I smirked.
"Oh? She never specified how to help. Just that you were in danger. And a leg injury is dangerous, right?"
She huffed but still held onto me for balance.
"I can walk, you know."
I shot back.
"Yeah, and I can run, which means this is faster."
She groaned, covering her face with both hands.
"This is so embarrassing..."
Without waiting for more complaints, I started walking down the mountain.
She spoke again.
"Is this how you behave when meeting a girl for the first time?"
I grinned.
"Only the special ones. Also, I did sprint here through the rain and night from Checkpoint 22, so forgive me if I don't look presentable."
She peeked at me from between her fingers, then at my bare chest, before chuckling.
"Presentable? You look like you live among beasts and have never even seen a city."
I smirked.
"Fair enough. But be honest, do you think girls would like this look?"
Her lips pressed together, as if she refused to answer.
I grinned wider.
"That's not a no."
She sighed.
"Whatever."
Folding her arms across her chest, she refused to hold on to me and just stared off into the distance while I carried her toward the base of the mountain.
As if remembering something, she turned to me, a playful glint in her eyes.
"You know my grandfather is watching this, right?"
I smiled.
"Yes, North, I know. That's why I said I'm just following orders, helping you out like a good soldier."
She scoffed.
"As if he's dumb enough to believe that."
I stepped over a few dead Abominations I had crushed on my way up. North glanced at the bodies, then at me.
"How did you grow so strong so fast? You're already Level 12."
I looked up at the floating projector. She wasn't wrong, I was stronger than everyone here. But I couldn't exactly tell her about my talent, could I?
So I said what I could.
"I work hard."
She met my gaze, eyes sharp.
"Everyone works hard, Billion. Fine, if you don't want to tell me, then whatever."
She looked away, staring into the distance.
I chuckled.
"Alright, alright. I level up so easily because I'm special."
"Special?" She looked back at me.
I locked eyes with her, keeping my face completely serious.
"Yes. I have this urge to smash things. I'm always full of energy. I never sit still. And I love squats. Now imagine what a guy like me would do if you dropped him in a forest full of Abominations."
She blinked.
"So… you're saying you're just a violent person?"
I stopped in my tracks.
"Where did you get that from? I said I'm a workaholic."
She tapped her chin.
"But I saw you fight. You were enjoying it."
I shook my head.
"Not the killing. I like smashing. If they die while I'm smashing, I can't help that."
She narrowed her eyes.
"And what does getting stronger have to do with squats?"
I gasped, opening my eyes as wide as possible.
"Everything. It has everything to do with squats."
I adjusted my grip on North, making sure she was comfortable, not that she appreciated it.
She was still folding her arms and pretending to be completely unbothered. But I caught the way her eyes flicked toward me every now and then.
"So," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Explain to me how squats help with leveling up."
I smirked.
"Ah, you see, squats are the foundation of all strength. The secret to true power."
She scoffed.
"That makes zero sense."
I ignored her doubt and continued.
"Think about it. Squats build leg strength. Leg strength means better movement, better movement means better dodging, and better dodging means fewer injuries. Fewer injuries mean more fights. More fights mean more levels. Therefore," I paused for dramatic effect, " squats equal fast leveling."
She stared at me.
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
"Is it?" I wiggled my eyebrows. "Who's Level 12 here?"
She opened her mouth, then closed it.
"That's just a coincidence."
I shook my head.
"No, no, no, it's science. Squats also improve posture, and a good posture means you carry your confidence better. Confidence makes enemies hesitate. Hesitation gives me an opening. Openings lead to victory. Again—squats equal power."
She groaned.
"Stop talking."
I grinned.
"But I'm not done! There's also the mental training. Every squat tests your willpower. You go down, and for a moment, the world is against you.
Your legs shake, your muscles scream, but you rise back up. That struggle? That's the same struggle you feel when you fight. If you give up on squats, you give up in battle. And that is why I will always be stronger than my enemies."
She closed her eyes as if in defeat.
"I can't believe I'm being carried by an idiot."
I grinned.
"An idiot who does squats."
She chuckled.
"This is the dumbest conversation I've ever had."
I nodded.
"And yet, you'll remember it forever. That's the power of squats."
I kept moving down the slope, my bare feet crunching against the stones and debris.
Every now and then, I glanced at her face, but she kept looking away, stubbornly facing the other direction.
I smiled.
'She's cute.'
"So, you're from the Capital?" I asked, keeping the conversation going.
"Yes," she replied simply.
I nodded, then decided to ask something that had been on my mind.
"So, what do you think our chances are of upgrading Unit 02's rank to 01? Since your grandfather clearly wants that to happen."
She stayed silent for a few seconds before speaking, her tone turning serious.
"It's difficult to say right now. Things will change once everyone gets their classes. Some people will get a massive power boost from that. A few have families who have mapped out their classes and future evolutions, so they'll grow stronger as well.
But ranking up isn't as simple as dropping into a forest and fighting however we want.
Official missions will determine the rankings. We'll have to clear hordes and wipe out Abomination nests. No one will be there to save us. People will die for real.
Then, there will be direct competitions between units. If we want to surpass Unit 01, we'll need at least ten people strong enough to go head-to-head with their top ten."
I took in her words, thinking about what she said. Then I asked.
"How much can a single person affect the rankings?"
She turned her head to look at me.
"If that person is really, really strong… then yes, the rankings can be impacted a lot."
I smiled.
"That's good. Really good."
She turned away again, her expression thoughtful. Something was on her mind.
A few more minutes passed before I finally reached the base of the mountain, still carrying North in a princess carry.
Pushing through the trees, I finally arrived at the spot where I had left my bag—and Steve.
He was sitting with his back against a tree, eyes closed, his sword resting across his lap. At the sound of my footsteps, he cracked his eyes open.
Then, seeing me, his eyes widened, far from his usual half-lidded, bored look.
I smirked and winked at him.
Finally, I stopped.
"Here we are."
I carefully helped North to her feet, making sure she was steady, then guided her toward a nearby tree and helped her sit down.
I turned to her and said.
"Let me introduce you. This is my best friend, Steve. We both come from the same Avenue Academy in Cairo."
Then I looked at Steve.
"Steve, this is North Winter."
Steve glanced at her and nodded.
"Hi, North. Nice to meet you."
North gave a polite smile.
"Hi, Steve."
And then… silence.
I glanced between them and sighed.
"Alright, let me get the kit."
Moving to my bag, I stashed the new core safely inside before pulling out the first aid kit. Then I walked back to North and sat beside her.
She immediately tensed.
"What are you doing?"
I didn't even look up as I opened the kit.
"Treating your injuries."
Her eyes flickered toward Steve, then back at me.
"No, no, no! I can do it myself."
I raised a brow.
"No, no, no, I'm still on my mission. So sit still and let me help you. Also, you're not a kid, why are you getting embarrassed?"
She smacked my shoulder.
"You're the one who's embarrassed, not me!"
I chuckled, then gently lifted her injured leg onto my thigh and started treating it properly.
After finishing up with her injuries, I leaned back and pushed myself up, stretching my arms.
"You should sleep for a while and let your body recover."
She nodded.
And without another word, I walked over to another tree and dropped down beside it, letting out a slow breath.
I nodded at Steve, a silent signal that I was done for the night.
Then, without another thought, I let my body relax and my eyes close. My muscles ached, my mind felt heavy, sleep was the only thing I needed now.