Time passed and many challenges were thrown among the Top 100. Even from outside of the Top 100. Though, only the hundred and first ranked person can challenge the 100th rank person. Then there was Quash, who could challenge only the 20th Rank. Since he wasn’t part of the Top 100.

​Throughout this time, he had also bonded with Eleanor somewhat. They talked about a lot of things. Well, it’s Eleanor initiating the talks for some reason. In the novel, she was a composed person who didn’t talk much. But it seems like that’s not the case since she talks a lot.

​But it is understandable that she may have not met someone who treats her like a human rather than some fairy they need to impress to change their lives.

​It must have been a novel experience for her. So Quash, without getting annoyed, tolerated her until his decided time to challenge arrived.

​The cucky simp was fuming the whole time, he tried to intervene but got turned down by Eleanor. So he could only sulk in the corner and do nothing.

​Quash was on the lookout for familiar faces. And there were only two. Alan and Alicia.

​Alan was fighting the best he could to enter the Top 1000 but it seems like he had reached a bottleneck near the Top 1100. Quash really was tempted to impart some knowledge about Attribute Superimposition on him so he could improve his rank. But decided not to for now.

​For one, he would barely learn anything. And no matter how much of a genius Alan is, he can’t suddenly understand Abstract theories of quantum mechanics. Quash needed to compile a lecture that Alan can understand. Which he was unwilling to do at the moment.

​Because he was too lazy.

​And as for Alicia, she was already within the Top 1000. Despite being the Headmaster’s granddaughter, she is not a Limit Breaker. The reason is simple, she wants to rely on herself. Become someone else. Not the granddaughter of Saffron Fruma. So she never truly used any treasures to improve.

​Her grandfather must have tried to change her mind but she is a stubborn person. But seeing her fight now, she must have used a Limit Breaker item to break the Class Limit.

​What made her change her mind suddenly? Quash has no idea but one thing is certain, that he may have been the catalyst. Because in the novel, there was no such development like this. She stayed stubborn and later regretted not using any Limit Breaker item when her friends were in danger. Because those extra Stats would have been a massive help.

​But because of her sudden breakthrough in mentality, her stagnant Stats skyrocketed. The Headmaster must be glad to pour his ancient treasures into his beloved granddaughter.

​And from the point Quash stood, he was glad that he didn’t have to fight anymore because the current Alicia will wipe the floor with him. And there was no one who could stop her from entering the Top 100.

​Beside Quash, Eleanor looked a bit distressed. But it was barely visible since she was only fidgeting with her fingers.

​They had been sitting in silence for a while. Although their conversation was going great, the flow was broken once someone challenged Eleanor for her rank and she had to accept. Because here, you either fight or give up your rank, no in between. So she reluctantly accepted the challenge.

​She wasn’t that much of a fighter so she is only ranked 86th despite her royal status and backing. Her Imperial Father never blamed her. He supported whatever she did but made sure that she had the strength to protect herself so he made everyone in the Imperial Family train until they were strong enough to not die when they ventured out.

​And after she came back from the fight, this was the current scenario. Quash was silently watching the match. But Eleanor wanted to talk more. For the first time in her life, she was treated like a human outside of her family. And so casually at that.

​But then she remembered her only friend here, Alicia Fruma. They were good friends but even then, Alicia was still at the very least respectful and called her princess or her highness. Showing some basic respect.

​But Quash has no such filter installed in him. From start to finish, he had only tried to address her with respect once and it was a disaster. She has never seen such greetings in her life. But that gave her the green flag to talk to someone who wouldn’t weird her out. Who seemed like he wasn’t after her body or her status.

​Of course she wasn’t naive enough to think that. But she still tried because why not?

​What’s the harm in socialising? If he really was a pretentious person, he would expose himself sooner or later and she would take actions based on the outcome.

​But looking at the situation now, he really isn’t the type of person she had thought. If he was, he would have tried to strike up a conversation by now.

​But he wasn’t. And she wanted to talk more. She wanted to start a conversation herself but she couldn’t find a topic to start one. She racked her brain to think of something. Juggling all her royal teaching on socialisation, but nothing seemed to match the situation because she was too self-conscious at the moment.

​She didn’t want to appear as a pushy person or someone who is too oppressive to Quash. She wanted to establish something genuine between them. A friend she herself made. As Eleanor. Not as Eleanor Phenix Garford De Odgume.

​Then suddenly, she noticed something.

​"By the way Quash, why haven’t you been matched even once all these hours?"

​Eleanor asked Quash with a curious gaze. Quash looked back at her briefly with his impassive gaze then turned back to watching the matches.

​"I’m going to challenge the 20th Rank."

​"Eh?"

​Eleanor exclaimed cutely. Her brain failing to comprehend if this was a joke or if he was serious. Because throughout their conversation, her leg has been pulled many times by Quash with that same expression without any mercy.

​She had to admit, he was unique in many ways. So she leaned forward to look at his badge, prompting him to display his rank. Which wasn’t shown on it.

​Quash pulled it off from his shirt and displayed his rank to her briefly then put it back on. She looked confused, astonished and amazed at the same time.

​"... You must be a great fighter..."

​She said after a long pause. Her composure getting back. She was slipping more than she liked. She knew that Quash must think of her as some clumsy girl. Which made her internally cry and desperate to fix her image.

​"Not quite, I’m just decent."

​"Says the person with a 499 win streak."

​Eleanor countered Quash’s humble bragging with a deadpan stare.

​"Well, I was... smurfing."

​"What is smurfing?"

​"It’s when someone skilled plays a game with a bunch of noobs." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

​"So you admit that you’re skilled!"

​Eleanor said with a smug smile, she felt like she had caught Quash in his own game for the first time. Making her feel proud of herself. She was getting there, restoring her image.

​"Well, if you want to think of it like that. But I’m just a guy whose stats are at the Class Limit. I don’t have any Limit Breaker item. So you guys can easily crush me. That’s why I said I’m decent."

​"Then how are you going to beat the 20th Rank?"

​Eleanor said as she turned her gaze to look diagonally to her. A Barbarian with a massive build. Radiating an oppressive feeling even though he wasn’t moving and had his eyes closed. She knew he was stronger than her.

​And she wondered how Quash would beat such a person of overwhelming strength? Does he have any kind of one-time use item? Or something else?

​"Because I’m better than him."

​"..."

​But Quash’s response shattered all her expectations and understanding of common sense. She couldn’t understand if she was the one who was crazy to talk to a crazy person or Quash himself was a crazy person.

​She wanted to understand but gave up halfway through because it started to hurt her brain. She simply sighed.

​"You’re too difficult to understand."

​She said while sulking slightly. Quash just shrugged and silence returned between them.

​Time passed and before anyone could realise, there were only 2 hours before the Ranking Battle was over. Everyone in the Battle Hall was more active than ever. Pushing themselves to the limits to secure a better position.

​Eleanor had left to attend some business. So Quash was sitting alone. He could have gone to find Alan but he didn’t want to disturb him because he looked hyper-focused.

​But the main reason he stayed was to enjoy the naked envy from the horny males around him. They were super jealous that he talked to their crush for so long. He couldn’t get enough but he needed to end this spiritual massage therapy session because it was time to challenge his opponent.