Chapter 110: Rankings
The paved paths of Bérsaic divided like labyrinthine rivers before him. Dark, glacial, and with few passersby that interrupted the silence.
A cloud of doubts enveloped him, while he navigated the different paths toward his destination.
Constantly he reproduced the possibilities inside his mind, discarding and arising other possible scenarios. It had not been a coincidence; from the beginning.
Edward’s discourse, after stabilizing his madness, had already been sufficiently moving. The altercation with the indigent old man had been even stranger.
The NPCs based their behaviors on conditions. It was the base information in any video game. In the enormous world that the experience offered, they enjoyed a gigantic freedom for that reason.
Very similar to free will, but still under conditions.
There existed a particularly terrifying possibility that he would love to discard, but he could not gather any certainty.
If the man of the eyes like wells really has that power, he is much more dangerous than I initially thought.
A player, NPC, or monster that could exhibit such dominion and control was practically unheard of and dangerous. A divine skill.
He had only experienced it with the Gods... Or their remains.
He spat on the street, with the brow furrowed.
His overcoat waved savagely with the excessive wind. On his face rested the unmistakable Jester’s mask. The gloomy smile that he had never been able to express.
Breathing deeply, he completed the transaction.
He had traveled until his destination of interest, a marginal contact point where different transactions were realized in exchange for the local gold.
This time he was not behind some stinking latrines. Even so, the smell of a pigsty extended from nearby.
"You are rich, friend. Consider using again this reference point at the same hour."
"No questions, no proposals, no relation." Answered Gabriel, beginning to withdraw. He had already completed his end.
That type of marginal and "illegal" exchange in quotes was strongly disputed by different interests. Naturally there were no concerns about its reliability.
"Finally I will be able to buy quality food again. And maybe that horrible coffee."
Many times to forget the difficult and complex thoughts, thinking of the stomach resulted in a simple solution. The mind could claim until the hunger spoke.
Among hurried steps, he reviewed his notifications rapidly, finding again messages that belonged to Bella.
With curiosity he opened them, without stopping observing carefully his surroundings.
[I am out for a day. Wait for me and we will divide the articles. I have matters]
A concrete message that went directly to the point, expressing her circumstances.
[Have you seen the new rankings? Even more will continue opening. But these two seem directly influenced by the strange ruin and the dungeons]
From the second message he noticed two strange things: What were the rankings? And repeating... What were the rankings?
Of course, he was not a brainless ignoramus. But a movement "so casual" would immediately have caused the explosion of innumerable players shouting, running, and gossiping.
Observing his surroundings, he understood that his solitude was not purely due to his contemplative and transcendental state of consciousness... He really was alone.
Bérsaic was silent by nature; but not to that level. The only players he saw moved rapidly, losing themselves from his range of vision in scarce seconds. Only the peculiar natives remained fulfilling their daily labors.
With an insulting delayed effect, he knew the reason.
Gabriel was a player whom the notifications displeased. And for that reason he had lost the juiciest information that had driven everyone crazy.
The Semi-God Ranking and the Hunter King Ranking.
Extravagant names for their common function. That only served to awaken the emotion in hardened players.
[Attention, dear players! From the developers we are pleased to communicate that a new function has been added to the game... The famous rankings! Where innumerable players will be able to rise as heroes and write their own history, seducing the most splendid aristocratic women and taming the most terrible dragons]
[You can access the ranking through the announcement board]
"Have the developers finally started working? I thought they loved vacations and money." He murmured thoughtfully. His eyes deciphered respectively each centimeter of information.
He still continued doubting severely about the existence of the presumed developers.
With a rapid manipulation, he accessed the rankings that had opened. Describing clearly their functions and purposes.
The Semi-God Ranking valued the conclusion of each player who had ventured into the mysterious ruins that had arisen through the cities. Judging the intelligence, ingenuity, and astuteness that each player employed to survive.
And even those who had not managed to access the ruins by their own means would have the opportunity to be the dark horse of the competition in the future.
The Hunter King Ranking revolved around the dungeons. Judging the success in the completion rate, the quantity of dungeons completed, and their difficulty. It was purely a show where the strongest and most capable was rewarded.
Is this the next step, eh? This without a doubt will cause the whirlwinds to impact in each city, with ambitious and greedy players.
The plan of the video game was clear: the competition expanded, with valuable rewards and recognition in the background, causing the enthusiasm of the players to grow.
He observed it clearly from the side of the street. Occasionally there were excited players who ran, discussing about the new functions and their impact.
"Listen to me! Finally we will be able to discover who the best players really are. I already got tired of all those stupid debates of who is stronger, with silly comparisons."
"You should not worry so much. No one from Bérsaic will enter those rankings." Said the other laughing.
The confidence in the impoverished talent of the northern city was scarce. They could not be blamed; whoever entered the worst initial city would seek to escape.
He ignored them, concentrating on writing a short message to Bella.
[The Rankings are interesting. If you have a dungeon, do not hesitate to consider me]
With those words he disappeared, traveling until the central plaza. He wanted to observe firsthand what class of enthusiasm it could awaken in idle players.
Because the competition in the following days would worsen, reaching new records. All would seek to improve, investing in their classes and trying to learn new skills.
It was a universal race.
He needed resources, knowledge, and forces to advance recklessly. With the same frenzy that had characterized him from the streets of Neo-Atlas Inferior.
His next step would be to prepare himself.
But before he registered his information inside the two respective rankings. With his authorization, the system protected his personal information.
He did not want his name to become recognized, in such a case. His search for personal fame reduced itself to the adequate contacts and the useful respect.
He had learned about that.
In the Hunter King Ranking his results were common. With his classification falling among the thousands and thousands of users. Receiving the recognition of Exceptional, after its analysis.
He had not had time to explore and conquer dungeons. His exceptional result was sufficiently good. In contrast, among the first twenty, the title of "Legendary" shone with a most splendid impetus.
The first classified had a simple name, easy to remember.
Darkness.
The fourth classified had a name... Little decorated.
BigDaddyofLove.
He rapidly ignored the silly names, that were contaminating his pupils with a brilliant and intellectual creativity.
His name was engraved in the Semi-God Ranking. It appeared as [Unknown] for all.
With a voracious speed, it ascended among numbers with immediate effect. It seemed that it would not stop.
Until finally it settled on the number one.
With confusion, he tilted his head. Using his index finger to scratch over his cold mask.
"I... What did I do?"