The Critical Point

On the dawn of the Special Training Class's final day, Tang Yu was jolted awake by a piercing alarm. Horikita Manabu's calm voice came over the dormitory speakers:

"All trainees, report to the main hall within five minutes. The Final Assessment is starting early."

Tang Yu came fully awake at once. He glanced out the window—the sky was only just beginning to pale, nowhere near the usual time to get up.

The surprise schedule was clearly Horikita Manabu's doing. He wanted to test the trainees when they were at their most exhausted and least prepared.

Tang Yu quickly got dressed. Before leaving, he checked the system status:

[Current Emotion Points: 51800/60000]

["Emotion Field" awaiting real-world verification]

[Special Notice: Extreme testing environment detected]

Trainees arrived at the main hall one after another, most of them bleary-eyed and disheveled. Only a few—like Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Horikita Suzune—remained as composed as ever.

Tang Yu noticed Miyabi Nagumo already standing beside Horikita Manabu, immaculate and wearing an unsettling smile.

"No breakfast today." Horikita Manabu got straight to the point. "The Final Assessment has already begun. You have thirty seconds to read the instructions."

The big screen lit up with a block of text:

[Extreme Pressure Test]

Rules:

1. All trainees will be confined in a sealed conference room for eight hours

2. The room temperature will gradually rise to 35°C

3. Each person will receive only 200 ml of water

4. During that time, you must complete a difficult exam

5. Any violation will result in immediate elimination

Scoring Criteria:

- Exam accuracy (40%)

- Behavior under pressure (60%)

"This is too cruel!" protested a third-year girl.

Horikita Manabu remained impassive. "The real world is far crueler. Now, line up to collect your exams and water, then enter the conference room."

The line moved slowly. When it was Tang Yu's turn, Horikita Manabu handed him the exam and water bottle himself. Their fingers briefly touched.

"I look forward to seeing how you do, Transfer Student." Cold light glinted off Horikita Manabu's glasses. "Especially... under extreme conditions."

Tang Yu said nothing, only giving a slight nod. He activated Emotion Perception, trying to discern Horikita Manabu's real intentions, but was blocked once more by that invisible mental barrier. The man had mastered his control over his emotions.

The conference room was windowless and sealed tight. The 32 trainees crowded together as the temperature began to rise. Tang Yu found a seat in the corner, with Horikita Suzune beside him and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka sitting unexpectedly close by.

"Coincidence?" Tang Yu asked quietly.

Ayanokoji gave a slight shake of his head. "Inevitable."

The exams were handed out. Tang Yu skimmed his quickly—an extremely difficult, comprehensive test covering mathematics, psychology, strategic analysis, and more. There were far too many questions to finish in eight hours. It was clearly designed to create pressure.

An hour later, the temperature had risen to 30°C, and the air felt thick. Several trainees began wiping sweat from their faces, their pace slowing noticeably. Miyabi Nagumo paced around the room, pretending to proctor while actually putting everyone under psychological pressure.

"You're stuck on question fifteen already?" He stopped behind a first-year and mocked him. "I guess Class B isn't all that impressive after all."

Tang Yu concentrated on the exam while discreetly observing everyone in the room. Fine beads of sweat dotted Horikita Suzune's forehead, but her hand remained steady as she wrote. Ayanokoji, meanwhile, worked with robotic precision, answering each question at a steady pace without showing any sign of pressure.

Two hours passed, and the temperature reached 32°C. The water bottles had long since run dry, and some trainees began muttering complaints. A third-year boy suddenly stood up. "I can't take this anymore! This isn't a test—it's torture!"

"Eliminated." Horikita Manabu stood by the door and announced coldly, "Leave the conference room at once."

The departure of the first trainee sent tension spreading through the room like a plague. Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception and saw clouds of anxious red filling the room—except around a few people, including Ayanokoji and the Horikita siblings.

[High-quality emotional environment detected]

[Recommendation: Activate "Emotion Field"]

This was the moment Tang Yu had been waiting for. He took a deep breath and activated his newly acquired Emotion Field, expanding a zone of calm with himself at its center and a radius of five meters. The trainees within its range suddenly began breathing more steadily, and their efficiency improved noticeably.

"Strange..." Horikita Suzune muttered. "It suddenly doesn't feel as hot."

Ayanokoji immediately turned his gaze toward Tang Yu, a glimmer of understanding in his eyes. Horikita Manabu, standing across the room, also furrowed his brow slightly, as if he'd noticed something unusual.

Tang Yu carefully controlled the field's range, trying not to make it too obvious. But just as he adjusted its parameters, something unexpected happened—Miyabi Nagumo suddenly stepped into its range and immediately sensed that something was off.

"You!" He pointed at Tang Yu. "What are you doing?"

"Taking the test," Tang Yu replied calmly.

Miyabi Nagumo turned to Horikita Manabu. "President, I suspect someone's cheating! The atmosphere in that area just now was clearly abnormal!"

Horikita Manabu walked over slowly, his sharp gaze sweeping over Tang Yu like an X-ray. "Explain."

"It's nothing but collective suggestion." Tang Yu didn't bat an eye. "When a few people in a group remain calm, it affects the emotional state of the whole group. Basic group psychology."

The explanation was reasonable, and Horikita Manabu seemed willing to accept it for the time being. But Miyabi Nagumo wasn't satisfied. When Horikita Manabu turned away, he suddenly "accidentally" knocked over Tang Yu's water bottle—it had been empty for some time.

"Oops, sorry." Miyabi Nagumo put on a false show of remorse. "But you'd already finished it anyway, right?"

Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception and saw malice churning in Miyabi Nagumo's Emotion Cloud. He wanted to intensify Tang Yu's stress by depriving him of his last source of water.

Just then, an unexpected intervention occurred—Ayanokoji Kiyotaka silently pushed his own water bottle toward Tang Yu. There was about 50 ml of water left in it.

The gesture stunned everyone, including Horikita Manabu. Ayanokoji never made public declarations, much less helped others.

"Thanks, but you don't have to." Tang Yu declined softly, not wanting to owe him a favor.

Ayanokoji didn't take the bottle back. Instead, he said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Nagumo has a secret agreement with Ryuen... targeting you and Horikita Suzune."

The information confirmed Karuizawa Kei's earlier warning. Tang Yu gave a slight nod of thanks, and noticed Horikita Suzune watching the exchange warily.

Five hours passed, and the temperature climbed to 34°C. Seven people had chosen to quit, and most of the remaining trainees were at their limit. Tang Yu's Emotion Field continued to help the people within its range stay alert, but maintaining it was draining his energy.

Horikita Manabu stood at the lectern and suddenly announced, "There's an additional challenge. Anyone who volunteers to give an impromptu speech can earn an extra 100 ml of water. The topic is 'The Boundary of Power and Responsibility.'"

The challenge was clearly a test aimed at specific people. As expected, Miyabi Nagumo was the first to raise his hand. He gave a smooth speech full of clichés, followed by several upperclassmen.

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

Every eye in the room turned toward him. Tang Yu knew Horikita Manabu was testing his ability to think under extreme conditions. He stood up, mouth parched, but his voice remained clear.

"Power is like oxygen. Without it, people suffocate; in excess, it poisons them. A true leader doesn't seek more power. He finds the critical point where he has just enough."

The concise but profound comparison left the room silent for a moment. A flicker of approval appeared in Horikita Manabu's eyes, then vanished as his expression turned cold again. "How does that apply here?"

"For example, this test." Tang Yu looked straight into Horikita Manabu's eyes. "The right amount of pressure can bring out someone's potential. Too much pressure only breaks their will. As the person who designed it, you should know exactly where that critical point lies."

It was a bold counterattack, directly questioning the fairness of the test. The air in the conference room seemed to freeze as everyone waited for Horikita Manabu's response.

Unexpectedly, the corner of Horikita Manabu's mouth lifted slightly. "Not a bad point. But the only way to find the critical point is to cross it now and then."

He personally handed Tang Yu a bottle of water—a silent sign of approval. Miyabi Nagumo's expression darkened instantly.

[Shock from everyone in the room +700]

[Admiration from Horikita Manabu +500]

[Current Emotion Points: 57800/60000]

The final two hours were the most grueling. The temperature reached 35°C, and four more people quit. Tang Yu's Emotion Field had expanded to cover the entire conference room. All the trainees benefited from its calming effect, and their efficiency improved noticeably.

Horikita Manabu had clearly noticed something unusual, but he didn't question it again. Instead, he stood silently in a corner, watching Tang Yu as if trying to solve a complicated puzzle.

"Time's up." After the full eight hours had passed, Horikita Manabu announced that the test was over. "Hand in your exams and leave in order. The results will be announced after lunch."

The trainees stumbled out of the oven-like conference room as if they'd been granted a reprieve. Tang Yu was the last to leave, feeling dizzy—the prolonged use of his ability had drained him.

In the hallway, Horikita Suzune stopped him. "Just now... was that you? That strange sense of calm?"

Tang Yu didn't answer directly. "Your brother is more perceptive than I expected."

"He's always been that way." Horikita Suzune's voice held a rare hint of pride, then shifted to concern. "Nagumo won't let this go."

"I know." Tang Yu glanced at Ayanokoji, who was walking alone not far away. "But we have an unexpected ally too."

At lunch, Karuizawa Kei quietly sat down near Tang Yu. "Ryuen just got a message. He's practically bursting with excitement. It seems to be about some kind of 'Special Exam.'"

"What are the details?"

"I don't know, but he mentioned your name and... Horikita Suzune." Karuizawa Kei looked worried. "Be careful once the new term starts."

Tang Yu nodded in thanks. Just then, the speakers announced that all trainees were to gather in the main hall for the assessment results.

Horikita Manabu stood at the lectern and read out the rankings with an impassive expression. The top three were unexpected: first, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka; second, Tang Yu; third, Horikita Suzune. Miyabi Nagumo came in fifth, looking as if he'd swallowed a fly.

"Special commendation goes to Tang Yu." Horikita Manabu added suddenly, "He demonstrated rare leadership under extreme conditions and raised the overall performance without anyone noticing."

It was high praise, especially coming from Horikita Manabu. Miyabi Nagumo shot to his feet. "This is unfair! He obviously used some kind of trick—"

"Quiet." Horikita Manabu cut him off coldly. "My assessment is based on facts. If you don't accept it, you can leave."

Miyabi Nagumo had no reply. He sat back down angrily. Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception and caught a flash of purple in Horikita Manabu's Emotion Cloud. Was it displeasure with Miyabi Nagumo? Or some kind of recognition of Tang Yu?

[Shock from everyone in the room +600]

[Jealousy from Miyabi Nagumo +400]

[Emotion Points exceeded 60000!]

[System Ultimate Authority unlocked]

[New function revealed: The essence of emotional energy is the "Bridge of Human Connection"]

The message made Tang Yu's heart jolt. The system's ultimate secret was connection, not control? He thought back over everything that had happened recently—his rivalry with Horikita Suzune had turned to respect, his deal with Karuizawa Kei had grown into trust, and he'd even formed a subtle connection with Ayanokoji...

Perhaps true power didn't lie in manipulating other people's emotions, but in understanding and connecting with them?

The closing ceremony was brief but solemn. Horikita Manabu handed each trainee an evaluation report. When it was Tang Yu's turn, he also received a folded slip of paper.

"Read it in private," Horikita Manabu said quietly.

Tang Yu waited until he was alone before opening the note. It contained only one line:

"Your ability has attracted special attention from the School Board. Proceed with caution. —K"

The signature, "K," was clearly Horikita Manabu's code name. It was both a warning and a kind of protection.

On the bus back, most of the trainees were dozing. Tang Yu sat by the window, reflecting on the past two weeks. At some point, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka took the seat beside him.

"You hide it well," Ayanokoji said, unusually taking the initiative to speak. "But not well enough."

Tang Yu raised an eyebrow. "Is that a threat?"

"An observation." Ayanokoji looked out the window. "The alliance between Nagumo and Ryuen is dangerous. They plan to use Karuizawa Kei's secret to attack Horikita Suzune, then split Class D."

"Why tell me this?"

Ayanokoji fell silent for a moment. "Balance. This school needs balance."

After that cryptic answer, Ayanokoji said no more. But Tang Yu understood—an invisible alliance had formed, at least for now.

After returning to school, Chabashira-sensei called Tang Yu in for a private meeting. "The School Board has requested that you take part in a special assessment to test your 'abnormal ability.'"

"What kind of assessment?"

"I don't know the details, but a board member named 'Tsukishiro' is in charge." Chabashira-sensei spoke meaningfully. "He's... unusual."

Tang Yu nodded his agreement, a warning bell ringing in his mind. It seemed the challenges of the new term would be even harsher.

Night fell. Tang Yu stood by the dormitory window as the System Interface fully unfolded:

[Current Emotion Points: 61200/∞]

[Ultimate function unlocked: Heart Connection Network]

[Can perceive and adjust the strength of emotional bonds with others]

[Special Notice: The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility]

The new interface revealed a startling truth—the ultimate form of the Emotion System was not control, but understanding and connection.

Everyone with whom he'd formed an emotional bond appeared in the network as a point of light: Horikita Suzune (trust), Karuizawa Kei (dependence), Ayanokoji Kiyotaka (wary but cooperative), and even Horikita Manabu (cautious interest)...

In the distance, Tokyo's lights shimmered like stars. The new term was about to begin, and everything was uncertain: Ryuen and Nagumo's schemes, the School Board's assessment, and the shifting dynamics within Class D... But at that moment, Tang Yu felt no pressure—only a sense of clarity and determination unlike anything he'd felt before.

In this school where strength reigned supreme, true power might not lie in defeating others, but in understanding one another. And with that ability to understand, Tang Yu would write a legend of his own.