Chapter 16: Tech showdown

(Tech showdown)

The viewers are excited, and they can't wait to see the participants fight each other.

Emily is calmly sitting and waiting to start the competition; she really doesn't care who will join or who her opponent is. For her, this is a chance to test her ability. She really doesn't care about winning the prize or winning all the hearts of people here; she came here to gain experience and test her ability.

The host joyfully announced the commencement of the competition, and the sound of applause and cheers echoed through the venue, creating an energetic atmosphere.

In the dim glow of computer screens, an underground hacking competition unfolded. Shadows danced across the faces of participants as lines of code blurred into a digital battleground. Each keystroke echoed the intensity of the silent war for supremacy in the cyber realm.

The air was thick with anticipation as hackers from around the world showcased their skills, weaving through firewalls and encryption like modern-day magicians.

Cloaked in digital shadows, Emily navigated the competition with an enigmatic grace, leaving spectators and fellow competitors in awe. Her fingers danced across the keyboard like a maestro orchestrating a symphony of code.

Rumors swirled about Iris's origins and motives, adding an air of intrigue to the competition. Some said she was an impostor of Iris, while others whispered how they admired Iris.

Undeterred, Iris delved into the challenges, effortlessly dismantling security protocols and bypassing digital fortresses.

After completing her first fight in just 8 minutes, Emily expressed satisfaction, murmuring, "Not bad; I still got it." Her swift victory left everyone in the arena astonished.

The spectators felt as though Emily had effortlessly played with their expectations. The initial doubts about her claiming to be Iris were dispelled, and they now witnessed the legendary skills of the real Iris. The onlookers regarded her performance with a mix of surprise and admiration, acknowledging her as a formidable force. Witnessing her prowess felt almost illegal—a glimpse into the extraordinary abilities of a true hacking beast.

The two guys looked at each other. They both focused on Iris; they wanted to know if she was really an impostor of Iris, and they were ready to accuse Emily if they proved them right, but when they watched the competition on a big screen, it left them speechless. This is how Iris works, and they were really impressed with how fast and accurate she was. They almost forgot how to breathe because of how amazing Iris is. They couldn't believe that they watched the legendary Iris in the hacker world. Their eyes never leave Iris; they watch only Iris and nobody else.

Emily looked at the other participants who were still engaging in their fights. She watched them solve the code and dominate the enemy's territory. The next participant finished their fight in 30 minutes. and the rest finishes in an hour. Emily almost fell asleep because she got really bored waiting for the other participant to finish.

The 20 participants who joined now number 10.

They start their fight for round 2, and Emily finishes her enemy in exactly 8 minutes.

As the final showdown approached, curiosity and tension peaked. In a dramatic culmination, Iris faced off against the competition's best. The virtual battlefield crackled with intensity as lines of code clashed like opposing forces.

In the end, Iris emerged victorious, revealing neither her face nor the secrets that propelled her to triumph. Everyone who watched the competition and the participants who joined couldn't believe what just happened.

All the rounds that Emily competed in finished in exactly 8 minutes. They feel like Emily is tripping over her opponent. The host announces that Iris won the competition, and he is about to ask Iris to give a speech, but before he asks Emily, one guy whispers in his ear.

"what? Where is she? We haven't interviewed her, and she needed to give a speech," so the host asked the guy.

"I don't know where she is; she only left this note.

The note:

Please put this account number for my winning prize and see you next year in the next competition, Iris."

The host's lips twitched; he really wanted to interview Iris and get her autograph. He was really amazed and admired Irish, but she was gone. It was a pity. But it's okay; she said she'd return next year, the host reasoned, trying to persuade himself.

He then announced that Iris was already gone, and she left a note that she would participate in the next year's competition.

When they heard what the host said, they got disappointed, but they were really excited and couldn't wait for next year's competition. The participants who joined today are really determined to face Emily again, and they promised themselves that they would practice every day just to defeat her.

As quickly as she had entered the scene, Iris vanished into the digital mist, leaving behind a legacy of mystery and a trail of encrypted whispers. The hacker world, forever changed by her enigmatic presence, continued to speculate about the girl who had turned the competition into an unforgettable saga of digital prowess and secrecy.

As the clock ticked down, a lone figure emerged victorious, leaving behind a digital tapestry of prowess that would be whispered about in hacker circles for years to come.