Mock Battle - Part 2

10 minutes later...

"So by now, you all must have heard the news," Professor Niko said with a mysterious smile as he paused briefly, "So to make a long story... your evaluation will start now."

"Huh?!" The class shouted with raised eyebrows as they looked at each other with confusion, before gazing back at Prof. Niko as they awaited an answer.

"Sigh, could our top two contenders from our last activity before the field trip to Hawaii come forward?" Niko said, ignoring the gazes of his students as he glanced at Rin and Kyrie, the first and second places winners for the Tower of Shadows Speedrun.

During this, the students were tested on explosiveness, dexterity, strength, control, and adaptability by completing various floors within a time limit, which got progressively harder the further a student progressed. Additionally, while not seen or talked about in the previous evaluation some students suffered from alternating environments like flipped floors, submerged levels, and even floors that sapped away vitality and energy.

"Okay, but what exactly will we be tested on, Prof. Niko?" Rin asked with intrigue and wonder as he and Kyrie stood before the class.

"Well, since the cat is already out of the hat, I guess it wouldn't hurt if I informed you all of what's about to occur." Prof. Niko smiled as he strung the class along an invisible string, forcing them to be quiet and wait patiently for him to spill the beans.

"Bro, surely there must be a policy or law that forbids people from withholding important information for prolonged periods," Ethan muttered with annoyance.

"Well, Ethan, fortunately, the world doesn't revolve around you, or else we'd all be screwed. Plus, I'm a teacher, and you can't possibly beat me, so either shut up and deal with my shenanigans or fight me. But anywho, this evaluation will be based on hand-to-combat and cultivation."

Prof. Niko commented as he snapped his fingers causing a door to appear in the center of the room as the desks within the classroom shifted, forming a circle around it.

"Now for those who don't know, this is a new product of our tech department developed with the aid of GenHyper called HyperDive, which is similar to a pocket dimension but digitalized. So could our two contestants please step in, so that your classmates could see what I'm talking about?"

Nod.

"Well then, good luck and please give us a fight to remember," Niko smiled as Rin and Kyrie entered the door and were teleported to a green meadow. Which had snow-capped mountains, fluffy clouds, a radiant afternoon sun, and scattered fields of dandelions & sunflowers.

***

Kyrie's POV -

'Hmm, so it's an artificial pocket dimension, crafted using technology and magic?' I thought as I tried to see how it'd compare to a pocket dimension formed after a cultivator's death or handcrafted as a training ground.

Following me and Rin's entry into the door which opened with a creak, when he approached it before it suddenly sucked us in and closed with a thud.

Teleporting us to a white room that quickly scanned our cultivation, talent, and physique before transforming into a green meadow.

Hum. Hum. Hum. Ding!

"Scan complete! Would Kyrie Goldstein and Rin Kurama, be okay with GenHyper using your information for ranking purposes for Project X?" A mysterious voice asked the two participants as a red bar appeared above them, which was a manifestation of their health and the deciding factor of their soon to be fight.

"Now, Rin and Kyrie, while it's not advised, sooner or later your talent, cultivation, and physique will become public knowledge if you plan on being a part of Project X. So to save us all the trouble and time just agree and begin the fight."

"Sigh, I guess there's no avoiding it, huh?" I muttered as Rin sighed before we both did what Niko told us.

"Thank you! Your assistance is much appreciated, now before we begin, please be aware that your fight will be recorded and uploaded to the database of GenHyper. Also, before the start of your battle, regardless of cultivation and physique your body will be suppressed with your attributes being balanced to make the fight fair. However, while techniques are not restricted, anything above the might of a God will be nullified." The voice told them before disappearing as a 10-second timer manifested in the sky and began to countdown slowly.

End of POV

***

BOOM!

"Well, then good luck, and may the best man win!" They both said with a smile that hid ill intent as this would be the fight that would decide who was stronger.

While finally putting an end to whatever plans and schemes both sides were playing...