READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 3: Silent Observation
The soft hum of the bus's engine faded into the background as Sasuke opened his eyes. The world around him was far removed from the familiar landscapes of his past, yet he remained unbothered by the dissonance. The chatter of students filled the air, but Sasuke's sharp gaze was already dissecting the situation, taking in every detail.
In front of him sat two individuals that had caught his attention earlier. A calm, composed boy with brown hair—Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, he recalled from overhearing introductions—sat next to the dark-haired girl. Horikita Suzune. They hadn't interacted much with the others, choosing to remain as quiet as he had. Interesting, but not worth pursuing. Not yet.
Sasuke leaned back, his posture relaxed but his mind anything but. He hadn't engaged with the other students—there was no need. This place, this "school," had rules. Rules he had to figure out. But what stood out to him more than anything was the absence of any concrete information about his past. Not even the faculty seemed to know where he came from.
A mystery. He smirked inwardly.
The bus came to a stop, and as the students began to shuffle off, Sasuke followed without a word, his presence neither acknowledged nor ignored. Just the way he preferred it.
As They Stepped Onto the Campus
The sprawling campus of Advanced Nurturing High School stretched before them. Everything was immaculate—almost unnaturally so. The other students around him whispered about how prestigious the school was, but Sasuke didn't care about reputation. He was only here because he needed to understand this new world, to find whatever it was that had brought him here.
As they walked toward the opening ceremony, Sasuke remained a few paces behind Ayanokoji and Horikita. His eyes scanned the faces of the students from the other classes. There was an air of competition among them—subtle, but noticeable to someone like Sasuke. The leaders of the other classes stood out easily, radiating confidence and authority.
Class A, in particular, piqued his interest. The students there carried themselves differently, as if they had already claimed victory in whatever invisible game this school played. Sasuke's eyes locked briefly with a boy who seemed to lead the group. The boy's smirk mirrored the arrogant Uchiha clan members Sasuke had once known. His fists tightened at the memory but quickly relaxed. He wasn't here to chase ghosts.
The Opening Ceremony
The assembly hall was vast, with students filing in from every class. Sasuke remained in the shadows, leaning against the wall in the back, eyes scanning the stage as the school's faculty began their speeches. One figure caught his attention—a man with an air of authority who spoke of competition, success, and the consequences of failure.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. This school was nothing but a battlefield, hidden under the guise of academics. He had been through enough wars to recognize one when he saw it.
Next to him, Ayanokoji stood with an expression of complete indifference. He wasn't just quiet—he was methodically quiet. It was as if this boy had mastered the art of being invisible. Sasuke could respect that, though it wasn't his style.
Horikita, on the other hand, was focused, eyes locked onto the stage, analyzing everything with a burning determination. She was different from the others. Driven, but for reasons Sasuke hadn't yet figured out.
Sasuke didn't bother with introductions when the classes were formally addressed. He wasn't here to make friends, and if anyone in Class D thought they would figure him out, they were wrong. He would let them speculate about his past, wonder what kind of person he was.
He caught a glimpse of Hirata Yosuke as the class leaders were introduced. Hirata was the opposite of Sasuke—a golden boy, the kind of person who thrived in this environment. But Sasuke knew better than to trust appearances. No one was what they seemed, and Hirata wasn't someone he felt the need to engage with. Not unless it benefited him.
Sasuke continued to observe, his mind working through possible strategies. He wouldn't play by this school's rules unless it served him. He had no interest in rising through ranks just for the sake of it. Power was a tool, and he would use it on his terms.
As the ceremony wrapped up, the students began to leave, heading toward their designated areas. Sasuke slipped past the crowd effortlessly. Horikita and Ayanokoji remained nearby, though none of them spoke.
He glanced at Ayanokoji, sensing something strange about him. This boy wasn't as simple as he appeared. But for now, Sasuke had no reason to push. They could coexist in silence, both preferring to avoid unnecessary attention.
But Sasuke knew, eventually, they would all have to make moves. The question was, who would act first?
End of Chapter 3