The Author's POV

It was early in the morning, and following what was sent in the email yesterday, I made my way towards the Lock private area.

As I entered the room, the first thing I noticed was three individuals sitting at a round table.

I could instantly feel a deep and oppressive aura emanating from their body.

'Ebonie Wills, Mark Mendez, Perry Crossley...', I muttered underneath my breath as I looked at the three individuals sitting on the round table.

The three strongest students in the academy, and the heads of the three major factions in the Lock.

Calmly walking forward, I joined the small crowd of students that had gathered around them.

None of them dared to sit down with them as they just stood and watched them.

At the moment, a solemn atmosphere shrouded the room.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tapping on the table, a burly individual with short brown hair and green eyes spoke up, disrupting the silence. His voice contained hints of annoyance.

"Let's get this over with. I don't have much time to spare for the likes of this childish gathering."

"Shut up you brute. It's because of people like you that we have to hold these kinds of discussions"

Sitting opposite to him was an elegant youth with bright blue eyes and brown hair.

A look of disgust appeared on his face as he looked at the burly man opposite to him.

"Mark, Perry, can you guys shut up for five minutes?"

Standing up was a beautiful girl with tanned skin, black eyes, and dirt blonde hair.

Glaring at Mark, who was the elegant youth, and Perry who was the burly individual, the tanned girl, Ebonie Wills, walked towards one of the TVs and picked up the remote.

'”Clink!

Turning on the TV, Ebonie pressed a couple of buttons before a large data table appeared on the TV screen.

「Rankings」 - 「Points」

Lock Academy - 986

Theodora Academy - 904

Lutwik Academy - 888

Vellon Academy - 867

SilverWing Academy - 803

Kukz Academy - 745

DeathSigil Academy – 711

Dusk of Dawn Academy - 657

Everlight Academy - 656

PridedHorses Academy - 640

Looking at the TV screen I thought, 'Those numbers seem similar to the ones I wrote in the novel...'

Though I couldn't remember the exact numbers that I wrote in the novel, I remembered that on the first day the Lock did not surpass 1,000 points.

This was a very important piece of information to take note of since it suggested that as of right now the tournament arc was progressing just as it did in the novel.

Not sure how long this would last, but for now I could more or less be able to infer a little bit of what was to come in the future.

"Let's talk about serious matters."

Putting the TV remote down, Ebonie pointed at the scoreboard projected on the TV screen.

"As you can see, as of right now we are overall in the first place."

"Indeed. But I don't think we need to hold a meeting to point this out, no?"

Perry, the burly individual, spoke up as he crossed his large arms. Ebonie nodded her head in response.

"True, but there is a problem"

"What problem?"

"...According to the data, we're slightly behind last year's first-day record."

Ebonie gravely said as she looked at everyone in the room.

was last

his

his voice, it was quite apparent that he did not take this matter

managed to secure 1033 points on

curtly responded. In response, Mark's brows knit

saying that we are 47 points

the TV screen, "Furthermore, Theodora academy's score is a whole 80 points higher than their last year's score on the first day. Something isn't

It's only

Perry as his voice

continue to be first. Simple as that. I don't see why we need to

Perry spoke, his

the looks of it, he was extremely irritated about the fact that he had to wake up this early in the morning to talk

down and listen to

deep breath, Ebonie

there is any chance that we might lose,

the end, you wasted our time for this useless

Perry abruptly stood up.

as the students next to him backed up a couple of

I probably

me of

"This is not nons'”"

I thought that this was something important. You're just

Perry turned around. Stretching his neck slightly,

he walked, everyone stepped to the side to make a path

"Wait lis'”"

have to agree

Mark similarly stood up.

waiting for Ebonie to finish her sentence he followed Mark out of the room. Behind him, a row of

left, leaving behind Ebonie and what seemed to be her

crawling back to me later telling me that I didn't

two individuals leaving the room, Ebonie,

arrogant pricks. Why

her fists curled into

'...As expected'

scene from afar, I secretly shook my

was exactly because of this reason that the Lock nearly

it not been for Kevin's intervention,

I saw things, the situation was progressing exactly as

of the

talented, could not

their decisions only. It was because of their ego that the chances of the Lock losing

"What do you think?"

"Hm?"

touch on my shoulder. Turning around, I saw

did he get

as I looked

do you

the way I see

a bit,

"You think so too?"

"...yeah"

unity between the third years was quite clear to

year, this year it became

you have a game

asked Kevin as I checked today's games

better get

and left the waiting room.

I managed to escape

about the meeting it was that I didn't attract the attention

that, I didn't have to worry about joining the conflicts between

***

week eventually flew by and it was now Monday. During the past week, I did what I set out to do. Dominate

'”Click!

Thud, inside of a room illuminated by bright lights, a subtle

which, with large thuds, multiple dummies fell on the ground

"Huuu..."

deep breath, I subtly touched the

"This feels weird."

as though I woke up

factor, I almost missed a couple of dummies that were coming at me

the whole time and

'”Beep!

beeping sound resounded across the room, and my score was

Dover; Time ➤

Smirk.

a smirk invertedly appeared on