Birth of the shadow: Uchiha sasuke x COTE fanfic

Sasuke sat back in his chair, watching the chaos unfold around him. The students were losing their composure over the revelation that Class D had zero points. To him, it all seemed trivial. They were panicking over something as simple as points—something he cared little for. His sharp eyes took in every detail of the classroom, each reaction, every frantic movement, as if he were assessing the battlefield before a fight.

He noticed Ayanokoji staring at him from the corner of his eye, clearly assessing him too. *That one...* Sasuke thought. There was something about Ayanokoji's calm demeanor, something that didn't quite fit with the others. But Sasuke didn't give it much thought. He had bigger things to consider. His chakra was still restricted, and the mystery of this world was something he was determined to unravel.

Across the room, Ike whined, "What am I going to do without any more points…? I used up the remainder of my points yesterday…"

Another voice joined in—Yamauchi, this time, nearly crying. "I'm totally screwed…"

Sasuke's gaze flickered to them, emotionless. *Weaklings.* They were so reliant on something as insignificant as these points. He crossed his arms, staying silent, detached.

Yukimura's outburst drew his attention next. "Even more than the points, this is a problem with the class... Why was I put in Class D!?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. *Class D...* He had already deduced that this class was seen as the lowest, but that meant nothing to him. He had been an outsider in his own world for a long time, rising above the rest regardless of where he was placed.

The noise in the classroom escalated, but Sasuke stayed motionless, observing. *They're all distracted by this trivial hierarchy. They're missing the bigger picture.*

Hirata, trying to calm everyone down, spoke up. "I understand that everyone is panicking right now, but calm down."

Sasuke watched as Yukimura stormed up to Hirata, grabbing him by the collar. The classroom's tension had reached its peak.

*Pathetic,* Sasuke thought. Conflict without purpose.

Just as things seemed like they would escalate further, Kushida intervened, breaking them apart. Her soft, gentle voice diffused the situation quickly. Sasuke watched her with mild interest. *She knows how to manipulate emotions,* he noted.

"My bad," Yukimura finally admitted, stepping down. Hirata nodded, both of them trying to play peacemakers now. The situation, thanks to Kushida, calmed down.

Sasuke's attention shifted to Ayanokoji, who casually took a picture of the class points. *What's he up to now?* He wasn't the type to act unless it served some deeper purpose.

Horikita noticed Ayanokoji too and questioned him. "What are you doing?"

Ayanokoji, as calm as ever, responded, "I haven't been able to figure out the specifics behind the points yet. Haven't you also taken some notes?"

Sasuke listened, his mind elsewhere. *Points, school, Class D… none of this matters.* He was more concerned with why he was here, how this world worked, and most of all, how to regain his full power.

Horikita and Ayanokoji continued their conversation, but Sasuke's attention wandered until Ayanokoji addressed him directly.

"Are you also here at this school to get into college?" Ayanokoji asked, his tone casual but probing.

Sasuke's eyes met Ayanokoji's for a moment, cold and detached. "I'm not interested in things like that," he replied, his voice as distant as ever.

Ayanokoji tilted his head slightly, pressing further. "What's the reason?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't plan to." It was the truth. He had no interest in their goals or aspirations. His own path was far more complicated.

Horikita gave him a curious glance, but Sasuke ignored it. *They're all trapped in this system,* he thought. *But it's not something that can hold me back.*

The conversation moved forward, with Horikita discussing strategies and how points functioned. Sasuke remained silent, his mind calculating the dynamics of this strange school system. He could tell that everyone, including Ayanokoji and Horikita, were working off incomplete information. It didn't concern him for now. He would only act when it benefited him.

"Last month, how many points did you use, Ayanokoji-kun?" Horikita asked.

"Roughly 20,000," Ayanokoji answered casually.

Horikita turned to Sasuke, expecting him to reveal his points. Without a word, Sasuke pulled out his phone and showed her his remaining balance: 95,000 points.

Both Ayanokoji and Horikita stared at him in shock.

"How did you survive a month with only 5,000 points?" Horikita asked, clearly surprised.

Sasuke shrugged again. "I didn't need much." He wasn't concerned with material comforts. He had endured far worse conditions in his previous life.

The classroom chaos continued around him, with students like Yamauchi and Ike worrying about their lack of points. Sasuke found it all insignificant. His attention returned to Ayanokoji for a brief moment. *He's watching everything carefully,* Sasuke thought. *Just like me.*

Suddenly, Hirata's voice cut through the noise once more, calling for order. "Everyone, once class starts, I ask that everyone pays attention earnestly. Especially you, Sudou-kun."

Sasuke glanced over at Sudou, who was sulking in the corner. *A simpleton,* Sasuke thought. His instincts told him that Sudou was more brawn than brain, someone prone to emotional outbursts, much like Naruto had been in the past.

As expected, Sudou resisted Hirata's attempts to lead the class. His frustration was clear, and he stormed out of the room, leaving behind a tense silence.

"Horikita-san, Ayanokoji-kun, and Sasuke-kun," Hirata said, turning toward them after the disruption. "Do you have time later? After school, I want to talk about how we can increase our points. I'd like you guys to participate. Can you?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. *Points? Cooperation?* It was all a distraction to him. But he nodded slightly, not because he cared, but because it might reveal something useful. For now, he would watch—and wait.