Multiversal Manifestation System

The crowd erupted into cheers, the energy palpable as the holograms displaying the rankings faded, replaced by swirling patterns of light.

The announcer continued,

"This stage is called the Labyrinth! A test of your wits, problem-solving skills, and finally... Your combat capabilities!"

The audience cheered even more when this was revealed.

"Finally some fighting!"

"We'll get to see just who's the best time!"

The contestants exchanged glances, the tension in the air shifting. Some looked nervous, while others appeared confident and determined.

The announcer raised his hand, and a massive projection of a twisting, glowing maze appeared above the plaza. Its walls shifted and morphed constantly, it seemed impossible to predict.

"Each of you will enter your own version of the labyrinth," the announcer explained, his tone serious.

"You will encounter puzzles, traps, and riddles, all designed to test your wits. There's 3 stages to clear. After every stage... A mutated beast will appear! You must kill it to advance!"

A murmur ran through the students.

"You will each be transported to the entrance of the maze. Remember, this is a race, but haste without thought may lead to failure. Use your strengths wisely!"

Wang Zi started stretching, "Finally some combat, time to test out some stuff at last!"

The announcer stepped back slightly, spreading his arms. "Contestants, prepare yourselves. The Labyrinth stage begins... NOW!"

The ground beneath the plaza lit up , and the contestants felt a sudden pull at their cores.

The plaza shimmered with light as the contestants vanished, transported to their respective labyrinths.

Almost immediately, massive screens materialized in the air above the plaza, glowing with vivid images of the competitors. Each screen displayed a live feed of a different participant's progress.

The ten largest screens showcased the top-ranking contestants from the first round, their every movement now magnified for the audience to see.

Smaller panels allowed viewers to pick and follow individual contestants at will.

The crowd buzzed with excitement as they scanned the screens, some marveling at the labyrinth's shifting structure while others honed in on their favorite participants.

"Look at Lucius!" a girl squealed, pointing to the central screen displaying the cold, calculated movements of Lucius Jaeger.

"He's so handsome!" another added.

The excitement around Lucius's screen was nearly overwhelming, particularly from the female spectators. The coopeting girls also had quite a following. Everyone loved beautiful girls after all...

Back to Wang Zi...

"So, this is it," he muttered, glancing around. The pathways were barely wide enough for two of him to stretch arms.

"Looks like Animal Path's summons are out of the question."

He walked cautiously, the soft echoes of his footsteps blending with the faint hum of mana. Ahead, the corridor opened slightly into a larger chamber, where he guessed the first puzzle awaited.

Wang Zi allowed himself a small smirk as he considered his options.

"I could rely on Sun Breathing and my swordsmanship," he mused. "There's enough space for that... As long as I manage the explosions I should also be able to use the Asura Path. But I don't want to expose the Rinnegan just yet..."

He stopped,his eyes blinking he accessed the Multiversal Manifestation System. His System Points counter blinked into view, the massive reserve a surprise for him.

System Points: 8,731,199

"Even after spending everything last time, still managed to save up quite a bit. Looks like Demon Slayer is doing better than I imagined." he thought.

A plan formed in his mind. Summoning characters from Demon Slayer during a tournament of this scale, where countless eyes were watching, could generate immense hype.

"The more people react, the more points I'll earn. It's perfect."

"Maybe I'll be able to fully unlock the Rinnegan before this tournament is over, hehehe." Wang Zi grinned at the thought of experiencing the Rinnegan's most powerful path.

"But I'll stay in the background," he thought, his hand covering his eyes for a moment before he pulled it away.

"No need to reveal too much. I'll assist them with the Asura Path's weapons, make it look like I'm unsuited for direct combat. When they show up, everyone's attention should be on their fights."

He stepped into the larger chamber, where a glowing set of mana-infused runes hovered in the air, signaling the first puzzle. A low growl echoed from deeper in the cave, hinting at the beast that would follow.

A voice suddenly echoed through the room, "To proceed, you must solve the riddles. Answer correctly, and the path will open. Fail, and the consequences will be dire."

"Great," Wang Zi muttered, folding his arms.

"Riddles. Of course." He stepped closer to the wall as a faint shimmer brought the first riddle into focus:

I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?

Wang Zi smirked. "An old one." He tapped the glowing rune.

"The answer is: an echo."

The rune flashed brightly, then dimmed as the next riddle materialized.

I'm light as a feather, yet the strongest person can't hold me for five minutes. What am I?

Wang Zi tilted his head, tapping his chin in mock thought.

"That's air... or breath. Nice try."

The rune pulsed with approval, and another riddle appeared.

I'm always in front of you but can never be seen. What am I?

Wang Zi raised an eyebrow, his tone amused.

"This one hits close to home heh. Your future."

The final rune flared brilliantly, and a deep rumble shook the chamber.

The rock wall at the far end began to lift, revealing a pitch-black corridor. A low, guttural growl emanated from the shadows, and a pair of glowing eyes pierced the darkness.

"Well, that's my cue," Wang Zi said, cracking his knuckles.

"Time to see what's waiting behind door number one!"

The grinding of stone echoed through the chamber as the rock wall slid all the way up, revealing the beast within.

It was massive, a mutated porcupine that bristled with danger. Its quills were unnaturally long, black as iron, and glinted sharply.

The beast's red eyes locked onto Wang Zi, as it scraped a clawed paw against the stone floor.

'KIIIIIIIIIII'

"Well, aren't you an ugly one," Wang Zi muttered, stepping back cautiously. His stance shifted, his breathing steady as he prepared for the inevitable attack.

The porcupine let out a guttural snarl and lunged forward with surprising speed, its barbs rattling ominously.

Wang Zi sidestepped just in time, his eyes perfectly tracking the porcupine's movements.

"My reaction times improved from my last life aswell... Pretty good improvement by the system."

The porcupine whirled around, slamming its bulk into the wall and sending a shower of debris flying. Wang Zi ducked low, rolling to avoid the falling rubble, his focus unwavering. He darted forward, baiting the beast into another charge.

It obliged, claws scraping against the floor as it lunged again, its massive body barreling toward him. Wang Zi sidestepped cleanly, the beast skidding to a halt before growling in frustration.

"Not bad," Wang Zi mused aloud, dodging another swipe of its claws.

"You're quick, but not quick enough."

The porcupine hissed, its quills rattling ominously before it reared back and fired a volley of sharp quills toward him. Wang Zi's eyes narrowed, his reflexes kicking in as he dashed, the projectiles narrowly missing him.

"A ranged type huh... Fast but not too fast, your claws look like it could do some damage... But you're ultimately just a weakling." Wang Zi thought to himself.

"I know just the one to deal with you. She'll put on quite a show too!" He grinned.

The audience watching from the plaza erupted into murmurs and cheers as they saw the "fatty" contestant dodging attacks with remarkable agility.

"Oh, he seems quite smart, the first to answer all 3 riddles!"

"Look at him go! I thought he'd just get skewered in the first second!"

"Isn't that Wang Zi? The one who ranked third? How is he that fast?'

"Did you see how close that quill came to his head? He didn't even flinch!"

Even the massive screen showcasing Lucius Jaeger didn't distract the crowd from Wang Zi's performance. On Feifei's stream, the reactions were just as animated.

"Chat! What is happening right now?!" Feifei squealed, her pink hair bouncing together with her rabbits.

"How is Wang Zi so quick? He's... He's... kinda impressive? For a fatty, I mean!" She asked.

"He's built different!"

"Fatty Reflexes OP!"

Feifei giggled, unable to contain her excitement. "I'm rooting for him now! He's like a tank, but faster. Chat, do you think he's secretly trained or something? He's got moves!"

Back in the chamber, the porcupine hissed again, shaking its quills before firing another barrage. Wang Zi leapt to the side, using the narrow walls of the cave to limit the angles of attack. As he landed, he smirked.

"Thirty seconds in, and you're getting predictable," he muttered. "Let'get this show on the road then, she should be enough!"

Wang Zi smirked, stepping back slightly to create distance, and pulled out a notebook, where he had drawn Demon Slayer's characters and the Asura Path's summons, a nice excuse if anyone asked.

He then activated the Multiversal Manifestation System with a thought, its robotic voice echoing in his mind.

"Manifesting: Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Hashira. Cost: 1 million System Points per 10 minutes. Confirm?"

"Yes," Wang Zi replied confidently.

"Manifestation confirmed. Reminder: This is a projection based on the anime and not the real Mitsuri Kanroji. The summoned entity will fight until the manifestation time is up or the host dismisses her."

Light began to fill the chamber, swirling mana coalescing into a radiant figure. The porcupine paused mid-charge, its red eyes narrowing as the light grew brighter.

Outside, in the plaza and across streams, the moment Mitsuri's form began to materialize, the audience fell into stunned silence.

"No way..." someone whispered, the disbelief spreading like wildfire.

"Is that...! It's Mitsuri Kanroji! The Love Hashira!" another shouted.

People leaned closer to their screens, their breaths caught in their throats.

Back in the chamber, Mitsuri's cheerful form fully appeared, her pink and green hair flowing softly as she surveyed the narrow cave. Her childlike wonder and energy were immediately evident as she twirled her whip-like Nichirin Sword.

"Oh my gosh! It's so cramped in here!" she exclaimed, her bright voice filling the chamber.

She turned to Wang Zi with an innocent smile. "You called me, didn't you? What can I do for you?"

Wang Zi smiled lightly, pointing at the porcupine. "That's the target. Can you take care of it for me?"

Her cheeks flushed bright pink as she blushed. "Of course! Anything for you!" she chirped, spinning her blade in a graceful arc.

The plaza buzzed with murmurs as spectators debated what they were seeing.

"Is this really happening? Did Wang Zi somehow bring Mitsuri to life?"

"It must be his Artist class! He probably drew her and summoned her as an assistant!"

"But... how strong could a drawing be? Isn't she just a fan-made projection?"

Even Feifei, usually animated, was momentarily stunned.

"Chat... Did he really just summon the Love Hashira?" she whispered. "Wait, do you think she can actually fight?"

Her chat erupted with skepticism:

"It's gotta be a fake." 

"She's just for show. No way she can match the real Mitsuri." 

"This is hilarious! Fatty Zi trying to impress us with an anime girl!" 

The plaza buzzed with murmurs as spectators debated what they were seeing.

"Is this really happening? Did Wang Zi somehow bring Mitsuri to life?"

"It must be his Artist class! He probably drew her and summoned her as an assistant!"

"But... how strong could a drawing be? Isn't she just a fan-made projection?"

Even Feifei, usually animated, was momentarily stunned. "Chat... Did he really just summon the Love Hashira?" she whispered. "Wait, do you think she can actually fight?"

Her chat erupted with skepticism:

"It's gotta be a fake."

"She's just for show. No way she can match the real Mitsuri."

"This is hilarious! Fatty Zi trying to impress us with an anime girl!"

Back in the cave, the porcupine growled and lunged at Mitsuri, its quills rattling ominously. But Mitsuri's demeanor shifted in an instant, her cheerful expression hardening into one of fierce determination.

"Love Breathing, First Form: Shivers of First Love!"

Her blade snapped into motion, a blur of pink and green energy as it curved through the air with impossible fluidity. The blade rapidly morphed like it wasn't even made of metal, before enveloping the porcupine.

SWOOSH!

The porcupine barely had time to react before Mitsuri's whip-like Nichirin Sword slashed cleanly through its quills, the edges shearing off like paper, her movements were impossibly fast for it to react.

KIIIIIIIIIIII!

The beast roared in pain, black fluids spilling from the deep wounds caused by Mitsuri's slash.

The silence in the plaza shattered as the audience erupted into cheers and frantic shouting.

"She used Love Breathing! That's her real technique!"

"This isn't just a drawing - this is Mitsuri, the real deal!"

"How is this possible? Did Wang Zi copy her abilities perfectly?"

Even Feifei's stream went into overdrive.

"Girls! GIRLS! Did you see that?" Feifei screamed, her pink hair practically bouncing. "That was Love Breathing! She's fighting exactly like in the anime! How is this even real?!"

"Fatty Zi is cracked!"

"He summoned a real Hashira? What is happening?!"

"I can't believe what I'm seeing. This is insane!"

Meanwhile, the older spectators remained bewildered.

"That technique... It's precise and elegant," Principal Solis muttered, his grin replaced with genuine intrigue. "But why is everyone so excited?"

Anton Wanderer frowned, watching Mitsuri's every move.

"It's not just the crowd... That summon feels real. Too real. Can he really bring his drawings to life so accurately?"

In the Awakener Academies' observation room, the silhouettes murmured quietly.

"That's no ordinary summon," one voice observed.

"Her fluidity and reactions... feels almost like a real person."

Even Lulu, the self-proclaimed future teacher of Xian Mei, was intrigued.

In a room, also watching this fight, was Alexander. He on the other hand, was more focused on something else...