284 - Regression Is Too Much

284 – A Return to Battle (3) “What! This can't be!” Choi Ji-won was seething with anger. “At this rate, once the ranks fill up with 100 players, the rest will never be able to rise! Can they really do this?” “That’s not it. Ji-won. I don’t think it’s all that bad.” “…Really?” “Yes.” In truth, it's conceivable that this isn't a ‘structure that makes climbing forever impossible’. Such a system would be ludicrous, both from the players' perspective and from the standpoint of this arena. “This type of ranking system is most likely operated based on a ‘point system’.” I used the device on my wrist to search for details about the regulations or rankings. “Here it is.” My prediction was correct. As expected, this arena is comprised of a point system. A point system. Either that or a matchmaking rating system (MMR). When you win, points are added. If you lose, points are subtracted. The degree of point increase or decrease is determined based on the score difference. This is how rankings are decided in basic PVP games. Without this method, you might exploit the system by defeating weaker players, or you might not earn substantial points even when winning against stronger opponents. This could be considered the most rational approach. “…What’s the difference? Like the egg basket you mentioned earlier.” “There’s typically an element that comes with such systems.” Rise to the top ranks with an outstanding win rate? Good for you. But it becomes problematic if that person never shows up again. Thus, if you don’t match for a certain period, your score will decrease. Rank drops. There are no exceptions here. As far as I know, fighting organizations like the UFC disqualify champions if they don't defend their titles for too long, and in most matches, points are also deducted after about two weeks. “As you can see here, this arena has similar regulations.” However, unlike a ‘game’ where you’re fully demoted after a certain period, this arena seems to have a way to gradually reduce points. Conversely, the points deducted will progressively increase over time. “In any case, those who have conquered this floor can never come back, so you don't have to worry about being unable to defeat this floor permanently. One day, your score will lower, and you’ll be pushed out of the rankings.” “Aha…” Choi Ji-won, nodding with her mouth agape, suddenly tilted her head. “However… if such a system exists, why are there so many players in the rankings right now?” “Hmm… that…” There could be numerous reasons. “First things first. Not much time has passed.” Less than half a year has passed since this tower was constructed. The time available hasn't been enough for scores to naturally decrease. It would be wasteful from the arena’s perspective to remove someone just because they vanished for a few months. “…Why are you thinking of entering the arena?” “Here's what I'm going to do.” “And secondly.” This ‘ranking’ system does not display scores accurately. We can only guess the changes in ranking and cannot see the complete numbers. “If my guess is correct… Exactly.” As anticipated, the screen on the wall had a built-in function that also showed previous rankings. It was somewhat tricky due to its interface being slightly different from humans’, but technology generally evolves for user convenience. I adjusted the screen to the moment when the emperor first appeared in the rankings. “At first, here.” The ranking rights, with the name located on the last page. Kaisar. Perhaps an emperor ranked #1 in the real world. As time went on, the name ‘Kaisar’ climbed the ranks rapidly. Then, at some point, it stopped at position 1. “After this, I could see other players’ names gradually appear… What’s noteworthy here is.” About half of the people originally in the rankings have disappeared. “…Didn’t you say earlier that a name disappears only after a long time has passed?” “Eh. So, perhaps the rules differ.” I quickly manipulated the terminal on my wrist, and the results were as I expected. “When you die, your name is entirely erased.” “… “ “Kaisar has killed more than half of the existing rankers.” Second. Because Kaisar eliminated all the existing rankers. As a result, a sort of vacuum was created, and those who were unmatched in skill rose through the ranks, establishing an environment where players could ascend relatively easily. If you have enough skill, the easiest way is to go to an empty house. Even in the original games, isn’t it said that it’s better for professional gamers to raise their scores when participating in competitions? “And finally.” I manipulated the wall screen again and returned it to the current timeframe. “If you look at Michael Jeter here, he’s already pushed down to position 300. I think I barely made it to position 100, and this might be the normal way.” “…So you mean these people aren't normal?” “In a sense.” Compared to Michael Jeter, who was quickly overshadowed in a few months, other players’ names remained steady over time. Jeter might have scaled this tower at a very young age. “Players don’t leave even if they’re ranked within the top 100.” This also means that players have increased their scores beyond what’s necessary. “What’s the reason? Is it just because they're hungry for battle? That’s quite a number, isn’t it?” Do people endure and continue fighting to hone themselves and seek greater challenges? It's hard to say. Are there really individuals who take combat that seriously? However, the sheer number of players rising through the ranks suggests it's more than just a desire to fight. “If you're here at this point, you're amongst the top tier. Among them, this is the highest level. Could that be likely?” “Is that…?” It's been about half a year since this tower was built. But being on the 28th floor... perhaps it's for self-improvement. The truth might be uncovered with more investigation. “But Junho, if what you’re saying is true, aren't we in big trouble?” Choi Ji-won spoke, looking at me with concern. “Whatever it is, it means the top-ranked players aren't leaving this floor. You can't fight those people.” “Right?” “Then wouldn't it be difficult to increase your score? I’m not sure, but based on what you described earlier, I think fighting and winning against highly-ranked individuals would help you quickly climb the ranks. We have to clear this floor as soon as possible.” “…You’re insightful, Ji-won.” “What’s new?” Choi Ji-won’s words resonated deeply. To increase your rank quickly, you have to defeat those stronger than you. But if those strong competitors are absent? That certainly presents a challenge in boosting your score. “However, I don't think we need to approach this negatively.” I don't see it as a significant problem. “As I mentioned before, the existing rankers were replaced by Kaisar. It's true that players have utilized that gap.” And in my opinion, the gap hasn't been fully closed. “There will be many who will try to seize this opportunity to elevate their ranks… surely there are many with big dreams.” “…Why is that?” “It means there are plenty of people who will fight alongside us.” The situation I feared isn't ‘defeat’ itself. It's a situation where ‘fighting is impossible.’ Considering the precedents set by other rankers, including Kaisar, the difficulty level of this floor isn't particularly daunting. If you invest enough time, you'll be able to clear it eventually. What's important is that I don't want to invest ‘enough time’. I want to clear this floor quickly and efficiently, just reaching position 100. As Michael Jeter mentioned he ascended to the 29th floor in a week, I intend to conquer this floor in the blink of an eye. “To make that happen, managing strength is crucial… I might need to alter my appearance a bit… It might take some effort, but it’s not too much.” No matter how close the fight is, there’s always hesitation when facing an undefeated warrior. Intelligent beings are wise enough not to blindly attack opponents they’ve never beaten. “But what if there was bait?” If you raise your rank now, is there a hope that you could become a soldier? The likelihood of fights occurring increases. That’s what I’m aiming for. “So, what are you planning to do from now on?” “Hey, there.” That was then. The sound of footsteps echoed. “Do you have a moment?” A man with disheveled black hair. His front teeth were gold-plated and gleamed. Chains. Loose-fitting clothing in indiscernible shapes. I refrain from judging clothing from other cultures, but a man dressed in what might be considered ‘childish’ attire in any culture approached us slowly like this. “Is it them this time?” “Hmm.” Whether the beings around us were surprised or not, the man who stopped before us, slamming his shoe against the floor, immediately offered his hand for a shake. “My name is Jake. Pleasure to meet you.” As I later found out, this man was quite foolish but also brutal. “This might be sudden, but I’d like to make a suggestion.” May the others sing. Also known as, the rookie lover.