I Became a Ranker Before Rankers

Definitely Not Amnesia

I remembered his voice from before—the desperation that had laced every word he had spoken, as if his breath itself had been a plea for relief. I spun around, my heart racing with a complex mix of excitement and anxiety. He was the only companion I had had in this hellhole, though our time together had been fleeting and filled with tension. His long hair cascaded down his back, and his imposing stature seemed to almost tower over me. He was draped in a large white cloth that fluttered around him, reminiscent of the dress I had worn when I first entered the tower, but it barely concealed the brilliance of his skin. I took in every detail of him, from the polished gleam of his armor to the serene expression on his face. But when our eyes met, I saw shock and confusion in his gaze.

"Wh-What happened t-to you?" His voice trembled, no longer the eager and hopeful tone I remembered. It was as if the joy and fascination he had once shown me had been replaced by a profound sadness.

I lowered my head, unable to meet his eyes as the weight of my own disheveled appearance pressed down on me. The once-beautiful girl from the fantasy novels, the one who had inspired so much admiration, was now a mere shadow of that image. I stood before him as a battle-worn warrior, scarred and weathered, the tears in my eyes a testament to the years of struggle and pain.

His thick eyebrows furrowed in a mixture of pity and disbelief. He took a hesitant step back, his face contorting into a frown that spoke of a deep, almost palpable sorrow. The stark contrast between us was almost unbearable—he was pristine, untouched, while I was a testament to countless battles and losses.

Countdown: 00:00:00

The countdown reached zero, and a booming announcement echoed through the forest, breaking the silence:

Welcome to the Tower! The challenge begins now. Points on this floor are earned based on the level and quantity of monsters you slay. Participants must gather enough points to advance to the next floor and claim rewards. The higher your rank, the greater the rewards. Prove your strength and rise to the challenge!

In a flash of blinding light, hundreds of new challengers appeared on the floor, each materializing from thin air. Their sudden arrival was accompanied by a wave of shock and confusion.

Faces filled with bewilderment as the newcomers took in their surroundings—the bloodstained forest, the remnants of past battles, and the chaotic mix of fear and desperation that permeated the air. Some were already covered in blood, their injuries miraculously healed but the trauma of their experiences still visible. A young man stumbled forward, his eyes wide as he examined the gash on his arm, now miraculously healed but leaving a faint red scar. Nearby, a woman sat on the ground, her clothes stained with mud and blood, desperately trying to wrap a torn bandage around her leg. The forest was a chaotic scene of new players grappling with the reality of their situation, their terrified screams and frantic shouts filling the air.

Amidst the confusion, I felt a sudden jolt of recognition as the man I had known seemed to drift away from me, separated by the throng of new arrivals. He was lost in the sea of faces, his presence fading as new challenges and new alliances formed. I realized, with a pang of sadness, that perhaps it was for the best. I no longer had the strength to shield myself from the rejection of someone I had longed to see, especially not in the midst of such turmoil.

As the new arrivals scrambled, I focused on the task at hand. With a practiced ease born from countless trials, I moved through the forest with the grace of instinct rather than thought. My steps were sure, my movements precise, each action a fluid continuation of the muscle memory that had been honed over years of battle. I didn't overanalyze my surroundings; I was guided by instinct, my body reacting to threats and opportunities with the same efficiency that had carried me through the tower's many floors.