Test

When Akira turned on the computer, Haruki looked uncomfortable in his seat. The gaming chair seemed too low for Haruki, who stood at 160 cm. Akira adjusted the chair height, but he could still see the discomfort on Haruki's face.

"Need anything else?" Akira asked.

"Well, the desk is too narrow. I need more space."

Akira got it immediately. He pushed the monitor closer to the wall and shifted the computer to the right, giving more room for the mouse. Haruki looked visibly more comfortable.

When a gamer needs more room for mouse movement, they usually play at low sensitivity. Akira was used to high sensitivity and didn't need much space. That's why Haruki felt uneasy using Akira's setup.

As the screen displayed the desktop, Akira quickly opened the mouse settings program.

"You play with low sensitivity, right? By the way, what's your DPI and polling rate?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I usually use the default lowest setting."

Akira nodded as he listened.

Mouse sensitivity is crucial in shooter games, especially FPS. It not only determines a player's preference and comfort but also helps them build muscle memory.

A high-sensitivity player often uses wrist and finger movements for micro-adjustments. Conversely, a low-sensitivity player relies on arm movements and focuses on crosshair placement, excelling in tracking and flicking.

Neither is better or worse. However, high-sensitivity players have a higher risk of wrist injuries.

"Since I don't know your exact DPI, I'll set it to 400 with a 1000 polling rate. That's the default for most mouse."

Haruki moved the mouse, testing the sensitivity, and then he said "okay" to Akira.

Then Akira launched Rex Regum Online, and the screen turned black for a few seconds before the main menu appeared. Haruki's jaw dropped when he saw Akira's account.

The screen showed a high-tech futuristic warrior character. Clad in dark armor with metallic accents, various blue lights illuminated parts of the body. The helmet had a gold visor, and the face was completely covered, leaving only a small gap for the eyes.

"Maxfit—I mean, Mr. Takeda. Can I see your stats? I want to see them. Please!"

Haruki begged like a puppy, and Akira couldn't resist. He then displayed his character's stats.

[CHARACTER INFO]

[Name: Maxfit-61]

[Armor Kit: Variant Fragger]

[Level: 40 (MAX)]

[Rank: Platinum IV]

[K/D: 4.5]

[Win Rate: 87%]

[STATS]

[Firepower DPS: 701,091]

[Skill Power DPS: 596,271]

[Shield: 786]

[HP: 8,981]

[DEF: 25,911]

[Resistance: 278]

Haruki was stunned by the numbers. For some reason, Akira smiled at Haruki's enthusiasm.

"You're still Platinum IV? Last time I remember, you were Rex."

"Season reset. I haven't pushed my rank for the last two seasons. So, as you see, I'm back to Platinum IV."

Haruki nodded, eager to start the test. But he misunderstood something.

"Hey, why did you log out?" Haruki asked.

"Of course, so you can log in with your account," Akira replied.

"Oh, I see." Disappointment was written all over Haruki's face.

"What? You thought you'd be taking the test with my account?" Akira asked.

Haruki nodded innocently, and Akira chuckled, shaking his head. Meanwhile, Haruki's mom shot an unpleasant look at Akira.

Haruki then logged into his own account. His character looked simpler, a soldier in bone-white armor with black and gray accents. No futuristic helmet or face covering, just the face of a Japanese guy with black hair and a flat nose.

[CHARACTER INFO]

[Name: lowfie6666]

[Armor Kit: Fragger]

[Level: 40 (MAX)]

[Rank: Silver II]

[K/D: 3.8]

[Win Rate: 48%]

[STATS]

[Firepower DPS: 350,481]

[Skill Power DPS: 50,091]

[Shield: 2,024]

[HP: 4,981]

[DEF: 2,234]

[Resistance: 1,355]

Akira frowned at Haruki's character info. He didn't mind the character's stats, as they depended on the weapon and armor kit build, but the overall statistics caught his eye.

Haruki had a pretty high KD ratio but a win rate below 50%. It was an unusual combination. Most players with a high KD ratio should easily get past lower ranks, from Iron to Gold. Yet, Haruki was still in Silver.

"Have you always been in the Silver rank?" Akira asked.

"Not really. The highest I reached was Platinum IV. Lately, I've just been playing Public Match."

"I see. But I still don't get it. You have a high KD, but you're stuck in a low rank. It doesn't add up."

"I'm a solo player. Somehow, I always end up with crappy teams. Because of them, I often lose."

Akira nodded, somewhat understanding. Climbing the ranks solo required extra patience and incredible micro-skills. PvP in RRO focused more on coordination and teamwork. Solo queuing and playing with random players usually meant little communication, leading to chaotic gameplay. Not to mention the trolls and noobs. 

Still, a 3.8 KD ratio wasn't small number. Akira found it hard to believe Haruki was stuck in Silver or even Platinum rank.

"Alright, Haruki. I'm going to give you two tests."

Rex Regum Online offers two game modes for players—PvE and PvP.

PvE (Player versus Environment) involves multiplayer open-world exploration called "planets." There are 21 planets to explore, each with 5 to 8 regions inhabited by hostile creatures called "mobs." On the other hand, PvP is a more traditional shooter mode. Teams of five players face off against other teams until one team remains standing.

Akira would give Haruki two tests related to these game modes.

"First test, you have to complete one planet on normal difficulty. Second test, you have to win one PvP match."

"What if I fail one of the tests?" Haruki asked.

"You're out."

Haruki just nodded in response, while his mom squinted at Akira. Akira could feel her sharp gaze but pretended not to notice.

"So, I have to pass both tests, huh? That's easy."

Hearing the confidence in his voice, Akira grinned. He never said he'd accept Haruki even if he passed both tests. Besides, Akira was sure Haruki would fail the first test.

"Good. I'll give you five minutes to set up your build," Akira said.

"No need," Haruki replied confidently. "Pick any planet you want me to beat."

Akira raised one of his eyebrows before he chuckled in a low tone. He then opened the galaxy map. There were 21 planets visible orbiting a giant yellow star, and he pointed his cursor to the 10th planet from the star.

"Alright! That planet's super easy! I beat it when I was 12. Defeating it again is no big deal!"

Akira just grinned as he heard that.

The planet chosen for Haruki's test was Callisto. It was one of the planets available when the game first launched, with 6 regions and mobs at level 40. Callisto wasn't the hardest planet, but it was where most beginner players struggled.

Also, there was something about the planet that Haruki did not know.

Ding!

[Map selected!]

[Prepare to warp to the chosen planet!]

[Teleporting to Callisto!]