Chapter 20 - It begins

The announcer gestured toward one side of the square, where the banners of a lesser-known academy unfurled. Their students stepped forward with pride, though the reaction from the crowd was muted.

"Introducing the Verdant Horizons Academy, known for their mastery of nature-based mana techniques!"

The introductions continued, but only a few academies truly caught the crowd's attention.

"Next, we have the prestigious Aetherion Institute, renowned for their balance of intellect and strength!" The five geniuses of the academy - Victor Hensley, Elijah Rhodes, Cassian Drake, Lila Valen, and Damien Wolfe - stepped forward, their coordinated movements and calm confidence drawing murmurs of admiration.

The crowd murmured in recognition. "That's Victor Hensley, right? He's supposed to be one of their best warriors!"

"Look at Elijah, I heard his berserker form is unstoppable."

 The crowd buzzed with whispers, acknowledging the team's reputation for its amazing synergy.

The announcer's voice rose again. "From the skies above, we have the elite Lumina Nova Academy, home to the famed Skymere twins!"

Lina and Nila Skymere strode forward, their identical figures moving in perfect harmony. Their bright hair - yellow for Lina, light blue for Nila - shone under the virtual sunlight, and their elemental mana seemed to hum in the air.

Lina flashed a cheerful grin at the crowd, while Nila's calm expression didn't change at all. Their presence alone caused a ripple of excitement.

Excited whispers rippled through the plaza.

"It's really them! The Skymere twins!"

"I heard Lina's lightning is as fast as it is destructive."

"And Nila's control over water is practically flawless."

"They're so beautiful! Really the perfect combination!"

Their fame was undeniable, and their presence radiated an aura of undeniable power and beauty.

As the announcer's voice boomed, Principal Gregory Solis of the Lumina Academy stepped forward, a grin plastered on his face.

"It's a pleasure to be here," he said, bowing theatrically to the crowd, before turning his attention to Principal Anton Wanderer.

Anton, standing stoically, clenched his beard as his rival's grin widened. "Let the games begin, Anton," Gregory said with a chuckle, his voice low enough for only Anton to hear.

Anton's face turned red as he stroked his beard furiously, trying to maintain his composure.

"That peacock," he muttered under his breath, his tone dripping with irritation.

But as the crowd stilled, another announcement turned heads. "Finally, representing the unstoppable forces of technology and mana fusion, Stellar Ascension Academy!"

From the group, Lucius Jaeger emerged, his cold, emotionless gaze scanning the students. The Mechanic awakener's aura was quiet but overwhelming.

Whispers spread like wildfire. "That's Lucius... the one with 100% compatibility!"

"I heard he's not even from Earth-27, he's just here to test himself!"

His presence silenced much of the crowd, his reputation alone enough to leave an impression.

Finally, the announcer's voice boomed once more. "And one of our oldest institutions, Nexus Academy!"

Principal Anton Wanderer stepped forward proudly, his students standing tall behind him.

Despite their middle-ranking position among academies, their diversity of talent was evident. Among the crowd, murmurs broke out.

"They have that psychic and the artist with 100% compatibility right?" 

"Hmm. They got lucky this year it seems."

Wang Zi was standing in the crowd, not drawing any attention, while glancing around to the other academies.

"A mechanic huh? Didn't see any of those at our academy, I wonder if they're strong."

"And those twins... Really pretty. Lightning and Water also make a really good combination." He muttered to himself.

As the final academy representatives took their places, the announcer stepped forward again, his voice magically amplified to reach every corner of the massive plaza.

"And now," he declared, his tone rising with enthusiasm, "Let us welcome some very special guests. Representatives from Awakener Academies outside of Earth-27 have joined us to spectate this competition. These distinguished individuals are watching carefully, seeking out the most exceptional talents among you!"

A ripple of excitement ran through the students, and the crowd erupted into whispers.

"Awakener Academies are here!" someone muttered.

"I wonder who they sent." Another student added,

The announcer smiled knowingly, but he didn't reveal any more.

"Of course," he continued, "we must also acknowledge the millions of spectators joining us today, both here in the Virtual Brain and in the real world! To all of you watching, welcome to the Awakener Academy Freshman Competition!"

The crowd roared in response, a wave of cheers and applause filling the plaza. Students exchanged glances, some fired up by the atmosphere, others quietly steeling themselves for the challenges ahead.

With a commanding gesture, the announcer raised his hand to quiet the noise.

"Now, for those of you participating, let me remind you of the first round. This stage will test your mana control, not your power. You will guide a mana orb through a series of complex obstacles designed to push the limits of your precision, adaptability, and creativity. Remember, it's not about brute strength - it's about finesse."

Many students nodded, determination sparking in their eyes. A few whispered nervously, exchanging last-minute ideas about how they might succeed.

"This is your first chance to prove yourselves! To show not only your peers but also the academies watching that you belong among the best!"

Outside, numerous holograms showed up high in the sky, showing a current ranking of all the students and their academies.

The plaza fell silent for a moment, the tension thick enough to feel. Then, with a dramatic flourish, the announcer raised both hands.

"Let the first round of the Awakener Academy Freshman Competition... BEGIN!"

The crowd exploded into cheers, a thunderous wave of sound that carried the weight of excitement and anticipation. Students took deep breaths, centering themselves as they prepared to be transported to their individual starting points. 

Wang Zi also cracked his fists, "Here we go!"

SWOOSH!

He suddenly got pulled into a strange space. As he came to, a screen showed up in front of him:

Stage 1: Precision

Objective: Test finesse, control, and creativity in mana usage.

Format: Student needs to guide a mana orb through a complex obstacle course.

Key Factor: Precise control and adaptability, rather than raw power.

Ranking: Rankings are determined by time of completion.

"Whew," Wang Zi cracked his neck "just as the principal said, should be a piece of cake."

As he finished saying that, he heard a much loved sound of his, and another, more familiar screen popped up:

"DING!

Quest 3: The competition

Objective: Successfully pass the freshman competition.

Reward: Based on the Host's rank."

"Ooh a system quest! I had forgotten about those. The rewards are usually too good to pass up though... I guess I can't be too low-key. Alright." Wang Zi was even more pumped at the system quest.

As he saw his surroundings light up, he could finally see where he was sent.

The walls around him shimmered faintly with mana, their patterns twisting and rearranging like living art.

Above him, the ceiling appeared to stretch endlessly, and beneath his feet, the floor pulsed softly with every step.

Ahead of him floated a glowing mana orb, glowing gently as if waiting for his command.

A voice spoke in his mind: "Guide the orb through the maze. Precision, adaptability, and creativity will be rewarded. Begin."

Wang Zi extended his hand, and the orb flared in recognition, lifting slightly into the air. He took a deep breath, focusing his thoughts as he began to move it forward. The first few turns were simple, the walls close but unobstructed.

Yet the tranquility didn't last.

Suddenly, the corridor expanded, the walls shifting and folding into waves of mana that crashed against the orb. Wang Zi frowned slightly, his Rinnegan activating instinctively.

He could see the flow of the mana tides and the gaps between their currents, adjusting the orb's position with a flick of his wrist. The orb glided smoothly between the surging waves, untouched.

As he rounded the next corner, the gravity shifted without warning. The orb shot upward, almost slamming into the ceiling, but Wang Zi reacted instantly.

With a subtle adjustment, he stabilized its motion, guiding it along the new "floor" that had become the ceiling.

"So they're trying to disorient us," Wang Zi muttered to himself, smirking slightly.

"My eyes aren't just for decoration you know. I guess not many people will be paying attention to me at the start, its perfect that this was the first test. I can freely abuse you, my lovely Rinnegan."

The path ahead narrowed into a series of winding spirals, the walls emitting bursts of pressure that tried to knock the orb off course. Wang Zi's control was flawless, each movement precise as he weaved the orb through the spirals, his focus unwavering.

Then came the next challenge, a room where the orb suddenly split into three smaller orbs.

Each orb now had to navigate a separate path simultaneously. Wang Zi paused for a moment, narrowing his eyes as his Rinnegan analyzed the maze ahead.

"Oh? Interesting!" He thought, his Rinnegan starting to emit a faint purple glow.

"Child's play." he said under his breath. With a thought, he extended his control to all three orbs, splitting his focus evenly.

The paths twisted unpredictably, gravity shifting and mana bursts striking randomly, but Wang Zi moved the orbs with a grace that seemed effortless.

The final stretch was the most chaotic. The walls themselves seemed to come alive, shifting and rotating to block the orb's path. Mana pulses surged from the ground in waves, each one threatening to disrupt the orb's flow.

But Wang Zi, unmoved, guided the orb with absolute precision.

One final surge of gravity tried to pull the orb into hole.

Wang Zi exhaled sharply, using a burst of mana to stabilize the orb's trajectory and send it soaring past the hole and into the glowing endpoint at the maze's end.

The corridor dissolved, leaving Wang Zi standing in a bright, featureless room. The voice spoke again.

"Challenge complete. Ranking: Exceptional."

Wang Zi allowed himself a small smile. "That wasn't bad," he muttered, stretching his arms. "Let's see how the others handle it."

Wang Zi felt the familiar tug as the maze dissolved around him, and he reappeared in the plaza. The energy of the competition buzzed around him, and he was pleased with his performance.

The challenge had been complex, but with the Rinnegan, he had navigated it nearly perfectly.

However, his confidence wavered as his eyes caught sight of two figures already standing in the plaza. His heart skipped a beat.

"Already?"

One of them was unmistakable - Lucius Jaeger, the blond-haired, cold-eyed genius from Stellar Ascension Academy.

His regal stance and detached expression gave off an air of superiority. He stood with his arms crossed, seemingly uninterested in anything around him.

The other figure, however, surprised Wang Zi. It was a petite girl wearing glasses, her school uniform bearing the insignia of Stellar Ascension Academy.

She was calm and unassuming, her delicate features framed by dark hair that fell to her shoulders. She adjusted her glasses as if lost in thought.

Wang Zi frowned. He didn't recall her being mentioned by his classmates or the announcer earlier.

"Who is she?" he wondered, scanning her up and down.

Looking up, Wang Zi noticed the massive hologram displaying the rankings hovering above the plaza. His eyes widened as he found his name:

3rd Place: Wang Zi – 3 minutes, 34 seconds

He quickly scanned upward. Above him were two other names:

2nd Place: Maylure – 3 minutes, 25 seconds

1st Place: Lucius Jaeger – 3 minutes, 19 seconds

The gap was slight, but it was enough to stun Wang Zi.

"Twenty seconds behind Lucius... and this girl beat me by 9 seconds?" He glanced at Maylure again.

Around the plaza, students who had begun returning were staring at the rankings in awe.

"Lucius was first. No surprise there."

"But who's Maylure? No last name? I don't remember hearing about her!"

"Wang Zi? Who's that? I don't know him either... He must've done something crazy to place that high."

The audience watching in the Virtual Brain and the real world erupted into cheers and chatter.

"Did you see that? Lucius wasn't even breathing hard when he finished!"

"But who's this Maylure girl? She's from his academy, right?"

Up in the principal's box, Principal Gregory Solis of Lumina Nova Academy leaned forward, his flamboyant grin widening. "Well, well, Lucius lives up to his reputation as always," he said, waving his hand lazily.

His gaze flicked to Anton Wanderer. "What do you think of this Wang Zi of yours, Anton? Third place isn't bad."

Anton stroked his beard thoughtfully, his pride barely concealed.

"Wang Zi's performance is impressive," he said, his tone reserved. "But I didn't expect another genius to emerge from Stellar Ascension Academy. Who is this Maylure?"

Solis chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Who knows?"

Meanwhile, in a private observation room filled with silhouettes, the representatives from the Awakener Academies watched in silence.

A large holographic display mirrored the rankings for them.

One figure, cloaked in shadow, tapped their fingers on the armrest of their chair. "Lucius Jaeger. The Mechanic awakener. His performance was expected."

Another silhouette leaned forward slightly. "But this Maylure... her name hasn't come up before. If she's from Stellar Ascension Academy, they've been keeping her under wraps."

"And Wang Zi," a third voice interjected. "From Nexus Academy, of all places. Third place, and not far behind Lucius and Maylure. An artist huh."

The room fell into thoughtful silence, the murmurs of the audience beyond barely audible. The competition was only just beginning, but already, the top contenders had started making their mark.