Dope Rope
The virtual space in which they played in started to decompose, as the two return to the initial arena.
"IT SEEEEEEMS LIKE WE HAVE A WINNEEEERRRR IN THE MIND GAMES SECTION!!
TO NO SURPRIIIISEEEE, IT IS ZEPHYYYYYYYYEEEERRRRR HAAAANNNNXXXXX!!" The over excited announcer quickly the winner.
"YEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
*Loud cheering noise from the fans*
He continues. "With this win he gains 10 points out of 40, making him share the lead with Nordibek Reza and Manio Kanutey!!"
Zephyr stands with his hands crossed yet again and eyes the two players as soon as he heard the announcer say that. 'Hmm… That big guy is more than just muscles? And who's that Reza guy? Something about him looks quite intriguing…'
Right away, the rest of players finish their own contests. What was interesting at the end was that some players agreed to draw their matchups, giving each one five points instead of ten.
"NOOOWWW!!! WITHOUT ANY REST OR DELAAYYY!!
THE SECOOONNNNDDDDD ROUND STARTS IN THREEEEEEEE!!
TWWOOOO!!
ONE AND A HAAAALFFF!!!
...AAAAAAAND OOONNNEEEEEEEE!!!!"
The match ups being to form automatically just like the first time.
Zephyr's next opponent is the big muscular guy, Manio Kanutey!
'Interesting! Facing off against him in a mental and physical endurance challenge...' The game teleports the two players where they will face off.
Meanwhile, he starts thinking to himself. '…Maybe this is my chance to finally face off against someone who could push me to my limits, even Levon and Valvesteen didn't usually prove difficult to beat in the rare times I faced them in similar activities. Granted, they were never that interested in working on their bodies like I was.
I could've been the same as them, simply relying on my enhanced abilities from the hybrid gene, if not for dad who kept pushing me to do these weird techniques he called martial arts…
Wait! Isn't there a mode of play in this game called martial artist?! Could it be related? Most likely…'
By the time Zephyr ended his monologue, everything is set in place! He looks around and analyzes the current situation.
"…Isn't this Kardia?"
"COOORRREEECCTTT!!! THIS IS WHERE YOU WILL BE HAVING YOUR COMPETITION" replies the announcer.
Zephyr gets a bit off guard by his sudden loud voice, he is used to total and eerie silence in this realm.
"Ugh! What is this fool doing here?! Such a nuisance..."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A FOOL MISTER ZEPHYR!!?
ARE YOU CALLING THIS AMAZING WONDERFUL COMMENTATOR A FOOL?
HUH!!? DO YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME POINTS DEDUCED FROM YOU?? I HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT AS THE ARBITER YOU KNOW?!"
Zephyr puts on a funny apologetic face and waves with his hands. "AHAHA… Nah nah!!
I take back what I said Mr. amazing, wonderful commentator."
'What a fool this old man is… He's very weird!' He keeps his honest opinion to himself this time, but a weird silence followed, the announcer looked dead in his eyes, as if he heard him again!
'…Oh shit!! Don't tell me he can hear my inner thoughts too!! I'm finished if that's the case…"'
"AAAAAALRIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!" Luckily for Hanx, the announcer switches the subject and goes back to his commentator mode.
Let us not waste any time and start one of the most exciting match ups so far in this tournament!!! These two players are one of the top-notch cultivators in the Lor Region, with both being well over the second star level already!!
As you can see, your match will not only be commentated but also viewed by the crowd live." During his commentary, digital screens manifest themselves from all 4 directions, showing each side of the stands.
"Now!! To the rules." He suddenly lowers his tone.
"The Mental & Physical Endurance Contest revolves around one simple idea, the one who lasts longer wins.
It is composed of 5 different challenges, 3 of them regarding your physical performance and two relating to your mental capacity and durability.
Take your places now."
Suddenly two black spots appear distinct from one another, with each having the name of the player written on it. The two begin walking to their respective places, all while eying their opponent intensely.
"The first challenge will be a physical one! It is quite a simple but very fun and intense competition where both of you will have to drag the other past the line that will be drawn right now!
To make it a totally equal competition, the line is drawn right in the middle between the two of you.
Now, you must be asking yourself how can we drag each other?"
Suddenly, something starts forming from digital molecules into somewhat of a hologram object!
"This is where this long thick rope comes in to play!
Once you take a good grip on it, the rope will consolidate itself and act the same as any rope you used before."
'Any rope we used before?! What is he talking about!? We never used a thing like this before…
I didn't even know something like this exists…' exclaims Zephyr internally!
He is not the only one finding it a bit difficult to follow, many spectators are starting to chat within themselves and question what a rope is.
However, his opponent looks unfazed and unbothered, insinuating that he is not seeing or hearing something new for the first time!
Sanio Kanutey is a 1.92 cm large, muscular, lean, light skinned black man. His bold head almost mirrors a mirror, especially in the snow-white void of Kardia. His face is quite distinctive from the people of Babel, with a long round nose and visibly big lips, a sharp chin, and even sharper, darker eyes.
His outfit looks straight out of an Assassin's creed game, a mix of Oriental and African aesthetic. One wonders if he is not feeling hot with the extremely dry and static weather of aedificium.
"Please hold the rope exactly where the arrow is pointing at." instructs the announcer.
A digital arrow forms from thin air yet again and starts jumping up and down towards where the players must put their hands on.
The two follow the instruction instantly, but the rope succumbs to gravity and slips down from their grip!!
"Oups! I forgot to mention one last thing!
The moment you grab it, gravity becomes 5 times denser." The commentator jokingly declares.
'5 times denser!! That is ridiculous… I don't feel any diff..' Zephyr realizes how moving his body became considerably harder than usual!
On the other side, Sanio remains calm and steady! He does not react still, he simply picks up the rope once again from his end and stands up, waiting for the challenge to finally start.
Zephyr does the same afterwards, and the two face off…
The commentator. "You better be ready the moment the countdown starts!"
*THREE…*
The players tighten their grip…
"TWO…*
They simultaneously add a second hand, lowering their knees just enough to generate enough ground force!
*ONE…*
*START!!!!!*