The Author's POV

"haha, been a while"

With an awkward smile on my face, I headed towards where Jin, Amanda, and the rest were. Glancing at my group, I pretty much knew everyone apart from a certain individual.

...his name was Zack I believe.

Leisurely chatting with Donald, whom I was in a group with back in Hollberg, Zack was a rather skinny individual with black hair and black eyes. He was around my height and apart from his long nose, he didn't particularly stand out.

As I observed him from the distance, apart from the fact that he was in my class, I really knew nothing about him. He wasn't even in the tournament arc therefore it was safe to say that he had failed the tryouts in my novel.

Arriving before the group, I nodded my head towards Jin and Amanda who nodded back. Thereafter, as I nodded towards Arnold, I saw him snorting and looking away from me.

...looks like he still hated me.

Well, not that I cared. In my eyes, he was merely putting on a show in front of Jin.

Turning my attention back towards Donald who was talking to Zack, I casually smiled as I greeted him.

"Hey Donald, been a while since I've seen you"

Turning around and glancing at me, Donald's casual smile faded from his face as he nodded his head.

"Hm? Oh it's you"

Noticing Donald's attitude, which was a stark contrast to what it was back in Hollberg I couldn't help but tease him

"mmhmm, I see...Now that I'm ranked higher than you, you're starting to be more polite huh?"

Hearing my remark, glaring at me, Donald raised his voice

"Do you want to fight you bastard"

Raising my brow I couldn't help but shake my head as I said.

"You still won't stop calling me bastard? Hey, how many times did I tell you? My name is Ren. Do you want me to spell it for you? R-E-N"

"You think I care about your damn nam-"

"Please stop"

Not so far from where Donald and I were, noticing that things were about to get out of control, Amanda sighed and spoke up. Her tone was neither overbearing nor cold.

She was really speechless at the moment.

In a couple of minutes they would be participating in the tryouts for the academy tournament and yet two of their members were already fighting.

Were they not nervous at all?

Brushing her hair to the side, Amanda curtly said.

"Please, calm down, and let's start discussing our strategy"

Thereafter, as she finished speaking, Amanda expectantly looked at me. Shortly after, as if mimicking Amanda, everyone else looked in my direction.

"huh?"

Noticing everyone staring in my direction, my brow couldn't help but twitch.

What's going on?

"Hold up, why is everyone looking at me?"

Unbothered by my expression, Jin looked at me and said.

"Do you not have a plan?"

Glancing at Jin, after a short pause I nodded my head.

"...I do"

in fact

for Jin to boss everyone around and tell them what to do, but to my

really did mature a lot

different from what he was a few months

response,

what is

*Sigh*

"...no problem, no problem"

mouth, lowering my voice, I pondered for

simple. Give the code to me and you guys do the

speaking, everyone looked at me strangely.

out their confusion was

sort of plan is that? and

I raised my

"Isn't it obvious why?"

"Why?"

with another

code who would you give it

pondering. The first one to speak up was Amanda

"The strongest person?"

towards Amanda, I

an option, yes,

lips, Jin frowned as

is

faint smile appeared

obviously be someone who could run

map, if we were to be put in a flat terrain, someone who can outrun

with obstacles someone that could hide from the enemy's

looked at everyone and

guys are following

my eyes soon paused on a

certain individual

Jin. With his arms crossed, a slight frown appeared on Jin's brows as

you want me to be

the eyes, I nodded my head

and you will be operating

glad he

if everyone was focused on him, with me holding the code, chances were

what felt like an

"...fine"

secretly nodded

what I was saying, the

was worried as originally Jin, Arnold, and Amanda made

plot could happen, with the plot armour they had, chances

at Jin's newfound attitude, Donald, who was quietly pondering for a while, suddenly frowned

if they don't target

question, I secretly nodded my head. He wasn't as stupid as I thought he

also thought about

with the plan, I had

the obvious target, the other team could also think that it was a trap and decide to focus on us...which

thought of this problem beforehand. Staring at Amanda, Donald, and Arnold, I smiled

you guys come into

lightly frowned as she looked at Arnold and Donald. With a

"us?"

at

be within

matter what happens. Always be fifty hundred meters away from him, and whenever he gets into trouble, secretly help

couldn't help but knit in a deeper frown as she

"...why is that?"

for a brief moment, I

it looks like Arnold is the person that holds

It was simple really.

thought that Jin was not the one that carried the code, naturally it would be either one of