The Silent School Bus and the Abnormal Beginning

The July sunlight filtered through the dark window glass, casting slightly dull patches of light inside the carriage.

Fūki Ran sat by the window, his gaze calmly fixed on the urban scenery rapidly receding outside. The original owner of this body had harbored vague expectations and anxieties about arriving at the Kōtō Ikusei High School, an institution that boasted "100% College and Career Placement." But at this moment, the consciousness occupying this shell came from Another Dimension—Fūki, an existence who had reached the pinnacle in countless fields and been crowned a "Perfect Genius."

Parents deceased, standing alone. It saved a lot of unnecessary trouble. Fūki thought indifferently. The foundation of this body was decent, with handsome features and a well-proportioned build; only the gloom that had originally haunted his brow had been replaced by the composure and detachment forged through a lifetime of tempering his soul.

The memories of his past life were like a Vast Database; the knowledge, techniques, and insights that would have taken researchers in any field a lifetime to reach were now quietly dormant in the depths of his mind.

He withdrew his gaze from the window and scanned the interior of the carriage, seemingly at random.

Anomalous.

That was the first conclusion he reached.

This school bus for new students was luxuriously appointed, with comfortable seats and perfectly regulated air conditioning. Yet, the carriage was filled with a Near Stagnant Silence that felt completely at odds with the opulent facilities.

There was no excited chatter common among new students, no discussions about the future, not even a whisper. Most students simply sat silently in their seats; some looked down at their phones (though the signal seemed to be blocked once they entered the campus area), while others stared blankly out the window, maintaining clear boundaries between one another.

This silence was not merely shyness or reserve; it felt more like a state of being guided—or perhaps suppressed—by some invisible rule.

Fūki's gaze, like the most precise scanner, swept over the young faces, capturing subtle expressions, body language, and details of their attire. Information automatically gathered and categorized in his mind.

Most were mediocre. Their eyes held confusion, submission, or bewilderment at the Current Situation.

His gaze lingered briefly on a few figures.

A girl with orange short hair and an impeccably bright smile—Kushida Kikyo. Her smile was highly infectious, and she seemed to be trying hard to strike up a conversation with the student next to her, but the responses she received were mostly brief and guarded. Deep within the eyes behind that perfect smile, Fūki caught a faint trace of scrutiny that didn't match her enthusiastic facade. An interesting disguise.

A tall boy with black short hair, a fierce look in his eyes, and an intimidating air—Sudo Ken. He sat with his arms crossed, clearly impatient with the surrounding silence, yet he made no move to break it. A typical impulsive type; his physical strength likely surpassed his intellect.

A boy with glasses, small in stature, head bowed as if trying to hide himself—Yukimura Teruhiko. He pushed up his glasses from time to time, his eyes filled with unease and alienation toward his surroundings. He might be good at studying, but his social skills were concerning.

And...

Fūki's gaze finally settled on a seat in the row ahead, near the aisle.

It was a maiden.

Her black long hair hung straight like a waterfall, accentuating the graceful and cold lines of her profile. She sat upright, staring straight ahead, her purple eyes devoid of any excess emotion, resembling a frozen lake that kept everyone at a distance. Even in this oppressive atmosphere, the aloof temperament she exuded stood out remarkably.

Horikita Suzune.

The name and related information immediately surfaced in Fūki's mind. An isolationist who strongly believed in her own strength and rejected ineffective social interaction.

Just as Fūki was observing Horikita Suzune, he felt another gaze coming from further back, from a window seat where the occupant's presence was extremely faint. That gaze was flat and waveless, devoid of any emotional color, as if observing an insignificant object.

Fūki did not turn his head, but the corners of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

As expected, you are here too. A "work" stripped of normal emotions and raised in an inhuman environment. An incomplete "genius" lacking autonomy.

The school bus slowly drove into the campus and finally stopped in front of the grand school gate.

The silence was finally broken as the students stood up one after another, grabbing their luggage to disembark. The atmosphere remained somewhat dull, but at least there were finally the sounds of living people.

Fūki followed the flow of people off the bus, the fresh air rushing to meet him, slightly dispelling the oppression from inside the vehicle. He stood by the bus, his gaze sweeping over the crowd again, watching the confusion and curiosity on the faces of these new students who were about to become his classmates.

The opening of this school was certainly not simple. This school bus was likely the first show of force, or perhaps, the first subtle hint—that here, some rules were different.

Fūki pulled his suitcase, not in a hurry to find the class assignment notice, but standing in place as if waiting for something.

Sure enough, not long after, a gentle but somewhat programmed male voice sounded over the campus broadcast:

"Welcome, new students. Please follow the signs to the gymnasium for the entrance ceremony."

The directions were clear, and the students began to move.

Fūki followed the crowd at a leisurely pace, his gaze once again falling on that solitary, graceful back with flowing black hair—Horikita Suzune. She had also detached herself from the crowd, walking alone with a firm stride, as if everything around her had nothing to do with her.

Fūki smiled slightly.

A good starting point. In this seemingly calm but actually Undercurrents-filled campus, this aloof maiden would undoubtedly be a highly challenging, and highly valuable... target.

His path to conquest had officially begun, starting from this abnormally silent school bus and this mysterious campus.