Byakugan Emerges

Spirit Hall, before the main square.

"Looks like everyone's here."

Chrysanthemum Douluo's somewhat effeminate eyes swept over Xie Yue and the others before settling on Su Chen, lighting up at once.

"Oh? You've improved this much already?"

In a blur, a faint chrysanthemum fragrance entered the boy's nostrils. That effeminate face had already appeared before him, studying Su Chen with curiosity and scrutiny.

Su Chen's entire body instinctively tensed. His muscles moved on their own, and a Kunai slipped from his sleeve, coated in surging Chakra. Instinctively, he wanted to drive it straight into Yue Guan's throat.

But at the last moment, he forcibly held himself back.

"Huff."

Calm down. This wasn't the perilous Ninja World, and Chrysanthemum Douluo wasn't an enemy.

Besides, with his current strength, the gap between him and this world's top fighters was still far too great.

"Oh ho ho, what a frightening little fellow~"

Yue Guan's expression did not change, though his eyes narrowed slightly.

With his strength, he had naturally seen through Su Chen's movements in an instant. Yet, being watched by those black eyes fixed on the vital point of his neck, Yue Guan actually felt as though he were being targeted by a ferocious beast.

As if at any moment, a bloody maw lined with fangs would clamp down viciously on his throat.

This child had such heavy vigilance and killing intent!

And he was improving so quickly!

Compared to seven days ago, Su Chen's Soul Power had increased by at least thirty percent. Once he obtained a soul ring, he would probably leap straight to level thirteen.

Looking at the others, even Xie Yue, who had performed the best, had increased by less than ten percent. Of course, that was already an extremely rapid pace.

But compared to this little monster, it was simply not worth mentioning.

Even among geniuses, there were differences.

Patting his shoulder, Yue Guan smiled and turned his gaze toward Hu Liena and the others. "Little ones, barring any surprises, you are the five most talented people of Spirit Hall's generation. Well, for the next ten years or so, there probably won't be anyone stronger than you."

Chrysanthemum Douluo did not hold back his praise. Hearing this, the group immediately straightened their backs. Even the usually cool Xie Yue and Hu Liena had flushed faces.

Yan looked as though he wanted to point his nose at the sky.

Unlike Ghost Douluo, Chrysanthemum Douluo was far from obscure. On the contrary, he was quite well-known within Spirit Hall.

To receive recognition from a senior so renowned even across Douluo Continent left them all tremendously excited.

Naturally, Su Chen was not included among them.

"However!"

Chrysanthemum Douluo abruptly changed his tone, growing serious.

"Talent can only make you faster and stronger than others. It cannot guarantee that you will go farther."

"Therefore, your foremost goal is not to become stronger, but to stay alive!"

Seeing that everyone had taken his words to heart, Yue Guan nodded in satisfaction.

"Enough talk. Let's set off. I hope that when you return, all of you will be able to meet His Holiness the Pope as Soul Masters."

Star Dou Forest was not close to Spirit City. Since they also had to accommodate several children with relatively poor stamina, it took them several days to reach this largest forest on the continent.

After the long journey, none of the little ones aside from Su Chen were in particularly good condition. Yet Chrysanthemum Douluo clearly had no intention of letting them rest.

"All right, young geniuses. This is the outermost edge of Star Dou Forest. Whatever soul ring you need, whatever soul ring you obtain, you'll have to work for it yourselves. Of course, if you can't hold on, you can always cry for me to come save you."

Chrysanthemum Douluo smiled at the travel-worn group. After leaving those words behind, he vanished, leaving them staring at one another.

"W-We have to face Soul Beasts on our own?"

The little girl at the back wore a miserable expression, her voice trembling. Faced with the deep, boundless forest, even knowing that this was only the outskirts, she could not stop herself from shaking.

"How about we form a team? Lord Yue Guan didn't forbid that, did he?"

Yan spoke with some unease as well.

He had arrived brimming with passion, but the moment he saw this enormous, shadowy forest, it was as though cold water had been poured over his head.

The piercing cries drifting from some unknown place made him shrink back even more.

"Utterly foolish."

Su Chen shook his head and waved a hand. "I'm leaving first. Do as you please."

Yue Guan's arrangement was within his expectations, and it suited him perfectly.

"Hey, what did you just say?!"

Yan flew into a rage and was about to rush forward when he saw Xie Yue and Hu Liena looking at him speechlessly as well.

"What? Was I wrong?"

He looked at the two of them in disbelief.

Xie Yue ignored him. After glancing at Su Chen's retreating back, he headed in the opposite direction. Hu Liena sighed, shook her head, and walked off another way.

"Hey, at least tell me why!!"

Yan stomped his feet in frustration.

You cryptic bastards, get out of Spirit Hall already!!

"This child, honestly..."

From the shadows, Yue Guan watched Yan rage helplessly and shook his head in disappointment. "His talent is good, but he's far too impulsive, and his brain is simply too slow."

Could he possibly not know that these little beans would be dead meat if they encountered even a slightly stronger Ten-Year Soul Beast?

The reason he had arranged for them to act alone was so that he could tailor Soul Beasts to each of their styles and abilities, while also observing their performance!

"The others are doing rather well, though."

Chrysanthemum Douluo watched the others begin to move, his expression approving.

"Oh, this kid's luck is a little bad!"

A sinister voice sounded beside Yue Guan. Ghost Douluo floated in midair, gazing into the distance with interest.

His eyes pierced through the forest and locked onto the white-haired boy.

"There's a big one in that direction."

Crack!

A dry branch beneath his feet snapped crisply. The white-haired boy carefully used his Kunai to cut aside the branches ahead, walking forward at an unhurried pace.

The faint sensation of being watched from behind made Su Chen aware of something. There was no need to think about it—Chrysanthemum Douluo had to be watching them at all times.

After all, aside from him, letting them hunt Soul Beasts by themselves would be nothing but sending them to their deaths.

"Perfect. I also want to test my current level."

Buzz!!

Milky-white energy surged around the boy. In an instant, his eyes turned a jade-like white.

Byakugan, activate!

The Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan from the Naruto World possessed farsight, x-ray vision, and a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree field of view without blind spots.

It was practically a divine reconnaissance skill.

Moments later, Su Chen's lips curled slightly as he suddenly accelerated toward a certain direction.

"Has that kid encountered that fifty-year Soul Beast? Is he running away in a panic right now? Hahahaha, it must be rare to see a genius looking so pathetic as a child, right?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo idly twirled a chrysanthemum as he lounged atop a tree.

But the answer he expected did not come. He turned his head in confusion, only to find the corner of his old friend's mouth twitching constantly beneath his mask.

"What is it?"

Yue Guan raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me that kid was so frightened his legs went weak?"

"No."

Ghost Douluo shook his head.

"He charged straight at that fifty-year Soul Beast."