Chapter 76: Secret Exposed
After the match, the voices doubting "Lady" had significantly decreased.
Still, a small group remained skeptical, believing it was improbable for "Lady" to continue her smooth sailing. They hoped she would face off against the top-ranked team to dampen her spirits.
However, much to their disappointment, Yuka and her companions didn’t encounter any higher-ranked individuals or teams in the subsequent matches, leaving everyone to watch their points steadily climb.
Roukujou, no longer keeping a low profile, was full of pride. In the livestreams, he vigorously praised Pinky, and the audience picked up on the subtle sarcasm, using it against any unruly fans from Hephaestus, driving them away with their witty comebacks.
Before leaving, Yuka approached Mr. Bald’s betting station to hear more about the top two players he hadn’t finished discussing last time. Mr. Bald, having time on his hands, eagerly chatted with the trio. "The top player is mysterious, similar to the current third-ranked ’Lady’, with no contact information listed. No one knows their true identity. They’ve been competing in the underground arena since the start of the year, accumulating a high score. Some suspect they’re a previous contestant playing under a new account, but I doubt it. It wouldn’t make sense to abandon an account with already accumulated points to start anew."
Yuka asked, "Is it possible to play under a new account?"
"Of course," Mr. Bald replied with a cold laugh. "Since the start of the underground arena, I’ve seen only one person do it. I recognized him immediately in his first match!"
"That’s Rabies, currently second in the rankings," Mr. Bald continued, calming his emotions. "Most who’ve competed against him have withdrawn from the competition."
Ayoi, wide-eyed, asked, "Why is that?"
"His style is brutally aggressive, like a mad dog chasing and biting. The underground arena even changed its rules because of him," Mr. Bald recalled. "Previously, if a mecha’s cockpit damage reached one hundred percent, the pilot wouldn’t be immediately eliminated but marked as [Eliminated] and could stay in the arena to watch without moving or speaking."
"But this mad dog would repeatedly attack the eliminated contestants until they mentally broke down, only then sparing his opponent."