In the hallway, Chabashira handed Tang Yu a document. "The School Board has officially announced that Tsukishiro Shuhei will serve as the chief judge of the Debate Tournament. Also..." She lowered her voice. "He's requested a 'Special Ability Assessment' for you, to take place right after the tournament."
Tang Yu frowned. "What kind of assessment?"
"Officially, it's a psychological test, but in reality..." A trace of worry flashed in Chabashira's eyes. "Most of the students who've undergone this kind of assessment have transferred or dropped out."
Tang Yu's heart tightened. "Thanks for the warning."
Chabashira hesitated, showing a rare flicker of emotion. "Tang Yu, I don't know what makes you special, but Tsukishiro isn't an ordinary person. He..."
"He can influence people's thoughts?" Tang Yu asked directly.
Chabashira's pupils contracted slightly. "How did you know?"
"Just a hunch." Tang Yu gave a vague answer. "I'll be careful."
When he returned to the classroom, the rehearsal had already begun. Horikita Suzune was delivering the opening remarks, her logic as precise as clockwork. Tang Yu stood at the back, observing.
Through the "Emotion Weaving Network," he sensed the class's overall mood—focused, confident, united. They were like a completely different class from last semester.
When it was Karuizawa Kei's turn to speak, she stepped up to the podium and looked across the class.
"...Our Class D has been branded as 'defective,' but that's exactly why we understand the pain of being misunderstood, and why we know how to appreciate each person's unique value..."
Her voice was gentle yet firm. A few girls discreetly wiped away their tears. Tang Yu noticed that the classroom's back door had somehow opened, and Tsukishiro Shuhei was leaning against the doorframe with an amused smile.
Karuizawa continued her speech. When she began talking about her personal experiences, Tsukishiro suddenly cleared his throat.
The seemingly ordinary gesture carried a certain frequency. Tang Yu's "Emotion Shield" immediately detected a mental fluctuation—Tsukishiro was trying to influence Karuizawa!
Tang Yu quickly activated "Group Emotion Resonance," synchronizing the emotions of everyone in the class and forming a temporary Mental Defense Net.
Tsukishiro's mental fluctuation struck the net like a pebble tossed onto a thick blanket, creating only the faintest ripple.
Karuizawa's speech went uninterrupted. In fact, the sudden, concentrated support from the class made her speak even more smoothly. Tsukishiro raised an eyebrow and turned his gaze to Tang Yu, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
After the rehearsal, Tsukishiro stepped forward and applauded. "Excellent practice, Class D. You really are... impressive. Your speech, Karuizawa, was especially... moving." His gaze lingered on Karuizawa for several seconds.
Karuizawa thanked him politely, but Tang Yu noticed she had unconsciously edged closer to him. Tsukishiro seemed to notice the small gesture, too, and the smile at the corner of his mouth deepened.
"Mr. Tang." Tsukishiro turned to him. "Don't forget our 'Special Ability Assessment' after the Debate Tournament. I'm looking forward to... getting to know you better."
The words sounded ordinary, but Tang Yu's "Emotion Shield" detected a powerful mental suggestion trying to break in. Acting on instinct, he activated his "Emotion Mirror" ability and reflected the energy back.
Tsukishiro abruptly took half a step back, his eyes widening slightly behind his glasses. They stared at each other for a second, both realizing the other was no ordinary person.
"See you tomorrow." Tsukishiro returned to normal and left with impeccable manners.
The atmosphere in the classroom immediately relaxed. Horikita Suzune frowned. "That was Tsukishiro Shuhei?"
Tang Yu nodded. "Everyone did great today, especially Karuizawa."
Karuizawa blushed. "Everyone gave me the courage to do it."
Hirata Yosuke said excitedly, "If we keep this up, we're sure to win!"
After school, Tang Yu stayed in the classroom alone to organize the materials. As dusk settled, he received an anonymous text: [Want to know Tsukishiro's secret? Meet me at the Old School Building at midnight. —A friend]
Tang Yu stared at the message. The system couldn't trace the sender. It was obviously a trap, but it might also be a chance to gather information. Just as he was about to reply, the classroom door suddenly opened, and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka walked in without a sound.
"Don't go," Ayanokoji said bluntly. "It's Ryuen's trap."
Tang Yu raised an eyebrow. "Are you monitoring my phone?"
"Just a guess." Ayanokoji's expression remained blank. "Ryuen and Tsukishiro have reached an agreement. Tsukishiro is giving him some kind of 'enhanced ability,' and in return, Ryuen is supposed to crush you and Class D at the Debate Tournament."
"What kind of enhanced ability?"
Ayanokoji shook his head. "I don't know, but Ryuen has changed a lot lately. He's... more dangerous."
Tang Yu recalled the news he'd seen the night before. "Is Tsukishiro using students for experiments?"
"Most likely." For once, Ayanokoji showed a faint flicker of emotion. "Be careful with Karuizawa Kei. Tsukishiro is paying special attention to her. It could be because her 'transformation' was too sudden."
Tang Yu's heart tightened. If Tsukishiro discovered that Karuizawa's change was connected to his system...
"Thanks for the warning," Tang Yu said sincerely.
Ayanokoji turned to leave, then stopped. "Tang Yu, your ability... It's more than just having good observational skills, isn't it?"
They exchanged a glance, understanding each other without a word. After Ayanokoji left, Tang Yu stood by the window and watched the sunset bathe the campus in blood-red light.
Tomorrow's Debate Tournament would no longer be an ordinary school event. It would become the stage for a clash between him and Tsukishiro Shuhei's extraordinary abilities.
Karuizawa Kei, his classmates in Class D, and even Ryuen Kakeru could all become pawns in this shadow war. Tang Yu clenched his fist as the System Interface unfolded before his eyes:
[Current Emotion Points: 105400/∞] [Available abilities: Emotion Weaving Network, Group Emotion Resonance, Emotion Shield] [Task: Protect Class D, expose Tsukishiro's experiments] [Danger level: Extremely high]
Night fell, and Tang Yu's phone vibrated again. This time, the message was from Karuizawa: [I can't sleep. Could we practice my speech one more time?]
Tang Yu replied: [Get some rest. You'll need to be at your best tomorrow.]
Karuizawa replied almost immediately: [Actually... I'm nervous. What if I mess up tomorrow and let everyone down...]
Tang Yu thought for a moment, then called her. "Listen, you won't mess up."
"No matter what happens, we're a team. Remember? Everyone has their own unique value. Those were your words."
There was a moment of silence on the other end. Then Karuizawa's gentle voice came through. "Tang Yu, you know... you're the first person who's ever really seen me."
"Not the Karuizawa who pretends to be strong, and not the Karuizawa who was scared out of her wits. Just... me."
Tang Yu's heart skipped a beat. "After tomorrow, everyone will see the real you. I promise."
After hanging up, Tang Yu gazed at the full moon outside the window. Tomorrow's Debate Tournament would be a battle over the fate of Class D, Karuizawa Kei's future, and his own secret.
And Tsukishiro Shuhei, the mysterious psychic, was waiting to reveal his true face in front of everyone.
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