Merely the Starting Point of a Genius

"Sasuke, let's go home together after school!" Sakura said, acting coyly as she was pushed forward by her best friends. Sasuke glanced at the surrounding classmates with disdain, his tone cold and aloof, "Annoying."

Even so, it still drew screams and cheers from the girls. Naruto watched from afar, cursing "cocky Sasuke" under his breath while feeling deeply envious in his heart. When would Sakura ever turn to look at him?

Shut up!

I think you, this Silly System, are sexually repressed too!

Naruto cursed inwardly. This system really needed a beating every two days or it would start tearing down the roof; it was actually instigating him, a successor of socialism, to make a move on a six-year-old minor!

This wasn't just a regular crime.

It was a capital offense!

After grumbling a few times, Naruto once again ignored the unofficial history compiled by the system.

Coincidentally, the abstract setting of the Ninja Academy—entering at six and graduating at twelve—perfectly aligned with the worldview of the Douluo Continent. In other worlds, a twelve-year-old protagonist would still be waiting for their Hogwarts acceptance letter, but in these two worlds, they were already out slaughtering their way across the land.

As he was lost in thought, Bibi Dong's voice echoed in his mind.

"Hmph! That father and son of the Tang family—the father falls in love with a blade of grass, and the son falls in love with a rabbit. It is truly the greatest farce under heaven."

Naruto focused his consciousness inward.

The Sealing Space, which had previously been reduced to ruins, had recovered to its original state as Bibi Dong's mental state stabilized. At this moment, she was lounging lazily on the sofa as usual, her legs crossed.

Seeing Naruto appear before her, Bibi Dong first glared at him fiercely before turning her head away, shifting her gaze.

Naruto didn't mind at all, nodding in agreement.

"Indeed, their family really has some stories to tell."

Hearing this, Bibi Dong, who hadn't intended to pay him any mind, felt her interest piqued. She turned back, but the words that came to her lips turned into a cold, mocking sneer, "Oh? Does a gentleman also talk behind people's backs?"

"No, no, no!" Naruto put his hands behind his back, shook his head calmly, and feigned profundity, "I am speaking the truth. The Tang San lineage really has a reputation when it comes to human-beast romance."

"What do you mean?"

"The story starts with the four generations of Tang San's family."

"..."

The two began to chat about the issue of human-beast romance.

The aftereffects of that mental breakdown and self-detonation from a few days ago still lingered; for instance, this was the first time Bibi Dong had spoken in days.

Naruto naturally had to try to keep the conversation going. He no longer expected to resolve Bibi Dong's psychological issues in a short time; he could only leave it to time to slowly wear them down. There was no other way.

At least for now, it seemed Bibi Dong was still quite talkative when it came to badmouthing Tang San.

"So..." Bibi Dong frowned, her expression complex and strange as she gestured an egg shape with her hands, "Tang San's grandson popped out of an egg? Is that even human? Are you sure you aren't trying to fool This Seat?"

"Honest and fair."

Naruto lifted his chin with self-satisfaction.

"This Seat will just assume you are telling the truth."

That was what Bibi Dong said, but judging by the cold sneer on her lips, she clearly didn't believe him.

Every generation of Tang San's descendants sought out hundred-thousand-year spirit beasts, and if you counted Tang Hao, a total of four generations had married spirit beast wives. The story was simply too absurd, like an unofficial history fabricated specifically to disgust Tang San.

"When have I ever lied?"

Naruto retorted, dissatisfied.

There wasn't much truth in this brat's mouth. After being "baptized" by the "truths" about the Uzumaki Clan and the Jinchuriki, Bibi Dong just treated Naruto's words as hot air.

After bickering for a few more sentences, Naruto composed his expression and asked, "Let's not talk about that. I've always been curious about one thing."

Bibi Dong lifted her chin, signaling him to continue.

"It's one thing that Tang San's spirit wasn't discovered by Spirit Hall because it appeared to be trash, but Xiao Wu's innate full spirit power is definitely not a trash spirit. How did Spirit Hall not react at all?"

Naruto's eyes were filled with confusion. He only had innate level six spirit power, which wasn't considered particularly good, yet the bearded Spirit Master from Spirit Hall would run over to promote Spirit Hall whenever he had the chance.

How could Spirit Hall ignore two people with innate full spirit power like Tang San and Xiao Wu?

Bibi Dong turned her head, her eyes darting away.

Seeing Naruto staring at her quietly, refusing to leave despite his thick skin, she finally gave in with a sigh of resignation, "This Seat found out at the time that Xiao Gang was also at Notting Academy, and the two seemed to be Xiao Gang's disciples, so..."

"Fine."

Just from that opening, Naruto could already guess the reason.

Most problems on the Continent of Romance could be attributed to romance.

"This Seat is the Pope! With a thousand tasks to attend to every day, where would I find the time to waste energy paying attention to these little brats?" Seemingly irritated by Naruto's "I knew it" attitude, Bibi Dong hurriedly added, "Besides, I didn't think about it at the time—no matter how talented they were, could they be more talented than This Seat?"

"And yet, you still crashed and burned in the end."

Naruto said softly.

Bibi Dong was annoyed and let out a cold snort.

"I return those words to you. Don't go capsizing your boat, you overconfident brat."

Hearing this, Naruto merely shrugged with a smile, preparing to withdraw his consciousness.

Yet, just before he dissipated, Bibi Dong suddenly blurted out a sentence.

"Cultivate well. Don't go losing when the time comes."

"Got it."

Returning to reality, Naruto exhaled softly and scanned the cafeteria.

With Tang San gone, the tense atmosphere between the two had dissipated, and the surrounding teachers silently withdrew their gazes.

Having also shelved the idea of a spirit duel, all Naruto could do next was cultivate.

In the blink of an eye, over half a year passed.

Under the cover of night, the pale blue vortex of spirit power swirling around the small courtyard quietly dissipated.

Naruto, who had been sitting cross-legged, woke from his meditation. He opened his eyes, stretched his stiff body, and clenched his fists slightly. Feeling the spirit power within him reach its limit, he complained.

"Worked myself to death, but I finally reached this tenth level of spirit power."

"Indeed, you have finally caught up to the starting line of the geniuses." Bibi Dong's light chuckle rang out in his mind at the perfect moment. Naruto curled his lips and rolled his eyes at this Dong Trumpet who only knew how to spout sarcastic remarks.

Bibi Dong still wore a smile on her lips.

Though it was mockery, it faintly carried a hint of other emotions.

If this brat could keep persisting like this, and if he could maintain a growth rate of four levels per year during the Spirit Master stage, he would easily surpass Tang San in just three or four years. By then, it wouldn't be so easy to fool this brat anymore.

She had to take advantage of the time before he caught on to tease him more... no, to whip him into shape more!

Having found an excuse for herself, Bibi Dong couldn't help but close her eyes, feeling increasingly at ease.

Just as she was thinking this, she heard Naruto jump off the bed and begin rustling about, packing his things in the room. Bibi Dong frowned in confusion. "In such a rush? You can't even wait for dawn? You're preparing to go hunt a spirit already?"

"No, there's one more very important thing to do before hunting a spirit."

Naruto rummaged through the cabinet, pulling a pitch-black bandit mask from a pile of clothes.

Seeing Naruto already wearing this drab, black hood, looking utterly suspicious, the expression on Bibi Dong's face grew increasingly disgusted, and she couldn't help but ask.

"You... what are you doing?"

Naruto replied with a meaningful smile.

"Thief!"

"Catch the thief!!"

In the dead of night, the entire Notting Academy erupted. Countless lights flickered on, and the furious roars of several teachers seemed as if they would blow the roof off.

Students rubbed their eyes and curiously pushed open their dormitory doors, only for their pupils to shrink instantly. They saw a black shadow whistle past the corridor, followed by the teachers who were cursing non-stop, brandishing their spirits and spirit rings with a clatter! They were in hot pursuit!

The two groups vanished rapidly at the end of the corridor, leaving only the bewildered students to look at one another in confusion.

What on earth happened?

Was the academy robbed!?