Multiversal Manifestation System

Wang Zi blinked, then shook his hand firmly.

"Wang Zi. First-year. Yeah, just got here. Nice to meet someone who doesn't look like they came out of a perfume ad."

Odaeus laughed heartily, clapping Wang Zi on the shoulder.

"You noticed, huh? Yeah, not many of us around here. I guess the Violet Tower attracts more… refined types." He gestured toward the I.S. Room.

"You were checking this out, huh? It's one of the crown jewels of the Tower. Thought you might be curious."

Wang Zi raised an eyebrow.

"I.S. Room? What's it do?"

Odaeus's grin widened.

"Illusion Sparring Room. These things are famous across the federation. Only a handful of academies have them, and Violet Tower's got some of the best. They're run by psychics specialized in illusion magic. You step inside, and you can pick anyone from your memory to spar with. Doesn't matter if they're real or fictional."

"Wait, fictional?" Wang Zi's interest was immediately piqued.

"Yup," Odaeus confirmed.

"It taps into your memory and creates a completely realistic illusion. You fight them like they're the real deal. Their attacks can even hit you, but the room won't let you actually die. Perfect for training without risking your neck."

Wang Zi's mind raced.

"Sounds amazing," Wang Zi admitted, unable to hide his excitement.

"How does it feel, though? Like, is it really realistic?"

Odaeus nodded.

"As real as it gets. Pain, fatigue, pressure, it's all there. You'd swear you're fighting the real thing. But like I said, it's completely safe. The room cuts off any attack that would be lethal."

He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.

"Of course, that doesn't mean it's easy. I've seen people crawl out of there looking like they've been through hell."

Wang Zi grinned, his excitement growing.

"That's exactly what I need. Can anyone use it?"

"First-years usually have to wait for special permission," Odaeus said. "Either that or you pay for it with Contribution Points, but I'm guessing you don't have many of those."

Wang Zi nodded, already forming plans in his mind.

"Thanks for the info, Odaeus. I'll definitely be checking this out."

"Anytime," Odaeus replied, clapping him on the shoulder again.

"And hey, if you ever want to spar for real, let me know. You look like someone who could actually give me a decent workout."

Wang Zi smirked.

As Odaeus walked off, Wang Zi turned back to the I.S. Room, his excitement barely contained. The Violet Tower might have been a disappointment in some areas, but this? This was exactly the kind of training he was looking for.

Unfortunately, he was bound to be annoyed once again.

Wang Zi stood in front of the Illusion Sparring Room's door, staring at the panel that had just declined his student card.

The words "Access Denied: Insufficient Contribution Points" flashed back at him, and his face darkened.

"Seriously? Contribution points?" he muttered, his annoyance growing.

Hua'er hovered beside him, giggling.

"Master, it seems you've found a flaw in your plan to take over this academy."

"Flaw? This place is a joke. Guess I've got to talk to the person who dragged me here." Wang Zi scowled. 

With a swipe on his holo-watch, Wang Zi initiated a call to Lulu. The screen lit up, and Lulu's image appeared.

She was lounging in her room again, wearing what could only be described as overly revealing loungewear. A sly smile played on her lips as she noticed Wang Zi's expression.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite first-year," Lulu said, her green eyes sparkling with amusement.

"What's got you so upset, fatty?"

Wang Zi ignored the jab and crossed his arms.

"Why the hell do I need contribution points to use the I.S. Room? Didn't you say this academy was about strength? What's with the stupid point system?"

Lulu laughed softly, leaning back in her chair.

"Ah, so you've finally run into one of the academy's little rules. Contribution points are how we measure effort here. You can't expect to have free rein without earning your place."

"That's stupid," Wang Zi shot back.

"Those classes are garbage. Mana theory? War tactics? Combat dynamics? They're all useless to me. Am I seriously supposed to sit through that crap to earn points?"

Lulu tilted her head, studying him.

"You've gotten thinner," she remarked, seemingly ignoring his complaints. Her gaze lingered a moment too long, but Wang Zi was used to her antics by now.

"Hey." Wang Zi said flatly.

"Fine, fine. So you hate the classes. Not surprising, considering how much of an anomaly you are. But the Violet Tower is about more than just classes, you know. You chose this place because of its connections, right? I told you I'd help you with that."

Wang Zi narrowed his eyes.

"You promised to introduce me to that artist you mentioned. And what about the guy who's supposedly interested in my gravity powers?"

Lulu sighed, her teasing demeanor softening slightly.

"My artist friend is very busy, Wang Zi. I didn't forget about you, but these things take time. As for the teacher who wants to examine your gravity abilities, he's inside the restricted area of the tower. You don't have access to that yet."

"So, what? I just sit around twiddling my thumbs until someone decides I'm worth their time?" Wang Zi's frustration mounted.

"There's another way to earn contribution points, if you're that impatient," she said.

"Oh?" Wang Zi arched an eyebrow.

"Records," Lulu replied. "This academy isn't just about sitting in classrooms. It's about excelling. The Violet Tower values strength, like I told you before, and that doesn't just mean physical power. There are rankings for everything - combat, mana control, endurance, even things like academic tests or resource gathering. If you can reach the top of any ranking and hold your place, you'll earn steady contribution points."

"So I just have to beat some records and I can skip the classes?" Wang Zi frowned, considering her words.

"Essentially, yes," Lulu said, her smile returning. "It's not easy, though. Most of the records are held by second or third-years who've been training here for years."

Wang Zi's expression hardened. He didn't like playing by the academy's rules, but if breaking some records meant he could skip the nonsense and focus on what really mattered, it might be worth it.

"Fine," he said. "Tell me where to start."

"That's the spirit. I'll send you the current rankings and records. Pick your poison." Lulu grinned. 

As the call ended, Wang Zi stared at the I.S Room's door.

"Records, huh?" he muttered.

Wang Zi sat back in his room, scrolling through the list of records Lulu had sent him. Most of the records didn't grab his attention, combat feats by upperclassmen, academic achievements, and bizarre endurance tests that seemed more like vanity projects than anything else.

But a few stood out, igniting a competitive spark in him. These weren't just arbitrary numbers or titles, they were benchmarks of strength, resilience, and power.

He leaned forward, muttering to himself as he examined the details.

Strongest Recorded Attack for a First Year: 8,972 mana units (Held by Marcus Vayne, 1st year).

Longest Winning Streak at the Gym's Arena: 32 wins (Held by Odaeus Farrel, 2nd year).

"Oh? Is that him? So his last name's Farrel huh..." This one had him intrigued.

Most Beasts Defeated in the Shortest Time (IS Room): 27 beasts in 2 minutes (Held by Kaleb Dray, 3rd year).

Longest Time in a Gravity Chamber (50x): 6 hours and 15 minutes (Held by Odaeus Farrel, 2nd year).

"Him again?" His eyes lit up. 

Longest Time Survived Against a Beast Wave in the IS Room: 47 minutes (Held by Maya Flint, 3rd year).

Fastest Reaction Speed Test: 0.04 seconds (Held by Kaleb Dray, 3rd year).

"Well this one's a doozy." Wang Zi smiled slightly, tapping his chin.

Highest Contribution Points Earned in a Single Semester: 12,000 points (Held by Maya Flint, 3rd year).

The rest of the records were only glanced over. Academic test scores, resource-gathering expeditions, meditation marathons, they didn't interest him.

"Most of these are useless." Wang Zi leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head.

"Strongest attack, I'll start there, the reaction speed one is probably also extremely easy for me aswell. The arena winning streak sounds like a good warm-up. After that, I could take on the gravity chamber and the beast wave survival."

"But I really only need points for the I.S. room... I'll have to see if one record is enough. After that I'll have to start spreading Demon Slayer around campus and stock up on SP. Once I'm done with shedding this fat, its time to go meet my boy Rengoku."

"Alright, let's go then." He said as he patted his clothes and started moving.

As Wang Zi stood in the Damage Testing Hall, observing the bustling public testing area where students were eagerly trying their abilities.

The public area was bustling with activity. Students lined up to use glowing obelisks that measured mana fluctuations and impact forces.

Above each obelisk, holographic screens displayed the results, sparking excitement or disappointment depending on the outcome.

Wang Zi observed the crowd for a moment, his sharp eyes catching sight of several students whose abilities seemed quite formidable. One student hurled massive bolts of lightning, while another summoned rocks in his fists before slamming them into the obelisk.

"Not bad." he thought, heading to one of the private testing rooms.

Inside, the room was quiet, sterile, and equipped with a solitary obelisk standing in the center. Its smooth, obsidian surface reflected faint light, and above it, a floating holographic display read:

Strongest Attack – First Year

Record Holder: Marcus Vayne – 8,972 mana units.

Wang Zi approached the obelisk, his baggy clothes swaying slightly with his movements. He glanced at the record, tilting his head.

"Marcus Vayne…"

Manifesting his Nichirin sword, he decided to start simple. He didn't know what 8,972 mana units actually translated to in real-world terms, but he needed a baseline.

Drawing a steady breath, he began Sun Breathing. The rhythm filled him, his muscles tensing as flames flickered along his blade.

"Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance!" he roared, unleashing a whirlwind unleashing a number of consecutive slashes in a fluid motion in the form of a Japanese dragon made of solar flames. The dragon roared, before slamming into the obelisk, the room echoing faintly with the sound of his technique.

The hologram flickered before displaying:

Result: 7,843 mana units.

He frowned, sheathing his blade.

"Not even close. Sun Breathing isn't built for raw destructive power. It's about sustained strikes." He thought about Marcus again.

"Is he a mage? A mage could spend hours building a big attack to set this record."

Letting out a slow exhale, Wang Zi stepped back. His eyes closed briefly before snapping open, glowing with the telltale purple rings of the Rinnegan.

"Sigh, I'll have to use you after all."

He stretched out his hand toward the obelisk.

"Shinra Tensei."

The repulsive force blasted out in an instant, rippling the air and causing the obelisk to emit a low hum. The room trembled slightly as the impact dissipated. The hologram calculated the result:

Result: 8,237 mana units.

"Almost at the record, and that wasn't even a full-power move. The Rinnegan really is something else." Wang Zi raised an eyebrow.

He smirked, considering his options. A fully powered Shinra Tensei would undoubtedly obliterate Marcus Vayne's record, but he wasn't interested in setting an unbeatable record just yet.

"I don't want to draw too much attention. I just wanna do my own thing in peace, if I didn't need contribution points for training I wouldn't even be doing this." Wang Zi sighed.

"Let's try the Asura Path aswell I guess."

He rolled his shoulders and activated the Asura Path. Mechanized arms sprouted from his back with a metallic hum, and a volley of missiles materialized in their launchers.

"Let's see how much these can do."

With a low whine, the missiles fired toward the obelisk, streaking through the air and colliding in a fiery explosion. The room vibrated from the force, and the hologram flickered before calculating:

Result: 8,421 mana units.

Wang Zi's brows furrowed slightly.

"Still not enough? Though it's clear the Asura Path has gotten stronger. The Rinnegan really is full of surprises."

He dismissed the extra arms with a shrug, letting out a sigh. It was time to stop playing around. Stepping back, his Rinnegan glowed ominously as he stretched his hand toward the obelisk.

"Shinra Tensei."

This time, he poured a touch more power into the attack. The air rippled violently as a wave of repulsive force slammed into the obelisk. Dust swirled around the room, and the obelisk's hum turned into a low, vibrating groan before the hologram updated:

Result: 9,978 mana units.

"Good enough." Wang Zi smiled faintly. 

Without wasting another moment, he turned and exited the room, his baggy clothes swaying with each step. He had no desire to wait around in case someone came to investigate the commotion.

Back in his dorm room, Wang Zi slouched in his chair, his legs stretched out. He tapped his holo-watch, calling Lulu. Her face appeared on the screen, her usual playful smirk present as she lounged in her room. She seemed to have noticed his slightly disheveled look, her green eyes narrowing.

"Wang Zi, what do I owe the pleasure now?" she teased.

"I broke the damage record. Is that enough for me to use the IS Room?" He leaned back lazily.

Lulu tilted her head, studying him carefully. Her expression turned thoughtful, her eyes glinting with curiosity. After a moment, her lips curved into a radiant smile.

"That'll do. As long as you don't hog it all day, you should have enough points."

"Works for me," Wang Zi replied nonchalantly.

"I have more important things to do than spar all day anyway."

"Sorry to bother, and thanks for everything so far." Wang Zi suddenly said, stunning Lulu.

"Hahaha! Okay, you take care! Don't forget to call your little girlfriend aswell!" Lulu giggled.

"Teacher!"

Wang Zi heard a soft voice calling from the other end.

"Sigh. Why do I bother. Bye!" He said, before shutting down the call.

"The issue of training is solved. Now I'll slowly get Demon Slayer and Naruto out... Hua'er, did you connect to the real virtual network yet?"

Hua'er nodded, her ethereal white hair swaying with the motion.

"Yes, Master. I've fully integrated with the Federation's network, but the MMS store is now entirely disconnected from it. Without a card, it's impossible for anyone to find it. Even if they scoured the network for clues, the store simply doesn't exist to them."

"Good. That's exactly what I wanted."

"The disconnection shouldn't impact the release of your works though!" Hua'er added.

"I've ensured that the manga and anime distribution systems function independently. You can publish Demon Slayer or Naruto to the federation's network without revealing anything about the store itself."

Wang Zi leaned back, crossing his arms as he mulled over her words.

"It's time to go big, Hua'er. I've kept things local so far, but the entire federation is the real prize. Once people across all planets start consuming my works, the SP is going to roll in like never before. But this time, I'll need to do it carefully. No need to rush."

"Master, do you have a specific plan? Or are you just going to wing it again?" Hua'er tilted her head, her glowing eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

"I think Demon Slayer can spread naturally from our neighbors in the previous planet, they were already hooked onto it, so wherever they go they'll end up talking about it, I believe its that good. I'm planning to finally release the last movie and draw the show to an end very soon, after that I'll let them simmer for a bit before starting with Naruto."

"We're gonna have to do the same thing we did with Alexander and Feifei though. Idols and celebrities are the fastest way to get people interested. But for now let's start with the Violet Tower itself. Lulu said I could use her connections, so I'll make use of that later."

"Hua'er, get access to the biggest forum of the Violet Tower, and show the trailer we had before. Try not to get caught and do things by the rules so we don't get caught with our pants down." Wang Zi said.

"Yes master!"

"System, can the Hashira's clothes be manifested aswell? It would probably sell really well here..."

"Yes Host, anything from your works can be manifested, for a price."

"Alright. Hua'er, start giving out access cards to the biggest fans of Demon Slayer. Give them access to the store, not the VIP room. We'll start selling items instead of skills at the front store from now on, but the store needs to be accessible by cards only. I can't waste all my SP buying dumb shit, but I do need the money to start building my own team."

"Also make sure to give a prompt to anyone who already owns a card whenever a new item gets added to the store, be it the VIP one or just the normal one. Let's get this show on the road."

"Of course master! Leave it to me!" Hua'er said, with a huge smile on her face.