The Birth of a Genius

Ren stared at the system notification, his eyes narrowing as he processed the implications.

[Reminder: Lifespan gained in your first reward was due to beginner's luck. Increasing your lifespan from now on won't be as simple. Work harder.]

A humorless chuckle escaped his lips. "Figures."

He had suspected it. The system wouldn't just hand him extra time on a silver platter. That first boost had been bait—enough to make him crave more. Now, he had to fight for every extra second he got.

"But that's fine." Ren leaned back against his chair, stretching his arms. "I never expected a cheat code."

His eyes flickered to the stack of papers beside him—six volumes' worth of Naruto draft material. The system had gifted him something absurd: a masterpiece that had never existed in this world. The manga industry here was crawling at a snail's pace. The artistry was top-notch, but the storytelling? Lacking. People gravitated toward intellectual literature, leaving the comic industry struggling for recognition.

Ren exhaled slowly, fingers tapping against the table.

This world lacked manga as a proper mainstream culture. But now, he had the power to change that.

Time to shake things up.

The next day, Ren found himself outside a modest, well-kept publishing house: Hoshino Comics. Not the biggest name, but they were known for taking risks on unconventional talent.

Dressed in a simple hoodie and jeans, Ren had his manuscripts neatly packed in a folder. He had no intention of revealing his real name. Instead, he had chosen a moniker that would stick in people's minds.

Genius.

Bold? Maybe. But if he was going to introduce something revolutionary, he might as well make them believe it came from someone beyond comprehension.

He stepped into the building, greeted by the faint scent of paper and ink. A receptionist glanced up, her expression neutral but professional. "Do you have an appointment?"

Ren slid the folder onto the counter. "I have a submission. I'd like to meet with an editor."

The receptionist eyed him skeptically. "We don't usually take walk-ins—"

"Just show this to your senior editor," Ren interrupted smoothly, offering a charming smile. "I'll wait."

She frowned but took the folder, disappearing into the back. Ren exhaled, settling into one of the waiting chairs. If they had any sense, they'd recognize the goldmine in those pages.

Minutes passed. Then more. Then—

A commotion.

"Where is he?! Where's this 'Genius' person?!"

A middle-aged man burst into the waiting area, his glasses slightly askew. His name tag read "Editor-in-Chief: Masaru Hoshino." His sharp gaze locked onto Ren immediately.

"You! This is yours?" He waved the manuscript wildly.

Ren simply nodded. "Yes."

"Who the hell are you?!" Masaru demanded, then paused, eyes scanning him up and down. "Wait—how old are you?"

Ren smirked. "Does it matter?"

Masaru's mouth opened, then closed. He took a deep breath. "Kid, do you have any idea what you've just handed me?"

Ren leaned forward slightly, voice low and confident. "A revolution."

Silence.

Then—Masaru threw his head back and laughed.

A loud, unrestrained laugh of disbelief and amusement.

"This… this is insanity," Masaru wheezed. "The art is incredible, the story is gripping, the worldbuilding… unreal." He stared at Ren with something between suspicion and awe. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you stole this from the future."

Ren chuckled. If only you knew.

"So?" Ren tilted his head. "Are you publishing it?"

Masaru didn't even hesitate. "Hell yes. But we need to discuss terms. Do you have an agent?"

"No agent. Just me."

Masaru exhaled sharply. "You're seriously doing this alone?"

Ren shrugged. "I trust my work. I just need the right platform."

Masaru rubbed his temples. "You're either a fool or a true genius."

Ren simply smiled. "Why not both?"

Later that evening, Ren sat in his room, staring at his computer screen. His fingers hovered over the keyboard as he messaged Kenta and Yuto.

Ren: "Busy tomorrow?"

Kenta: "Bro, it's a Sunday. I'm contractually obligated to be lazy."

Yuto: "Same. Why?"

Ren: "Just wanna hang out."

A beat of silence.

Then—

Kenta: "Are you okay??"

Yuto: "Did you hit your head?"

Ren rolled his eyes. These idiots.

Ren: "Forget it. I take it back."

Kenta: "WAIT NO WE'LL HANG OUT"

Yuto: "Yeah yeah, we're free, where we meeting?"

Ren: "Usual place. 1 PM."

As he closed the chat, a small smile tugged at his lips. His life was changing, fast. But amidst it all, he still had these morons by his side.

And for now… that was enough.

The next day, he met Kenta and Yuto at their usual hangout—a quiet ramen shop tucked away in an alley. The moment he sat down, Kenta squinted at him.

"You're glowing."

Ren blinked. "Excuse me?"

"He's right," Yuto mused. "It's unsettling. Did you finally confess to your secret crush?"

Ren sipped his water. "No."

Kenta gasped. "Did someone confess to you?"

Ren gave them a deadpan stare. "I swear, if you keep talking—"

"Wait wait wait." Yuto suddenly smirked. "What if he got a job?"

Kenta burst into laughter. "Ren? Working? Nah—"

"I did."

Silence.

"...Hah?"

Ren leaned back. "I'm getting published."

The sheer shock on their faces was priceless.

"WHAT."

Ren grinned. "I'll tell you later. For now, let's eat."

As they argued, joked, and devoured their food, Ren felt something warm settle in his chest. A sense of belonging. A reminder that, no matter how much the world changed, he still had people who mattered.

And that was something worth fighting for.