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

like this. I originally predicted for Jin to boss everyone around and tell them what to do, but to my

did mature a lot since

a few months back. What in the world happened since the

my response,

is the

*Sigh*

"...no problem, no problem"

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

the code to me and you guys do

me strangely.

the first to voice out their confusion

of plan is

at Donald, I raised my brow as

"Isn't it obvious why?"

"Why?"

answered back with another question as

code

started pondering. The first one to

"The strongest person?"

towards Amanda, I

option, yes, but

lips, Jin frowned

is

and the others, a faint smile appeared on my lips

obviously be someone

put in a flat terrain, someone who can outrun the opponent so that the other team wouldn't catch up

with obstacles someone that could hide from the

I looked at

following what I'm saying

in understanding, my eyes soon paused on a certain individual as I

of a certain individual in our group

With his arms crossed, a slight frown

you want me to

at Jin straight into the eyes, I nodded

you will be operating

glad he

on 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 would've

like an eternity, Jin eventually looked away and

"...fine"

I secretly nodded

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

was worried as originally Jin, Arnold, and

the plot

attitude, Donald, who was quietly pondering for a while, suddenly frowned as

what if they

He

question, I've also thought about

was coming up with the plan, I had

think that

problem beforehand. Staring at Amanda, Donald, and Arnold, I smiled at them and

guys come into

her shoulders, Amanda's brows lightly frowned as she looked at Arnold and Donald. With

"us?"

as I looked at both

both will always be within a fifty hundred meter distance from

hundred meters away from him, and whenever he gets into trouble, secretly

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

"...why is that?"

a brief

that it looks like Arnold is

It was simple really.

not the one that