Difficulties

Under the bright sun, marble teaching buildings stood behind iron railings, looming over a deserted playground. Since school had yet to start, the campus was naturally empty, save for a few teachers flickering past the windows.

Jiang Naruto stood dazed outside the gates, looking up at the name of the school: Notting Junior Spirit Master Academy.

System?

Are you telling me this is a ninja academy?

Naruto's inner world collapsed as he shouted, but the brainless system ignored him. Only the "Major Event Witness" indicator in the corner of his vision kept guiding him to this "ninja academy."

Calming down to think it over, it wasn't entirely unexpected that this idiotic system would mistake Naruto for a ninja, Douluo Continent for the ninja world, and Notting Academy for a ninja school.

In fact, this might even be good news. Had the otherwise useless [Major Event Witness] function suddenly become useful?

If one bug is a bug, can a pile of bugs actually work?

Yet, this conflicted with Naruto's original plan. As Bibi Dong's Jinchuriki, couldn't he just ask her directly if he had any questions? Take this meditation technique, for instance—he was already using a high-level one from Spirit Hall; why waste time at a junior academy?

Moreover, this was Notting Academy. Tang San, the protagonist of this world, was right here. Who knew when he might start his "path to death."

Naruto shifted from a breakdown to hesitation, then from hesitation to resignation.

The system rewards were right there; how could he pass them up?

Should I avoid his edge?

As he pondered, Naruto didn't notice someone had already spotted him. "Little one? What are you doing here? It's not time for enrollment yet."

Naruto snapped back to reality and turned to see a pot-bellied, jovial-looking spirit master. Judging by his attire, he was a teacher. Naruto quickly explained, "Oh... I was just curious and came to see the school I'll be attending in the future."

"Is that so? Don't let the fact that this is a junior academy fool you. Decades ago, our school produced a Spirit Emperor!"

The teacher was truly strange. Seeing that Naruto was a prospective student, he beamed and began singing the praises of Notting Academy in every way possible. Anyone who didn't know better would think he owned the place. Naruto nodded repeatedly and spent a long time before he finally managed to escape.

The sun set.

After that, the system's electronic voice never triggered again. Naruto gave up on the idea of taking shortcuts and returned home to sit cross-legged and cultivate.

The meditation technique Bibi Dong gave him was extracted directly from her own memories, and the elegant handwriting on it contained her insights from years of practice.

With such a detailed guide from a master, even though Bibi Dong was still playing dead and ignoring his questions, Naruto managed to find the knack for meditation. He cleared his mind and felt the spirit power flowing through the air.

At that very moment, inside the seal, Bibi Dong, who had intended to only take a casual glance, saw her pupils shrink, and she sat bolt upright.

This brat?

Under the moonlight, dense, pale blue specks of light emerged in the air!

Jiang Naruto, sitting in meditation, was like a vortex, tirelessly and frantically drawing in spirit power from all directions. The sheer volume was enough to stir up a faint spirit power storm in the small bedroom!

Can someone with level six innate spirit power have this speed?

Early morning.

"Tch!"

Naruto, sitting on the bed, exited his meditative state. He gasped for air, his face contorted in a grimace. His clothes were soaked with sweat, as if he had just been fished out of the water.

His meridians were filled to the brim with spirit power, throbbing with a dull ache to express their dissatisfaction. His body had reached its limit; continuing would be self-destructive.

"It hurts! No wonder nobody in the Douluo Continent talks about retreating for decades, refusing to come out until they reach the Title Douluo level."

Naruto complained, having learned another lesson. Bibi Dong's disdainful voice echoed in his ears again, "How could anyone cultivate all day? That's just courting death. Few people can persist in meditating every night, and that is merely the foundation for becoming a powerhouse."

Naruto gave Bibi Dong a strange look.

He was certain that if he brought up the failed negotiation from yesterday, Bibi Dong would immediately go back to playing dead and stop talking, just as she had before.

To avoid Haji-Dong getting triggered and hissing at him, Naruto kept his thoughts to himself and took the opportunity to nod.

"Is that so?"

Seeing that Naruto didn't bring it up, Bibi Dong quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

"How was the effect of my cultivation?"

Naruto asked instead.

"Average... just the level of ordinary innate level six spirit power..."

Bibi Dong's reply was a few beats slower than usual. Jiang Naruto, his head still foggy, didn't notice this at all and was just full of surprise. "Ah? I felt like I was going to burst last night! Is innate level six spirit power really that exaggerated? Then how fast must innate full spirit power be?"

"So, do you now realize how big the gap is between you and a true genius?" Bibi Dong leaned back against the spirit power sofa and tilted her chin up.

Naruto frowned in thought.

His talent really wasn't much, but so what?

"Man proposes, God disposes! How will I know if I don't try?"

Confidence shone on Naruto's face. The path the system had paved for him was narrow, but it had finally allowed him to see the hope of becoming a powerhouse. Besides, "Don't I still have you?"

Seeing Naruto's attitude—which assumed she would agree—Bibi Dong let out a huff of indignation.

"I never agreed to help you!"

A few days later, Crack! Crack!

Several Chains of Heaven flashed blindingly through the air, whistling as they broke the sound barrier and slammed heavily into the three humanoid wooden targets before him.

The iron-plate armor covering the targets let out a thunderous roar, sending sparks flying in every direction. Yet, upon closer inspection, it was merely a deceptive display; the iron plates were only slightly dented.

The power was too weak!

Jiang Naruto clicked his tongue, grabbed his martial soul with his right hand, and yanked it backward.

The Chains of Heaven, dancing in the air, seemed to come alive, tracing a graceful arc like a spirit snake before coiling around the wooden targets with a clatter.

Jiang Naruto's arm muscles bulged, and the wooden target—crafted from hardwood, clad in iron, and weighing several dozen kilograms—flew into the air, hurtling toward him like a projectile!

Jiang Naruto pushed off with both feet and shot forward as well!

Swish!

The two crossed paths, and the wooden target hit the ground with a heavy thud. A closer look revealed a deep, blade-like gash across its neck.

Jiang Naruto stood up slowly on the other side and sheathed the dagger in his hand.

Turning to look at his handiwork, Jiang Naruto placed his hands on his hips and nodded with satisfaction. For once, Bibi Dong didn't open her mouth to belittle him, instead offering a few comments with genuine interest.

"It finally looks like something. Unlike a few days ago—can you even call that a soul battle? It was more like dancing. I truly have no idea where you learned these strange things."

How dare you slander the Tai Chi I learned at Pole Dance University as dancing?

I'm shaking with rage!

Will traditional martial arts ever have a day of resurgence?

After venting his thoughts, he returned to the matter at hand, looking down at the wooden target in the center of the courtyard.

A few days were naturally not enough to raise his soul power level, but the pointers that Bibi Dong occasionally let slip, buried within her mockery, had benefited Naruto immensely.

How to strengthen the body with soul power, how to use a whip-like martial soul, and how to fight?

These things had brought about a heaven-shaking change in Naruto's strength. Well, looking back, his understanding of soul battles a few days ago really did look a bit like dancing...

Furthermore, there was good news, which was also an important reason for the progress Naruto had made.

In the corner of his eye, the previously empty tag bar now displayed a new entry—No Regrets Youth (no normal person would equip an orphan tag).

[No Regrets Youth—The blood-red dragon head that soared into the sky that day was my burning youth. 1. Youth has no limits: increases physical potential by 100%, training efficiency by 100%, and physical stamina by 100%. 2. How can youth stop: by shouting "Youth," muscle damage can be significantly reduced. 3. Youth is meant to be shouted: when this tag is equipped, you will uncontrollably shout the word "Youth"...]

Naruto had unlocked this by chance through his persistent training over the past few days; it was truly a case of planting a willow tree without intending for it to grow.

While Naruto knew the reason for his rapid progress, Bibi Dong saw an entirely different picture before her.

He understood things at a single hint, engaged in borderline insane training, and possessed a physique that didn't lose to beast-type soul masters.

Could he really be a genius?

Bibi Dong couldn't help but think so, but then she shook her head. The brat was... barely passable, but compared to herself at that age, there was still quite a significant gap.