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 eyes squinted

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

we managed to secure 1033 points on the first

curtly responded. In response, Mark's brows knit

are 47

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

only the

up Perry as his voice couldn't

matters is the end result, and right now we're first. All we have to do is continue to be first. Simple as that. I don't see

his

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

and

breath, Ebonie tried to calm Perry

I believe that we shouldn't overlook this. If there is any chance that we might lose,

end, you wasted our

Perry abruptly stood up.

the students next to him backed up a

I probably wouldn't have been affected much due to

pretty much reminded me of the orcs I faced back

"This is not nons'”"

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

neck slightly,

stepped to the side to make

"Wait lis'”"

agree with the brute over

Mark similarly stood up.

of the room. Behind him, a row of students followed him out

what seemed to be her followers which included the likes of Emma,

back to me later telling me that I didn't

two individuals leaving the room, Ebonie, shook

arrogant pricks. Why can't they listen

as her fists curled into

'...As expected'

at the scene from afar, I

because of this reason that the

for Kevin's intervention, the overall winners would've been

situation was progressing

given that things were now no longer in control of the plot, the chances of the Lock

three leaders although talented, could not

was because of

"What do you think?"

"Hm?"

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

he

I looked

What do you

I see things,

musing for a bit, I shared

"You think so too?"

"...yeah"

third years was

became even more

a game

Kevin as I

I better get

Kevin waved and left the waiting room.

I managed to escape

about the meeting it was that I didn't attract

to worry about

***

week eventually flew by and it was now Monday. During the past week,

'”Click!

bright

large thuds, multiple dummies fell on the ground as

"Huuu..."

a deep breath, I subtly touched

"This feels weird."

woke up after a few hours of sleep as my

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

whole time and barely managed to defeat them without

'”Beep!

a minute after the last dummy fell, a beeping sound resounded across the room, and my score was displayed

Dover; Time

Smirk.

at my timer, a smirk invertedly appeared on