The next morning, Sasuke woke up early and was back in the library before the sun had risen, even though he had gone to bed late the night before. After all, he had been bombarded with questions by the girls and then forced to take part in a little nightmare called a "sleepover."
That and putting up with being the target of envy from all the boys in the hall and the curiosity of all the girls.
Some things never change.
So much about going unnoticed, but he supposed it was inevitable, given his hidden face, how peculiar the darkness in his hood was, and his involvement with these attractive girls. However, unlike how it would be if his face were visible, all he had to do was give it time, and eventually, everyone would lose interest in him... hopefully.
As for the little sleepover, honestly, after explaining Ozpin's interest with half-truths about his village in Mistral, Sasuke had been extremely uncomfortable sleeping in the middle of these three beautiful girls dressed only in their pajamas.
At the end of the day, regardless of his self-control, Sasuke was still a young man and one who was starting to become extremely aware of this fact.
The way Yang smiled as she made some insinuations, Ruby's innocent shyness, and Weiss's beautiful blush didn't help to calm his boiling hormones.
As if that wasn't enough, the warning Glynda had given him about avoiding getting his classmates pregnant continued to haunt his mind.
Even now, Sasuke found it hard to believe that someone had said something like that to him. Back in the Elemental Nations, only a crazy person would dare to do such a thing.
In Remnant, however, Sasuke didn't have a reputation capable of inflicting fear with his mere name and was just another troubled teenager, so it wasn't for nothing that an adult went out of her way to give him that kind of advice... just as a relative should once their children had reached a certain age.
Unfortunately, Sasuke lost everything at an early age and had no one to teach him this kind of life lesson.
Perhaps Kakashi would have taken on this task if Sasuke had stayed in the village, but knowing that man, he would probably have used one of his stupid books as a reference.
The recipe for disaster.
Regardless of his past and what could have been, the previous day had been productive, so Sasuke couldn't complain.
Not only had he managed to stay at Beacon despite being caught forging all his documents and getting involved with an alleged crime lord, even if it meant being under constant surveillance by Beacon's teachers, but he'd also learned a lot after reading all the books he'd collected in the library.
That's why he came back to read more before the initiation.
You can never have too much knowledge.
As Orochimaru would say.
Now, Sasuke had a better understanding of this world, its system, problems, and the solutions being implemented.
For example, the Great War was caused by more than just self-interest and greed, as he initially believed after reading that series of biased books through the eyes of a resentful faunus in Tukson's bookstore.
Because of the Grimm and the fact that they are attracted to strong emotions, two of the four kingdoms joined together in an attempt to suppress individualism and any form of artistic expression to protect their settlements from those creatures.
Sasuke could only imagine how Deidara would have reacted in life after hearing about this, most likely blowing up everything in his path like the homicidal maniac he used to be.
Besides the suppression of individualism, there was also the enslavement of the faunus and the lack of human rights that led to even more problems.
In the end, thanks to Vale and its Warrior King, who seemed to be the Hashirama of this world, peace was achieved and the current system implemented.
Now Sasuke understood why students from different parts of the world were so friendly with each other.
Hunters were not tied to their kingdoms of origin.
If anything, they served humanity and faunus against the Grimm.
A similar scenario to the one recently reached in the Elemental Nations, but not without first having three very different wars compared to the one that revolutionized Remnant.
The First Great Ninja War was sparked by the fear that each of the newly formed nations harbored towards one another, leading to a quest for control over land and resources.
The Second Great Ninja War was about the economic disparities between the nations, and this time, Konoha started the conflict under the command of the Second Hokage to secure more power and resources.
And to think that Tobirama had the nerve to treat the Uchiha clan as a threat when he had done so much damage on his own, including creating something as nefarious and wrong as the Reanimation Jutsu.
With a mentor like that, someone willing to do anything "for the sake of the village," it wasn't for nothing that Danzou ended up becoming such a piece of trash.
Not just him, the same could also be said about Hiruzen, who let Danzou do whatever he wanted for decades.
Good thing they were all already dead, saving Sasuke the trouble of hunting them down... again.
Everything that happened at the Five Kage Summit in his crusade against Danzou was still there to remind him of how close to death and madness he had come.
Then there was the Third Great Ninja War, which was motivated by the outcome of the second and could also be considered the 2nd Hokage's fault. The great nations had been weakened immensely, lost control, and started border conflicts to regain what had been lost, but that ended up escalating on a global scale.
As expected, even without Grimm and faunus to complicate matters, the Elemental Nations were still a much worse world than Remnant.
With that in mind, if Sasuke really wanted to achieve lasting and permanent peace, he would have to be more than just an enemy forcing everyone together for a generation.
Sasuke would have to eliminate any motive that could lead to conflict, thus becoming a divine entity capable of providing for the entire world.
For example, the Sand Village operated in precarious conditions because of its arid terrain. With his Six Paths Power, which included the Wood Style of the first Hokage, thanks to his cells and Chakra, Sasuke could transform that territory into something new and full of life.
In fact, he could apply this same principle on a global scale and grow crops for everyone, solving the problem of food.
Something that not even Hashirama, the Shinobi God, could dream of doing.
The Mist Village was made up of several islands and had the smallest territory among the major nations, so Sasuke would have to provide more land for them, and could even connect all those islands into one gigantic territory.
The same could be done for Stone Village, Lightning Village, and any other region that was having similar problems, either with natural resources or territory, by raising more islands from the bottom of the ocean.
If necessary, Sasuke was even willing to create floating cities like the kingdom of Atlas, expanding indefinitely to accommodate any population increase that was bound to accompany a peaceful world.
Slowly, his revolution was taking shape and becoming much more possible than before.
Sure, he would have to work like crazy, but that was a small price to pay to change that broken world into something new and better.
However, for that to happen, he needed to become something akin to a true God, but not before defeating a Goddess.
The irony didn't go unnoticed.
Now, to deal with Kaguya.
The night before, there was another reason why Sasuke had gone to bed late. He was busy analyzing his future classmates and potential allies.
Honestly? He was disappointed.
Except for two, not counting Ruby, Yang, and Weiss, most were not worthy of attention, and the others were all on a similar level, but without really surpassing Weiss, whose Aura reserves were slightly lower than Yang's.
As for the two who really stood out, they did so for completely different reasons.
The first was a beautiful girl with red hair and green eyes, attracting attention with her looks alone and her obvious fame.
Back in the Elemental Nations, she would be considered a pure-blooded Uzumaki like Karin.
According to an enthusiastic Weiss, this girl was Pyrrha Nikos, also known as the Invincible Girl and the greatest genius of the generation.
A statement that Yang openly mocked as she looked at Sasuke with a smile that said it all.
In her eyes, he was the true genius of the generation.
If Sasuke were a being of this world, perhaps that would be true, but since that was not the case, that title belonged to Pyrrha.
After all, having four championships in a regional tournament indicated that she had been holding this title since she was thirteen or fourteen years old.
Sasuke had to admit that it was impressive, making her quite a candidate for recruitment...very different from the other student who stood out.
This one was an irony that had crossed his path before inside that Bullhead, but had gone unnoticed because of how insignificant he seemed.
A blond, blue-eyed boy with a stupid face, very similar to the idiot he left behind fighting a goddess alone.
However, the similarities ended at physical appearance and an almost desperate need for more attention.
Despite his significant Aura reserves, this boy had no training whatsoever, and his power was dormant.
Just like that, Sasuke was sure that this boy had also faked his way into this academy. The difference, however, was the level of qualification they possessed.
While Sasuke was too strong for this school, this boy was basically a civilian and shouldn't be here.
It's not my problem.
If he died at the initiation, it would be his own fault for trying to bite off more than he could chew, and Ozpin's fault for allowing someone so unprepared to try his luck.
Potential was worthless if he didn't survive to train.
Not only that, but no matter how naturally talented this boy might be, it would still take him at least a year to catch up with the others trying to join the academy.
Sasuke didn't have that kind of time on his hands.
More like a month, tops.
Even if one day in the Elemental Nations was equivalent to one year in Remnant, Sasuke couldn't blindly believe that Naruto would be able to survive on his own for hours when a single mistake could result in death.
He had to play it safe and return as soon as possible.
With that, Sasuke decided to ignore the mere existence of this boy...just as Weiss was doing after captivating him with her noble beauty.
There's much to be done.
While Sasuke had already honed his revolution and fully recovered from all his battles in the war, growing stronger as a natural result, he needed to go through this initiation and start training.
"So you were here."
Sasuke heard the familiar voice along with the sound of the door opening and rested his book on the table, then looked ahead to see Weiss entering the library with a happy smile and ready for the upcoming initiation.
"Just catching up on my reading," he said as he looked at his scroll and saw the time. "It's still early."
Not much, but enough for a few more books.
"I wish I were as dedicated as you," Weiss commented as she made her way over to the boy, who was holding more than just her curiosity and finding refuge from the pursuit of a certain stupid blonde who wasn't Yang. "I wonder, though, if your Semblance has anything to do with it."
After all, there was a difference between being able to learn from reading a book like a normal person and memorizing its contents completely like a machine.
"You consider my Sharingan to be a blessing, but you forget that it can also be a curse." Sasuke picked up the next book, continuing, "I remember everything I've ever seen with these eyes, and that includes the worst moments of my life."
Sometimes he marveled that he hadn't gone mad... Well, he did, but not completely.
Itachi certainly didn't help by using Tsukuyomi on him twice as a child.
Sasuke might have "forgiven" his older brother, but a spark of hatred always shone in his heart when he thought of this tragic genius's stupid choices.
The past can't be changed.
He needed to remember that and move on.
"I... didn't think about it that way." Suddenly, Weiss didn't consider this ability to be so enviable. "It must be difficult."
Especially if any of her darkest theories behind why Sasuke hid his face were real, including the possibility that someone had stolen his left eye.
While Sasuke had denied that such a thing had happened, the mere fact that he refused to show his eye told a different story.
As for having an eidetic memory, Weiss really didn't like to imagine what it would be like to perfectly remember every lesson, scream, and fight that took place in the prison she called home.
The Sharingan truly was a blessing and a curse.
"That aside, is it okay for you to waste your time here?" Sasuke changed the subject, no longer wanting to talk about his eyes and the countless burdens that accompanied his power. "You seemed quite interested in having Pyrrha on your team."
A valid option, he would say, given Weiss's noble status and her willingness to be the best.
That, and no one wants to be paired with a burden.
"Pyrrha is surrounded by fans right now." Weiss could see how uncomfortable that girl was, and the fakeness behind her forced smile, much like some politicians back in Atlas. "Besides, there are other options."
The kind that were more genuine and considerate, like this mysterious boy before her, who was willing to take responsibility for the good of those around him.
Sasuke wasn't the only one.
While Yang was very sassy and Ruby was high on sugar, both were willing to speak out against Ozpin... even if their actions were motivated by more than mere altruism.
That wasn't something that just anyone could do, and Weiss didn't mind having them on her team.
Very different from the simpleton who was pursuing her... in every sense of the word.
Speaking of the devil.
"Oh, so this is where you are!"
A similar phrase rang out, but it was one that carried a completely different feeling and intention.
Weiss felt a shiver of revulsion, and her face immediately changed to an expression of pure annoyance.
Looking back, there was the buffoon who had nothing better to do than waste his time trying to recruit and court her...if his crude attempts could even be considered as such.
Jaune entered the library with his best smile, ready to try his luck again with the most beautiful girl in the world, only to freeze in place and take a step back without even understanding why.
He's here.
The boy with the sinister hood that everyone was talking about the day before!
Jaune had seen him inside the Bullhead with those pretty girls and tried to keep his distance, but he ended up losing the battle to his motion sickness. Surprisingly, this sinister figure had disappeared like a ghost, avoiding a catastrophe.
Unfortunately, he ended up getting the boots of that terrifying blonde girl dirty, one who reminded Jaune of his sisters when they were angry.
Now, however, that girl's red eyes seemed cute compared to the single red eye and its three black commas shining in the darkness of that scary hood.
Jaune gulped and took another step back, sweat dripping down his back as he felt as if his life was in danger.
Seeing how the snow angel was with this sinister guy again, last night was no coincidence, so maybe it would be better if he stayed away from her.
Most beautiful girl in the world or not, she wasn't worth a one-way ticket to the afterlife.
"H-hold on, what time is it?" Jaune glanced at an imaginary watch on his wrist and let out a nervous laugh as he continued backing away toward the door to safety. "B-better go now so I won't be late!"
Without waiting for a response, Jaune turned and ran in the opposite direction as if his life depended on it.
In a way, it was the best decision he had ever made.
Sasuke's hostility towards him was real, to the point that it made the air around him feel heavier.
The similarities between Naruto and this boy were too big to ignore.
With this abrupt departure, only silence remained after the door closed.
"Hmph." Sasuke returned to his book, disappointed and strangely satisfied. "He's even weaker than I initially thought."
Not only physically, but mentally as well.
A dangerous combination that could get you killed.
"Right..." Weiss didn't know what else to say about what had just happened, and then remembered something. "Yang said you can see other people's Aura, so I guess that dunce doesn't have much."
Very different from Sasuke.
The night before, Weiss woke up in the middle of the night because of some idiot who wouldn't stop snoring, and instinctively, her eyes stopped on the first boy who had the privilege of sleeping next to her.
Imagine her surprise when she saw that the darkness on Sasuke's face remained unchanged even under the moonlight while he was sleeping.
Somehow, this boy could keep his Semblance active indefinitely!
His Aura reserves must be massive!
Weiss wasn't the only one to notice this, and Yang, being the sinful woman she was, asked if everything else about Sasuke was equally massive.
Who starts a conversation by saying something like that at breakfast?!
Weiss almost committed the inelegance of spitting out her coffee!
Not just her.
This time, even Ruby understood the insinuation and blushed in a way that rivaled her cloak.
It seemed that the younger girl wasn't so pure after all.
"Actually, after me, he's the person with the largest pool of Aura among the new students," Sasuke corrected, and the confusion on Weiss's face was more than justified. "However, all the Aura in the world is worthless if he doesn't have access to it or know how to use it."
Making this boy someone much worse than Naruto ever was.
The idiot back home might not have known how to pronounce "Chakra" correctly, even after being in the academy for five years, but he could use it, even if unconsciously. Otherwise, he wouldn't have given the village ninjas so much trouble trying to capture him after his countless pranks.
This blond boy, on the other hand, was already seventeen years old.
In his experience, that was not the age to start training.
After all, at the same age, Sasuke and Naruto had reached the top of a much worse world and were facing gods. Meanwhile, this boy was only now taking his first steps, and instead of focusing on improving, he preferred to waste time foolishly chasing a girl who rejected his very existence.
There had to be a limit to how deluded someone could be.
"No access?" Weiss ignored the possibility of that dunce having a higher Aura reserve than her and repeated what had just been said without understanding, but then it clicked. "You mean his Aura isn't even unlocked?!"
If that were really true, then how had someone like that gotten into Beacon?!
There was only one logical answer to that question!
"He must have cheated!" Weiss jumped to her feet, ready to go after a Professor! "I need to report this immediately!"
Not just because she didn't like that boy or to score some points, but because he was no better than a civilian and could end up dead!
"Don't bother." Sasuke picked up another book, being indifferent to it. "Ozpin already knows."
If not, it would be extremely disappointing after the little show of authority he had displayed the night before.
"He knows?" Weiss stopped in her tracks, remembering that Sasuke had a long conversation with the Headmaster about his village the night before. "Then why?"
Why would he allow someone so unqualified to risk his life like that?
Headmaster or not, it felt like an extremely irresponsible decision.
"For the same reason that Ruby Rose was accepted two years early." Sasuke closed his book, having finished everything he had selected to read during this early morning. "Ozpin sees potential in him."
While this blond boy was useless to him and had started his journey late, if he managed to train for the next four years with dedication and without dying, he could become a decent Huntsman.
If he didn't die.
"I see..." Weiss didn't like it, especially having to acknowledge Ruby's talent, but she could understand the logic behind the Headmaster's decision. "Still... potential means nothing if he's dead."
While she didn't know the exact nature of the exam, they were about to face Grimm in combat.
Unless it happened in an extremely controlled environment, that fool was as good as dead!
As for Sasuke, he had thought something similar to what Weiss had just voiced, but the intention behind her words was completely different.
He only saw that boy as an inferior imitation of his only friend and someone unworthy of his time.
Weiss, on the other hand, despite having every right to resent someone who was after her for her body, saw a life in danger.
"It looks like you're going to make a good Huntress, Weiss Schnee." Sasuke really meant it. "I wouldn't be able to show the same level of compassion for someone like that."
In fact, some time ago, he would have killed that boy just for looking like Naruto.
Ba-dum.
Weiss felt her heart skip a beat and her face flush with this sudden compliment.
Having her character recognized was rewarding in an almost indescribable way, proving that she was different from her father.
Furthermore, once again, Weiss was getting a taste of how worthy Sasuke was as a friend, partner, and maybe even...
She stopped, realizing what was happening as a result of her appreciation for Sasuke, his kind words, and the kind of person he was.
"You're good, almost dangerously so," Weiss said, fascinated by the skill and effect this boy could have on the opposite sex without even showing his face. "Now I understand why those two fell for you."
And if she wasn't careful, Weiss would be next.
But I'm different!
Weiss wasn't easy like Yang or innocent like Ruby.
This boy would need much more than that to win her heart!
"I don't know what you're talking about," Sasuke lied through his teeth, it being an almost instinctive response to this annoying accusation. "Stop talking nonsense and go do what you believe to be the right thing."
There wasn't much time before the initiation began, and for that idiot to be killed.
"Fufu. Whatever you say, Sasuke." Weiss kept her smile, amused by his response. Suddenly, I can understand why Yang likes to tease other people. Even if it was in a completely different way. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to save the life of a disillusioned fool."
Who would have thought she would start working before even becoming a Huntress in training?
Just as expected of a true Schnee!
With Weiss' enthusiastic departure, Sasuke sighed as he got up to put away his books, with only one thought in mind:
She's better than me.
For someone who wanted to bring peace to the world and was considering becoming some kind of guardian god, Sasuke was very cold and indifferent to the lives of others.
A trait he considered necessary to cut all ties, along with the lives of many who would try to get in his way, including his only friend, and rule with absolute power.
Now, with the changes in his plans, could he or should he even continue to be so cold?
Sasuke wasn't sure, but he knew the answer would come to him eventually.
Time to get to know the darkness of this world.