Chapter 1: Another World

"I admit it. I... I lost."

These were words he never thought he'd say to anyone. After everything that had happened, everything he had gone through, the measures he had taken to ensure all the world's hatred was focused solely on him while severing ties with everyone close to him.

All of that had been undone by the determination and perseverance of a desperately naive and idealistic friend. A friend who never gave up on redeeming him, even when faced with certain death at his own hands.

In the end, Sasuke Uchiha's revolution had failed. All the pain and suffering he endured to gain the power necessary to plunge into darkness became meaningless as Naruto stubbornly held onto his hand and pulled him back into the light.

Yet, for some reason, he wasn't sad, nor angry or disappointed with the outcome. For reasons he couldn't understand, Sasuke felt as if the burden he'd carried all his life had finally been lifted from his shoulders. As if he was finally realizing the depth of the feelings others had for him and how much his bonds meant to them.

"Idiot!" Naruto shouted back, though he was immobilized and in as much pain as he was. "You don't get it? This fight was never about winning or losing at all, I just wanted to knock some sense into a stubborn friend!"

Sasuke listened as best as he could in his current state, unable to help but laugh a little at how loud Naruto remained, even after taking the beating of his life. "And the real fight I want comes after doing that," Naruto finished his little tirade.

Internally laughing at the thoughts of his one lost friend, Sasuke figured it wouldn't hurt to let him know what he was thinking as well. "Hey, Naruto," he called.

"What!?" Naruto angrily replied, looking at him with a bruised eye.

"I just told you I respect you," Sasuke addressed as his blonde rival finally stopped talking and began to listen attentively. "If I die here, the long cycle of hatred that the Sage mentioned could end. That's also a kind of revolution. Release the Infinite Tsukuyomi once I'm dead by transplanting my left eye into Kakashi or someone else. I'm just ending myself." The last Uchiha felt his strength leaving him as his vision blurred.

"If you care so much about dying, stay alive and help me instead." Naruto looked at his friend, resembling a walking corpse with resolve and sadness. "What I want is for all shinobi to cooperate with each other. That includes you too."

"Idiot..." A final smile crossed Sasuke's face, the last words he spoke before the world around him darkened by the screaming of his friend and eventually ceased to be.

------------

"Am I dead?" For some reason, he could still feel his body lying still on the ground, the throbbing pain present everywhere. But the sky had vanished, and Naruto was no longer by his side.

Darkness. That was all Sasuke could perceive. It wasn't the suffocating void of unconsciousness, nor the hazy disorientation of genjutsu. It was simply… nothing. A void absent of pain, sound, or even the passage of time. He should have felt something anger, regret, relief but instead, he felt weightless, as if his very soul had been stripped of all burdens.

Additionally, Sasuke felt the coldness of water, its ripples touching his back as a strange purple light emanated from the ground. This was a place he knew very well, a place he had seen before when he was about to die against Madara.

"This is not what you think." From the tone and age of the voice, Sasuke quickly recognized the person. He struggled to look at his new companion.

An old man floated with folded legs as a black staff rested in his hands and floating black orbs surrounded him. With two small horns on his head, a very long beard, and a strange third eye with patterns synonymous with the Rinnegan, there was no doubt this was Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths.

"What do you want this time, old man? Come to claim my soul to purge my sins?" A slight smile crossed the teenager's face, completely ignoring the reason for his presence.

"Not quite. You're in the realm between life and death, as you might have noticed. We've met here before. I'm here to offer you a second chance to live." The Sage looked at his battered guest with pity.

"Me? Why should I do that? I don't deserve it anyway, just send me to hell alongside Danzō." Sasuke wanted to see some bastards in the afterlife. A second chance for someone like him would be a waste. His brother Itachi deserved it more than him in every way.

"As the reincarnation of Indra, you made peace with the reincarnation of Asura, ending the eternal cycle of hatred and conflict between my two sons. As a testament to this peace, you declared that you preferred to end your life at that moment, unknowingly casting away the chakra that represented the hatred that had festered inside Indra and you for all these years. I am deeply grateful for that. Being indirectly my son, I would like to offer you a second chance to apologize for all the suffering you may have endured as your previous incarnations."

"Are you pitying me?" Sasuke asked, his voice laced with sharp sarcasm. His eyes, though tired and weakened, still reflected that defiant glint, that indomitable fire that had always burned within him.

Hagoromo smiled softly, his beard trembling slightly under the effect of a gentle, invisible breeze. "I don't think pity is the right word, Sasuke. What I'm offering you is far more than that. It's an opportunity for you to make amends, not just for yourself but for the world you tried to shape in your own way."

Sasuke sighed, his head resting heavily against the imaginary ground of this realm between life and death. "I've fought my whole life for what I believed was right. And now you're telling me it was all a mistake? That everything I did was for nothing?"

"Not everything," Hagoromo calmly replied. "Your actions had consequences, some disastrous, others... necessary. But what you accomplished, Sasuke, is breaking a millennia-old cycle of hatred. You brought peace to a conflict that had torn this world apart for generations. That's a fact you cannot deny."

"And what good is it if I die here? That peace will have been just a stolen moment, a mirage in the desert of reality," Sasuke retorted, a hint of cynicism coloring his voice.

Hagoromo closed his eyes for a moment, as if meditating on the Uchiha's words before responding. "That is precisely why I don't want you to die here, Sasuke. There is still so much to do, so much to discover. But not in this world."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. "Not in this world? What do you mean, old man?"

The Sage opened his eyes, revealing a glimmer of wisdom but also a spark of mystery. "There are other worlds, Sasuke, other dimensions that escape human understanding. Some are linked to what you know, while others are distorted reflections or parallel realities. One of these dimensions... concerns me particularly. It is unstable, fragile, and I fear it will descend into chaos without outside intervention."

Sasuke sat up slightly, curiosity overtaking his exhaustion. "And you want to send me there, is that it? For what? To save another world? I'm not Naruto, I'm not going to become some savior of the oppressed."

"I'm not asking you to save a world, Sasuke," Hagoromo replied with a new gravity in his voice. "I'm asking you to watch over that place, to understand its workings, and to ensure that the dimension doesn't collapse in on itself. Other Otsutsuki might set their sights on this world, just as my mother did with your world. This mission, though different from what you've known, is just as crucial. And it might give you a new perspective on what redemption truly means."

A heavy silence settled between them, filled with unspoken thoughts and reflections. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, weighing the Sage's words. A part of him wanted to refuse, to give up this second chance, and accept his fate. But another part, the one that had survived so many battles and losses, refused to remain idle.

"And why me?" he finally asked, his voice softer, almost contemplative. "Why not send someone else? My brother Itachi is perfectly suited for this mission."

"Because you are the only one capable of understanding the complexity of the situation, Sasuke," Hagoromo replied. "Your experience, your worldview, and your power... They are necessary to maintain balance in that dimension. I recognize your brother, Uchiha Itachi ; he possessed the blood of my son Indra but the ideals of my other son Ashura. An admirable person, but unfortunately, my power only allows me to interact with the reincarnations of my sons."

Sasuke remained silent, contemplating the Sage's words. Knowing that another person besides himself recognized his brother's actions made him happy internally, but he wouldn't show it.

Finally, he let out a long sigh and closed his eyes. "Alright. I'll do it. But don't think for a second that it's because I believe in your mission. I'm doing it for me. To understand what you seem to want to tell me."

A satisfied smile spread across Hagoromo's face. "I expected no less from you, Sasuke."

"How does it work?" Sasuke asked, ready to end this philosophical conversation. "I close my eyes and wake up in this new world, is that it?" A hint of skepticism settled in his mind, unable to imagine such a thing existing.

Naturally, he hadn't had the opportunity to explore all the capabilities of the Rinnegan, so he wasn't aware of the dimensional travel his divine eye could perform.

Hagoromo nodded. "You will not be reborn as an infant, but as yourself, your memories, your strength, all intact. However, you will be alone. I am sorry for that."

Sasuke stared at the Sage for a long moment before finally nodding. "Fine. I'll see what this world has to offer." The idea of ​​being alone didn't faze him, he's already used to being alone so it doesn't matter.

Hagoromo, his features serious. "Prepare yourself, Sasuke. This journey will not be easy, but I am certain you will find your path."

"What about my eyes? My memories? I want you to take me there without restoring my arm."

"Your Rinnegan will remain intact, you will be able to use it without any issues. The same goes for your Sharingan, nothing will be taken from you, so don't worry about that. Why do you wish not to restore your arm, by the way ?" Curiosity piqued the old man's interest, living a life with one arm is a disadvantage.

"This missing arm will remind me of all my past sins as well as serve as a constant reminder of my former life." As an Uchiha, it is a sort of honor to keep a trace of one's battles. This arm will be proof of that even in this future world.

"I have one last request, old man." Sasuke closed his eyes, ready to accept his fate. A strange warmth filled his body, as if the very energy of the universe was concentrating around him.

"State your request, my descendant." The Sage watched the reincarnation of Indra disappear with a plastered smile on his face.

"Thank Naruto for everything." With those last words, he vanished, leaving behind the deadly silence of that realm and an old man nodding his head.

------

Timeline: 2007 (DxD Canon in 2018)

Kuoh Academy

Sasuke adjusted the collar of his Kuoh Academy uniform, the crisp fabric feeling oddly constraining. His reflection in the mirror stared back, same dark eyes, same messy black hair, and the same expressionless mask. The school emblem sat on his chest, a symbol of his new life, or at least the illusion of one.

It had been a week since he arrived in this world. Using genjutsu, he'd slipped into society unnoticed. Acquiring an apartment had been simple, one illusion cast over the landlord, and the place was his. As for the overall knowledge of this world, in terms of technology and such, he had only looked into the memory of that same person... His forged documents placed him as a second-year student at Kuoh Academy.

But even with the ease his abilities provided, something gnawed at him. This town, this school... they felt wrong. Not overtly so, but in subtle ways only someone like him could detect. There was an underlying pulse, like a concealed chakra signature he couldn't quite trace. For a guy like him who possesses Sharingan, that that's ironic.

The first day of classes had been uneventful, at least on the surface. Sasuke had taken a seat by the window, his preferred spot, always allowing for an escape route. The murmurs of students buzzed around him, but he paid them no mind.

"Yo! You must be the new guy."

Sasuke glanced up, his Sharingan inactive but his senses sharp. Standing before him was a tall boy with sandy-blonde hair and sharp green eyes, wearing the same uniform but with a loosened tie and an easygoing grin.

"Name's Riku," the boy introduced, skipping formalities, pulling up a chair and straddling it backward, resting his arms on the backrest. "You?"

"Sasuke," he replied curtly, not bothering to offer more.

Riku didn't seem deterred. "Cool. Mind if I sit here? The other seats are kinda lame."

Sasuke shrugged. "Do what you want."

As Riku settled in, Sasuke caught an odd sensation from him, not chakra, but something similar, deeper, and ancient. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but there. He narrowed his eyes subtly, but said nothing.

The class buzzed on until the door slid open. A girl walked in, graceful but firm. Long dark dark hair cascaded down her back, tied with a simple ribbon, and her dark eyes scanned the room with measured calm.

"That's Aiko," Riku whispered, noticing Sasuke's glance. "She's the vice president of the student council, I didn't tell but I am also part of it. Sharp as hell but cool once you get to know her."

Sasuke didn't reply, but his gaze lingered on Aiko as she took a seat near the front. Like Riku, she exuded that same strange aura. It wasn't killing intent or malice, just... something off.

Throughout the day, both Riku and Aiko casually interacted with him. Riku was open and friendly, while Aiko kept things formal but not cold. Yet, Sasuke couldn't shake the unease building within him. Their presence tugged at his instincts, like they were cloaked in something he couldn't yet see through.

He trusts his instincts, Riku said they were both part of the "council", all the other people in this place are probably the same. But what? He knew Chakra might not exist in this world, at least not in this city. But just those two people sent him an alarming feeling somehow.

After school, Riku slung his bag over his shoulder and flashed a grin. "We're heading to the student council room later. You should stop by sometime. They like keeping tabs on new students."

Sasuke gave a non-committal grunt, his mind already weighing the potential threats.

Just as he neared the exit, something in his vision made him turn around. At the top of the academy, through a window, a woman with white hair was standing and watching him. He can recognize Aiko next to her. Her lips moved, forming words, but the distance between them rendered them inaudible.

As he tought, this white haired girl next to Aiko is also weird. He has to learn more tomorrow.

Here's the conversation between Cleria and Aiko, focusing on their thoughts about Sasuke while maintaining the mystery around their true identities:

---

The soft hum of the afternoon breeze filtered through the slightly open window. Cleria Belial stood by it, her white hair flowing gently, gray eyes focused on the schoolyard below. Next to her, Aiko kept a calm demeanor, her hands folded neatly in front of her, though her dark eyes occasionally flicked towards her King.

Both of them watched as Sasuke exited the school gates, his sharp gaze briefly darting upwards, right at them, before he turned away, his expression darkening slightly.

Cleria raised an eyebrow. He noticed us. Impressive.

"Is that him?" Cleria asked, her voice calm but laced with curiosity.

Aiko nodded, her eyes still on the boy. "Yes. Sasuke Uchiha. He transferred last week. Riku's been keeping an eye on him during classes."

Cleria's gaze lingered on Sasuke's retreating figure. "What's your impression?"

Aiko hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "...He's strong. Not in the way most are. It's subtle, but his aura, it's like a tightly coiled blade. Controlled, but dangerous. And he noticed us, despite the distance."

Cleria's lips curved into a slight smile. "Sharp senses. Not many could pick up on our presence, especially with the barriers around this room."

Aiko's brow furrowed. "But that's not all. There's something off about him. I tried sensing what he is, but… there's nothing. No magic signature, no aura we can recognize. It's like he's... cloaked in something beyond us."

Cleria's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "A natural barrier? Or perhaps something he's doing intentionally ?"

"I'm not sure," Aiko replied. "But there's one more thing. When Riku spoke to him, he felt it too, something weird, something deep. But it wasn't magic. It was... different."

They both fell silent for a moment, watching as Sasuke disappeared from sight.

"Do you think he's a threat?" Aiko asked finally.

Cleria pondered, her fingers tapping lightly against the windowsill. "It's too early to say. But he's not an ordinary human. That much is clear. He managed to get into this school without any problems, and there is not much information about him."

"Should we approach him? See if he has potential for the peerage?" Aiko suggested, though her tone was cautious.

Cleria shook her head gently. "Not yet. He's guarded, like a wounded animal. Approach too soon, and he'll either lash out or vanish. I want to know more first. His abilities. His intentions. Whether he's an enemy... or something else. We don't even know if he is a member of the Church or not."

Aiko nodded. "I'll keep observing. Quietly."

Cleria's gaze softened, though her curiosity remained. "Good. There's something about him... I want to know what it is."

Aiko glanced one last time at the empty schoolyard. "He doesn't trust us. I could feel it. He senses something's off, even if he can't explain it."

Cleria smiled faintly. "Smart boy. But whether that will be his strength or his downfall... we'll see."

The room fell into silence again, the weight of unspoken thoughts filling the air as the sun dipped lower behind Kuoh Academy.

---

Walking home through Kuoh's streets, the feeling of being watched gnawed at him again. His Rinnegan and Sharingan, though hidden by a Transformation Jutsu, could still sense shifts in energy, and this town was alive with them. He didn't like it.

Reaching his apartment, he undid the basic genjutsu that cloaked the building's entrance from prying eyes. Inside, it was sparse, just a futon, a table, and a few essentials. He sat cross-legged, eyes closed, focusing.

"Not chakra," he muttered to himself, thinking back to Riku and Aiko. "But something similar. They're hiding something."

He didn't like mysteries, especially when they involved people trying too hard to seem normal. But he wouldn't act just yet. Observing was key.

For now, Kuoh was his new home, but Sasuke knew better than to trust the surface. There was something darker beneath it all, and it was only a matter of time before it revealed itself.

At least, until he goes to this Student Council.