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

this. I originally predicted for Jin to boss everyone around

did mature a lot since the last time I

was completely different from what he was a few months back.

my response, Jin coldly

what is the

*Sigh*

"...no problem, no problem"

escaped from my mouth, lowering my voice, I pondered for

relatively actually simple. Give the code to

looked at me strangely. Evidently not understanding what I

first to voice out their confusion was Donald as he

sort of plan is that? and why

I raised my

"Isn't it obvious why?"

"Why?"

immediately, I answered back with

you had the code who

everyone started pondering. The first one to speak

"The strongest person?"

Amanda, I

option, yes, but

his lips, Jin

is the

and the others, a faint smile appeared on my lips as I

ideal candidate would obviously be someone

terrain, someone who can outrun the opponent so that

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

looked at everyone

following what I'm

them nod in understanding, my eyes soon paused on a

guys think of a certain individual in our group who best fits such

everyone's attention turned towards Jin. With his arms crossed, a slight frown appeared on

want me to

into the eyes, I nodded my head and bluntly

and you will be

he

were that the other team would mainly focus their attention 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

what felt like an eternity, Jin eventually looked away

"...fine"

secretly

the chances of us successfully passing

as originally Jin, Arnold, and Amanda made

that things outside of the plot could happen, with the plot armour they had, chances were that they were very likely going to

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

what if they don't

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

also

when I was coming up with the plan, I

the obvious target, the other team could also think that it was a trap

thought of this problem beforehand. Staring at Amanda, Donald,

guys come into

hair gently fell to her shoulders, Amanda's brows lightly frowned as she

"us?"

head as I looked at both Amanda

you both will always be within a

be fifty hundred meters away from him, and whenever he gets

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

"...why is that?"

at Amanda for a brief moment,

like Arnold is the person that holds

It was simple really.

not the one that carried the