At dawn on the last day of the Special Training Class, Tang Yu woke to a sharp alarm. Horikita Manabu's calm voice came over the dormitory speakers:
"All trainees, assemble in the Main Hall within five minutes. The Final Assessment is starting early."
Tang Yu came fully awake in an instant and glanced out the window-the sky had only just begun to turn 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 practical verification] [Special Reminder: Extreme testing environment detected]
The trainees arrived one after another at the Main Hall, most of them bleary-eyed and disheveled. Only a few, such as Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Horikita Suzune, remained as composed as usual.
Tang Yu noticed Miyabi Nagumo standing beside Horikita Manabu, already impeccably dressed and wearing an unsettling smile.
"There's no breakfast today." Horikita Manabu got straight to the point. "The Final Assessment has already begun. You have thirty seconds to read the instructions."
A block of text flashed onto the big screen:
[Extreme Pressure Test] Rules: 1. All trainees will be locked in the enclosed Meeting Room for eight hours. 2. The temperature inside will gradually rise to 35°C. 3. Each person will be given only 200 ml of water. 4. During that time, you must complete a difficult exam. 5. Any rule-breaking will result in immediate elimination. Scoring criteria: - Exam accuracy (40%) - Performance under pressure (60%)
"This is too cruel!" protested a third-year girl.
Horikita Manabu didn't so much as blink. "The real world is far crueler than this. Now, line up to collect your exam papers and water, then enter the Meeting Room."
The line moved slowly. When it was Tang Yu's turn, Horikita Manabu personally handed him the exam paper and bottle of water. Their fingers touched briefly.
"I look forward to seeing how you perform, Transfer Student." Horikita Manabu's glasses reflected a cold glint. "Especially... under extreme conditions."
Tang Yu said nothing and merely nodded slightly. He activated Emotion Perception, trying to discern Horikita Manabu's true intentions, but once again he was blocked by an invisible mental barrier. That man had mastered control over his own emotions.
The Meeting Room was a sealed, windowless space. The thirty-two trainees crowded together as the temperature began to rise. Tang Yu found a seat in a corner, beside Horikita Suzune and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who had unexpectedly settled nearby.
"Coincidence?" Tang Yu asked quietly.
Ayanokoji gave a slight shake of his head. "Inevitable."
The exam papers were handed out. Tang Yu skimmed his quickly: an extremely difficult comprehensive test covering mathematics, psychology, strategic analysis, and several other fields. There were so many questions that finishing within eight hours was impossible. It was clearly designed to create pressure.
An hour later, the room temperature had risen to 30°C, and the air had grown stifling. Several trainees began wiping sweat from their brows, and their answering speed slowed noticeably. Miyabi Nagumo paced around the room, pretending to proctor while actually applying psychological pressure.
"You're stuck on question fifteen?" He stopped behind a first-year and sneered, "Looks like Class B's average ability is nothing special, either."
Tang Yu focused on his exam while discreetly observing the room. Fine beads of sweat dotted Horikita Suzune's forehead, but her writing hand remained steady. Ayanokoji, meanwhile, worked with robotic precision, answering every question at a steady pace without showing any signs of pressure.
Two hours passed, and the room temperature reached 32°C. The water bottles had long been emptied, and some trainees began murmuring 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, standing by the door, announced coldly. "Leave the Meeting Room immediately."
As the first person dropped out, tension spread like a plague. Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception and saw the whole room filled with red clouds of anxiety-except for 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 ability, creating a calming zone with a five-meter radius centered on himself. The trainees within its range suddenly began breathing more steadily, and their efficiency improved noticeably.
"Strange..." Horikita Suzune muttered under her breath. "It suddenly doesn't feel so hot."
Ayanokoji immediately turned his gaze toward Tang Yu, a hint of understanding flickering in his eyes. Horikita Manabu, standing in the distance, also frowned slightly, as if he had sensed something unusual.
Tang Yu carefully controlled the ability's range to avoid drawing too much attention. But as he adjusted its parameters, something unexpected happened-Miyabi Nagumo suddenly stepped into the field and immediately noticed something was off.
"You!" He pointed at Tang Yu. "What are you doing?"
"Answering the exam," Tang Yu replied calmly.
Miyabi Nagumo turned to Horikita Manabu. "President, I suspect someone's cheating! The atmosphere in that area was clearly abnormal just now!"
Horikita Manabu walked over at an unhurried pace, his sharp gaze sweeping over Tang Yu like an X-ray. "Explain."
"Just collective psychological suggestion." Tang Yu remained unruffled. "When a few people in a group stay calm, it affects the emotional state of the whole group. Basic Group Psychology."
The explanation was reasonable, and Horikita Manabu seemed to accept it for the moment. But Miyabi Nagumo wasn't satisfied. As Horikita Manabu turned away, he suddenly "accidentally" knocked over Tang Yu's water bottle. It had been empty for some time.
"Oops, sorry." Nagumo put on a false apology. "But you'd already finished it anyway, right?"
Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception and saw malice roiling in Nagumo's Emotion Cloud. He wanted to intensify Tang Yu's stress by depriving him of his last source of water.
At that moment, an unexpected intervention took place-Ayanokoji Kiyotaka silently pushed his own water bottle in front of Tang Yu. There were about 50 ml of water left inside.
The gesture stunned everyone, including Horikita Manabu. Ayanokoji never openly took sides, much less helped anyone.
"Thanks, but no." Tang Yu declined softly. He didn't want to owe him a favor.
Ayanokoji didn't take the bottle back. Instead, in a voice only the two of them could hear, he said, "Nagumo and Ryuen have a secret agreement... targeting you and Horikita Suzune."
The information confirmed Karuizawa Kei's earlier warning. Tang Yu nodded slightly to show his thanks, while noticing Horikita Suzune watching the scene warily.
Five hours passed, and the room temperature rose 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 those within its range stay alert, but maintaining it was draining his energy.
Horikita Manabu stood at the lectern and suddenly announced, "We're adding an extra challenge. Anyone who volunteers to give an impromptu speech at the front will receive an additional 100 ml of water. The topic is 'The Boundary of Power and Responsibility.'"
This was clearly a test aimed at a specific person. As expected, Miyabi Nagumo was the first to raise his hand. He delivered a smooth, eloquent speech full of clichés. Several upperclassmen followed.
"Tang Yu." Horikita Manabu called on him directly. "What's your view?"
Everyone's eyes focused on him. Tang Yu knew Horikita Manabu was testing his ability to think under extreme conditions. He stood up. Despite his dry mouth, his voice remained clear.
"Power is like oxygen. Without it, people suffocate; too much of it poisons them. A true leader doesn't seek more power, but finds the critical point where there's just enough."
The concise, profound comparison silenced the room for a moment. A hint of appreciation flashed in Horikita Manabu's eyes before his expression returned to its usual coldness. "How would you apply that?"
"For instance, this test." Tang Yu looked Horikita Manabu straight in the eye. "The right amount of pressure can bring out a person's potential. Too much pressure will only crush their will. As the person who designed this, you should know exactly where that critical point lies."
It was a bold counterattack, directly questioning whether the test was reasonable. The air in the Meeting Room seemed to freeze as everyone waited for Horikita Manabu's response.
To their surprise, the corners of Horikita Manabu's mouth lifted slightly. "Not a bad point. But the only way to find the critical point is to cross it once in a while."
He personally handed Tang Yu a bottle of water, a silent show of approval. Miyabi Nagumo's face darkened instantly.
[Shock from the whole room +700] [Appreciation from Horikita Manabu +500] [Current Emotion Points: 57800/60000]
The final two hours were the most brutal part of the test. The room temperature reached 35°C, and four more people dropped out. Tang Yu's Emotion Field had expanded to cover the whole Meeting Room. Every trainee benefited from its calming effect, and their exam efficiency improved noticeably.
Horikita Manabu had clearly noticed the anomaly, but he didn't question it again. Instead, he stood silently in a corner and watched Tang Yu, as if trying to solve a complex puzzle.
"Time's up." At last, the eight hours came to an end. Horikita Manabu announced that the test was over. "Hand in your papers and leave in order. The results will be announced after lunch."
The trainees left the oven-like Meeting Room as if they had been granted a reprieve, staggering as they went. Tang Yu walked at the back and felt a wave of dizziness-using his ability continuously had drained a great deal of his energy.
In the corridor, Horikita Suzune stopped him. "Just now... was that you? That strange feeling of calm?"
Tang Yu didn't answer directly. "Your brother is more perceptive than I expected."
"He always has been." 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, walking alone a short distance 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 terribly excited. It seems to have something to do with a 'Special Exam.'"
"What exactly does it say?"
"I'm not sure, but he mentioned your name and... Horikita Suzune." Karuizawa said with concern, "Be careful when the new term starts."
Tang Yu nodded his thanks. Just then, an announcement came over the speakers, summoning all trainees to the Main Hall for the assessment results.
Horikita Manabu stood at the lectern and read out the rankings without expression. The top three were unexpected: first place, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka; second, Tang Yu; third, Horikita Suzune. Miyabi Nagumo only came fifth, and his face looked as if he'd swallowed a fly.
"Special commendation for Tang Yu." Horikita Manabu suddenly added, "He displayed rare leadership under extreme conditions and raised the overall performance without anyone noticing."
It was extremely high praise, especially coming from Horikita Manabu. Miyabi Nagumo sprang to his feet. "This is unfair! He clearly used some kind of trick-"
"Quiet." Horikita Manabu cut him off coldly. "My assessment is based on facts. If you're dissatisfied, you can leave."
Nagumo was left speechless and sat down angrily. Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception and caught a brief flash of purple in Horikita Manabu's Emotion Cloud-disapproval of Nagumo? Or some kind of recognition of Tang Yu?
[Shock from the whole room +600] [Jealousy from Miyabi Nagumo +400] [Emotion Points exceeded 60000!] [System Ultimate Authority unlocked] [New feature revealed: The essence of emotional energy is the "Bridge of Human Connection"]
The message sent a shock through Tang Yu. The system's final secret wasn't control, but connection? He thought back over his experiences during this time-the competition with Horikita Suzune had turned into respect, his dealings with Karuizawa Kei had developed into trust, and he had even formed a subtle connection with Ayanokoji...
Perhaps true power lay not in manipulating other people's emotions, but in understanding them and forming connections?
The graduation ceremony was brief and solemn. Horikita Manabu handed each trainee an Assessment Report. When it was Tang Yu's turn, there was an extra folded note.
"Read it in private," Horikita Manabu said quietly.
Tang Yu waited until he was alone before opening the note. There was only one line on it:
"Your abilities have drawn the School Board's special attention. Proceed with caution. -K"
The signature, "K," was clearly Horikita Manabu's code name. It was both a warning and a form of protection.
On the bus back, most of the trainees were half asleep. Tang Yu sat by the window, reflecting on the past two weeks. At some point, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had taken the seat beside him.
"You hid yourself well. Ayanokoji rarely spoke first, but you still hadn't hidden yourself 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 strike at Horikita Suzune, and then split up Class D."
"Why are you telling me this?"
Ayanokoji fell silent for a moment. "Balance. This school needs balance."
After that cryptic reply, Ayanokoji said no more, but Tang Yu understood-some kind of invisible alliance had formed, at least for the time being.
After returning to school, Chabashira-sensei asked to meet Tang Yu alone. "The School Board requires you to take part in a Special Assessment to test your 'abnormal ability.'"
"What kind of assessment?"
"I don't know the details, but it's being overseen by a board member surnamed 'Tsukishiro.'" Chabashira spoke meaningfully. "He's... special."
Tang Yu nodded in agreement, alarm bells ringing in his mind. It seemed the challenges of the new semester would be even more daunting.
As night fell, Tang Yu stood by the dormitory window, and 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 reminder: With great power comes great responsibility]
This brand-new interface revealed a startling fact-the ultimate form of the Emotion System wasn't control, but understanding and connection.
Everyone with whom he had formed an emotional connection appeared in the network as a point of light: Horikita Suzune (trust), Karuizawa Kei (dependence), Ayanokoji Kiyotaka (wary but cooperative), and even Horikita Manabu (cautiously attentive)...
In the distance, Tokyo's lights glittered like stars. The new semester was about to begin, and everything was full of uncertainty: Ryuen and Nagumo's schemes, the School Board's assessment, the dynamics within Class D... But at that moment, Tang Yu felt not pressure, but a sense of clarity and determination unlike any he had ever known.
In this school where strength reigned supreme, true power might not lie in defeating others, but in understanding one another. And with this ability to understand, he would write a legend of his own.