Quash gazed at the Barbarian for a moment before sighing and looking down.

​"First, sit down because my neck is straining and second, you were never "stronger". We can fight again and I would still win. Meaning, I’m better than you."

​Quash said without a shred of hesitation. A guy at Class Limit telling a Limit Breaker guy that he is better than him? People would just laugh and make fun of the guy but they couldn’t at the moment because the person who made the statement could back it up.

​The Barbarian also didn’t say anything and sat down. There was a heavy silence around them but the matches continued with much more intensity and desperation.

​"But... how are you better than me when you used external help to beat me?"

​Quash looked at the Barbarian like he was looking at an idiot. He wanted to give a philosophical speech about how everything is fine as long as one wins but held himself back. There’s no need to waste his breath.

​The Barbarian was looking at Quash with scrutiny in his gaze. Quash suddenly started to breathe heavily, he grabbed the air, brought his hand near his mouth and closed his mouth while simultaneously snapping his fingers. Which oddly made the sound of something popping.

​Quash then stopped breathing heavily. His breathing became normal. He rested his elbows on his thighs as he leaned forward a bit to look at the Barbarian’s shocked face.

​Others in the Top 100 were shocked as well. Quash had used Aura to manipulate the sound of the snap. A realisation suddenly dawned on them, from the beginning to the end, the Barbarian had been playing into Quash’s hands.

​"... Okay. I get that you didn’t use anything to beat me, but what was the point of going that far? I don’t see how this answers my question on how I lost."

​But it seemed Quash had expected too much from the Barbarian’s brain. But it seemed not only the Barbarian but other students other than the Top 100 were also confused. So out of the Oceanic Kindness of his heart, he decided to explain.

​"It’s for distraction. Let me break down the whole fight so you don’t bother me anymore. First, the reason you suddenly lost sensation to your lower body is because the spinal cord was damaged. The thing that holds the nervous system that carries the signals from the brain, to your lower body. Making it move. I hit the L1 bone 446 times. But you would certainly notice so I injected Lightning to numb the area slowly. But you exceeded my expectations and still felt something. So to keep you distracted and your brain from thinking about the odd sensation in the back, I annoyed you to the bones. Simple as that."

​Quash said with a matter-of-fact tone. There was no smugness or arrogance in his voice since the Barbarian genuinely wanted to know. Not cause any trouble. And Quash isn’t a person to mock a sincere learner.

​The Barbarian was in deep thought. Quash left him at that and stood up. But the Barbarian was still taller than him, even though he was seated.

​He wanted to find his buddy Alan and get the fuck out of here early. And he didn’t like the Barbarian’s body odor. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

​Quash noticed a few were recording and many had astonished expressions on their faces. They realised that just brute forcing your opponent sometimes might not be enough.

​But he left them at that, he really didn’t care at this point. About the media and stuff. He made his way through the seated crowd, trying to find Alan. And he found him on the other side of where he was.

​But before he could reach him, Alan was pulled into the arena. Quash could do nothing but wait. He stood near Alan’s seat. And after 10 minutes, he came back victorious. He was panting heavily. Sweat trickling down his face. It was clear that he was pushing past his limits and Quash was the reason.

​Even though Alan didn’t say it, he certainly felt left behind and wanted to catch up to Quash.

​Quash looked at his friend and shook his head with a helpless look.

​"What’s up, idiot."

​Quash said with a light slap at the back of Alan’s head. Which was also sweaty.

​"Huh? Oh. Quash. When did you get here?"

​"A while ago."

​Quash said as he wiped his hand on Alan’s clothes. Alan swatted his hand away but the main thing was done.

​Quash took out a cold drink from his Spatial Ring and threw it towards Alan. Which he involuntarily caught.

​"Alright. Enough Ranking up. There are less than 5 minutes before the Ranking Battle ends. Let’s get out of here before it gets crowded near the entrance. You don’t want to suffocate inside the sweaty smell right?"

​Quash said while looking at his phone. He felt severe urgency to get out of here. More so than Ranking up. He truly didn’t want to be late to get out.

​Why? No reason other than waiting sucks. Specially inside a crowd of dudes. Who knows what kind of unhinged creeps there are. He would rather be molested by women than men.

​And from what he read of the novel, this world was more unhinged than anything he ever read in his life.

​Alan was pressing the cold can onto his neck to cool down faster. He nodded and stood up. He also didn’t want that. So they both walked out. Quash took out another can of cold drink and started to chug it down.

​"Just how much food you’ve got in there? Won’t they rot?"

​"You gotta be prepared for unexpected situations bro."

​"Yeah, right."

​Alan didn’t say anything further. But Quash understood his concern. Because a Spatial Ring, though a convenient tool for storage, still can’t stop the influence of time. Just slow it down.

​And the time slow effect is even more weak in a Common Grade Ring. But Quash had noticed that this Ring has Time Stop inside it. Literally and physically. Quash had been so shocked when he found out. It was hard to believe. He had never heard of any Artifact that could stop time completely. Even in a closed environment.

​But Quash figured that the time inside the ring may be moving so slow that he can’t make any difference with his current power.

​But somewhere within his heart, he knew that was not the case. And he felt that his background may not be as simple as he had thought.

​But there was nothing he could achieve by worrying about it now. He is trapped here for the next 4 years.

​(A/N: Guys, I have forgotten how many years I have set for the Academy Enrollment. If someone remembers, please comment here. If 4 years is correct... there’s no need to. ☝🤓)

​As Quash was thinking about the odd Artifact on the ring finger of his right hand, they exited the Battle Hall.