Chapter 389
Chapter 389
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 389
Chapter Title: Ranking War - Preliminaries (1)
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“Ranking War, huh...”
Ranking War. Simply put, it was a tournament to determine who was the strongest and establish a hierarchy.
In his previous life, and even now, there had been unofficial user rankings based on levels and combat power analyses, but those were limited to individual countries.
With not even comparisons between top rankers from different countries, the game company had suddenly announced they would hold their own Ranking War.
[All-Announcement: In three days, the Ranking War to determine user rankings will begin. This tournament will decide rankings up to 10,000th place, after which players can hold Ranking Wars by mutual agreement.]
[With the introduction of the ranking system, monthly rewards based on ranking will be available.]
Introduction of the ranking system and ranking-based rewards.
Honestly, the ranking rewards meant little.
They announced that 1st place would get a random box with items from Rare to Legend grade, but it wasn’t enough to lock in a ranking.
Sure, a Legend item could boost combat power significantly, but it wasn’t absolute.
After all, plenty of users had more Legend items than Rokan, right?
That almost killed his interest, but the special additional reward for the Ranking War’s 1st place caught his eye.
[Ranking War 1st Place Privilege: Random Item Box (Rare~Legend), Level-Up Elixir]
It was the Level-Up Elixir.
Just one level, but no matter the user’s current level, it guaranteed a +1 level boost.
Rokan’s eyes sparkled as he confirmed it.
“A guaranteed +1 level...”
It was worth less at lower levels, but to Rokan, it was priceless.
At level 445, raising even one level meant waging a one-man war or taking down a nation-destroying monster solo.
And they were giving it for free?
Well, not exactly free, but to Rokan, it might as well be. Who could surpass him?
With full confidence, he boldly tapped the entry button.
A satisfied smile accompanied it, as if he’d already reserved the win.
***
“That was close.”
Rokan tapped the Ranking War entry button lightly, then immediately realized his mistake.
Body stabilization. The event started in three days, but he belatedly remembered his condition wouldn’t normalize in time.
Plus, the entry requirement was level 350 or higher, so he risked humiliation.
Forfeit? Or tough it out?
He agonized, sweating bullets, over and over. Fortunately, with one day left, a new alert appeared.
“Ah...!”
[Primary stabilization complete.]
[General abilities excluding Power of Frost and Power of Hellfire have been restored.]
[Song of Ice and Fire cannot be used until secondary stabilization completes.]
[Caution: Receiving strong fire or ice damage may cause internal energies to rampage.]
“This’ll do...!”
A solution appeared. His stats returned to normal, and skills were usable again.
The dire warning about rampaging energies from strong hits barely registered.
“If I don’t get hit, it’s fine.”
Overwhelming specs and control meant he wouldn’t get hit—hell, he could take 1st without even using Storm Incarnate.
His smile beamed wide.
Come at him. He’d smash them all.
Grinning like a demon king, he awaited the next day.
“Huh?”
And finally, Ranking War day arrived.
Rokan, lost in happy thoughts, spotted something he’d missed.
“It’s not just straight fights?”
The format wasn’t simple 1v1 duels.
“What a hassle.”
Entry was limited to level 350+, but across the whole world.
Deciding up to 10,000th place, but only 10,000 entrants? Even then, 1v1s would mean 5,000 matches.
For preliminaries selecting top 10,000 from billions, it couldn’t be skimped.
The company wouldn’t want to gloss over it, but broadcasting each one was impossible.
‘I get the dilemma, but...’
Their solution: ‘Missions.’
Three stages of missions, with top ranks advancing to the final 1v1s.
As Rokan said, a pain for top players securing their spots.
Just throw them in a colosseum for 100-man battles—why risk top players dropping via annoying missions?
Misunderstanding missions or collusion could shake rankings.
Top players would grasp missions fine, but collusion could eliminate real contenders.
If mission details leaked?
Or if they tacitly agreed to target favorites first?
Even Rokan could get knocked out.
The undisputed #1 in unofficial rankings might miss even top 10,000.
“Eh, it’ll work out.”
But Rokan didn’t care.
He was confident he’d clear any cutoff easily—just annoying.
No official info on the three missions either.
Online speculation flew, but collusion meant on-the-spot scheming.
Unclear if collusion even worked.
Everything would reveal at start.
“Waaaaah!”
All entrants gathered at designated points.
Around the colosseum-like stage, even more spectators packed in.
“Huh?”
“...That’s it?”
“Teams already split? Whoa! It’s Rokan!”
“Jackpot!”
“Idiot, what if we fight these guys? Pray it’s not.”
“Gasp.”
Looking around, quite a crowd, but far from 10,000—maybe 1,000-2,000?
People instantly grasped: team battle or prelims.
They desperately hoped to be teamed against others.
Even confident fighters entering Ranking War didn’t want pointless death. Not even for Rokan.
[Ranking War first mission begins shortly.]
Spectator stands erupted too. Spotting Rokan among entrants, they freaked.
Whispers turned to bets.
Winner predictions, champion picks.
Participant list incomplete, but bets on obvious entrants’ success.
Rokan dominated odds, but not entirely—some bet on him for early ganks before 1v1s, chasing high payouts.
‘Having fun, are we?’
Betting on him? Bold.
Rokan gauged the chatter calmly, no outburst.
Didn’t love being the prize fish, but bets were inevitable in tournaments.
He’d already had someone bet big for him.
Pick was obvious.
[Winner: Rokan]
Other rankings? Didn’t care. Didn’t know the players.
He’d given Polten a fortune to bet—low odds, but sure profit.
‘Necromancers are at a disadvantage, yeah.’
Polten, the Infinite Necromancer in past and present life, skipped Ranking War for that reason.
Necromancers needed corpses; arena stages weakened them inevitably.
He’d challenge rankers one-by-one post-event to climb.
‘Smart move.’
No need to risk face in unfavorable fights. Rokan nodded approval as the first mission hit.
Flash.
Next instant, everyone in the colosseum vanished.
Mass teleport.
To a new stage; four screens appeared in the colosseum, one per direction.
Ticket-holders lamented not seeing live, but unavoidable.
This wasn’t mere brawls.
Even rich folks couldn’t match these giant, crystal-clear screens and detailed sound.
“What?”
“Where are we?”
On-screen players were baffled.
Dropped in an unfamiliar village, they tensed, eyeing each other pre-mission.
Sudden village center drop—what scheme?
Some edged from Rokan, fearing fights, then all looked skyward.
At the mission board in the sky.
[Mission 1: Reach the marked destination first, by any means. Only top 500 clear. From 501st, ranking by distance to goal. Note: Potions, wings, and mounts banned during Mission 1.]
A golden dot appeared far off, arrow-shaped to the goal.
“Gasp?”
“Crazy! Run!”
Spinal reflex—players bolted.
Looked far; first to arrive meant every step counted.
Sneakily.
Not everyone ran. ‘By any means’ tensed some, eyeing Rokan.
If he went rampage-mode, not even 50 might pass.
As others moved, Rokan stood, alternating glances at board and arrow direction.
Slacking? Or giving up?
Initially hesitant watchers gave up waiting and dashed.
‘Idiots.’
Watching them, Rokan suddenly turned. Headed somewhere.