"Forget about my ancestor's old record," Moth thought to himself, a sentiment he was currently broadcasting to the Hescos leadership. "Even if he managed to get himself into the Top 20 list, it would still be a remarkable achievement for a human!"
The Hescos' higher-ups were locked in a fierce debate. They saw in Hye's ambition something worthy of absolute support, yet they harboured a deep fear: the "Newcomer's Setback."
They didn't want a talent like Hye—someone from a weak and unprepared race—to reach the battlefield, fail to achieve the impossible immediately, and fall into dejection.
Many leaders expressed worry that if Hye didn't hit the top spot, he would think the Hescos had fooled or tricked him regarding the difficulty. To prevent such a misunderstanding, they began tailoring a tiered reward system based on the final rank he achieved on the Monolith.
