Chapter 141: Solo Performance

Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Solo Performance

’A jellyfish migration... A magnificent spectacle of heaven and earth?’

Seraphina Sinclair was genuinely speechless. And that was before even considering the Blinding effect of the thick, dark fog outside.

’Just take these Moonlight Jellyfish. They’re called jellyfish, so why are they floating around in the fog? Is there no logic to creature names in this godforsaken place?’

While Seraphina Sinclair was still questioning the system’s naming conventions, the survivors on the regional channel had started to question the system’s announcement.

"I didn’t read that wrong, did I? Did the system just say D-level?"

"Holy shit! I thought I was the only one who noticed! I saw D-level, too. You sure the system didn’t make a typo? That’s a D-level monster we’re talking about!"

"I’m relieved to see everyone else talking about this. A D-level monster is just insane, isn’t it? I only just encountered my first E+ Level monster during this trial!"

"Exactly! How could it be a D-level monster! My progress is already pretty fast, and I’ve only just started running into E-level monsters. Even if they’re number one on the leaderboard, they can’t have pulled *that* far ahead of me, right? It’s definitely a system error!"

At first, everyone was just stunned, chiming in to express their shock and admiration for the top-ranked player. But when that message appeared, all the normal people fell silent.

’What do they mean, "even if they’re number one"? Does this person even understand what being number one on the leaderboard *means*?’

’And that part about "only just started running into E-level monsters"—the person right before them just said they’d run into an E+ Level monster!’

’Don’t they realize their progress is *supposed* to be slower than the number one player’s?’

When Seraphina Sinclair saw that message, she couldn’t stop herself from muttering, "Does this person talk like their brain was eaten by a Rotting Corpse?"

A normal person would see it, roll their eyes, and move on. But some... less intelligent individuals took it to heart.

The existence of such people wasn’t the scary part. What was scary was that not only did they exist, they were also extremely loud about it.

The comments that followed were each more outrageous than the last.

"Exactly! There’s definitely something fishy about the number one player! They must have used some shady exploit. Isn’t the system going to do anything about it?"

"D-level? LMAO. I haven’t even seen what an E-level monster looks like, and they can supposedly solo a D-level? Even if you’re going to lie, at least make it believable!"

"Maybe they exploited a bug, or just got lucky and stole the kill. A head-on fight with a D-level monster? Is that even possible at this stage?"

"I think the system announcement is suspicious too. Maybe it’s trying to bait us? Trick us into challenging D-level monsters just to get us killed?"

The sane people who couldn’t take it anymore finally spoke up. "??? You guys actually think that? Weren’t we all just impressed by the number one player’s progress? If their progress was the same as yours, how the hell would they be number one?"

The logic was crystal clear, but these people didn’t care. They only latched onto the last part of the sentence.

"Yeah, why them? The system’s ranking criteria must be flawed. I’m obviously really strong, too."

"The system announcement is definitely the problem. No matter what, killing a D-level monster is absolutely impossible right now!"

Then came the passive-aggressive comments:

"Oh, look at you, already starting to suck up. What did the number one player give you? Why so eager to defend them?"

"Some people have been kneeling for so long they’ve forgotten how to stand. The second they see a high rank, they start groveling. Maybe the person just got lucky?"

The trolls then started with the malicious speculation: "I’m telling you, what if they made a deal with the monsters? Like, sacrificed something?"

"Could be they used some forbidden technique. The price for that must have been steep, heh."

In an instant, the regional channel became a toxic cesspool of doubt, jealous remarks, and conspiracy theories, as if Seraphina Sinclair’s success wasn’t a stunning achievement to be admired, but a lie that had to be exposed.

Seraphina Sinclair fell silent for a moment as she read the comments.

’She knew what this was. It was a classic case of "dumbass resonance."’

’The regional channel was just another version of the internet.’

’In the old days, there might be one idiot in a fifty-mile radius, surrounded by normal people. Sooner or later, he’d realize he was the odd one out.’

’But now, all the dumbasses from all over could get together and chat. It was like a meeting of the minds! They’d discuss and analyze things with each other, and in the end, create an even bigger dumbass.’

’There was no point in arguing with people like that. Unless you pointed right at their nose and cursed them out, or just slapped them across the face, they wouldn’t even realize you were insulting them.’

Seraphina was about to close the channel—out of sight, out of mind—when she spotted a reply that was a breath of fresh air. It stood out starkly amidst the filth:

"A bunch of salty haters throwing a fit is a real ugly look. Just because you can’t do it, you assume no one can? Is it that hard to admit someone else is better than you? Instead of wasting time yapping here, go kill a few monsters. Maybe then you’ll die with a shred of dignity. P.S. The number one player is a badass! Please let me ride your coattails!"

The merciless mockery instantly fanned the flames, and the fighting in the channel became even more vicious.

Seraphina Sinclair let out a soft "tsk" and made a point to check the user’s ID.

Well, well.

RookSolosGruel.

This was one of her trading partners. Since he’d jumped into the fray, how could Seraphina Sinclair stay silent?

Just as she was typing, she suddenly received a private message.

[RookSolosGruel]: Boss, you see the regional channel? Don’t say a word. Just watch the show. I don’t want anything, I just can’t stand these guys. Just doing my part for justice!

’Such confidence.’

Seraphina Sinclair switched back to the regional channel. The trolls had already replied.

"Who are you calling a hater? Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Fuck you, quit acting so high and mighty! ’Die with dignity’? Why don’t you go die and show us how it’s done?"

"Another suck-up! Did the number one player throw you a bone to gnaw on?"

"And what’s with that foreign crap in your ID? Obviously not a decent person! If you’ve got food in your name, you should go beg on the streets!"

Faced with the mob attack, RookSolosGruel only got more fired up, the glee practically radiating from the text: "Oh yeah, that’s right, that’s right. Grandma here just loves to watch you little noobs squawk and flap when you can’t do a damn thing to me. Beg for food? If I, your granny, threw my leftovers on the ground, you’d have to get on your knees and lick them clean!"

’Oh?’

’So it’s a girl?’

Seraphina Sinclair had already liked trading with her. After this whole affair...

...she liked her even more, of course!

But RookSolosGruel wasn’t done. Her typing speed was far beyond what the trolls could match!

"Still saying the number one player is the problem? The system is the problem? LMAO. Why not just admit your brains are the problem? You can’t take a shit so you blame the planet for not having enough gravity?"

"Sacrifices? Forbidden techniques? With imaginations this wild, why aren’t you writing novels? Your talents are being wasted in this dump of a channel, you great literary geniuses!"

She was a one-woman army, battling a horde of idiots. Curses flew alongside twisted logic, and she actually managed to suppress a good deal of the passive-aggressive snark and malicious speculation. The channel instantly transformed into her personal battlefield, a flame war of one against many.

Looking at the chaotic scene, Seraphina Sinclair actually found herself smiling.

Even she had to admit it: this woman had talent.

A simple "thank you" felt inadequate. Instead, she sent a drink to RookSolosGruel with a message: "To soothe your throat."