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

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

mature a lot since the

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

response, Jin

is the

*Sigh*

"...no problem, no problem"

mouth, lowering my voice, I

the code to me

a finished speaking, everyone looked at me strangely. Evidently not understanding what I

out their confusion was Donald

plan is that? and

at Donald, I raised my brow as I mockingly

"Isn't it obvious why?"

"Why?"

back with another question as I looked

code who would

first one to speak up was Amanda who carefully

"The strongest person?"

Amanda,

is an option, yes, but

on his lips, Jin

what is the ideal

and the others, a faint

candidate would obviously be someone who

if we were to be put in a flat terrain, someone who can outrun the opponent so that the other team wouldn't catch up would

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

at everyone

are following what I'm

them nod in understanding, my eyes soon paused on

of a certain individual in our group who best fits

arms crossed, a slight frown appeared on Jin's

you want me

the eyes, I nodded my head and bluntly

and you will be

glad he caught

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

an eternity, Jin eventually looked away

"...fine"

secretly

what I was saying, the chances of us

was worried as originally Jin, Arnold, and

the plot

who was quietly pondering for a while, suddenly frowned as he

they

secretly nodded my head. He wasn't as stupid as

also thought

coming up with the plan, I

Jin being the obvious target, the other team could also think that it

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

guys come into

Amanda's brows lightly

"us?"

at both Amanda and

within a fifty hundred meter

be fifty hundred meters away from him, and whenever he

couldn't help but knit in a deeper frown

"...why is that?"

at Amanda for a brief moment, I

like Arnold is the person

It was simple really.

Jin was not the one that carried the code,