Exactly. It's like I said before, I think Ro is a good character, but his status and power as a rival are too forced and unnatural. As if the author was casually "buffing" Ruo just to keep him ahead. Which makes no sense.Yeah the mc is a fraud to someone like Ruo, rivalry would've been better if they were the same strength as mc until mc surpass them in the end but being second best until like the last half or so of the 3rd book is crap
A good rival doesn't have to be an insurmountable barrier, but rather a source of pressure for the protagonist. A rival can be someone who always ties, always loses, always wins or who varies from match to match. All that is needed is for him to be well-crafted and cohesive, so that the reader is satisfied in victory or defeat. Ruo, despite being a good character, doesn't come across as a good rival.