The Shock of a Perfect Score in All Subjects

On the weekend before the midterm exams, Tang Yu sat alone at his dormitory desk with several textbooks spread out before him. Outside the window, a light rain was falling, the droplets tapping gently against the glass to create a tranquil atmosphere perfect for studying.

[Emotion Points: 3980/5000]

[Intelligence: 10 (Human Limit)]

Tang Yu closed his book and rubbed his temples. With his current level of intelligence, these high school courses were no longer a challenge. He was more concerned with the upcoming showdown against Horikita Suzune and how to maximize the Emotion Points he could harvest from it.

"System, analyze Horikita Suzune's personality weaknesses," Tang Yu whispered to himself.

[Analyzing...]

[Horikita Suzune, personality traits: extremely confident, aloof, refuses to cooperate, fears failure]

[Emotional weakness: experiences intense emotional fluctuations when her own abilities are questioned]

The corners of Tang Yu's mouth curled upward. This was exactly what he needed. The bet was merely a means to an end; his true goal was to create a scenario that would cause Horikita to lose her composure, thereby collecting a large amount of Emotion Points.

His phone suddenly vibrated, and an anonymous text message appeared on the screen: "Be careful with the special test; it's more than just an exam. -- A friend"

Tang Yu raised an eyebrow. He didn't need to guess who had sent it. He quickly replied: "Thanks for the heads-up, looking forward to our head-on collision."

The sender was naturally Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. Tang Yu could feel that this "ordinary student" who hid his true strength was inching closer to him, much like a chess player slowly pushing their pieces toward a critical position.

On the day of the midterm exams, the weather cleared up. Tang Yu walked into the exam hall and felt the tense atmosphere permeating the classroom. The Emotion Clouds floating above the students' heads were mostly a nervous orange-yellow, with only a few remaining calm—Horikita Suzune, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, and that eccentric Koenji Rokusuke.

Horikita sat in the front row, her back straight as a board. Sensing Tang Yu's gaze, she turned back and shot him a cold glance, her eyes filled with confidence.

[Competitiveness from Horikita Suzune +50]

Tang Yu gave her a faint smile and walked straight to his seat. The exam bell rang, and the proctor began distributing the papers.

"The exam is two hours long. You may hand in your papers early," the teacher announced.

Tang Yu scanned the paper. There were ten major problems, and the difficulty was indeed higher than the standard high school level, but to him, it was completely effortless. He picked up his pen and began answering at a steady pace.

[Intelligence attribute fully activated, problem-solving efficiency increased by 300%]

With the system's assistance, Tang Yu's mind operated like a precision machine, breaking down every question into its most basic logical units. In less than an hour, he had completed all the questions.

After a quick check, Tang Yu raised his hand to submit his paper. A wave of hushed gasps immediately rippled through the classroom. Horikita Suzune looked up abruptly, her brow furrowed; she clearly hadn't expected him to finish so far ahead of schedule.

[Surprise from the whole class +150]

[Doubt from Horikita Suzune +80]

Tang Yu walked out of the exam hall with composure, feeling quite pleased. Successfully shaking Horikita's confidence in the very first subject, mathematics, was a good omen.

For the subsequent exams, Tang Yu adopted the same strategy—finishing the papers quickly and handing them in early. Every time he left the classroom, he could feel Horikita's emotional fluctuations becoming increasingly intense.

When the final English exam ended, Tang Yu's Emotion Points had already accumulated to 4800, just one step away from unlocking a new ability.

"Tang Yu, wait up," Chabashira called out to him in the hallway. "Can we talk?"

Tang Yu nodded and followed Chabashira to the faculty office. To his surprise, there was a strange man in the office, about forty years old, wearing a crisp suit with eyes as sharp as a hawk's.

"This is Mr. Matsuo from the School Board," Chabashira introduced. "He is very interested in you."

Matsuo stood up and extended a hand: "Student Tang Yu, I heard you handed in your papers early for every single exam?"

"Yes, sir." Tang Yu shook his hand while activating Emotion Perception. The Emotion Cloud above Matsuo's head was a deep blue—calm, yet tinged with scrutiny and a hint of... vigilance?

"Confidence is a good thing," Matsuo nodded slightly, "but overconfidence often leads one to overlook the details."

Tang Yu maintained his smile: "Thank you for the advice; I will keep that in mind."

"We are looking forward to your results." Matsuo's words sounded like a polite formality, but Tang Yu keenly caught the probing tone in his voice, especially regarding the mathematics and physics exams.

After leaving the office, Tang Yu frowned. Why would someone from the School Board pay special attention to him? Could his performance have already exceeded the School Administration's expectations?

[Warning: School attention level has reached 30%]

[Suggestion: Appropriately hide your strength to avoid exposing all your abilities too early]

The system prompt left Tang Yu deep in thought. Indeed, if he attracted too much attention from the school, it might limit his freedom of action later on. But on the other hand, his midterm grades were tied to the bet with Horikita; he had to give it his all.

Three days later, the midterm results were posted. The students of Class D crowded around the bulletin board, searching for their names. Tang Yu stood on the periphery of the crowd, not needing to squeeze in to guess the outcome.

"Impossible!" A cry of shock came from the crowd—it was Horikita Suzune's voice. "There must be something wrong with this!"

The corners of Tang Yu's mouth curled upward. It seemed the result was just as he had expected.

[Shock from Horikita Suzune +200]

[Incredulity from the whole class +300]

[Emotion Points exceeded 5000, unlocked new ability "Emotion Influence" (Basic)]

A warm current surged into Tang Yu's brain, and he felt his perception expand once more. Now, he could not only perceive the emotions of others but also slightly influence or amplify certain emotions.

Tang Yu walked toward the bulletin board, and the crowd automatically parted to make a path for him. On the grade sheet, his name sat at the very top:

Tang Yu - Math 100, Physics 100, Chemistry 100, English 100, Modern Literature 100, History 100

Horikita Suzune - Math 98, Physics 95, Chemistry 96, English 92, Modern Literature 90, History 88

"Perfect scores in every subject..." Hirata Yosuke looked at the grade sheet in disbelief. "This is rare even in the school's history, right?"

"It must be cheating!" Sudo Ken questioned loudly. "How could anyone get a perfect score in every subject?"

[Jealousy from Sudo Ken +100]

Tang Yu ignored the questioning and walked straight toward Horikita Suzune. The young girl stood where she was, her hands clenched into fists, her knuckles turning white.

Her Emotion Cloud churned violently—deep red anger, purple frustration, and black self-doubt intertwined.

"It seems I've won, Horikita-san." Tang Yu said softly, while quietly activating his new ability, gently plucking the string of "self-doubt" within her Emotion Cloud.

Horikita looked up abruptly, a complex light flickering in her eyes: "You... how did you do that?"

"According to our bet, you should grant me a request now." Tang Yu did not answer her question directly.

Horikita bit her lower lip tightly, finally nodding: "Speak, what is the request?"

The entire class held their breath, curious about what condition this transfer student would propose.

Tang Yu looked around, his gaze lingering on Ayanokoji Kiyotaka for a brief moment—the other boy was observing this scene with that characteristic, seemingly vacant yet all-seeing gaze.

"My request is," Tang Yu said slowly, "for the next month, you will study with me for one hour after school every day."

This unexpected request left everyone stunned, including Horikita herself.

"That's it?" she asked in disbelief.

"That's it." Tang Yu smiled, "Of course, I decide the study material."

Horikita's expression shifted from shock to vigilance: "What is your goal?"

"To help you improve your grades." Tang Yu shrugged, "Class D needs more high-scoring students to promote to Class C, doesn't it?"

This reason was logical and sound, but Horikita clearly didn't believe it. However, under the watchful eyes of the class, she could not refuse the terms of the bet.

"...Fine." She finally agreed reluctantly, "But don't expect me to thank you."

[Confusion from Horikita Suzune +120]

[Interest from Ayanokoji Kiyotaka +150]

Tang Yu nodded with satisfaction. This arrangement had multiple benefits: continuous contact with Horikita meant a stable source of Emotion Points; studying together provided a legitimate excuse to observe her weaknesses and potential;

More importantly, this would pique Ayanokoji's interest even further—in the original story, Ayanokoji had always tried to "cultivate" Horikita into the leader of Class D.

After school, students left the classroom in twos and threes. Tang Yu noticed Ayanokoji deliberately slowing down his packing, clearly wanting to observe his first "study session" with Horikita.

"How about the library?" Tang Yu suggested.

Horikita nodded coldly and walked out of the classroom first. Tang Yu followed, and as he passed Ayanokoji, he deliberately stopped: "Want to come along, Ayanokoji-kun?"

Ayanokoji looked up, expressionless: "I won't disturb you two."

But Tang Yu's Emotion Perception clearly captured the true fluctuation in the other's heart—intense curiosity.

"Suit yourself." Tang Yu smiled and caught up with Horikita.

The library was quiet and spacious, and the two found a corner seat. Horikita took out her books and went straight to the point: "How do you want to study?"

Tang Yu didn't answer immediately, instead observing her carefully. Horikita Suzune was indeed a beauty, with long black hair, delicate features, and a cold temperament, but at this moment, her eyes were full of wariness.

"First," Tang Yu lowered his voice, "you have to admit that you lost."

Horikita's fingers tightened abruptly, crinkling the edge of the page: "...I admit it. You won this time."

"Not 'this time'," Tang Yu corrected, "but 'every time'. As long as I want to, you will never be able to beat me."

[Anger from Horikita Suzune +150]

[Emotion Influence ability activated, anger amplified by 20%]

Horikita's breathing became noticeably rapid, and flames of fury ignited in her eyes: "Arrogant! You are nothing but—"

"Nothing but what?" Tang Yu interrupted her, "A genius? A monster? Or is it that you cannot accept the fact that there is someone in this world far better than you?"

Horikita stood up abruptly, her chair making a harsh sound that caused several nearby students to glance over. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to sit back down: "What exactly do you want?"

"To help you see reality clearly." Tang Yu's tone softened, "Horikita, you are indeed excellent, but your study methods are too rigid."

He took a notebook out of his bag and pushed it toward Horikita: "These are my notes. Take a look and see how they differ from yours."

Horikita opened the notebook with Hesitation, the anger in her eyes gradually replaced by surprise. Tang Yu's notes were not simple transcriptions of knowledge points, but mind maps that integrated various subjects; complex concepts were broken down into simple logical chains, with various clever memory techniques noted on the side.

"This..."

"Studying isn't about rote memorization," Tang Yu said softly, "but about understanding the essential connections between things. You are too obsessed with the 'correct method,' which in turn limits your thinking."

Horikita silently flipped through the notes, the color of her Emotion Cloud gradually changing from the red of anger to the deep blue of contemplation. Tang Yu quietly withdrew his Emotion Influence ability, allowing her to think calmly.

"Why help me?" After a long while, Horikita looked up and asked, her eyes holding less hostility and more sincere confusion.

Tang Yu leaned back in his chair: "Two reasons. First, Class D really does need more high-scoring students; second..." He paused deliberately, "I think you have potential and shouldn't be limited by your own stubbornness."

He didn't mention the third reason—Horikita was an excellent source of Emotion Points.

Horikita looked at Tang Yu deeply, as if judging his sincerity. Finally, she nodded slightly: "I will study your methods. But don't misunderstand, this doesn't mean I'm admitting defeat."

"Of course," Tang Yu smiled, "the competition has only just begun."

The two studied quietly for an hour, during which Tang Yu answered several questions Horikita raised. To his surprise, once she let down her guard, Horikita was actually a very good learner—quick-witted and sharp.

"Time's up." Tang Yu closed his book, "Same time tomorrow?"

Horikita hesitated for a moment before nodding, "See you tomorrow."

As he walked out of the library, the setting sun bathed the corridor in gold. Tang Yu stretched, feeling quite pleased. Today's gains far exceeded his expectations—not only had he unlocked a new ability, but he had also begun to dismantle Horikita's psychological defenses.

[Current Emotion Points: 5320/10000]

[Next Stage Goal: 10000 points to unlock "Emotion Suggestion" ability]

Turning the corner, Tang Yu suddenly stopped in his tracks. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was leaning against a window not far away, seemingly having waited for some time.

"What a coincidence," Tang Yu walked over, "Waiting for someone?"

"Observing," Ayanokoji said bluntly, "You and Horikita are getting along quite well?"

Tang Yu leaned against the other side of the windowsill, looking out the window side-by-side with Ayanokoji: "She is very smart; she just needs the right guidance."

"Guidance..." Ayanokoji repeated the word, his tone subtle, "Just like how you 'guided' her to fail the exam?"

Tang Yu's heart tightened, but he remained calm on the surface: "I don't understand what you mean."

"Perfect scores in every subject," Ayanokoji turned his head to look at Tang Yu, "Even Horikita couldn't do that, yet you completed it with ease. Isn't that strange?"

Their gazes clashed in the air. Tang Yu's Emotion Perception clearly captured the fluctuations deep within Ayanokoji's heart—it wasn't suspicion, but confirmation. This guy had already seen through his hidden strength.

"There are many strange things in this school," Tang Yu responded meaningfully, "For instance, the observational skills of certain 'ordinary students' far exceed those of normal people."

The corners of Ayanokoji's mouth lifted slightly, a rare change in expression for him: "You will be participating in the special exam at the end of the month, right?"

"Of course."

"I look forward to it," Ayanokoji said, then turned and left.

Tang Yu watched his retreating figure, his brow slightly furrowed. This conversation seemed ordinary, but it was actually filled with undercurrents. Ayanokoji had not only confirmed his anomaly but had also issued a sort of challenge—the special exam would be their first direct confrontation.

Back in his dorm, Tang Yu opened the System Panel to carefully study the newly unlocked "Emotion Influence" ability. At the primary stage, it could only slightly amplify or suppress emotions others already felt, but as the ability leveled up, it could theoretically reach the level of directly implanting emotions or even controlling behavior.

"The special exam at the end of the month..." Tang Yu muttered to himself, the words of Chabashira and Matsuo flashing through his mind, "It seems it won't be that simple."

He walked to the window and looked out at the campus night view. In this school where strength was everything, he was building his position step by step. Horikita Suzune, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, the School Board... various forces were gradually being drawn into his plans.

"Emotion Points are just a means," Tang Yu said softly to himself, "The true goal is to control the power structure of this school."

In the distance, the Clock Tower struck eight times. Tang Yu pulled the curtains shut and began to prepare for the upcoming special exam. Regardless of what it was, he had to ensure he became the biggest winner.