Sorcerer Supreme at Hogwarts (English Versión)-Chapter 157: The Virtual Gladiators p1

The Virtual Gladiators p1

After Natasha's return, it seemed like everything had returned to normal for a couple of weeks. However, the calmness felt strange, as if something latent was about to explode. During this time, the games began to feel like a routine for the magical public, though there were always a few noisy individuals who caused disturbances. However, everything changed when the games started showcasing the power of Muggle weapons, sparking an intense debate between different groups.

On one side, voices emerged concerned about the possibility of facing Muggles in the future, fearing the challenge that might pose. On the other hand, the more skeptical considered such concerns exaggerated, believing that Muggle weapons could never compete against magic. Amid this controversy, some argued for the banning of war games, suggesting that it would be better to avoid letting the youth "contaminate" themselves with Muggle teachings. However, there were others who defended that studying this military technology could be beneficial to better understand its functionality.

For Stephen, all of this was just noise. He saw the simulation cabins as an invaluable tool for training his friends, a multifunctional machine offering endless possibilities. At that very moment, Harry was playing the role of a guinea pig, experiencing the simulation firsthand.

...

In a grand coliseum, where the crowd roared with excitement and support chants echoed, Harry stood at the center of the arena, facing his enemy. With his wand in one hand and a lightsaber in the other, he faced a werewolf, a creature nearly twice his size. Harry's eyes gleamed with determination as he stared down the monster.

The werewolf wasted no time. With a terrifying roar, it lunged at Harry, opening its mouth with the intent to tear a chunk of flesh from him. In one agile move, Harry rolled on the ground and raised his wand at the beast.

"Bombarda Maxima!" he shouted, and a blinding explosion hit the werewolf's face, destabilizing it and causing it intense pain. The monster clawed at its face while Harry seized the opportunity to close the gap, wielding his sword with precision. In a single strike, he decapitated the werewolf, which collapsed to the ground, bloodless, as it was all happening in a simulation.

"Harry!" the crowd erupted, their excitement overwhelming.

"Well, looks like Harry won again. Doesn't seem like he has any opponents that can last more than a couple of minutes," commented Jordan, the commentator, with a playful tone.

To understand what was happening, we have to go back a few days. Stephen had created a virtual world where everyone could enter to experience something as real as life itself. In this world, people could shop, eat, and have fun with friends, something that helped psychologically many wizards who couldn't leave their homes.

While Harry was enjoying a secret date with Hermione"though it wasn't so secret in a virtual world created by his brothers"Tony, Loki, and Stephen were in the lab, watching the simulation on the screens. They decided to intervene, applying the "suspension bridge" method.

In the middle of their date, several furious beasts, in the form of rabid wolves, appeared out of nowhere and charged at Harry with speed. Since no spells were allowed in the simulation, Harry, as quick as ever, improvised by using the utensils on the table, throwing them with precision into the wolves' eyes. Then, with remarkable agility, he stabbed them in the neck, defeating them in seconds. The people around were in shock at the surprise, but soon erupted in cheers and excitement.

"Hey, did you teach him that?" Tony quickly asked Loki.

"No, I think it was Natasha," Loki replied swiftly.

"Well, we were just supposed to scare him so he would act gallantly in front of Hermione, but that was much better... I think," Stephen remarked with a smile, watching the screen.

The problem was that the "scare" caught the attention of the women nearby, who quickly interrupted the date, approaching Harry with the intention of getting his number. The date ended abruptly, and Harry, annoyed, walked into the lab where Stephen, Tony, and Loki were pretending to be absorbed in a tomato from their lunch, as if describing its texture.

"Stop acting like idiots. Obviously, it was you guys," Harry said, visibly angry.

"Ha ha, sorry. We wanted to do one thing, but something better came out, right? Now you're almost as popular as me," Tony replied, grinning widely.

"Hey, Metis, did you adjust the weight of the virtual utensils?" Stephen asked thoughtfully.

Metis, in her neutral tone, responded: "There was no reprogramming to favor Mr. Harry. Only the wolves were controlled."

Stephen paused for a moment, staring at Harry with curiosity.

"You know," he said finally, a spark of excitement in his eyes, "I think we could use this in another way..."

........

"I can't believe I forgot that. It's like what the X-Men used to do," said Stephen, watching the screen where Harry was facing several beasts with his magic.

"X-Men?" Tony asked, confused. After all, they didn't exist in his world.

"A group of mutants who worked for a guy named Charles, hence the name X-Men," Stephen explained, not going into too much detail.

"So, you want to use the cabins to train?" Tony asked calmly.

"Well, training all the time could be functional, but it's not the same as facing enemies that could kill you with a single mistake," Stephen replied quickly.

"Hey, you were the champion in duels. Why don't we recreate something like that? And bring people to watch it. It'll be like ancient Rome," Tony suggested, with an intrigued smile.

"Sounds interesting. Alright, you handle it. I... have a date," Stephen said with a sly smile as he quickly escaped.

"Hey!" Tony exclaimed, upset as he saw him leave. Tsk. Me and my big mouth... Metis, we have work to do," he said angrily, looking at the air as if waiting for a response.

...

"Welcome to the first virtual fighting championship. I hope you're all excited to see these fabulous deathmatches in this fantastic virtual world created by the best company in the world, MagicTech," announced Lee Jordan, the commentator, as he settled in among the stands.

"Now, after that fabulous display from one of the best competitors, let's begin with the first match. This one also features two of the best fighters in this coliseum. Let's welcome Fred and George Weasley, better known as the troublemaking twins. But this time, they won't be seen as partners in pranks, but as enemies to the death," Jordan continued, clearly more excited about this battle than any of the others in the stands.

Fred and George entered the coliseum, greeting everyone calmly as the crowd erupted into cheers and banners with hearts. After all, the twins had become incredibly popular. Or rather, all the fighters in the coliseum were very well known. Many of them were Stephen's close friends, who had reached an impressive level in magical combat and martial arts. But there were also wizards who weren't as close to Stephen but had good skills. Even some wizards from other magical schools joined in, showing their worth after the Triwizard Tournament.

The coliseum had become a place where the best gathered to fight and prove who was the strongest. Here, there were no absurd rules like in duel tournaments. In this place, the only thing that mattered was who was still standing at the end. And of course, since no one would die, the mental barriers everyone had to avoid hurting their enemies too much disappeared. This caused the high-level duelists, those who were champions in dueling competitions, to not even make it to the top 10 among the new fighters in the coliseum. frёewebnoѵēl.com

It seemed that the level of fighters kept increasing with every battle. The best part was that this wasn't just reflected in the simulation, but also in real life. It was psychological training, as well as a way to gain experience in real battles.

Stephen sat quietly watching the battle, while Wanda, beside him, devoured all kinds of snacks without even looking at what she was putting in her mouth.

"Can you stop chewing for a moment?" Stephen said, annoyed.

"Of course not," Wanda replied, with a mocking smile while continuing to eat.

"Metis, get rid of this fool's food," Stephen said into the air, without looking at her.

"Hey, Metis, don't do that, or I'll throw a banana smoothie wherever your server is!" Wanda quickly said, afraid her snacks would disappear.

Then, in front of them appeared a green-haired girl, with an entirely indifferent expression. It was Metis's virtual form.

"I'd prefer not to be used for your childish fights," she said quickly, before disappearing without another word.

"You made her mad," Wanda commented, looking at Stephen with an amused smile.

"Tsk," Stephen grumbled and started ignoring Wanda, staring intently at the center of the coliseum where the battle between the twins was about to begin.

The tension in the air was palpable. The coliseum awaited, and the battle between Fred and George Weasley was about to unfold in a spectacle that none of those present would ever forget.