Strange Kouenji

Itozawa sat in his bus seat, his gaze drifting past the fleeting scenery outside the window as he was lost in thought.

Three years ago, he had unexpectedly transmigrated to this world.

At the time, he had no idea that his life would change drastically in that instant.

He had initially thought he'd just randomly found himself reborn in an ordinary alternate world, prepared to cherish this chance and live his life anew starting from junior high.

So, he earnestly asked his classmates which high school in Japan was good.

After all, he was truly unfamiliar with Japanese schools.

But he never expected this question to lead to a surprise.

"Itozawa, what's wrong with you? You don't even know this? Of course, it's the famous Kouiku!"

When he heard this answer, his heart sank halfway.

"Which Kouiku?"

"Of course, it's the Kouiku established by Lord Onijima. What's wrong with you, did you get sick and become stupid?"

"Let me tell you, we definitely have to try for it in three years. After all, even a trash like my cousin could be chosen last year, so we definitely can be chosen too."

Itozawa smiled helplessly, acknowledging the promise with his friend.

However, he knew very well that Kouiku's true admission mechanism was by invitation.

If you didn't receive an invitation from Kouiku, no matter how astonishing you were, you'd be rejected by the interviewers.

Conversely, if you had an invitation, even if you were an unlucky kid like Lu Mingfei, you could still be selected by Kouiku.

However, what was good about Kouiku compared to Cassell was that Kouiku valued trainable comprehensive abilities, not some ethereal bloodline.

Therefore, as long as he worked hard, he was sure to use these three years to knock on the door of Class A.

As for Ayanokouji's threat, as long as he used his foresight advantage from the plot to strike first and suppress Sakayanagi, that arrogant guy, securing a spot in Class A would be more than enough.

The Itozawa who would later enter Kouiku would never have imagined that his own thoughts would cause him to miss out on the easily obtainable ticket to Class A.

But at the time, unaware of the consequences, he poured his heart and soul into studying and training.

First, he trained his body, improving his physical fitness and coordination.

Every morning, he would engage in running and strength training, and in the evenings, he practiced martial arts and reaction speed.

Second, he focused on acquiring knowledge.

He read a vast number of books, from literature to science, from history to philosophy, constantly enriching his knowledge base.

He knew that only by possessing broad knowledge and a solid theoretical foundation could he stand out in the fierce competition at Kouiku.

For three years, Itozawa never once relaxed his demands on himself. His goal was clear—to be selected by Kouiku and to enter Class A in one go.

After all, no matter how much this school was criticized, in this world, it was still the fastest way for geniuses without a background to distinguish themselves.

Finally, his efforts paid off.

A month ago, he received an invitation from Kouiku. This was not only an affirmation of his unremitting efforts over the past three years but also his ticket to a higher stage.

In the written and oral exams, Itozawa successfully passed all the tests with his knowledge and abilities.

Now, he was sitting on the bus heading to Kouiku, his heart filled with anticipation and excitement.

He knew that life at Kouiku would be full of challenges, but he was prepared. He would use his strength to prove his worth and achieve his dreams.

Itozawa snapped back to reality, hearing Kushida Kikyo's voice nearby. She seemed to be questioning Kouenji Rokusuke.

It seemed the plot of the original work was officially beginning.

Itozawa pondered whether he should step forward to help Kouenji out of his predicament, thereby gaining some favor from him.

However, Kouenji's response left him stunned.

"I am truly disappointed. I never expected to be classified at the same danger level as such idiots..."

Kouenji's voice carried a clear contempt.

"...Not even recognizing the proctor, truly disappointing."

Itozawa stood frozen, starting to feel that something was wrong.

Kouenji's reaction was completely different from what he understood from the original work.

He seemed certain that he would be assigned to Class D.

How could this be possible?

Could it be that the seemingly ordinary old lady was actually an examiner?

He began to focus his attention on her, trying to discern something from her, but she was like a deep pool, revealing nothing.

Kouenji noticed Itozawa's gaze. At first, he thought Itozawa might have seen through the truth and looked over with interest.

But upon seeing his confused expression, he quickly understood that this was not the case.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Kouenji's face, and he then turned away coldly, no longer paying attention to him. Itozawa, however, did not see any of this.

He was still contemplating Kouenji's words, trying to make sense of the situation.

If the examiner truly existed, and if Kouenji truly knew the examiner's identity, it would mean he knew far more than he did in the original story.

This was not a good omen.

It either meant that Kouenji, a potential future opponent, was much more terrifying than anticipated.

Or, it meant that this world had already diverged significantly from the Classroom of the Elite world he was familiar with.

Neither possibility was good news.

Itozawa took a deep breath, shaking off the dreadful thoughts, and decided to bide his time for now.

He needed more information to understand this new situation.

So, he began to carefully observe the students around him, trying to find clues in their behavior and conversations.

But he soon realized something was even more amiss.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Horikita Suzune were nowhere to be found on the bus.

In the original story, the four of them—Ayanokoji, Horikita, Kushida, and Kouenji—met on the same bus.

However, he didn't see them now, which startled him, making him feel like events were spiraling out of his control.

He knew for a fact he couldn't be mistaken; that meeting was meant for them to observe each other, a part of the plot that absolutely could not have been missed.

But now, Itozawa didn't see them on the bus, leaving him confused and uneasy.

Could it be that his transmigration had caused such a massive ripple effect, causing these two characters who should have appeared to be absent?

Itozawa took a deep breath and decided to remain calm, continuing to observe his surroundings and the people in them.

Since things had changed, he needed to maintain a clear head and keen observation to adapt and respond quickly.

His gaze swept over everyone on the bus again, searching for any possible clues, but so far, he hadn't found any useful information.

The old lady sat quietly after the lady beside her gave up her seat, showing no unusual behavior.

Then what did Kouenji's words just now mean?

Was he trying to trick someone, or was there something he hadn't noticed?

Just as he was lost in thought, the Kouiku arrived.