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

his eyes squinted

the casualness of his voice, it was quite apparent that he did not take

managed to secure 1033

curtly responded. In response, Mark's

you're saying that we are 47

nodded her head, and once pointed at the TV screen, "Furthermore, Theodora academy's score is a whole 80 points higher than their last year's score on the first day.

only the

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 why we need to care about

spoke, his

that he had to wake up this early in the

down and listen to

a deep breath, Ebonie tried

first day, I believe that we shouldn't overlook this. If there is any chance that we might lose, we have to crush it before

in the end, you wasted our time

Perry abruptly stood up.

exuded from his body as the

then, I

pretty much reminded me of the

"This is not nons'”"

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

off, Perry turned around. Stretching his neck slightly, he made his way out

the side to make a path for

"Wait lis'”"

to have to agree with the brute

Mark similarly stood up.

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

and what seemed

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

leaving the room, Ebonie,

pricks. Why can't they

her fists curled into

'...As expected'

afar, I

exactly because of this reason that the Lock nearly ended

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

the way I saw things, the situation was progressing exactly as it did in the

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

leaders although talented, could not work

It was because of their ego that the chances of the

"What do you think?"

"Hm?"

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

did he get near

as I

do you

the way I see

for a bit,

"You think so too?"

"...yeah"

between the third years was quite clear

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

have a game to be

asked Kevin as I

better get

lightly, Kevin waved and left

managed to escape an unwanted

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

worry about

***

flew by and it was now Monday. During the past week, I did what I

'”Click!

Thud, inside of a room illuminated by bright lights, a subtle clicking sound resounded

dummies fell on the ground as

"Huuu..."

subtly touched the small

"This feels weird."

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

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

level-headed throughout the whole time and barely managed

'”Beep!

dummy fell, a beeping sound resounded across the room, and my score was

Ren Dover; Time ➤

Smirk.

at my timer, a smirk invertedly appeared on my