Vincent Fox stood at the edge of the street.
He took off his hat, revealing the face that had countless girls swooning. In an instant, the pedestrians nearby stirred with excitement.
"That guy is so handsome…"
"Yeah, and he's tall too. He's definitely over one-eighty!"
"A guy this good-looking, I wonder if he already has a girlfriend…"
"Who cares if he does? If I looked like that, I'd already have kids running all over the place!"
"So what? Even if he had kids, I'd marry him and let them take my surname instead!"
The girls giggled among themselves, one even being pushed forward by her friends to ask for his number.
Vincent's senses were sharper than most could imagine. Even without focusing, he could feel their gazes burning into him.
Before they could gather the courage to approach, he raised his hand in a subtle wave and walked away alone.
Watching him leave, one of the girls pouted.
"This is your fault! You were too loud he heard us!"
"My fault? Your voice wasn't exactly quiet either!"
"Don't pin it on me!"
"No, it's totally you!"
Vincent shook his head helplessly. He had no interest in their squabble and quickly left the scene.
Pulling his hat back on, he stepped into a quieter alley.
With a thought, he activated the Byakugan.
His pupils vanished into a pure white glow, and his sharp gaze grew frighteningly keen.
He scanned the area. Every movement of the pedestrians around him was dissected in his vision every step, every shift of weight, every flaw in posture laid bare.
Vincent nodded in satisfaction.
This ability would be invaluable in close combat. Against an equal opponent, battles could shake heaven and earth, and a single flaw could decide victory. The Byakugan gave him the edge to spot that flaw instantly.
He then triggered its second ability.
Suddenly, his perception sharpened even further. His vision stretched outward, expanding without limit.
"What an incredible range…"
Now, without turning his head, he could see behind him as clearly as in front. A full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree field of vision unfolded, leaving no blind spots.
"I wonder… can I activate all of its functions at once?" he muttered.
He focused, pushing the Byakugan to its limits.
In an instant, his sight transformed again. He could see the world in slow motion, every movement broken down into its smallest parts. His field of vision stretched like a telescope, allowing him to see the street's far end as if it were right before him.
And then…
Vincent quickly deactivated the Byakugan, his face turning faintly red.
"This x-ray function… is a little too convenient…"
He coughed lightly and forced his expression back to calm. Still, he couldn't deny how powerful this new ability was. Unless his enemy had some special cloaking skill, there would be no escape from his sight.
If he had possessed this ability back in the world of Naruto, he could have tracked Pain without any trouble.
After completing his tests, Vincent didn't linger. With the Byakugan, he had also noticed a group of opportunists the same people from the resting chamber who had wanted to cling to him for protection.
Since leaving the Forbidden Zone, they'd been looking for him. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Vincent slipped through the crowds like a shadow until he vanished completely.
His next stop was the academy. There, he asked about the Sixth Forbidden Zone.
"Did you already clear the Fifth Forbidden Zone?" Professor Charles Joe asked, smiling as he welcomed Vincent into his office.
"Yes," Vincent replied casually. "I was lucky."
"Lucky or not, you cleared it. That's what matters." Professor Joe chuckled as he turned, retrieving a thick stack of documents from his desk. He handed them to Vincent. "Here's the information on the Sixth Forbidden Zone. It's a bit much you can look through it later."
Vincent accepted the heavy folder, surprised. Unlike the thin handouts from before, this one was thick enough to outweigh all the previous ones combined.
Professor Joe leaned back in his chair, his smile carrying a trace of amusement.
"I just received word Godslayer Academy sent a team into the Fifth Forbidden Zone as well. Quite a few didn't make it back."
"They chose the Konoha faction?" Vincent asked. Then he shook his head. "If that's the case, the outcome makes sense."
"No," Professor Joe said with some surprise. "They chose Amegakure. They even went in as a team."
"According to the rare survivors, they ran into an overwhelming battle. Just the aftermath was enough to kill them instantly. And here's the strange part the two survivors were the weaker ones in the group, while the stronger members all perished."
His gaze lingered on Vincent.
"Do you know what happened in there?"
Vincent shook his head.
Professor Joe sighed. "Perhaps it's better you don't. If you'd been caught in that clash, you wouldn't be sitting here right now."
Vincent smiled faintly, offering no explanation.
"Anyway, I'll report to the school leaders that you've returned. After all, you're Martial Saint Academy's shining star now. Multiple golden ratings, first place in the Canyon event, even soloing the Tyrant… If anything had happened to you in there, the elders would have had my head on the chopping block."
His tone was playful, though his words carried truth.
Vincent chuckled. "Then I'll leave it in your hands, Professor."
"No need for thanks." Professor Joe waved it off, standing from behind his desk. "Take your time with the documents. If you're free tomorrow, come see me again I'll give you a proper briefing on the Sixth Forbidden Zone."
Vincent glanced at the stack of papers in his hand and nodded. "Alright."
"Good. I'll head to the principal's office now."
After leaving the academy, Vincent was about to head home when he spotted a familiar figure waiting at the gate.
The young woman noticed him at the same time, rising onto her toes to wave.
"Vincent!"
Vincent returned the gesture and walked toward her.
It was Autumn Summer.
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
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