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 year's

said as his

was quite apparent that he did not take this matter

year we managed to secure 1033 points on

responded. In response, Mark's brows knit for

you're saying that we are 47 points behind last

"Furthermore, Theodora academy's score is a whole 80 points higher than their last year's

It's only the first

as his voice couldn't help but

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

spoke, his face gradually

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

down and listen to

Ebonie

is any chance that we might lose, we have

wasted our time

Perry abruptly stood up.

from his body as the students next to him

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

of the orcs I faced

"This is not nons'”"

You're just wasting my time with your overly

slightly, he made

everyone stepped to the side to make a

"Wait lis'”"

to agree

Mark similarly stood up.

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

leaving behind Ebonie and what seemed to be her followers which

don't come crawling back to me later telling me

the room, Ebonie, shook her

Why

her fists

'...As expected'

at the scene from afar,

this reason that the Lock nearly ended

for Kevin's intervention, the

situation was progressing exactly as it did in the

no longer in control of the plot, the chances of the Lock losing were even higher than

three leaders although talented, could

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

"What do you think?"

"Hm?"

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

did he

as I

do

way I

for a bit, I

"You think so too?"

"...yeah"

lack of unity between the third years was quite clear to

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

you have a game to

Kevin as I

I better

my shoulder lightly, Kevin waved and left the waiting room. I followed him shortly

managed to escape

one thing that was good about the meeting it was that I didn't attract the attention of

didn't have to worry

***

and it was now Monday. During the past

'”Click!

inside of a room illuminated by bright lights, a

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

"Huuu..."

subtly touched the small bracelet

"This feels weird."

as though I woke up after a few hours of

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

throughout the whole time

'”Beep!

across the room, and my score was displayed on

Ren Dover; Time

Smirk.

a smirk invertedly