Chapter 15: Chapter 15 - The competition nears, the awaited episode
Another month passed in a blur. Wang Zi's routine hadn't changed much. Workouts in the morning, anime production in the afternoon, and Mana Breathing at night.
However, there was a noticeable shift in his physical appearance. While his body had grown more defined from the intense training, Wang Zi's physique still wasn't quite where he wanted it to be.
He had built some muscle, his arms more toned and his abs visible, but his frame wasn't what he envisioned when he thought of his future self - towering and bulky, exuding raw strength.
So, Wang Zi did what any fighter in his last life would do to bulk up: he started eating like a madman.
Fatty Zi, as he jokingly called himself, now ate at least three times more than he used to. If you looked at his food intake in a day, you'd think he was training for an eating contest instead of a freshman competition.
"Hua'er, status."
Name: Wang Zi
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Class: Artist
Rank: SSS (Compatibility: 100%)
Level: 11
System Level: 1
System Points: 9.551.233
Talents: [Inhuman reflexes]: Reaction speed increased by 50 times.
[Ultra-Mind]: Grants perfect memory, enhanced comprehension and control over the body.
[Uzumaki Blood]: Increases the host's physical stats, with an emphasis on stamina.
Basic Stats (average human [10]):
Strength (STR): 75 > 95
Agility (AGI): 71 > 71
Stamina (STA): 80 > 90
Intelligence (INT): 135 > 136
Wisdom (WIS): 140 > 141
Luck (LCK): 20
"Whew, it was a good month. Pretty decent gains, especially strength. Level is starting to get really hard to get up, I'm guessing its not just stats or mana that the system uses as a criteria."
"Agility didn't go up... We'll since I'm starting to bulk, it makes sense. At least it didn't go down" Wang Zi kept looking at the screen while stuffing his face,
"And nearing the 10M SP, pretty good hehe. The system reward should come soon..."
"Another steak, please! And I'll have extra fries with that!" Wang Zi said as he ordered meals, wiping crumbs from his mouth between bites.
He found the process oddly satisfying. His metabolism was going into overdrive as he gobbled down food after food, trying to gain mass to match his vision. While his body had been getting fuller, his face had rounded out a bit, a new layer of baby fat giving him a more plush appearance.
He didn't mind the change, he had been through this before. But jokingly, he'd refer to himself as Fatty Zi when he stepped on the scale or when someone pointed at him while he was out eating.
"I can already imagine what's gonna happen once I show up at the freshman competition." Wang Zi was actually looking forward to it. "While others train like hell for this, I'll just get fat. Even the teachers probably won't find it funny hahaha!"
"I'm not just getting fat though. Just wait till I'm done. I'll be the most powerful 'artist' this world has ever seen. Heh." Wang Zi was optimistic about what lay ahead.
As he was finishing dinner in one of the restaurants close to his new home, one that had an abundance of students, he happened to notice the Demon Slayer trailer finishing, and some youths talking eagerly about it.
One of them said "You guys ready? I rented out a holo-pod just for today! If its the same as the manga, today is whe-"
"STOP!" yelled one of the boys with him, "I don't want spoilers! I've seen all the hype if the streams and forums, even yubube has countless videos about it! I hear everyone saying its one of the most exciting episodes, even better than when Tanjiro first showed water breathing or when he finished his training!"
The last one of the group of 3 also chimed in, "Heh, that was the most exciting for you? What about when Tanjiro used Breath of the Sun!? I had chills watching it! It was so cool!"
At this, the boy who rented the holo-pod just scoffed "Blah, what about Zenitsu's Breath of Thunder? Speed is king! Did you see how fast it moved? They say breath of the sun is the strongest, but in my eyes speed beats everything!"
Wang Zi was eating while listening to their talks.
Today was different. He had been counting down the days for weeks - today was the day his favorite episode was set to air. The one he had been the most excited to release: Rengoku's last fight against Akaza.
He had always been a huge fan of Rengoku, the Flame Hashira. The fiery passion with which Rengoku fought was something Wang Zi admired deeply. But it wasn't just the fight itself it was the emotional weight behind it, the way Rengoku faced his end, refusing to give up, all while pushing his limits.
"He was a true man." Wang Zi said to himself.
The first time he watched the episode himself, when he was still just a normal fan, Wang Zi had cried. He couldn't help it. Rengoku's sacrifice had touched something deep inside him, making him want to do more with his life. If someone like Rengoku could go out fighting for what was right, then Wang Zi wanted to live with that same level of intensity and purpose.
The anticipation of seeing that same intensity and emotion reflected in the virtual world made Wang Zi's heart race. He was determined to make sure the anime version of that fight was every bit as impactful as he felt when he watched it for the first time.
"I'll do a double release, and release the full fight. Today is the day I finish the system quest. Although the series isn't over, for me there was no better highlight that this episode! I'm sure it will be enough. And while the hype from the fight is still going, I'll give everyone a little surprise..." Wang Zi was practically shivering with excitement.
To build hype, Wang Zi released a trailer ahead of the full episode. The teaser focused entirely on the showdown between Rengoku and Akaza. It was only 30 seconds, but the trailer was filled with action-packed shots of Rengoku's flames clashing against Akaza's brutal strikes. The animation was pristine, every move crisp and filled with energy, and the voice acting was on point.
The fans were buzzing, and he was ready, so he headed on home after paying for his food.
"Ugh, being fat really isn't easy", he said as he wobbled his way to his bed, before logging into the V.B. to watch the episode along his fans. He also opened both Feifei and Alexander's streams to gauge their reactions.
"Hua'er, do it! Today will be the biggest day for 'MMS', the first of many big days!"
"Okay master! Leave it to me!" Hua'er beamed.
The moment the full episode dropped, the virtual world practically buzzed with excitement. Both Feifei and Alexander's streams immediately exploded with activity, their viewers impatiently waiting for the full Rengoku vs. Akaza battle to unfold. The moment the fight began, it was clear this was something different - something special.
Feifei, sitting in her usual cozy setup, watched the fight unfold with a look of awe. Her voice trembled with emotion, her eyes wide as she saw the intensity of the battle. As Rengoku and Akaza exchanged blows, the flames roaring and crackling through the air, she couldn't hold back her emotions.
"Oh my god... this is... this is everything I've dreamed of. Rengoku… his flames… he's so powerful..."
As Rengoku's battle with Akaza reached its climax, with the flame-hued warrior pouring all his strength into one last strike, Feifei could no longer hold back. She wiped her eyes, tears flowing as she watched Rengoku's final moments.
"NOOOO! He's really gone...I can't stop crying… woo..." Feifei was in shambles, even though she already read the manga. Her chatroom wasn't much better.
"Feifei, I'm with you. I'm bawling too, this is TOO MUCH. RIP Rengoku. You were a hero."
"THIS FIGHT IS LITERALLY THE BEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN. RENGOKUUUUarrrrrrrr! I'm crying, too!"
"I knew this fight would wreck me, but it did it anyway. I'm NOT okay right now."
"I can't stop crying… the final moments with Rengoku... his words to Tanjiro... I just can't!"
Feifei held her hand to her mouth, as the emotional weight of Rengoku's final words hit her.
"The flame… it'll never go out… woooooooo..."
Meanwhile, Alexander sitting in a room above the colosseum, with his blue suit and combed blond hair, had a much more stoic appearance. However, even he couldn't hold back his excitement and awe at the spectacle unfolding.
As the fight grew more intense, Alexander leaned forward, his fingers gripping the edge of his chair.
Alexander's face showed no expression but his voice was shaky, "Whoa… WHOA... This… this is something else. I didn't think it'd hit this hard. This fight is insane."
As Rengoku and Akaza went all out, each strike echoing in the virtual world, Alexander couldn't help but let out a shuddering breath. He was on the edge of his seat, every fiber of his being tuned into the battle, his eyes glued to the screen.
Alexander said quietly to himself "No way… Its coming! He's going to-"
"RENGOKU!"
Then, the moment came. Rengoku's final strike. The sacrifice. The last of his flames burned bright, and then… the man, the warrior, was gone. The fight ended.
Alexander was visible shaken, shivering even, trying to fight back tears, "Good... good! This was much better than the manga! This is a man!!! THIS IS RENGOKU!"
The chat reacted strongly aswell:
"Damn, Alexander… I can't believe you're crying, bro. This fight was fire, but that ending... I'm still not over it."
"Rengoku's death is gonna go down as one of the saddest moments in anime ever. Respect to him, truly."
"Akaza vs. Rengoku is a battle that'll be remembered for years. The intensity… and Rengoku's final words? I'm wrecked."
"This is a man! Well said! We train to protect the human race, Rengoku should be a role model!"
Back in Wang Zi's store, Wang Zi was grinning from ear to ear as he watched the streams' reactions. He didn't even need to check the numbers to know what was happening. The moment Rengoku's death scene had aired, he could feel it!
The fans were being hit with the emotional force he had always intended, and the SP was rolling in.
But when the final moment came, when Rengoku fell to the ground, and his last words were spoken, even Wang Zi couldn't help but hold his breath, the weight of it hitting him harder than he expected.
Even though he knew what was coming, seeing it brought to life in the virtual world, hearing Rengoku's final words to Tanjiro, "Don't let the flame go out…set your heart ablaze. Grit your teeth and look straight ahead!" it hit Wang Zi like a ton of bricks. He couldn't help but tear up a little.
That fierce, unyielding spirit - something he strived for himself in his own life.
Wang Zi swallowed hard, letting the feeling settle in his chest.
"System, can a character be manifested permanently? I don't want a puppet, but Rengoku himself, can I bring him here? His story shouldn't end there!"
"Yes host. Depending on the strength of the character, it can be permanently manifested using the system's Combat Deployment ability. After a character has been summoned, the host can pay SP to have him/her permanently stay manifested. The stronger the character, the more SP the host will have to pay. In addition, if the host doesn't want a puppet, the character must either be willing to leave his/her own world, or be dead and agree to revive."
"The manifested character will retain all of its memories, but will be given a new body in accordance to his old one. This body will need to be trained from the start."
"HAHAHA! I knew it, I knew you could do it system! Multiversal MANIFESTATION system, I see, I see! Not just for me, but for them aswell!" Wang Zi was almost dancing with excitement.
"And since this universe is fighting a war, I'll have to have partners... And who better than them? So many that can be manifested now, this is what makes life interesting!"
"Rengoku... I won't let your legend end there. No, you'll achieve much greater things. I'll make sure of that."
"You'll be the first!"