The Author's POV

-Clank!

Entering the classroom, I instantly felt countless stares directed towards me. Already prepared for this, I ignored the stares and indifferently made my way towards my seat.

Walking towards my seat, I could hear the faint whispering sounds coming from some of the classmates as they stared at me with a look of apprehension.

"Is that him?"

"Was he really hiding his strength the whole time?"

"Tsk, he's just stealing someone else's credit. He's nothing but a fake"

"Then how can you explain his E+ rank?"

Ignoring the whispers and murmurs coming from my classmates, I continued to make my way towards my seat.

At the moment I was extremely tired.

Having spent most of my morning getting beaten black and blue by Donna, I was feeling lethargic.

To make matters worse, my arm was currently spasming beneath my shirt.

Recently the problem with my arm has been getting more and more problematic.

It was starting to get really annoying as it was impeding me from training with the same intensity as before. Donna did in fact notice this.

When she asked me about it, I could only tell her that I had slightly injured myself during training the past few days.

Since Donna was not a doctor, she quickly bought my excuse and lowered the intensity of the workout.

However, although I managed to avoid getting questioned this time, I knew that this couldn't go on and I had to find a way to purchase an advanced potion to heal my arm.

Lazily sitting down on my seat as I interlocked my fingers together and yawned, my eyes drifted towards the left side of the classroom as I thought to myself.

'she should be able to make advanced potions by now, no?'

If there was someone that could provide me with cheap and high-quality potions, it was obviously Melissa.

Given that Melissa was practically my potion dealer as the deal I had made with her long ago was not just a one-time deal but a long-term one, I could enjoy better quality potions as she improved.

...the real question now was.

Did she improve?

Now that she was busy with the development of the magic card system, there was a possibility that her progress in potion-making stalled.

If so, it would be an annoying problem as I didn't want to fork out 35,000,000 million U to cure my arm.

At least with Melissa, I could pretty much save 80% of the cost as I would only need to provide her with the raw ingredients.

Crossing my arms in my seat, I repeatedly nodded my head.

"Yup, yup, I need to get in touch with Melissa again"

"Can I seat here?"

Snapping out of my thoughts, I suddenly heard a familiar voice calling me from behind. Turning around and looking towards my left, I stared at the person who spoke to me.

A surprised look appeared on my face as I recognized who the voice belonged to.

"Kevin?"

Smiling, Kevin looked at the seat beside me and once again asked.

"Can I sit?"

*Sigh*

"Do whatever you want"

Staring at Kevin for a couple of seconds, a sigh escaped from my lips as I lazily waved my hand.

There was no point in hiding the fact that I was friends with Kevin. Given that I already stood out, Kevin sitting next to me wouldn't make the situation worse.

Plus, I kind of felt bad for him.

He was just as much of a loner as I was. Apart from Emma and a couple of other people, he really had no friends.

Although in the novel he would become pretty close with Jin, that would be at the later stages in the novel, and...

Staring at Jin from the corner of my eyes, my mouth twitched.

Indifferently sitting on the left side of the classroom, Jin was probably one of the only people that wasn't paying attention to me as he continued to stare at the front of the classroom with a serious look.

...yeah, I don't see Jin ever becoming close to Kevin.

Given how unfriendly he had become these past few months, I wasn't sure whether this was a possibility anymore.

Even though he was no longer arrogant and looked down on people like before, I felt like his new personality was a bit too serious...

If I had to be honest, I had mixed feelings about this.

Unaware of what I was thinking, looking at me, Kevin worriedly asked.

"Hey, are you doing okay?"

"Hm?"

"I've seen what happened on the news, it's practically everywhere, are you okay?"

was all over the news, Kevin had obviously heard about what had

unlike the other students that were skeptical about Ren's strength, Kevin was not. After all, he had seen his strength first

of rank, Kevin did not think that he was any weaker than him. This

Fast.

he could

the same,

question, I

are you sitting next to

a couple of times, Kevin

are

"...and?"

right that I sit next to you...or am I

for a second and staring at Kevin, I was

said

his friend and I too regarded him as a friend, what was wrong

guess all those years of being alone caused

lines, crossing my arms on my desk,

fine. There's nothing wrong

"Great"

class. Once he put everything on his desk, Kevin looked around the

we're really attacking a

lifting my head up, I instantly

everyone inside of the class was staring at us from the corner of their eyes as they whispered

sneaky about it, when almost everyone was doing it,

at Kevin I

you already be used to

around, Kevin bitterly

am, but it's never

eyes, I

why I didn't want to

me on my shoulder as a trace of pity appeared

get used to

not have a choice whilst

I smacked Kevin's hand away

so that I stood out, I really had no

hand purposely chose to show off his

my ass, I did not want to get

The staring felt piercing.

Feeling wronged, Kevin explained.

also did not have a choice. It's not like I knew that I was

most of the time outside of Ashton city, Kevin had no idea that he was that talented. Therefore, when he took the exam he tried his best thinking that his performance was not going to

thought that they were actually

Not him.

"..."

statement, I was left speechless for a couple of

I felt the urge to slap him on the back

I was the one that

should I be hitting,

my face, Kevin quickly diverted the

the way, are you coming

my brow, I

about the banquet with the exchange

"Yeah"

I will. Either way, it's not like I

as he crossed

part of the tournament team, you have no choice

"Yeah..."

that was held by the academy to welcome the new exchange students that came from

academy had set up to give an opportunity

main reason for this was so that the students could build connections and friendships amongst

banquet was someone whose future was bright. It was never wrong

I think this was a good opportunity

did before, I think that creating connections was

since I would eventually want to expand my influence

far, I

"When is it again?"

and looking at his calendar app, Kevin

"In about a week"

Frowning slightly, I asked.

have to wear

eyes, Kevin

"What do you think?"

to

"Why?"

the back of my

have any

"What?"

formal clothes

physique drastically improving, I no longer could fit into my

terrible, I was in a pickle as I did not know what to wear

on his chin as he fell into deep contemplation, glancing towards the left

you can ask Emma with regards to that. She helped me choose one when I had to attend a banquet for my

she was sitting next to Amanda. From time to time the two would talk, but with Amanda not being very talkative, it was

was a

past experiences with

"Emma?...I'd rather not"

thoughts,

You won't have

know. I'll

that I was still not convinced, Kevin

go after class? Since there are no electives today, we

"Eh, I'll see..."