Damn, you finally showed up.
Siloque had always been curious while playing the game—why did the protagonist have to hold back until now to stand up?
The perspective and narrative had never focused on Cass, and the general consensus among players was that the writer created this bug of a plot just for dramatic effect.
Now that it had become reality, the reason was simple.
Cass was sleeping.
And because it was real, Siloque noticed that as Cass stood in front of Norius, there was still a faint mark of drool recently wiped from his mouth…
He only woke up when Norius shouted, “Too weak, huh?!”
He probably had no idea about the cause and effect—he just saw his companion in trouble and rushed forward.
Why did he choose to sleep at this exact moment?
Siloque didn’t know either.
Maybe it was the world’s correction force…
“Haah? Not willing? Of course she’s willing! Who do you think you are?”
Cass confidently replied:
“My name is Cass. My goal is to become the strongest in this school.”
Siloque almost couldn’t hold it in.
Cass himself didn’t think there was anything odd about saying it, but to Siloque, it was painfully cringe-worthy!
Hearing those words from an outsider’s perspective was just too embarrassing…
“Haah?! Are you serious? Even arrogance should have its limits!”
Norius, playing along, put on a spirited performance.
That Japanese chuunibyou vibe—truly terrifying.
Siloque felt that these two should be on the Spring Festival Gala, with the title “The Strongest Person in History.”
“You know…”
Before Norius could finish, a powerful aura swept across every corner of the classroom, making everyone tremble without exception.
Cliff activated .
A skill that increases critical rate against monsters, but works just as well on humans.
Norius felt the pressure, barely managing to stay upright by bracing against the desk.
“Ugh!”
Damn, this is real bullying! What if I lost control?
Ah, it seems I really did a little…
For minotaurs, this skill is practically divine, easily breaking down the mental defenses of the weak-willed.
Though Siloque had mentally prepared himself, his hands and feet still trembled uncontrollably as he pressed against his chest, trying desperately to calm down.
The source of the aura—Cliff—opened his eyes.
He stepped in front of Cass, his height advantage allowing him to look down as if observing an ant.
Cass’s expression remained calm, his eyes steady and unreadable, showing no trace of fear.
“Turn off the skill. At this level—”
Cass met Cliff’s unsettling gaze, sparks seeming to fly in the air from the clash of their wills.
“Don’t get too cocky, you ignorant brat who’s barely been in the Dungeon!”
A shadow flashed before Cass’s eyes. Before he could react, a wave of pain exploded in his chest.
Cliff unleashed a flying kick.
“…!!!”
The force surged through Cass, sending him flying!
At the same time, Siloque, quicker than anyone else—even before Cliff threw the punch—jumped out of his seat—
Boom!!
Cass flew five meters near the ground before crashing into something and coming to a stop.
When he turned to check, he saw…
“Siloque?!”
“Yo… are you okay?”
As a human cushion, Siloque felt his bones misalign with a sickening crunch, his face pale as death.
Damn, this really is a battle of gods—mortals suffer the consequences.
Cliff’s initial attack triggered the X21 Equivalent Shield.
If Siloque hadn’t blocked, the trajectory would have ensured Cass’s head took the full impact.
He would have definitely passed out.
And if he did, Bried would have taken his place against Cliff…
The worst-case scenario had to be avoided.
Siloque said nothing, but internally he was screaming—
So much pain so much pain so much pain so much pain so much pain so much pain so much excruciating pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain!!!!!
His mind was overloaded with agony.
For this pathetic, untrained, deadbeat, back-aching, malnourished body, just surviving the shockwave from an Lv11 punch was a miracle in itself.
“I’m fine. Or rather, there’s nothing to—wait! How did you know about this? And your face is pale, are you really okay?”
“Don’t worry about me. Your opponent is him.”
Siloque squeezed out his last words, turning Cass toward Cliff.
At that moment, Cliff froze.
“Did you see that punch just now?”
“No, I didn’t see anything. I just saw Cass suddenly fly…”
“But Cass doesn’t seem hurt?”
“Whoa, Siloque just happened to get caught in the crossfire. How unlucky.”
“Wasn’t that because he’s too weak?”
“I never thought there’d be such a weak Explorer.”
Hey, my dear jerk classmates, I can hear every word you’re saying.
Mock all you want, but none of you dared to stand up to Cliff either.
Whatever, all according to plan.
Siloque forced a bitter smile—he couldn’t steal the protagonist’s thunder.
Even the step he took to become Cass’s cushion was a stealthy move perfected years ago during secret bathroom breaks.
He made it look like he was trying to sneak out, only to get caught in the accident.
He would never steal Cass’s spotlight.
He couldn’t let himself seem like he’d “done something”—it had to look like “he’d done nothing.”
So that the heroines’ attention would remain on the protagonist.
He would never do anything that might steal the scene.
He would suffocate any potential affection the heroines might develop for him in the cradle.
Unknowingly conquering the protagonist’s harem—no way.
If he accidentally won the heroines’ hearts, it’d be no different from the blonde guy stealing their bodies.
As a White Knight, Siloque could not allow himself such a mistake.
Supporting characters should play their supporting roles!
Elsewhere in the classroom, Kersey covered her mouth in shock; a cold sweat slid down Bried’s face.
Their eyes were on Cass.
“Impossible?! Don’t get cocky, you brat! Big brother was just going easy on you!”
Norius was the first to defend him.
Siloque’s lips curled into a strange smile.
This show-off game—Cass had won.
Cass glanced at Siloque from the corner of his eye, then looked at Cliff, who had ambushed him.
Cliff’s face was filled with disbelief.
That punch hadn’t been ordinary.
“Skill”—Amplified Rhinoceros Horn Strike
Its power scales with the user’s Lv—the higher the Lv, the greater the amplification.
Lv1 is 1x, Lv5 is 5x base value, Lv10 is 10x! For Cliff, this was his most powerful move—he could immobilize an opponent 10 levels higher than him with it.
On the first floor of the Dungeon, it could even obliterate slimes or punch through solid rock.
This kid’s talent is that strong?
At this moment, the rest of the class also realized what had happened.
Withstood from a higher-ranked Cliff, and took the attack without injury.
Cass was now the class’s superstar, feeling all eyes stabbing into him.
The other students were quietly discussing, holding expectations for him.
Hoping he’d do something.
Cass didn’t particularly like this feeling, but his unusual family background forced him to get used to being under the spotlight.
“Attacking someone on campus—everyone saw it. He struck first.”
Cass pointed at Cliff.
With that, all eyes turned to Cliff.
“Hey! What are you weaklings whining about! Big brother was just helping test his strength! If you can’t dodge that, how do you expect to survive in the Dungeon?!”
Norius’s words didn’t convince anyone.
If the previous threats in the class—even the use of the skill—had just skirted the edge of “intimidation,” it might have passed as roughhousing to a teacher.
But actual violence couldn’t be overlooked.
Real damage.
The students could report Cliff.
Given Cliff’s status, expulsion was unlikely, but a suspension for a few months was guaranteed.
The scattered desks, Cass’s (supposedly) light injuries—all evidence.
The pressure was now on Cliff.
Cliff forced a self-deprecating smile.
He never expected that his attack would do nothing to Cass.
A hidden master.
If he could dominate the class’s tough guy, he could have his pick of the prettiest girls.
That was the original plan.
A miscalculation.
But there was no rush.
“How about one month from now? Let’s see if you can become this so-called ‘strongest.’ Let me test you. A duel, Cass. If I win, today’s incident is wiped clean.”