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"

did in fact have

boss everyone

a lot

different from what he was a few months back. What in the world happened since the time I

my response, Jin coldly

what is

*Sigh*

"...no problem, no problem"

my mouth, lowering my voice, I pondered for a few seconds

plan is relatively actually simple. Give the code to me and

at me strangely. Evidently

their confusion was

is

I raised my

"Isn't it obvious why?"

"Why?"

with another question as I looked

if you had the code who would you

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

"The strongest person?"

Amanda, I

an option, yes, but

his hand on his lips, Jin

what is the ideal

a faint smile appeared on my lips as

be someone who could run fast or

map, if we were to be put in a flat terrain, someone who can outrun the opponent so that the other team

but let's say filled with obstacles someone that could hide from the enemy's prying

looked at everyone and

are following

in understanding, my

you guys think of a certain individual in our

arms crossed,

me to

at Jin straight into the eyes, I nodded my head and

will

glad he caught

candidate for holding the code, chances were that the other team would mainly focus their attention on him. Therefore, if everyone was focused on him, with

like an eternity, Jin eventually looked away

"...fine"

I secretly nodded

saying, the chances of us successfully

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

although I now knew that things outside of the plot could happen, with the

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

what if they don't

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

question, I've also

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

that it was a

problem beforehand. Staring at Amanda, Donald,

guys come into

as he black hair gently fell to her shoulders, Amanda's brows lightly frowned as she looked at Arnold and Donald. With

"us?"

looked at both

both will always be within a

from him, and whenever he gets into trouble, secretly help

couldn't help but knit in a deeper

"...why is that?"

Amanda for a brief moment,

Arnold is the person that holds

It was simple really.

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