Bab 3: Chapter 3
Aldric vanished—and reappeared in front of Mu Lan instantly.
(I'M DEAD.)
Mu Lan did the only thing he could:
He randomly swung his arm in panic.
WHAM!
Somehow, Aldric dodged.
The crowd held their breath.
"That movement… so unpredictable!"
"It's completely unreadable! A perfect counter to speed-based attacks!"
"Could this be… the true depth of the Phantom Lotus Form?!"
Mu Lan: (I WAS JUST FLAILING?!)
Aldric stepped back. His face grew serious.
"…That was impressive."
Mu Lan: (No, it wasn't! It was an accident!)
Aldric rushed in again.
Mu Lan's brain screamed.
(I CAN'T THINK! JUST MOVE!)
He jumped to the side—but slipped on a rock.
His body twisted in midair—and somehow, he landed perfectly.
It looked flawless.
The audience erupted.
"He dodged… with a spin?!" "Such grace… such control…!" "A MASTER of evasion!"
Ding!
[Fame Points +100] (For looking way cooler than you actually are.)
Mu Lan: (STOP THAT! I'M JUST CLUMSY!)
Aldric gritted his teeth.
"This is… more difficult than I expected."
Mu Lan saw an opportunity.
(If I can just stall until the time runs out… I WIN!)
So he embraced the misunderstanding.
He closed his eyes again.
The crowd gasped.
"He's predicting the attacks with his other senses!" "Blind fighting?! Is he a monster?!"
Ding!
[Fame Points +200]
Mu Lan: (WHY IS THIS WORKING?!)
Aldric attacked.
Mu Lan ducked randomly.
Aldric's punch barely missed.
"!!!"
Aldric staggered.
Mu Lan froze.
(Did I… just dodge that?!)
The crowd lost their minds.
"HE READ THE ATTACK INSTANTLY?!"
"WHAT KIND OF MONSTER IS THIS?!"
Mu Lan: (I AM LITERALLY JUST GUESSING?!)
Aldric stepped back.
"…I see."
The countdown reached zero.
Ding!
[Duel Complete! Winner: Mu Lan]
Silence.
Then—thunderous applause.
"Unbelievable…"
"A first-year defeated Aldric…!"
"Not just defeated… he dominated!"
Mu Lan: (DOMINATED?! I NEARLY DIED?!)
Aldric stared at him.
"…I acknowledge you."
Mu Lan: (ACKNOWLEDGE ME FOR WHAT? I DID NOTHING?!)
Aldric bowed slightly.
"I will train harder. And next time, I won't lose."
(NEXT TIME? NO, THANK YOU?!)
But the damage was done.
The legend of the Phantom Lotus Form had begun.
And Mu Lan…
Had no idea how to stop it.
Mu Lan had a problem.
A big problem.
The entire academy now believed he was some kind of hidden martial arts prodigy.
(How the hell did this happen?!)
One minute, he was trying not to die.
The next?
He was "a mysterious master of an ancient fighting style."
And the worst part?
People were buying it.
---
[Halls of Saint Lumina Academy]
Mu Lan walked to class.
Except he couldn't walk normally anymore.
Because everyone was staring.
Whispers followed him everywhere.
"That's him! The Phantom Lotus Master!"
"I heard he dodged all of Aldric's attacks with his eyes closed!"
"Some say he never actually moves—he just flows like water!"
"I heard he's actually an exiled prince from a fallen martial clan!"
Mu Lan: (…WHAT?!)
He reached his classroom.
The moment he stepped inside—silence.
Then—dozens of heads turned to him at once.
(Oh no.)
Even the professor, an old man with sharp eyes, narrowed his gaze.
"…Interesting."
Mu Lan: (No, it's not! Don't look at me like that!)
He sat down quickly.
But the moment he did—
Someone appeared next to him.
A girl with silver hair and piercing green eyes.
Sylvia de Vermillion.
Top-ranked student. Genius duelist. Heiress to the Vermillion family.
And currently staring at him like he was a puzzle to solve.
Mu Lan: (Oh no.)
She leaned closer.
"…Your technique was fascinating."
Mu Lan: (No, it wasn't! It was random flailing!)
"You must have spent years training in secret."
Mu Lan: (I HAVEN'T TRAINED A SINGLE DAY?!)
"…I challenge you to a duel."
(EXCUSE ME?!)
---
[Duel Arena – Afternoon]
Somehow, within a single day, Mu Lan went from accidentally dodging a punch—
To facing one of the academy's strongest duelists.
Sylvia stood before him, sword drawn.
The arena was packed.
Everyone wanted to see if "The Phantom Lotus Master" was truly invincible.
Mu Lan: (I AM NOT. I AM VERY, VERY VINCIBLE?!)
He looked at Sylvia.
She looked at him.
She smiled.
…Why was that terrifying?
The referee raised his hand.
"Begin!"
Sylvia vanished.
(OH SH—)
Mu Lan jumped back instinctively.
A blade sliced through the air where he just stood.
Ding!
[Fame Points +200] (For avoiding instant death.)
The crowd gasped.
"He dodged effortlessly!"
"Did you see how he moved?! He's unreadable!"
"No wonder Aldric lost—this guy is a monster!"
Mu Lan: (I TRIPPED?!)
Sylvia narrowed her eyes.
"…Impressive."
Mu Lan: (IT'S NOT! STOP SAYING THAT?!)
She attacked again.
Mu Lan, in full panic, threw his arms up.
Their weapons clashed.
The force pushed Sylvia back.
The crowd lost their minds.
"HE DEFLECTED IT?!"
"WHAT KIND OF MONSTER STRENGTH—?!"
Mu Lan: (NO, SHE JUST HELD BACK?!)
Sylvia smiled.
"…This is fun."
(NO IT'S NOT?!)
And that was how, within 24 hours of arriving at the academy,
Mu Lan accidentally became the most feared duelist in his class.
(I WANT A REFUND ON THIS LIFE.)
Mu Lan stood frozen.
(I don't want to die.)
Sylvia stood opposite him, sword raised.
(She's actually enjoying this?!)
The crowd buzzed with excitement.
Betting had already started.
"50 gold on Sylvia!"
"100 on the Phantom Lotus Master!"
"Wait, isn't he just a freshman?"
"That's what makes it so insane!"
Mu Lan: (It's NOT insane! It's a MISTAKE?!)
The referee raised his hand.
"Round two—BEGIN!"
Sylvia disappeared.
Mu Lan: (OH COME ON?!)
---
[Inside Mu Lan's Mind]
Ding!
[New Mission: Survive Sylvia's Attacks for 30 Seconds!]
Reward: +300 Fame Points, +1 Agility]
Mu Lan: (Only 30 seconds? That's not bad—)
[Hidden Condition Activated!]
[If you make it look "effortless," additional rewards will be granted!]
Mu Lan: (…Why do I feel like this is a trap?)
---
[Back in Reality]
Sylvia struck from the side.
Mu Lan did what any sane person would do—
He jumped backward like a terrified rabbit.
Ding!
[Fame Points +100] (For dodging with inhuman grace!)
The crowd went wild.
"Did you see that? He moved before she even attacked!"
"His reflexes are insane!"
"That's some next-level combat intuition!"
Mu Lan: (NO IT'S NOT, I JUST PANICKED?!)
Sylvia's eyes gleamed.
(Why does she look more excited?!)
She attacked again.
Mu Lan, in sheer survival mode, tripped over his own foot—
And accidentally dodged another strike.
Ding!
[Fame Points +150] (For avoiding a fatal blow with perfect timing!)
The audience lost their minds.
"A true master never wastes movement!"
"I can't even predict his next step!"
"Sylvia is being pushed back?!"
Mu Lan: (NO SHE'S NOT! SHE'S JUST TRYING NOT TO KILL ME?!)
---
[Countdown: 10 Seconds Left]
Sylvia smirked.
"…You're better than I thought."
Mu Lan: (No, I'm NOT?!)
She raised her sword.
Wind gathered around her.
The ground cracked beneath her feet.
The crowd held their breath.
Mu Lan: (OH NO, SHE'S ABOUT TO GET SERIOUS?!)
He threw his arms up in pure desperation—
And at that moment—
Ding!
[Mission Complete!]
[Bonus Condition Met: You made it look effortless!]
[Reward: +300 Fame Points, +1 Agility, +1 Unknown Bonus]
BOOM!
A sudden shockwave erupted around Mu Lan.
Everyone stumbled back—even Sylvia.
The dust settled.
And standing in the center…
Was Mu Lan.
Completely untouched.
(Wait… what just happened?!)
---
[Silence.]
Then—
"…He deflected Sylvia's full power just by standing there?!"
"WHAT KIND OF MONSTER IS HE?!"
"THE PHANTOM LOTUS MASTER IS REAL?!"
Mu Lan: (NO, HE'S NOT?! STOP BELIEVING IN HIM?!)
Sylvia stared.
Then—
She smiled.
"…I admit defeat."
(EH?!)
The referee blinked.
"…Winner: Mu Lan."
The arena exploded with cheers.
Mu Lan: (WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!)
---
[Aftermath]
Mu Lan escaped the duel arena.
Or at least, he tried.
Because now—
Half the academy wanted to challenge him.
And the other half wanted to recruit him.
Mu Lan: (I JUST WANTED A QUIET LIFE?!)
Ding!
[New Title Unlocked: "The Untouchable Phantom"]
[Effect: Your dodges now seem 50% more mysterious.]
Mu Lan: (I HATE EVERYTHING.)
And that was how, in under a week—
Mu Lan accidentally became the most feared duelist in the academy.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone