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

originally predicted for Jin to boss everyone

mature a lot since

completely different from what he was a few months back. What in the world happened

response,

what is

*Sigh*

"...no problem, no problem"

an extended sigh escaped from my mouth, lowering my voice, I pondered for a few seconds

simple. Give the code to me and you

looked at me strangely. Evidently not understanding

out their confusion was Donald as he irritably

of plan is that?

Donald, I raised my brow as I mockingly

"Isn't it obvious why?"

"Why?"

with another question as

code who would you

started pondering. The first one to

"The strongest person?"

Amanda,

an option, yes, but not the ideal

hand on his lips, Jin

what is

and the others, a faint

ideal candidate would obviously be someone who

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

obstacles someone that could hide from the

looked at

are following what I'm

and seeing them nod in understanding, my eyes soon paused on

think of a certain individual in

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

you want me

straight into the eyes, I nodded

and you will be

he

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 would've already been

my eyes for what felt like an eternity, Jin eventually

"...fine"

secretly nodded my

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

I was worried as originally Jin, Arnold, and Amanda

things outside of the plot could happen, with the

was rejoicing at Jin's newfound attitude, Donald, who was quietly pondering for a

they don't

head. He

I've also thought about

was coming up with the plan, I had already thought of

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

beforehand. Staring at Amanda, Donald,

guys come into

Amanda's brows lightly frowned as she looked at Arnold and Donald. With a

"us?"

I looked at

always be within a fifty hundred meter

away from

but knit in a deeper frown as

"...why is that?"

Amanda for a brief moment,

that it looks like Arnold is the person that holds

It was simple really.

that carried the code, naturally it would be