looking guy with a cold expression and a nasty scar running through one of his eyes. He carried a heavy saber strapped to his back.

Cindy, the Elf, possessed an astonishing, ethereal beauty. She had a quiver of arrows strapped to her waist, though she notably lacked a physical bow.

Chuck, the Vampire, had striking crimson eyes and perfectly fair skin that would make most girls jealous, but he surprisingly looked quite shy and reserved, avoiding direct eye contact.

"As you can see, these three are among the Top 20 Talents in our entire class," Caleb said proudly. "They are incredibly powerful. We formed a group for the dungeon assignment, but we’re looking for our fifth member. How about you join us, Igris?"

Caleb looked at him expectantly. Igris’s heart instantly warmed; despite the terrifying stakes, the fatso was still actively looking out for him.

But before Igris could even open his mouth to speak, Cindy’s beautifully plump lips parted. Her voice sounded like a heavenly melody, but the words were pure poison.

"This trash?"

Caleb’s smile instantly vanished.

"The freak with the Null Talent?" Cindy sneered, her beautiful face scrunching up in absolute disgust. "You want us—elites with strong C-Rank and D-Rank Talents—to accept this sickly weakling?"

Her sweet voice laced with venom felt like a dagger to the ears.

Philip crossed his arms, looking at Caleb coldly. "Caleb, we only accepted you because your D-Rank *Stone-Body* is a compatible tank for our frontline. Don’t push your luck by overestimating your worth to this team."

Chuck opened his mouth, his sharp fangs showing as he wanted to interject, but he ultimately shrunk back and looked away, too timid to argue.

Caleb’s face turned pale. He gritted his teeth. "B-But—"

Cindy raised a slender hand, cutting him off completely.

"Ignoring his pathetic Talent, I remember him from the training camps back on Earth," she said, her golden eyes glaring daggers at Igris. "He was dead last in every single three-month assessment. He couldn’t even run a lap without coughing."

She stepped closer, looking Igris up and down with profound revulsion. "Aren’t you ashamed to use your friend like this? Instead of dying peacefully in the Culling Games like the rest of the weaklings, you survived just to be a burden to your betters. Get lost, trash."

Caleb’s face reddened in a mix of profound embarrassment and boiling anger. His cheeks trembled. He was obviously about to explode and start screaming at the Elf when a calm hand gently tapped his shoulder.

"It’s alright, Caleb," Igris said softly. "I don’t want to burden you more than I already have."

"But—"

Igris shook his head, interrupting him with an easy, untroubled smile. "There are more than a thousand students here. I’ll surely find a team that needs me, won’t I?"

Caleb glanced apologetically at Igris. He hadn’t expected Cindy, who looked so divine, to possess such a rotten, sharp tongue.

"Alright, bro. Be safe out there," Caleb sighed.

The two friends bumped fists.

From the very beginning of the interaction to the absolute end, Igris hadn’t looked at Cindy once. He hadn’t reacted to her insults. He hadn’t scowled. He treated the beautiful, elite Elf completely like air—as if her existence simply wasn’t worth the energy it took to acknowledge her.

Naturally, Cindy noticed this. For an arrogant prodigy used to being the center of attention, absolute indifference was the ultimate insult. Her brows furrowed deeply, and her expression darkened into pure malice.

"Get back here while I’m talking to you, trash!"

Igris simply rolled his eyes to himself and kept walking away, his hands casually stuffed in his pockets.

Cindy’s face twisted in fury. She suddenly raised her left arm.

Instantly, a glowing green bow constructed entirely of menergy materialized in her grip. Her right hand drew an arrow from her quiver, nocked it against the phantom string, and pulled it back.

She aimed the arrow directly at Igris’s back.

But at the exact millisecond she released the string, a pale hand flashed out.

"Smack."

Chuck, the shy Vampire, had caught the arrow mid-flight, his crimson eyes wide with panic.

"K-Killing fellow Players inside the fortress is strictly forbidden by the Federation!" Chuck stuttered, his voice surprisingly thick and heavy. "Y-You’ll get us all in trouble!"

Cindy stomped her foot in frustration and dismissed her energy bow with a huff. "Fine!"

Caleb glared at the Elf with intense, barely contained rage. "What the hell were you about to do?!"

Cindy rolled her eyes indifferently, brushing a strand of silver hair behind her ear. "Just teaching a peasant his place. That’s all."

Caleb’s fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white. He slowly exhaled, forcefully calming his racing heart. "Let’s just find our last teammate and get this assignment over with."

***

A short distance away, Igris paused. His dual-colored eyes flashed with a cold light.

He hadn’t turned around, but his heightened senses had tracked the entire exchange. ’If that arrow had met me... it would be considered self-defense if I cleaved her head off, right?’

Plus, there were thousands of witnesses. He wouldn’t have been punished at all. It was a shame the Vampire intervened.

Shaking his head, Igris continued toward the edge of the Academy grounds.

By now, most students had formed their teams and were either heading toward the Runesmithing Hall to buy enchantments, or the Treasury to purchase high-level gear before departing.

Igris had his Iron-grade Jagged Sword hidden away, and his standard-issue Iron sword on his hip. He didn’t need any other gear.

But more importantly... he was incredibly broke.

Otherwise, he would have entered the Runesmith room to inscribe at least three circuits of Tempest Wind Slash onto his arms.

Or at least purchased an armor to protect his body.