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Lin Hao stood in the school courtyard, his glowing wok still warm from the *Ultimate Infernal Boar Chili Apocalypse* he'd whipped up for Principal Zhao and her pet wyrm, Fangfang. The A-grade exam pass in his pocket felt like a small victory, but the smug face of the Combat Class jerk in front of him was a whole new level of trouble. The courtyard buzzed with students, their phones out, recording the showdown. #SpatulaHero was about to become #SpatulaLoser if he didn't think fast.
The jerk, a tall kid named Chen Feng with slicked-back hair and an S-rank *Frostblade Warrior* class, spun a glowing blue dagger in his hand. His icy aura made the air around him shimmer with frost, and his smirk screamed "I'm better than you." His squad—three other Combat Class students with equally punchable faces—stood behind him, snickering.
"So, Chili Boy," Chen Feng drawled, "you think cooking a wolf makes you hot stuff? SSS-rank or not, a Life Class like you belongs in the kitchen, not the battlefield. Duel me. Right here, right now. Or I'll make sure everyone in New Shanghai knows you're just a glorified lunch lady."
Lin Hao's stomach churned. He'd faced a dire wolf and a dragon, but a human opponent? One who probably trained by slicing monsters in half before breakfast? His hands tightened around his wok. "Sassy, any chance I can talk my way out of this?" he whispered to his [System].
[Emergency Quest: Survive the Duel with Chen Feng! Reward: 200 EXP, Mystery Skill. Penalty: Lose All Social Cred. Pro tip: He's Level 5, two levels above you. His Frostblade Slash can freeze you solid. Good luck, Spatula Boy.]
"Stop calling me that!" Lin Hao hissed. The crowd was growing, and X notifications pinged his phone—his chili-making clip had already hit 10,000 likes. Great. More pressure.
Chen Feng raised his dagger, its blade glinting with icy energy. "No weapons, no skills, just a friendly spar. Unless you're scared, World Weaver." He spat the class name like it was an insult.
Lin Hao glanced at his wok. "Friendly? You look like you want to turn me into a popsicle."
[Accept the quest, dummy. You've got Cook the World in a Pot (Level 1) and Seasoning Slash (Level 1). Plus, that Dragonfire Pepper from the last quest. Get creative, or you're gonna be the laughingstock of New Shanghai High.]
Lin Hao sighed, raising his wok like a shield. "Fine. Let's do this. But if I win, you stop calling me Chili Boy."
Chen Feng laughed, and the crowd cheered. A holographic arena formed around them, a standard dueling circle powered by the school's [System]. A robotic voice announced: [Duel: Lin Hao (Level 3, World Weaver) vs. Chen Feng (Level 5, Frostblade Warrior). First to yield or lose 50% HP wins. Begin!]
Chen Feng moved like a blur, his dagger flashing as he unleashed *Frostblade Slash*. A wave of icy energy shot toward Lin Hao, freezing the ground in its path. Lin Hao dove to the side, rolling awkwardly and nearly dropping his wok. The crowd roared with laughter.
"Nice dodge, Lunch Lady!" Chen Feng taunted, charging again. His dagger glowed brighter, and the air around Lin Hao dropped ten degrees.
[Sassy, help!] Lin Hao thought, scrambling to his feet. [This guy's gonna turn me into a snow cone!]
[Use Seasoning Slash! Aim for his smug face!]
Lin Hao's hand glowed, and he instinctively reached into his inventory, grabbing the *Dragonfire Pepper*. He activated *Seasoning Slash*, flinging a handful of glowing red powder at Chen Feng. The pepper exploded into a fiery cloud, and Chen Feng yelped as it hit his face, his eyes watering.
[Damage dealt: 100 HP! Debuff applied: Spicy Tears – Vision reduced by 30% for 10 seconds.]
"Argh! What is this?!" Chen Feng swiped blindly, his dagger missing Lin Hao by inches. The crowd gasped, then burst into laughter as Chen Feng sneezed violently, ice crystals flying from his nose.
Lin Hao seized the moment. "Time to heat things up!" He activated *Cook the World in a Pot*, and his wok expanded, casting a 10-meter circle of light around the arena. The air filled with the scent of sizzling spices, and a spectral pot appeared, bubbling with a fiery red broth. "Let's try… *Dragonfire Pepper Explosion Soup*!"
The broth surged, splashing toward Chen Feng. It didn't just burn—it *ignited*, wrapping his legs in flaming liquid that smelled like a five-star Sichuan restaurant. Chen Feng screamed, his HP dropping by 200 as the broth seared through his frost armor.
[Damage dealt: 200 HP! Debuff applied: Overwhelmed by Flavor – Movement speed reduced by 20%.]
The crowd was losing it. "He's cooking him!" someone shouted. "Is that allowed?!" another yelled. Lin Hao's phone buzzed with new X posts: #SpatulaHeroCooksFrostboy.
Chen Feng recovered, his face red from spice and rage. "You think a soup can stop me?!" He unleashed *Glacial Tempest*, a whirlwind of ice shards that tore through the arena. Lin Hao ducked behind his wok, which miraculously blocked the attack, though it frosted over.
[Sassy, my wok's freezing! Do something!]
[Your Immortal-rank talent, Infinite Craft, lets you adapt skills on the fly. Combine Cook the World with Seasoning Slash for a combo move. Hurry, he's charging!]
Lin Hao's mind raced. He grabbed another *Dragonfire Pepper* and a *Void Garlic* from his inventory, tossing them into the wok. "Combo time!" he shouted, activating both skills at once. The wok glowed red-hot, and a massive explosion of spicy mist erupted, forming a *Flaming Garlic Spice Bomb*. The cloud engulfed Chen Feng, who coughed and stumbled, his HP dropping another 150.
[Combo Success! Damage dealt: 150 HP! Debuff applied: Garlic Breath – Charisma reduced by 50% for 1 minute.]
Chen Feng's squad stopped cheering, their jaws dropping as their leader wheezed, reeking of garlic. The crowd roared with laughter, and Lin Hao couldn't help but grin. "How's that for a lunch lady?"
Chen Feng, now at 30% HP, roared in frustration. "I'm ending this!" He raised his dagger, channeling a massive *Frostblade Nova*—a Level 5 skill that could freeze the entire arena. Lin Hao felt the temperature plummet, his breath visible in the air.
[Sassy, I'm out of ideas! He's gonna bury me in snow!]
[You're a World Weaver, not a one-trick chef. Your wok's not just for cooking—it's a weapon. Smack him with it!]
Lin Hao's eyes widened. "Smack him? With a wok?!" But as the icy nova surged toward him, he had no choice. He gripped the wok with both hands, channeling every ounce of his Level 3 strength, and swung it like a baseball bat. The wok connected with Chen Feng's dagger, sending a shockwave through the arena. The frost nova shattered, and Chen Feng stumbled back, his HP dropping to 10%.
[Critical Hit! Damage dealt: 200 HP! Chen Feng is staggered!]
The crowd went wild, chanting "S-pat-u-la! S-pat-u-la!" Chen Feng fell to one knee, gasping. "I… yield," he muttered, his face a mix of spice burns and wounded pride.
[Duel Complete! Lin Hao wins! Reward: 200 EXP, Mystery Skill Unlocked: Thread of Fate (Level 1) – Weave magical threads to bind or enhance. Range: 15 meters. Effect varies by creativity.]
[Level Up! Lin Hao is now Level 4!]
Lin Hao lowered his wok, panting. The holographic arena dissolved, and the crowd swarmed him, some cheering, others snapping photos. Chen Feng's squad dragged their humiliated leader away, muttering about "unfair spices." Lin Hao's phone exploded with X notifications—#SpatulaHero was now trending globally, with fan art of him wielding a flaming wok already circulating.
[Sassy, did I just become famous?] Lin Hao thought, dazed.
[Infamous, maybe. Also, Thread of Fate is a tailoring skill. You're basically a magical seamstress now. Congrats!]
"Seamstress?!" Lin Hao groaned, but before he could process, a girl with short black hair and a fiery aura pushed through the crowd. She wore a Combat Class badge: *Blaze Sorceress, S-rank*. Her name tag read *Su Yan*.
"Not bad, Spatula Boy," she said, smirking. "I'm captain of Squad Firestorm. We need a fifth for the Combat Training Squad trials tomorrow. Join us, or I'll make your life hell."
Lin Hao blinked. "Uh, I'm a Life Class. I cook. I sew. I don't punch monsters."
Su Yan's smirk widened. "Exactly. We need someone to keep us fed and patched up. Plus, you're trending. It's good PR. Say yes, or I'll challenge you to a duel and actually try."
[Quest Update: Join a Combat Training Squad. New Option: Accept Su Yan's Offer. Reward: 300 EXP, Basic Gear, Squad Membership. Penalty: Public Humiliation or Su Yan's Wrath.]
Lin Hao's head spun. "Sassy, is she serious?"
[She's Level 7 and could barbecue you in ten seconds. Say yes.]
"Fine," Lin Hao sighed. "I'm in."
Su Yan clapped him on the shoulder, nearly knocking him over. "Good. Meet us at the training grounds at dawn. Don't be late, or I'll feed you to Fangfang." She strode off, leaving Lin Hao wondering if he'd just signed his own death warrant.
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CLIFFHANGER
As Lin Hao headed to his dorm, clutching his wok and the *Dragonfire Pepper*, his [System] pinged with a new notification. [Hidden Quest Unlocked: Uncover the Secret of New Shanghai's Monster Surge. Reward: 1,000 EXP, Legendary Ingredient. Hint: The principal's office holds a clue.] Lin Hao froze, remembering Fangfang's glowing eyes and the strange runes in Zhao's office. "Sassy, are you saying the principal's hiding something?" Before Sassy could reply, a low growl echoed from the shadows of the dorm hallway—a pair of red eyes glinted, and a Level 8 *Shadow Wraith* materialized, its claws aimed at Lin Hao's throat.
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