In the hallway, Chabashira handed Tang Yu a document. "Official notice from the School Board: 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 Debate Tournament."
Tang Yu frowned. "What kind of assessment?"
"Officially, it's a psychological test, but in reality..." A flicker of concern crossed Chabashira's eyes. "Most of the students who've undergone this kind of assessment in the past have transferred or dropped out."
Tang Yu's heart tightened. "Thanks for the warning."
Chabashira hesitated, showing an uncharacteristic 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 do you know?"
"Just a hunch." Tang Yu gave an evasive 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 state-focused, confident, united, nothing like the class they'd been last term.
When it was Karuizawa Kei's turn to speak, she stepped up to the podium and looked around at her classmates.
"...Our Class D has been labeled 'defective,' but that's exactly why we understand the pain of being misunderstood, and why we know how much value there is in what makes each person unique..."
Her voice was gentle yet firm. A few girls discreetly wiped away their tears. Tang Yu noticed that the classroom's back door had opened at some point. Tsukishiro Shuhei was leaning against the doorframe, a bemused smile on his face.
Karuizawa continued her speech. When she reached the part 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 swiftly activated "Group Emotion Resonance," synchronizing the emotional frequencies of the entire class to form a temporary Mental Defense Net.
Tsukishiro's mental fluctuation struck the net like a pebble tossed onto a thick blanket, raising only the faintest ripple.
Karuizawa's speech went uninterrupted. In fact, the class's sudden, concentrated support made her delivery even more fluid. Tsukishiro raised an eyebrow and turned his gaze to Tang Yu, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
After the rehearsal ended, Tsukishiro stepped forward and applauded. "Excellent rehearsal. Class D really is... impressive. His gaze lingered on Karuizawa for a few seconds. "Especially Karuizawa's speech. It was very... moving."
Karuizawa thanked him politely, but Tang Yu noticed her unconsciously edging closer to him. Tsukishiro seemed to notice the small movement, too, and the smile at the corner of his mouth deepened.
"Tang." Tsukishiro turned to Tang Yu. "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. Instinctively, he activated his "Emotion Mirror" ability, reflecting the energy back.
Tsukishiro suddenly took half a step back, his eyes widening slightly behind his glasses. They stared at each other for a second, both aware that something was unusual about the other.
"See you tomorrow." Tsukishiro returned to his usual demeanor and left with a polite air.
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'll definitely win!"
After school, Tang Yu stayed behind alone to organize the materials. As dusk fell, 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 Interface couldn't trace its sender. It was obviously a trap, but it could also be a chance to get 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 it directly. "It's Ryuen's trap."
Tang Yu raised an eyebrow. "You're monitoring my phone?"
"Just a guess." Ayanokoji's face remained expressionless. "Ryuen and Tsukishiro have reached an agreement. Tsukishiro is giving him some kind of 'enhanced ability,' and in return, he's responsible for crushing you and Class D at the Debate Tournament."
"What kind of enhanced ability?"
Ayanokoji shook his head. "I'm not sure, but Ryuen has changed a lot lately. He's become... more dangerous."
Tang Yu thought of the news he'd seen last night. "Is Tsukishiro using students for experiments?"
"Very likely." Ayanokoji showed a rare hint of emotion. "Be careful with Karuizawa Kei. Tsukishiro is paying special attention to her, possibly 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 not just that you're observant, is it?"
They looked at each other, understanding without a word. After Ayanokoji left, Tang Yu stood by the window, watching the setting sun stain the campus blood-red.
Tomorrow's Debate Tournament would no longer be just 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 pieces in this shadow war. Tang Yu clenched his fist, and 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, it was a message from Karuizawa: [I can't sleep. Could we practice the 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 of the phone, then Karuizawa's gentle voice came through. "Tang Yu, do you know? You're the first person who... truly saw me."
"Not the Karuizawa who pretended to be strong, and not the Karuizawa who was scared out of her wits, but... me."
Tang Yu's heart skipped a beat. "After tomorrow, everyone will see the real you. I promise."
After hanging up, Tang Yu looked out at the full moon. 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 user of mental abilities, was waiting to reveal his true nature in front of everyone.