CHAPTER 1 – Fear Comes From Power
CHAPTER 1 – Fear Comes From Power
They said strength decides everything.
In the underground arena, that wasn’t just belief. It was law.
The place was alive with noise. Voices overlapped, bets were thrown without hesitation, and the air carried the scent of sweat, metal, and anticipation. It was chaotic, but everyone understood one thing. Only the strong mattered here.
Tonight was no different.
“Next fight!”
The announcer’s voice cut through the noise, sharp and commanding.
“Undefeated champion—Zhao Kang!”
The reaction was instant. Cheers erupted across the arena as a massive figure stepped forward. Zhao Kang’s presence alone was enough to silence weaker men. His body was built through countless battles, his confidence carved from victory after victory. He had never lost.
Not once.
“And his opponent…”
The announcer paused for just a moment.
“…Lin Xuan.”
For a brief second, the arena went quiet.
Then laughter spread.
“Who is that?”
“Did they run out of fighters?”
“This will end in one hit.”
Lin Xuan walked into the arena without reacting to any of it. His steps were steady, his posture relaxed, his expression calm. He didn’t look like someone preparing for a fight. He looked like someone who had nothing to prove.
Zhao Kang narrowed his eyes.
There was no fear in Lin Xuan’s gaze.
No hesitation.
No emotion at all.
“You still have time to leave,” Zhao Kang said, his voice carrying confidence and faint irritation. “Once it starts, I won’t stop.”
No reply.
Lin Xuan simply stood there, looking at him.
For a brief moment, something uncomfortable passed through Zhao Kang’s chest. It wasn’t fear. Not yet.
But it wasn’t normal either.
The bell rang.
Zhao Kang moved immediately.
His body exploded forward, his fist cutting through the air with overwhelming force. It was fast enough to end the fight instantly, powerful enough to break bones without resistance.
The crowd leaned forward.
This was the moment they were waiting for.
For a split second, it looked like the attack would land.
Then it didn’t.
Zhao Kang’s fist stopped.
Not slowed.
Not deflected.
Stopped.
Just inches away from Lin Xuan’s face.
Zhao Kang’s expression froze.
“What…?”
He tried to push forward, to complete the strike.
Nothing happened.
His muscles tightened, his strength surged, but his body refused to respond. It was as if something invisible had taken control, denying him even the ability to move.
The laughter disappeared.
The noise vanished.
Something else replaced it.
Silence.
Lin Xuan raised his eyes slightly.
That small movement was enough.
A pressure spread through the arena.
It wasn’t visible. It didn’t make a sound.
But everyone felt it.
Heavy.
Cold.
Unavoidable.
Zhao Kang’s breathing became unstable. His body trembled as something pressed down on him from every direction. His legs bent slowly, despite all his strength.
Then—
he dropped to his knees.
“I… can’t move…”
His voice shook.
Not from pain.
From instinct.
The kind of instinct that appears when something far beyond understanding stands in front of you.
The audience didn’t react.
They couldn’t.
Their bodies refused.
Their minds couldn’t process what they were seeing.
Lin Xuan took one step forward.
Just one.
The pressure intensified instantly.
Zhao Kang’s vision blurred. His thoughts broke apart. Everything he believed in—his strength, his victories, his pride—collapsed in that moment.
None of it mattered.
Lin Xuan reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.
There was no force behind it.
No technique.
No visible power.
Just a simple touch.
And that was enough.
Zhao Kang collapsed completely.
Not defeated in a fight.
Not injured.
Just unable to continue.
The arena fell into absolute silence.
No cheers.
No disbelief.
No movement.
Because no one understood what had just happened.
And that was what made it terrifying.
Lin Xuan turned and walked away.
To him, it meant nothing.
But for everyone else, something had changed.
They didn’t witness strength.
They witnessed something beyond it.
Something they couldn’t define.
And deep inside, every single person felt the same thing.
Fear.
Not loud.
Not obvious.
But undeniable.
Outside, the city continued as usual.
Cars moved.
Lights flickered.
People walked along the streets.
Everything looked normal.
But it wasn’t.
As Lin Xuan walked forward, people moved aside without thinking. No one blocked his path. No one stayed too close. Their bodies reacted before their minds could understand.
Stay away.
One man glanced at him for just a second.
Their eyes met.
The man froze instantly.
His heartbeat accelerated.
A cold sensation spread through his body.
Danger.
He didn’t know why.
He didn’t need to.
Lin Xuan walked past him without stopping.
“What… was that?” the man whispered.
No answer came.
Because there was nothing to explain.
Lin Xuan stopped briefly in front of a glass window.
His reflection stared back at him.
Calm.
Unchanging.
For a moment, something flickered in his eyes.
A memory.
A voice.
A fragment of the past.
Then it disappeared.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said quietly.
And continued walking.
Far away, inside a sealed room, multiple screens replayed the same scene again and again. Every angle was analyzed. Every frame examined.
No explanation was found.
“No physical interference.”
“No detectable energy.”
“No reaction window.”
Silence filled the room.
“…What is he?” someone finally asked.
No one answered.
Another voice spoke, lower this time.
“Do not approach him.”
A pause followed.
“Observe only.”
Because something like that—
was not meant to be challenged.
Back on the street, Lin Xuan stopped for a moment.
The wind moved around him, uncertain, as if even it didn’t know how to behave.
“It begins,” he said softly.
No one heard him.
But soon—
everyone would.
Because some names bring respect.
Some bring curiosity.
But his name—
brings fear.
Not the kind you can fight.
Not the kind you can escape.
But the kind that makes you understand
standing against him was never an option.
Because he never loses.