Multiversal Manifestation System

A young man sat in his quiet apartment on one of the outer planets of the Human Federation, scrolling through his holo-screen.

His name was Cai Ren, a mid-tier streamer with a modest following who had recently been hooked on Demon Slayer. His audience loved his reactions, especially his over-the-top commentary about the Hashira and their badass aesthetics.

"Man, if I could get my hands on those swords or those robes…" Cai Ren muttered as he rewatched Demon Slayer's iconic Flame Hashira scene for the fifth time. The fiery clash and Rengoku's last stand left him on the verge of tears again. His chat was blowing up with comments.

"Bro, you've seen this episode five times!"

"We get it, Rengoku's a beast, move on!"

"Tears again?!"

Cai Ren smirked at the screen, about to respond when the lights in his room flickered. The atmosphere shifted, an odd hum vibrating through the air. His holo-screen glitched for a moment before going black, leaving him in eerie silence.

"Uh, what the…" Cai Ren whispered, swiveling his chair.

Before he could move, a faint light shimmered in the center of his room. Slowly, the glow intensified, and a small object began to materialize mid-air, spinning gently.

As it solidified, Cai Ren recognized it as a card, sleek and transparent with a glowing Uchiha fan symbol etched on one side. His eyes widened in shock.

The card floated downward until it hovered right before him. Hesitantly, Cai Ren reached out and grabbed it. The moment his fingers brushed against the surface, his name and photo appeared on one side, along with a serial number: 31.

"W-What is this?" Cai Ren stammered, holding the card up to the dim light. His chat was now filled with confused messages.

"Yo, what just happened?!"

"Did you plan this?!"

"Scripted! No way this is real."

As if responding to his thoughts, the card emitted a soft glow and projected an arrow above its surface.

The arrow pointed out of his apartment and into the virtual world. Cai Ren hesitated, but curiosity, and the bewildered demands of his chat, got the better of him.

"I guess we're going on an adventure," he muttered.

Cai Ren followed the arrow through the vast expanse of the virtual world. It led him to a nondescript storefront, almost hidden in a corner of the sprawling virtual city.

The glowing sign above the entrance simply read: "MMS Store" in elegant, understated lettering.

Taking a deep breath, Cai Ren stepped through the door.

The inside was minimalist, a sleek black room with illuminated shelves displaying Demon Slayer merchandise: swords, Hashira robes, and even Nichirin blade replicas.

Everything radiated a premium aura, but it wasn't overwhelming. The room was quiet, with faint instrumental music in the background.

At the far end of the store stood a black door, its surface a glossy obsidian, marked only by the Uchiha fan symbol. Cai Ren felt a chill run down his spine as he approached it, his card glowing faintly in his hand.

"Guess this is the VIP section," he murmured.

When he reached the door, he noticed a small panel embedded in the frame. The card pulsed as he brought it closer. Holding his breath, he slid the card in the slot that the door had.

The panel blinked green briefly, scanning the card. Then a red message appeared:

"ACCESS DENIED: PERMISSION INSUFFICIENT."

"Hey, come on, I got this fancy card and everything. What's in there?" Cai Ren frowned, tapping the screen.

He tried again, but the same error flashed. Sighing, Cai Ren stepped back, glancing at the rest of the store.

While he was disappointed, the collection of swords and robes caught his attention. His chat, now fully invested in his journey, exploded.

"Bro, that's the VIP section. You're not cool enough."

"Get the Rengoku sword!"

"Ask about the door! What's behind it?"

Shrugging, Cai Ren decided to explore the rest of the store. As he walked away, the black door seemed to hum faintly, as if acknowledging his presence.

Cai Ren stood frozen, his eyes scanning the store's sleek displays.

The Demon Slayer Hashira robes and Nichirin swords lined the illuminated shelves, each piece radiating authenticity.

The pristine texture of the fabrics, the vivid colors, and the intricate sword designs, all of it looked like they had been pulled straight from the anime itself.

"Holy… These look amazing!" Cai Ren exclaimed, his voice cracking slightly. His chat erupted in excitement.

"Those are sick! Are they for sale?!"

"Buy them, Cai! Don't be cheap!"

"Dibs on the Flame Hashira sword if you're gifting."

Cai Ren leaned closer to one of the displays, marveling at the Flame Hashira's iconic white and red haori with its flame-like edges.

His eyes then moved to Rengoku's Nichirin sword, its hilt's flame-shaped guard glowing faintly as if alive.

"These… These aren't decorations," Cai Ren muttered, his fingers itching to touch the glass display.

"This isn't like the cheap knockoffs you see in the other stores. You can't even find anything remotely close to this in the virtual market. Why's that?"

"Actually, why is that? Demon Slayer is so popular right now. You'd think everyone would be trying to sell knockoffs." He stopped, furrowing his brow.

Unbeknownst to him, the system had already guarded against this.

Any unauthorized merchandise, imitation attempts, or even hints at bypassing the MMS Store's exclusivity would vanish before they could reach the market.

Business owners baffled by their sudden losses could only complain to authorities who found nothing to investigate.

The virtual world itself seemed to protect the store's monopoly.

Cai Ren continued musing aloud.

"If this store has the exclusive rights to Demon Slayer merch… Wait, does that mean these could work in real life?" His heart raced at the thought.

"If I buy these here, can I use them in reality? Imagine wielding Rengoku's sword IRL!"

His chat exploded with encouragement.

"Do it! DO IT!"

"Buy the robes! And the sword! Go all in!"

"Let's see if they're as badass as they look!"

"It's not cheap," Cai Ren hesitated briefly, glancing at the listed price for the Flame Hashira set.

"This is gonna burn a hole in my account, but… Screw it, Rengoku's worth it."

He selected the robe and the sword, the price tag flashing brightly before the purchase confirmation appeared.

His chat went wild as he hit the "Buy" button.

Back in the Violet Tower, Hua'er floated beside Wang Zi, her tone playful as she nudged him.

"Master, another person entered the store. He's spending quite a lot of time admiring the merchandise."

Wang Zi, lounging on his chair after a good workout, with one leg draped over the armrest, opened one eye lazily.

"Oh? Let's see who it is."

Hua'er waved her hand, and a translucent projection of Cai Ren inspecting the displays appeared. Wang Zi's eyebrow arched as he observed the streamer's enthusiasm.

"This guy…" Wang Zi muttered, sitting up.

"He's really into it, huh? That's the second time someone's asked if the stuff works in real life."

Hua'er grinned.

"It's a valid question. You've made everything look so perfect. And with the system's ability to manifest items in reality, they'd probably faint if they knew the truth."

Wang Zi smirked, watching as Cai Ren purchased Rengoku's set.

"He's biting. Another fanatic added to the list. The more they buy, the more SP rolls in."

As the transaction completed, Hua'er tilted her head.

"You're building quite the cult following, Master. Though… shouldn't you be a little more active? Maybe drop by and say hi?"

Wang Zi shook his head.

"No. Let them wonder who's behind the store. Besides…" He gestured at Cai Ren's excitement.

"This kind of curiosity builds hype. When they finally figure out there's more to the store than Demon Slayer, they'll be dying to explore."

Cai Ren held his breath as a notification popped up on his holo-screen, confirming his purchase. His chat was filled with celebratory messages, cheering him on.

"Alright, alright, I bought it!" he laughed.

"Now, let's see if it really works in the virtual world. And maybe…" He glanced at the chat with a grin.

"Maybe I'll find a way to check it out in reality."

"He's hooked." Wang Zi muttered.

"Another one to spread the hype. Hua'er, keep an eye on him. Let him think the VIP section is just out of reach for now. The curiosity will keep him coming back."

Hua'er appeared beside him, nodding.

"Already on it, Master. His SP contribution has been significant since he started streaming Demon Slayer. Giving him a card was the right call."

"By the way." Wang Zi called out, his tone contemplative. "What's the latest on Alexander?"

Hua'er paused, a scroll of translucent data shimmering in her tiny hands.

"Alexander? Hmm, let's see..." She waved her hand, pulling up a holographic display of Alexander's recent activities.

"He's been quite active. Bought Zenitsu's robe and Nichirin sword, tested his Thunder Breathing in the real world… Oh! And he just started a stream not long ago."

Wang Zi raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"He demonstrated Thunder Breathing's First Form, Thunderclap and Flash. From the system's records, the reaction was… intense." She smirked, pointing to a rising graph of SP earnings.

"Look at this spike. The chat went wild. His stream alone pulled in over thirty-four million SP."

Wang Zi couldn't hide the grin that crept across his face.

"He's making good use of what he bought then. That's what I like to see, someone who's not just sitting on their purchase but actively contributing back to the store."

"I was curious if he'd actually work towards contributing, or if he'd just use the abilities selfishly. Looks like he's doing both, and I'm fine with that. The more people react to his demonstrations, the more the store benefits."

Hua'er twirled in the air, her silver hair catching the light.

"I have to say, Master, this whole setup is working out better than expected. Between Alexander, Feifei, and Cai Ren, word is spreading fast. And now that Alexander is actively showing off what he can do, more people will be clamoring for the store."

Wang Zi smirked. "Good. That's exactly what I want. Let them come. The more, the better."

"Do you want me to monitor his activities more closely?" Hua'er asked.

"No need. I'm interested in what happened though. Can you show me the records? Sounds like fun."

"Of course master." Hua'er said, before waving her hand and projecting what happened with Alexander.

Alexander strode confidently into the MMS Store, his steps brisk and purposeful. The store's serene atmosphere remained the same, with faintly glowing displays and the mysterious black VIP section door standing at the far end.

He glanced briefly at the door, a smile playing on his lips as curiosity flickered in his mind, but he didn't stop to investigate. Instead, his eyes locked onto the counters displaying the Demon Slayer Hashira robes and Nichirin swords.

"So this is why the notification showed on the card. The hashira's robes and swords? I was wondering where I could get a sword that wouldn't shatter with thunder breathing, guess that's fixed now." He said to himself.

His gaze landed on Zenitsu's iconic yellow and orange robe, adorned with its gradient white triangles pattern. Beside it, the sleek black sheath of Zenitsu's Nichirin sword rested on a stand, the hilt's circular guard featuring a lightning theme.

Alexander reached out, his fingertips brushing against the robe's fabric, marveling at the detail.

"It's perfect," he muttered, his voice filled with admiration. He picked up the robe, his hand feeling the cloth as he held it close.

He turned his attention to the sword, lifting it gently from its display. The weight felt natural in his hands, as if it were crafted just for him.

He smiled, the thrill of anticipation bubbling within him.

Wasting no time, Alexander completed his purchase. He didn't even bother to linger. He knew what came next.

Alexander logged out of the virtual world, the familiar surroundings of his private quarters greeting him. He glanced to the side, his smile widening as he saw them, the robe and sword, perfectly manifested in reality.

"I knew it. No need to doubt when it comes to that store. I wonder how they made the items show up here though. Perhaps they have a high level mage with spatial abilities...?"

He walked over, his movements careful as he picked up Zenitsu's robe, holding it up to the light.

The fabric shimmered faintly, giving the robe an otherwordly vibe. He clumsily dressed himself in the robe, struggling briefly with the unfamiliar design but grinning as he adjusted it to fit.

Next, he turned his attention to the sword. Alexander unsheathed it slowly, the blade catching the light and revealing its faint yellow hue.

Lightning patterns etched along the steel seemed to pulse with energy. He held it reverently, running a finger along the edge.

"Yeah... this is the one." Alexander smiled while caressing the sword.

"Let's start paying the store back then!"

Alexander made his way to his private training grounds, a sprawling facility equipped with the latest technology. Dummies stood at intervals, designed to withstand even the most powerful mana-based attacks.

Advanced measurement devices lined the walls, capable of analyzing energy output, speed, and precision. Overhead, hovering drones and spherical cameras awaited activation, ready to track everything that could used to analyze flaws and deficiencies later on.

He walked to the center of the training grounds, pulling out a small drone-camera. With a few taps, it floated into the air, its lens focused on him.

"Alright, let's get this started," he murmured, activating his stream.

The chat erupted almost instantly.

"ALEX IS BACK!"

"OMG FINALLY! It's been weeks!"

"We missed you!"

"Hey, everyone. Sorry for the long hiatus. Been… busy." Alexander chuckled softly, waving at the camera. 

The viewers continued to bombard him with questions, but Alexander kept the conversation light, exchanging pleasantries and indulging in small talk. After a few minutes, he raised a hand to quiet the chat.

"I'll cut to the chase," he said, his tone shifting to one of quiet confidence.

"Today's stream will be short, barely even a stream, really. It's more of a demonstration."

Confusion rippled through the chat.

"What does he mean, short?"

"Demo? Of what?"

"Wait, what's he wearing? Is that… Zenitsu's robe?!"

The comments about his outfit grew louder, many incredulous.

"How did you get Demon Slayer merch?!"

"Dude, I've been searching everywhere! Where did you find that?!"

"Is this an exclusive drop?!"

Alexander smirked but didn't answer.

"Just watch," he said simply, moving to the center of the training grounds. He placed a single alloy dummy in front of him, its reflective surface gleaming under the lights.

Standing a few feet away, Alexander closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. His chest expanded as he activated Thunder Breathing, the crackling sound of electricity filling the air.

The faint hum of the breathing technique intensified, the lightning growing more erratic as Alexander adjusted to the flow of mana through his body.

The measurement devices on the walls beeped warnings as the energy levels spiked.

"First Form…" Alexander muttered, shifting into a low stance, his hand gripping the sword tightly. His muscles tensed, and the room seemed to hold its breath.

"Thunderclap and Flash!" he roared.

In an instant, Alexander vanished, leaving behind only a deafening clap of thunder and a flash of light.

The alloy dummy, struck with unparalleled precision, disintegrated almost instantly, leaving behind molten fragments that sizzled on the ground.

The chat was silent for a brief moment before exploding into chaos.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"HE DID IT! HE ACTUALLY DID IT!"

"THUNDER BREATHING IS REAL?!?!"

Alexander sheathed his sword slowly, his breathing steady as he looked directly at the camera.

"That's it for now," he said calmly. Without another word, he ended the stream, leaving his viewers in stunned silence.

Back in the store, Wang Zi smirked as Hua'er floated beside him, giggling.

"Well," Wang Zi said, "that's one way to make an entrance, hahaha!"

"Looks like Alexander's doing his job nicely." Wang Zi muttered, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.