Summer Special Training Class

The morning sunlight filtered through a gap in the curtains and spilled into the room. Tang Yu opened his eyes, and the System Interface immediately unfolded in his field of vision:

[Current Emotion Points: 38900/40000]

[Today's Goal: Break through 40000 to unlock a new ability]

[Special Reminder: High-density emotional fluctuations detected in the surrounding environment]

Today was the first day of the Summer Special Training Class. Tang Yu got out of bed and took a carefully prepared outfit from his suitcase. It looked like an ordinary school uniform, but he had used Emotion Points to exchange for "Advanced Fabric Improvement" (cost: 200 points).

It fit more crisply and looked sharper. Details made all the difference, and among these elite students, every advantage mattered.

The mountain lodge lay in the forest on the outskirts of Tokyo. The school used it specifically for special events.

When Tang Yu arrived on an early train, more than twenty students had already gathered in the courtyard. He quickly scanned the crowd and picked out several key figures:

Miyabi Nagumo, a third-year student and the Student Council Vice President, was surrounded by admirers. Rumor had it he was Horikita Manabu's successor. Tachibana Akane, a second-year and the Student Council secretary, stood quietly in a corner reading.

Among the first-years, besides Horikita Suzune and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, there were Katsuragi Kohei from Class A, Honami Ichinose from Class B, and... Koenji Rokusuke from Class C?

"Koenji came too?" Tang Yu muttered. The unconventional blond boy was doing yoga as if no one else were there, completely ignoring the odd looks around him.

"The School Administration specially invited him." A familiar voice came from behind him. Horikita Suzune stood there, her black hair cascading down her back, her expression softer than usual.

She wore the standard uniform, but her collar badge was pinned especially neatly. "Apparently, he showed 'exceptional potential' in certain tests."

Tang Yu nodded in greeting. "Good morning, Horikita. Is your leg better?"

"Yeah." Horikita lightly stamped her right foot. "It doesn't interfere with moving anymore."

The atmosphere between them was completely different from before the final exams. There was less hostility and a subtle sense of understanding.

Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception and saw that Horikita's Emotion Cloud was a warm beige: calm, with a hint of anticipation.

"Has your brother arrived yet?" Tang Yu asked tentatively.

Horikita's expression immediately tightened. "He's in the conference room. He... takes this training seriously."

Just then, the lodge's main doors opened, and a tall figure stepped out. Tang Yu recognized him at once without an introduction: Horikita Manabu, the Student Council President and a legendary figure on campus.

He was even more imposing than Tang Yu had imagined. Nearly six foot four, with sharply defined features and eyes as keen as a hawk's behind black-rimmed glasses. Even in an ordinary school uniform, he carried himself like a man in armor.

"Line up." Horikita Manabu's voice wasn't loud, yet the entire courtyard fell silent at once.

The students quickly formed three rows. Tang Yu deliberately stood in the middle, where he could observe everyone without drawing too much attention. But after scanning the crowd, Horikita Manabu's gaze paused on him for half a second—long enough to make one thing clear: he had noticed him.

"This Special Training Class will last two weeks." Horikita Manabu got straight to the point. "The goal is to uncover your potential through intensive training.

"The rules are simple: follow instructions, complete your assignments, and let the comprehensive evaluation on the final day determine whether you stay or go."

"Stay or go?" someone whispered.

"The bottom ten percent will be eliminated and lose all eligibility for awards next semester." Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses. "Now, the first lesson begins. I'll be teaching classical literature analysis. The classroom is on the second floor. Five minutes."

The students immediately headed inside. Tang Yu was about to follow when he felt someone tug at his sleeve. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had appeared beside him without his noticing, his gray-white eyes unreadable.

"Watch out for Nagumo," he said quietly, then disappeared into the crowd.

Tang Yu frowned. Miyabi Nagumo? That seemingly sunny Student Council Vice President? He activated Emotion Perception and scanned the area. Sure enough, he caught an unusual fluctuation coming from Nagumo's direction: bright enthusiasm on the surface, but deep gray scheming underneath.

[Attention from Miyabi Nagumo +100]

[Current Emotion Points: 39000/40000]

The classroom was traditionally Japanese in style, with low tables and cushions set out on the tatami. Tang Yu chose a spot by the window, where he could observe everyone and make use of the natural light.

Horikita Suzune sat diagonally in front of him, her back perfectly straight. Ayanokoji chose the farthest corner, as if he wanted to blend into the wall.

Horikita Manabu stood at the front of the room. Without using slides or a projector, he simply picked up a stitched copy of The Tale of the Heike.

"Today, we'll analyze the 'Battle of Uji' section in volume four of The Tale of the Heike." His voice was calm and carried clearly. "First, who can summarize what happened?"

Several hands went up, including Horikita Suzune's. Tang Yu noticed that Horikita Manabu deliberately passed over his sister and chose a third-year student to answer.

After the student gave the standard response, Horikita Manabu suddenly asked, "Why did Taira no Kiyomori withdraw after his victory instead of pressing the attack? Historians consider it a serious mistake. What do you think?"

Silence fell over the classroom. The question seemed simple, but concealed a trap: reexamining history in the face of conventional wisdom. Tang Yu saw Horikita Suzune's fingers tremble slightly. She clearly knew the answer, but didn't dare raise her hand, afraid her brother would think she was showing off.

"Tang Yu." Horikita Manabu called on him directly. "What's your view?"

Every eye in the room turned toward him. Tang Yu kept his composure and activated Emotional Link, trying to sense Horikita Manabu's intentions, but an invisible barrier rebuffed him. The man's emotional control was frighteningly strong.

"It wasn't a mistake. It was a calculated decision." Tang Yu rose slowly. "Taira no Kiyomori understood that winning a battle wasn't the same as securing the best outcome. The Taira had won, but suffered significant losses. Pressing the attack could have trapped them in a drawn-out conflict. Withdrawing preserved their strength and let them cultivate an image of benevolence, paving the way for their political maneuvering."

The classroom fell utterly silent. His answer not only challenged the historical consensus but also showed strategic thinking beyond that of a high school student. Light from the window reflected off Horikita Manabu's glasses, obscuring his eyes.

"An interesting perspective," he finally said. "But it overlooks the Genji's point of view. If Minamoto no Yoshitsune had been—"

"Minamoto no Yoshitsune was recuperating in the Hokuriku region," Tang Yu interrupted without backing down. "There's no way Taira no Kiyomori's intelligence network didn't know that. That's exactly why he needed to conserve his strength instead of wasting elite troops on a minor local victory."

The room erupted. Tang Yu might have been the first first-year student to interrupt Horikita Manabu and stand by his position.

[Shock from everyone present +500]

[Complex emotions from Horikita Suzune +200]

[Current Emotion Points: 39700/40000]