XINGCHEN ZHU

Inside a classroom that could easily double as a technicolor parade, a motley crew of students occupied their chairs, some in solo acts of concentration, others in animated group huddles. The spectrum of hair colors on display could rival a rainbow - a testament to the school's laissez-faire attitude towards follicular experimentation. One corner of the room was positively abuzz, as if hosting a covert comedy club.

"Look at those hips swivel!" chortled a lad named Lu Chen, his hair the color of fresh grass, his laughter akin to a malfunctioning lawn mower. His hand flapped like a wilting leaf over his grinning mouth.

"Did you see that kick? The hip sway before it? Pure genius," chimed another, Hu Ming, his hair so dark it seemed like he was trying to absorb all the light in the room. He snickered, trying to keep a poker face that was quickly crumbling.

The laughter snowballed, infectious and uproarious, as more students flocked to witness the sideshow captured on a phone.

"Even when he's dancing hilariously, he still manages to look so handsome," the girls who were watching exclaimed in dramatic awe, while the boys laughed until they were practically wheezing.

The closed door creaked open like a portal to a new dimension, and in walked none other than Xin.

"Speaking of the devil..." a girl named Wu Mei, with vibrant pink hair and a makeup palette worthy of an art exhibit, quips, her arms stretching like a languid cat's morning stretch.

"Behold, the class clown hath arrived!" the green-haired jester-in-residence chimes in, playing the role of royal announcer to perfection.

A stoic Xin enters, unyielding as ever in his facial expressions, as he nonchalantly removes his earphones. If confusion were a person, it would be Xin's middle name.

"Pray tell, what's the fuss about?" Xin inquires, his face resembling that of a statue carved from bemusement itself.

"Xin, my friend, do you not realize your meteoric rise to fame?" Wu Mei proclaimed, her phone's screen tilted upward for Xin's tall height to see.

Xin's gaze locks onto the screen, and behold, the video is unveiled—a masterpiece in which he takes center stage, dancing like no one's watching during his morning commute.

"I never knew you had such moves, Xin!" Lu Chen, wiping away tears of hilarity.

"I can't stop replaying it!" "My eyes are weeping!" Hu Ming gasped, waving his hand in mock dramatics, followed by a chorus of gleeful nods from the peanut gallery.

While his classmates revel in his unwitting entertainment, Xin's expression remains a masterpiece of perplexity. Amid the collective laughter, his face held the bewilderment of someone who had just landed on an alien planet.

He's still on the quest for the answer to the universal conundrum: why everything he does seems to tickle these folks' funny bones. Is there a cosmic joke he's missing? Is he secretly hilarious without even trying? The world may never know.

Amid the ongoing laughter, particularly Hu Ming who appeared to be on the brink of hilarity-induced collapse, the green-haired boy scrolled down to see another video of a guy dressed in the distinctive xiaofu attire wearing a demon mask fighting what seemed to be colossal figures. "Woah, it's Xingchen Zhu, guys! Watch him take on those giant monstrosities," Lu Chen exclaimed. The crowd that had gathered around them instinctively pressed in closer to catch a glimpse of the unfolding spectacle.

"Aren't those titans?" Ming inquisitively craned his neck to see.

Mei, who was in close proximity to Xin, overheard their conversation and couldn't contain her excitement as she approached, "Aren't those Rank 3 monsters? The highest-ranked monsters known to date? And the renowned Xingchen Zhu is tackling them head-on?"

"Xingchen Zhu? Who's that?" Xin, still oblivious to the virtual world, asked.

"Are you serious, Xin?" Mei's surprise was palpable, shared by the growing group that remained engrossed in their phone screens, captivated by the ongoing clash.

"What are you, living under a rock, Xin?" Chen chimed in, his tone almost incredulous. Xin's countenance remained unchanged, oblivious to the pop culture reference eluding him.

In truth, Xin often remained oblivious to most of the happenings in the realm of social media. His spare moments were usually consumed by watching movies and dedicating himself to rigorous training routines.

"Allow me to enlighten you," Mei offered, ready to bridge the knowledge gap.

"Xingchen Zhu is an unknown hunter. His level, his class, all remain enshrouded in mystery. But what we can affirm is that he surpasses the majority in strength. Were he to officially register, he could effortlessly hold his own against the top-ranked hunters in Xianya. That's how formidable he is. And of course, he's recognized for his signature Guimian mask and his ancient swag robes," Mei elaborated.

"That sounds oddly familiar," Xin couldn't help but think. Curiosity compelled him to ask, "So, why is he known as Xingchen Zhu?"

"That's because he rains blades from the heavens. Hence, we dub him Xingchen Zhu(SpaceLord)," Chen eagerly responded, his eyes almost sparkling with enthusiasm.

An imperceptible twitch contorted Xin's otherwise stoic visage, a manifestation of his subtle discomfort.

"He's amazing! I wish I could be like him. If I were an awakener, I'd register as a hunter in a heartbeat, now that we're of legal age. I'd march into that tower and give those monsters a run for their money!" Chen exclaimed with fervor, punctuating his declaration with an exuberant air punch.

"You? An awakener? I highly doubt it," Ming playfully teased, prompting shared laughter among the group.

"Crap, it's the teacher," their classmate exclaimed with a tinge of panic, playing the role of the alarm outside the door. With a sudden burst of urgency, the students scrambled to their designated seats, each trying to settle in as inconspicuously as possible. Amidst the flurry of activity, Xin gracefully navigated through the commotion and took his seat in the back.

As the teacher began his lecture at the front of the classroom, the erasable blackboard becoming a canvas for complex mathematical formulas, a hush settled over the students. Amidst the silence punctuated by the rhythmic clicks of the teacher's marker against the board, Xin's mind began to wander somewhere else.

The classroom setting dissolved, replaced by an expanse of white. Now in what seemed to be a hospital room, the scene revealed Xin once more seated, yet his surroundings had transformed into something far removed from the classroom. Beside him, resting upon the hospital bed, lay a woman who appeared to be in her late thirties, her features serene as she lay there in peaceful repose.

"Mothe-" Xin paused, a lump forming in his throat, as if something within him was holding him back.

"I'm almost at my 18th birthday now," Xin's voice trailed off, his tone bitter yet contemplative.

"It's ironic, isn't it? The very day that took you away from me is the same day I've been counting down to," he muttered, a wistful smile tugging at his lips.

Gently, Xin held his mother's hand, the touch a connection between two worlds. "I'm sorry it's taken this long, and I fear it might take even longer," he confessed, his words soft in the silence of the room.

Xin's memories drifted back to a time when he was a mere thirteen years old. At that time, he was bound by the modern world's regulations, the constraints were undeniable—there was no conceivable way for a child to embark on such a journey alone.

While others found comfort in the world's gradual healing, Xin was left without a home. The makeshift refuge of the hospital had faded like a distant memory, leaving him adrift in a world struggling to regain its balance.

And so, he dedicated those three years to the dungeons as if it was his home, battling monsters relentlessly, driven by the hope that each fight brought him closer to his goal. It was a grueling, solitary journey, a test of endurance and strength. Until, one day, he discovered he had "that" skill.

Guided by this newfound ability, he took to the skies, traversing vast lands and treacherous oceans on a lone blade. Finally, he stood before the colossal tower guarded by mysterious beings of another realm.

Approaching the massive gates of the tower, Xin was initially greeted by the imposing figures of what appeared to be monumental stone statues. Yet, as he drew closer, the atmosphere shifted abruptly. From each statue's hand, gigantic twin axes plummeted to the earth, narrowly missing Xin's form by a hair's breadth. In that fleeting moment, a single strand of his hair wafted down to the ground.

Stunned by the sudden turn of events, Xin's countenance betrayed his astonishment. However, before he could fully process the danger he had narrowly escaped, the desolate surroundings resonated with a deep, resonant harmony. A chorus of voices, rich with a weighty authority, reverberated through the air. "You do not meet the requirements," the voices intoned in chilling unison.

Bristling with impatience, Xin fired back, his voice edged with defiance. "Why?" he demanded, his tone reflecting a resolve not easily swayed.

The response came swift and unwavering, the dual voices issuing their judgment once more. "You are weak," they echoed in perfect harmony.

Unfazed by the proclamation, distaste etched onto his features, Xin's voice cut through the air with a challenge. "Oh yeah? Why don't we test that out," he retorted, his posture shifting seamlessly into a battle-ready stance.

The colossal statues, their massive forms akin to giants bearing three heads, stirred to life. The very rock of their surface fractured as they roused from their seeming slumber.

In the heart of the desolate cityscape, Xin took his stance. His feet were planted shoulder-width apart, ensuring a solid balance. With his foot slightly advanced, his knees flexed, and his body angled slightly to the side.

His right arm extended slightly forward, while the left remained closer to his body, his elbows maintaining a controlled bend. Within his grasp, two spheres adorned with spikes materialized, connected by an unyielding chain.

The obsidian glow that had shrouded the weapon dissipated like shattered glass, unveiling a formidable dual meteor hammer of immense proportions.

The two colossal titans encircled Xin, assuming a stance nearly identical to his, yet with their feet placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Gripping the handles of their axes in both hands, they mirrored each other's actions with uncanny precision.

Xin swiftly moved forward with his foot, his meteor hammers trailing behind him. He spun the weapons in a graceful arc, the spiked spheres creating an intimidating aura.

With blinding speed, Xin swung his right meteor hammer overhead, the spiked ball crashing down towards the giant on the left. The giant raised his double-headed axe in a defensive block, its massive surface meeting the spiked sphere with a resounding clang.

The impact of the strike sent vibrations through the chain and into Xin's hands, his grip unwavering. The giant reacted swiftly, pivoting on one foot and using the momentum to bring his axe in a sweeping arc, attempting to parry Xin's attack.

Xin smoothly twisted his left wrist, redirecting the trajectory of the meteor hammer to intercept the oncoming axe head. The clash resounded with a metallic ring as sparks flew from the collision.

Seizing the rebound, Xin used the force to propel himself backward.

Xin wasted no time, yanking the chains with expert precision. The meteor hammers returned to him like loyal companions, their spiked heads leaving trails of light as they cut through the air.

As Xin lunged forward, Xin spun the meteor hammer in his right hand, harnessing his momentum to execute a forceful kick with his knee hitting the chains. The meteor hammer hurtled toward the giant in the right.

Meanwhile, the other stone giant initiated a circular motion with his axe, sending it spinning in a turning trajectory aimed at Xin's head.

Xin manipulated the left meteor hammer in intricate patterns, twirling it with finesse. Pivoting on his foot, he executed a swift turn and delivered a powerful strike with the meteor hammer's chain to parry the other giant's attack. The colossal meteor hammer broke through the axe, still propelling towards its target.

The giants bore the brunt of the meteor hammers' assault, their stone surfaces cracking under the pressure. However, as Xin's attacks connected, an unexpected phenomenon occurred—blood sprayed from his body, as if he were the one being torn apart. The stone giants seemed to repel the damage back onto Xin, creating a reversal of fate.

"What the hell-" Xin said as he coughed up blood. He placed his hands upon his chest. A yellow light enveloped his hands and spread through his body in an attempt to heal his injuries using Qi Flowing Harmony.

Xin's eyes darted towards the stone giant's body to see if they had any weakness but to Xin's demise, they didn't. Xin didn't give up, he decided to give it a try once more.

Xin launched into a dazzling display of twirls and spins, the chains blurring in the air. He executed a crossing pattern with his meteor hammers, twining the ropes around his neck, wrapping his upper body with the chains, and then released them in a deadly shot towards the stone giants.

As expected, blood sprayed around his body, the crimson droplets tracing a crisscross pattern across his upper body.

No matter the variety of attacks he employed, they all rebounded upon him. Even as he invoked Qi Flowing Harmony again, attempting to mend his wounds, a blue message materialized before him: "Chaos Power: -200" "Chaos Power: 617"

It became evident that utilizing Qi Flowing Harmony to restore his health exacted a heavy toll on his chaos power.

In a final, desperate gambit, Xin extended the chain before him, then turned to the opposite side to wrap the chain above his right shoulder and under his arm on the opposite side. With a mighty flex of his forearm muscles, he generated a menacing spin to the meteor hammer. Leaping into the air, he propelled the hammer from his back, its trajectory akin to a sword in flight. The hammer was launched, meticulously angled towards one of the stone giants' face.

A myriad of weapons, harkening from his storied past materialized in the sky, poised to pierce their enemies. Unbeknownst to the stone giants, Xin had cunningly set a trap above while distracting them with his ferocious assault using the meteor hammers.

But as the meteor hammer streaked towards its target at lightning speed, causing further cracks to spiderweb across the giant's surface, Xin's body continued to hemorrhage, as if the very act of dealing damage was a self-inflicted wound.

The devastating blow struck Xin like a tidal wave, sending him crashing to the ground. The very weapons he had conjured lost their purpose, falling aimlessly as his control over his energy faltered.

With a resounding shatter, his weapons fragmented into shards of dark light and dissipated into the air, leaving behind fading traces. As dust settled around him, Xin looked up at the towering figures, his breath ragged and chest heaving with exhaustion. Lying amidst his own blood, he found himself confronted not only by the imposing adversaries but also by the harsh reality of his limitations.

"I gave it everything, but I couldn't even make them budge an inch," Xin muttered, his voice a mixture of frustration and fatigue. He watched the stone giants, unyielding and resolute in their stationary positions, a testament to the daunting challenge that lay before him.

With the last reserves of his chaos power, Xin mustered the strength to heal himself, tending to his wounds before succumbing to unconsciousness.