Multiversal Manifestation System

After having the Yatagarasu map out the surrounding area and gain insight into the state of the Dome, Wang Zi decided it was time to move.

With a flick of his hand, he unsummoned both the crow and the chameleon, their forms disappearing with a POOF! into faint wisps of mana. He adjusted his posture, stretching briefly to shake off the stiffness from his earlier rest.

"This Uzumaki blood is really useful huh, just a little rest and I'm good to go, no wonder Naruto always got back up sheesh." Wang Zi said, a little amazed.

"Time to get moving," he murmured. His mind was set on uncovering the mystery behind the streams of souls being led somewhere deep within this bizarre world.

The idea of growing stronger by absorbing the energy of the souls he encountered was far more appealing than any ranking in the competition.

Wang Zi made his way cautiously, seeing threads of light that snaked through the air, trailing toward some unseen destination.

The souls were faint orbs of light, seemingly identical in appearance. He couldn't distinguish between human and beast souls at a glance, only their memories, when absorbed, could reveal their origins.

This didn't bother him much, though. His classmates' souls hadn't crossed his path yet, which was enough for now.

"I really should find a way to filter out these memories, its getting annoying." Wang ZI frowned.

Outside the Dome, the audience's mood grew increasingly tense. More and more contestant names were turning black on the giant ranking display in the plaza, signaling that they had been disqualified.

Among the awakened academies' representatives and the principals, a growing unease spread like wildfire.

"What is happening in there?" Principal Anton Wanderer of Nexus Academy growled, his fists clenched tightly.

He glared at the swirling gray mist surrounding the Dome, a physical barrier that blocked all attempts to enter or discern what was happening within.

"We don't know," one of the Aetherion Institute representatives admitted, their voice equally grim.

"But the rising number of disqualified participants is alarming. Most of them seem to be from the lower rankings, but..."

Anton followed their gaze to the top of the rankings. "Most of the high-rankers are still active," he noted with a hint of relief. "For now."

Nearby, Feifei, who was streaming the competition live to her audience, tried to remain upbeat despite the ominous situation.

"Don't worry, everyone!" she chirped, her voice carrying a forced cheerfulness.

"Our favorites are still in it. Lucius, Xian Mei, and, uh, Fatty Zi are doing fine!" Her audience responded with mixed messages of hope and concern, but Feifei's unease was betrayed by her nervous fidgeting.

Back inside the Dome, Wang Zi continued his hunt, his Rinnegan tracking the souls as they moved through the mist.

He absorbed most of the energy from the glowing orbs with his Human Path ability, leaving just one behind to act as a guide.

The process was straightforward, but the accumulation of memories from the absorbed souls was starting to weigh on him.

Every time he used Ningendō, flashes of foreign lives, battles, and deaths flooded his mind. Beast instincts mingled with human fears, creating a chaotic cacophony that even his powerful mind struggled to sort through.

"Damn it," Wang Zi muttered, rubbing his temples as he felt another surge of fragmented memories.

"At this rate, I'll lose my own mind before figuring out where these things are going."

Frustrated but unwilling to give up, Wang Zi stopped by a large boulder and focused on one of the souls he had absorbed. The Rinnegan's enhanced perception allowed him to study the shimmering orb in greater detail. He probed it carefully, noting that the glowing light seemed to consist of multiple layers.

"Interesting..." Wang Zi murmured. The outer layers were dense and chaotic, brimming with memories of the soul's previous owner.

But as he dug deeper, he found that only a small, concentrated core of the orb held what he sought the pure essence, the energy that fueled his Rinnegan's growth.

"There you are. Come to daddy!" Wang Zi grinned happily.

With careful precision, Wang Zi experimented with his Rinnegan's fine control, peeling away the layers of memories while leaving the core untouched. The process was delicate, but after several attempts, he succeeded.

"That's better," Wang Zi said, exhaling in relief as the memories dissipated into nothingness while the essence flowed into him.

"No more random memories clogging up my mind."

Encouraged by his discovery, Wang Zi continued tracking and absorbing the souls with renewed efficiency. He felt his Rinnegan growing stronger with each new orb, the power coursing through him like a steady tide.

Despite the dark nature of his actions, Wang Zi couldn't help but feel satisfaction.

As he walked, following the faint thread of the remaining soul toward its destination, his unease grew.

The landscape became increasingly barren, with the gray mist thickening to the point that visibility dropped significantly, not that it affected him.

The oppressive atmosphere however, weighed heavily on him, but he pressed on, determined to uncover the truth behind the Dome's strange behavior.

"What are you hiding, Dome?" Wang Zi muttered, his Rinnegan glowing faintly as he scanned the area for clues.

Wang Zi trudged through the barren landscape, the once-vibrant forest long behind him. Now, the ground was cracked and dry, the air thick with an oppressive gray mist. As he followed the faint trail of the shimmering souls, his journey abruptly ended at the edge of a massive crater.

The hole was impossibly wide, stretching over 1,000 meters in diameter, and its depths vanished into pure darkness. Standing at the edge, Wang Zi couldn't help but let out a low whistle of disbelief.

"What in the world..." he muttered, peering into the abyss.

"Did that fellow Ainz decide to cast Fallen Down here and dig a hole straight into the planet's core?" Wang Zi joked.

The sheer scale of the crater was mind-boggling, and Wang Zi found himself momentarily awed.

But that awe was soon replaced with wariness as his Rinnegan picked up faint movements directly across from him. Narrowing his eyes, he focused his vision, and the telltale shapes of two familiar figures came into view.

It was Xian Mei and Bea Might.

Xian Mei moved cautiously. Her glowing purple eyes scanned the area, her face calm but tense. Beside her, Bea Might practically skipped, her usual cheerful demeanor undimmed by the oppressive atmosphere. The green-haired girl's fluttering holographic butterflies contrasted sharply with the bleakness of the surroundings.

"Of all people," Wang Zi muttered under his breath, "why them?"

He immediately deactivated his Rinnegan, his glowing purple eyes reverting to their usual brown. The last thing he wanted was to scare Xian Mei further. But his tall, broad, and noticeably fat figure was impossible to miss in the barren wasteland.

Sure enough, Xian Mei's gaze locked onto him, her sharp instincts noticing him even before he could think about hiding. Her brows furrowed slightly, suspicion flickering in her expression.

Bea, following her friend's line of sight, lit up like a beacon.

"Fatty Zi!" she called out, her voice echoing across the crater as she dashed toward him with startling speed.

"Great," Wang Zi muttered, sighing deeply as he resigned himself to the situation.

"Life just keeps getting harder."

He stopped in place, crossing his arms as he waited for them to approach. Bea reached him first, skidding to a stop with her usual bright smile.

"Fatty Zi! Fancy meeting you here!" she exclaimed, her dimples flashing as she beamed up at him. Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she looked him up and down.

"Still enjoying those late-night snacks, huh?"

"Very funny, Bea," Wang Zi deadpanned, though the corner of his lips twitched.

Xian Mei arrived moments later, floating gracefully to the ground a few steps away. Her purple-blue hair swayed gently, her calm, elegant demeanor contrasting sharply with Bea's bubbly energy.

She didn't say anything immediately, her piercing eyes studying Wang Zi.

"You're far from the beasts," Wang Zi finally said, breaking the silence as he addressed the both of them.

"What are you doing here?"

Bea opened her mouth to respond, but Xian Mei raised a hand, silencing her.

"We could ask you the same thing," she said, her voice soft but firm. Her sharp eyes lingered on his face, as if searching for hidden motives.

"I'm sightseeing," Wang Zi replied with a smirk, gesturing lazily to the massive crater behind him.

"Decided to check out this lovely little hole. Thought I'd maybe plant some flowers, build a summer house-"

"Wang Zi," Xian Mei cut him off, narrowing her eyes. "Be serious."

Wang Zi's smirk widened.

"Fine, fine. I'm following something interesting," he said vaguely, tapping his temple with a finger.

"Figured I'd see where it leads."

Xian Mei's suspicion deepened, her brows knitting slightly. She didn't trust him, that much was clear.

It wasn't that she feared him, her psychic abilities and high compatibility made her confident in her strength, but those fleeting moments when his eyes glowed purple... those left her unsettled.

"You're not after points?" she asked cautiously.

"Points?" Wang Zi chuckled, shaking his head.

"I gave up on first place a while ago. Let's just say I have... other priorities."

Bea tilted her head, her curiosity piqued.

"Other priorities?" she echoed. "What's more important than first place? Oh, wait, don't tell me!" Her face lit up with mock realization.

"You're on some secret mission to save us all, aren't you?"

"Sure, let's go with that," Wang Zi said dryly, not bothering to correct her.

Xian Mei, still wary, crossed her arms and glanced at Bea.

"We were following a trail of mana anomalies," she said finally, her tone measured.

"It led us here."

Wang Zi raised an eyebrow.

"And you thought it was a good idea to come all the way out here with her?" He gestured to Bea, who looked offended.

"Hey!" Bea protested, placing her hands on her hips.

"I can handle myself just fine, thank you very much!"

"Of course you can," Wang Zi said, rolling his eyes.

Bea stuck her tongue out at him, while Xian Mei let out a small sigh.

"This isn't a joke, Wang Zi. Something's wrong with this place."

Wang Zi's smirk faded slightly as he met her gaze.

"I know," he said simply.

For a moment, the three of them stood in silence, the massive crater looming behind them like an ominous presence.

Wang Zi's gaze drifted to Bea, his expression turning serious.

"Bea," he started, his voice calm but probing, "last time I scouted the area, Alicia was with you. Where is she now?"

Bea's smile faltered for the first time, her usual cheer dimming as she glanced down. She hesitated, fiddling with the edge of her sleeve.

"She… she got disqualified," Bea admitted softly, her voice carrying an unusual weight.

"Disqualified?" Wang Zi repeated, frowning.

"We got ambushed by beasts," Bea explained.

"I was doing okay, keeping them tied down with my plants, but Alicia… she was still getting used to her class." Bea paused, biting her lip. "She wasn't fast enough, and one of them got her."

Wang Zi's expression hardened, but he remained quiet, letting Bea continue.

"She was about to disappear, you know, the teleport thing that happens when we're about to lose," Bea said, her voice trembling slightly.

"But just before it happened, she…" Bea stopped, shaking her head as if trying to rid herself of a bad memory.

"What?" Wang Zi pressed gently.

"She seemed like she was screaming," she said quietly.

"Like she was trying to tell me something. But I couldn't hear her… and then she was gone."

Xian Mei, who had been silently observing, decided to interject.

"I arrived just as it was happening," she said, her voice calm but laced with a slight edge. "And I saw something… strange."

Wang Zi turned his attention to her, his brows furrowing. "Strange how?"

Xian Mei's glowing purple eyes flickered as she recalled the scene.

"Something… left her body," she said carefully. "It was faint, almost invisible, but I could feel it. It wasn't mana. It felt… different."

Wang Zi's jaw tightened. He knew exactly what Xian Mei had seen.

"Her soul," he muttered under his breath.

"What?" Bea asked, tilting her head.

"Nothing," Wang Zi replied quickly, shaking his head. "Go on."

Xian Mei narrowed her eyes but continued.

"I decided to follow the trail," she explained. "It led us here." She gestured to the crater behind them.

"We thought there might be answers."

"But why are you here Wang Zi? I mean, you're an artist. How did you even find this place?" Bea chimed in, her voice tinged with worry.

"It wasn't just luck, was it?" Xian Mei glanced at Wang Zi with suspicion, her sharp eyes scrutinizing him.

Wang Zi let out a long sigh, running a hand through his hair. He wasn't a fan of explaining himself, especially when it came to his most prized possession. But he had already flashed his Rinnegan once before. They had seen glimpses of it.

There wasn't much point in hiding it anymore.

"Fine," he said, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, his Rinnegan flared to life, glowing with an otherworldly purple light. The ripple pattern in his eyes seemed to pulse with an eerie power that made the gray mist around them retreat slightly.

Bea's reaction was immediate. Her face lit up with childlike wonder, and she clasped her hands together.

"Whoa! That's so cool!" she exclaimed, bouncing on her heels. "You've got super special eyes, Fatty Zi!"

Wang Zi groaned at the nickname, but he didn't bother correcting her.

Xian Mei, on the other hand, had an entirely different reaction. The moment her gaze met his eyes, her knees buckled slightly, and she staggered back, clutching her chest.

"Xian Mei!" Bea cried, reaching out to steady her friend.

Xian Mei's breathing steadied as she tried to regain her composure. However, her confidence had taken a significant hit. She had always been sure of her abilities, certain that if anyone posed a threat to her points, she could handle them with ease.

But now, standing in front of Wang Zi with those eyes still lingering in her memory, she realized just how wrong she had been.

She cautiously reached out with her psychic mana, attempting to probe his presence further, perhaps to understand the nature of his power.

Yet, the moment her mana drew near him, it faltered, as though afraid to obey her commands. It was an unsettling feeling; mana had always responded to her, bent to her will effortlessly. But now, it recoiled, almost like it was alive and terrified of approaching Wang Zi.

Wang Zi noticed her subtle attempt and let out a small chuckle, his amusement clear as he crossed his arms.

"What's wrong, Xian Mei? Is everything okay?" Wang Zi's grin was practically stretched to his ears.

Her eyes narrowed, frustration bubbling under her calm facade.

"What… are you?" she finally asked, her voice quieter than she intended.

Wang Zi's smirk deepened, his eyes glinting with mischief.

"Just a fatty," he replied, his tone deliberately light. "Isn't that what you all keep calling me?"

Xian Mei's jaw tightened, but she didn't respond immediately. She felt utterly out of her depth, a feeling she wasn't used to. She prided herself on her control, her precision, and her ability to read people.

But with Wang Zi, everything felt… wrong. Even her mana seemed to acknowledge that he was beyond her reach.

"C'mon, Xian Mei, don't be so serious!" Bea said, nudging her friend.

"Wang Zi is just playing around. Besides, he's on our side, right?"

"Of course," Wang Zi said, his voice sincere. "I'm not here to fight you two."

Xian Mei finally managed to steady herself, her sharp gaze returning to Wang Zi.

"Your power… it's unnatural," she said, her voice firm but wary.

"But if you're not a threat, I'll let it be, for now."

Wang Zi raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained.

"How gracious of you," he said mockingly, before turning his attention to the massive crater.

"Now, are we going to keep staring at this hole, or figure out what's actually going on here?"

Bea nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling with determination. "Let's work together!" she declared, placing a hand on Xian Mei's shoulder. "We'll figure this out and get some answers."

Xian Mei didn't reply immediately, but she gave a slight nod, her focus shifting to the crater as well.

Wang Zi, still smirking, activated his Rinnegan once more, the ripple-patterned eyes glowing faintly as he scanned the area.

As they prepared to move forward, Xian Mei couldn't shake the lingering unease. She had always thought herself capable of handling anyone in this competition, but Wang Zi had shattered that illusion. He was far more dangerous than she had imagined... Was he really an Artist?