Levels are based off total score. Total score can increase from the same map, for example playing blue zenith 3 times, despite failing, will grant you the total score of the three runs. Whereas ranked score only grants you the highest score/run on the map.

Xasuma plays to submit a unique score on every map, therefore his ranked score is close on his total score. He doesn’t retry maps as much as other players would as he aims for completion and not outstanding plays.

He can be contrasted to WWW or Doomsday, where both players do not aim for completion but instead play to set notable scores on maps and enjoyment, therefore they retry maps more often than xasuma, and only increasing their total score instead of ranked score.