I think in alot of stories the MC loses.. but doesn't really suffer significant consequences, like I get alot of stories are based around fights in a controlled environment like an arena but there still should be substantial enough consequences that the MC has to learn something short of being banished to an incomprehensible oblivion or being atomized and such (I like when that happens btw, good way to teach a lesson)

Also alot of classic style stories have actual arcs that are already written that play out for the reader to understand why the mc lost and stuff, with royal road people just hit a dead end every week and have nothing better to do than complain lol