The Author's POV

"Ah! Here he is, the contestant that got first place in his group. Ren Dover"

"Hm?"

A reporter suddenly approached me. With a tablet in his hand, the reporter shoved a microphone to my face.

"If you would spare us a minute, would you mind telling us what you were feeling during the match, and how will you continue moving forward?"

"W-well, I'm naturally happy about my result..."

Caught off guard by the reporter, I became slightly flustered.

Though I had expected such a situation to happen, I was still recovering from my previous stunt.

Before I could even calm down, I was thrown into another troublesome situation.

"Is that so, then what are your predictions for the games? Do you think you will make it to the top fifty, or is that a bit too high at the moment?"

"Top fifty?"

My brow raised. My nervousness instantly vanished. What did he just say?

"Yes, although hard, given your qualifications, it should be possible. Given some of the other contestant's scores, although your score is quite high, enough to get you first in the group, there are over a hundred other scores that are higher than yours. Do you think you can beat them?"

"Ha."

The edges of my lips pulled upwards, and a small chuckle escaped from my lips.

'To think that I am being looked down upon this much...'

They probably assumed that my timing was the best I could achieve. That I went all out.

"I might regret saying this, but..."

"Excuse me, is there something fu'”"

"Win"

A soft yet audible voice escaped from my mouth.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm going to win, no'”", I shook my head. This didn't sound right, "let me rephrase my words..."

Lifting my head, I looked straight into the cameras pointing at me.

"...I will win the dummy massacre games and crush every competitor that stands in my way"

Without waiting for the reporters to ask any more questions, I turned around and left. Behind me, the sound of intense scribbling rang out.

Although it was mainly my fault. I was tired of people looking down on me.

Now that I no longer needed to hide as much as before, it was about time I showed the world a little bit of what I could do.

This was my statement.

***

[...I will win the dummy massacre games and crush every competitor that stands in my way]

Inside a waiting room, a male's voice echoed from the speakers of a TV screen. On the opposite side of the TV screen was a large black sofa where a platinum-haired youth sat.

'”Click!

Raising his hand, the platinumed hair youth turned off the TV. A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Who would've thought he was like that?"

Turning his head to the right, a beautiful platinum hair girl appeared by his side. A solemn expression appeared on her face.

the striking resemblance the male and female students had. Had it not been for their different

do you think your chances of beating him

"I'm not sure"

girl, Aerin,

games. In fact, she had just returned from her game, and this was what she had come back to when returning to the

on his chin, Nicholas, Aerin's brother, crossed his legs and fell into

place here...", musing for a bit, Nicholas looked at Aerin and asked,

game? It's one minute

minute and forty-two

and checked the scores

minutes and one second, that's a lot slower than

sure he didn't go

her eyes away from her

that Ren had gone all out. She too didn't go

right now since the

time was not the best representation of the

I share the same sentiment as

"Well, we are twins..."

replied with a slight

time, and have spent most of their life together. It wasn't

that he didn't go all out. Then are you confident in

"Yes, no problem"

looked at the TV screen in

confidence in her voice couldn't be masked as she touched the

"That's my sister"

and lightly ruffled

know that

count on

her brother's compliment, a blossoming smile appeared on Aerin's face. Now, more than ever, she swore to herself that

***

At the same time.

"What a peculiar child..."

he sat behind a large wooden desk. An expensive nameplate was

words [Douglas R.

office space. On the opposite side of the wooden desk was a white leather sofa and a coffee table that could be used to greet the guests that

is indeed

been standing in front of the elderly man, gave a reply

appeared

art reminds of me the Keiki style. Ah, the last time I saw it was around five decades ago when Grandmaster Keiki fought against one of the top executives of the Monolith. Those days were much

humanity nearly seventy years to

in total chaos. Demon and beast attacks were a common sight, and skirmishes amongst fellow humans

city was already built,

as advanced as they were now. Committing a crime back

were humans that stood

that people lived in. If not for them, humanity would've taken a lot longer to properly regain

was one

far from reaching his level back then, everything just sort of felt like a blur,

paused. Leaning back on his chair, he peacefully

he laid bare of hundreds of demons and villains without even moving. To this day, I have never forgotten that moment. It

Donna attentively listened to the headmaster's words. To her, Douglas was like a mentor. Someone she

were something that she would deeply engrave into

not being rude, how long do you

in front of him. If only

I'm currently inside of a safe location so I

that you have been speaking so highly

"As you wish"

head slightly and shared everything with the headmaster. She talked about Kevin, Ren, Amanda and everyone that

talked, she omitted a few things from

held enormous amounts of respect for the person before

their explicit permission, she wouldn't reveal

***

[Lock private waiting area]

11 A.M.

out in