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.

last

his eyes squinted

quite apparent that

to secure 1033 points on the

Mark's brows knit for

are 47

head, and once pointed at the TV screen, "Furthermore, Theodora academy's score is a whole 80 points higher than their

It's only the first

spoke up Perry as his voice couldn't

and right now we're first. All we have to do is continue

spoke, his

about the fact that he had to wake up this early

down and listen to

a deep breath, Ebonie tried

there is any chance that we might lose, we have to

end, you wasted our time for this useless

Perry abruptly stood up.

a domineering pressure exuded from his body as the students next

was far, I wasn't affected by his pressure. Even then, I probably wouldn't have been affected much due to

much reminded me of the orcs I faced

"This is not nons'”"

thought that this was something important. You're just wasting my time with your overly

Perry turned around. Stretching his neck slightly, he made his

walked, everyone stepped to the

"Wait lis'”"

have to agree with the

Mark similarly stood up.

her sentence he followed Mark out of the room. Behind him,

the people attending the meeting left, leaving behind Ebonie and what seemed to be her

come crawling back to me later telling me that

two individuals leaving the room, Ebonie, shook her head

pricks. Why can't they

cursed as her fists curled

'...As expected'

at the scene from afar, I secretly shook my

reason that the Lock nearly

it not been for Kevin's intervention, the overall winners would've been

was

things were now no longer in control of the plot, the

could

It was because of their ego that the chances of

"What do you think?"

"Hm?"

I felt a slight touch on my shoulder. Turning around, I

did he get

wondered as I looked

What do you

way I see things, she's

bit,

"You think so too?"

"...yeah"

the third years was

was just as bad last year, this year it became even more apparent. Portraying this was the scene that had just

you have a game to be

asked Kevin as I

better get

shoulder lightly, Kevin waved and left the waiting room.

I managed to escape

meeting it was that I didn't attract the attention of the three

that, I didn't have to worry

***

During the past week, I

'”Click!

room illuminated by bright lights, a subtle clicking sound resounded across the

thuds, multiple dummies fell on the

"Huuu..."

subtly touched the

"This feels weird."

to my rank getting suppressed. It felt as though I woke up after a few hours of sleep as my body didn't move as

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

whole time and barely managed to defeat them

'”Beep!

a minute after the last dummy fell, a beeping sound resounded across the room, and

Ren Dover; Time ➤

Smirk.

at my timer, a smirk invertedly appeared on my