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"

I did in

wasn't supposed to go like this. I originally predicted for Jin to boss everyone around and tell them what to do, but to my

a lot

knew that he had changed...he was completely different from what he was a few months back. What in the world happened since the

my response, Jin coldly

what is

*Sigh*

"...no problem, no problem"

mouth, lowering my voice, I pondered

is relatively actually simple. Give the code

speaking, everyone looked at me

first to voice out their confusion was Donald as

of plan is that?

I raised my brow as I

"Isn't it obvious why?"

"Why?"

answered back with

the code who would you give it

question, everyone started pondering. The first one to speak up was Amanda who

"The strongest person?"

towards Amanda,

is an option, yes,

his hand on his lips,

what is

Jin and the others, a faint smile appeared on my lips

ideal candidate would obviously be someone who could run

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

let's say filled with obstacles someone that could hide from the enemy's prying eyes would be

looked at everyone and

are following

nod in understanding, my

of a certain individual in our group who best

towards Jin. With his arms crossed, a slight frown appeared

want me to

Jin straight into the eyes, I nodded my head and

and you will be

he

him. Therefore, if everyone was focused on him, with me holding the code, chances were that even if they caught Jin, by the time they realized he didn't have the code, it

what felt like an eternity, Jin eventually looked away and nodded

"...fine"

I secretly nodded

listening to what I was saying, the chances of us successfully passing the tryouts

worried as originally Jin, Arnold, and Amanda made it past

that things outside of the plot could happen, with the plot armour they had, chances

who was quietly pondering for a while,

they

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

question, I've also thought

the plan, I had already

think that it was a trap and decide to focus on us...which wouldn't be

Staring at Amanda, Donald, and Arnold, I

guys come into

Amanda's brows lightly frowned as she looked at Arnold and Donald. With a hint of doubt in her voice, she

"us?"

as I looked at

will always be within a fifty hundred meter distance from

be fifty hundred meters away from

Amanda listened, her brows couldn't help but knit in

"...why is that?"

for a brief moment, I

it looks like Arnold is the person

It was simple really.

other team thought that Jin was not the one that carried the code, naturally it would be