Rumor is that in speed trial, in certain levels if you don't meet the init requirement, enemy damage and defense are buffed to godly levels. so...

I say it's a rumor because there is, thus far, no alpha-beta testing. There have been no counter evidence shown thus far, and players are being stuck in different stages after passing many that OTHER players are stuck on. Given the apparent difficulty, it's unlikely that is due to strength alone, but some mechanic.

There are also, thus far, no counter-evidence to the hypothesis.

However, that's just all it is, a hypothesis. For as long as it is not proven in A-B testing, I'm not going to say it as a fact.