The Author's POV

'”Bang!

The blaring sound of a table being pounded resounded across the room. Following this, an enraged roar echoed across the room.

"This is bullshit!"

Perry stood up.

"I shouldn't be responsible for our school's lackluster performances!"

"That's not the point"

Sitting next to Perry, Ebonie shouted back. Her voice contained all of the frustration she held back for the past week.

"I've repeatedly warned you about this at the beginning of the week yet none of you listened to me!"

Turning around, Ebonie pointed at the TV screen where the rankings were shown and once again raised her voice.

"Now, look! We're only fifty points ahead of Theodora academy who should've been two hundred points behind according to the initial forecast. Whose fault is it other than yours for this?"

「Rankings」 - 「Points」

Lock Academy - 11,089

Theodora Academy - 11,039

Lutwik Academy - 10,785

Vellon Academy - 10,467

SilverWing Academy - 9,803

Kukz Academy - 9,732

DeathSigil Academy – 9,311

Dusk of Dawn Academy - 8,953

Everlight Academy -8,824

PridedHorses Academy - 8,645

"What the fuc'”"

"Rather than voicing out your complaints, let's talk about the possible solutions to this problem."

Cutting Perry off before he could swear, was Mark. Compared to the first meeting, his face looked a lot more serious. He was no longer treating this as a joke.

He knew just how serious their current predicament was.

"...Right"

Finally, calming down a bit, Ebonie stood up. Biting her lower lip, she looked at everyone that had gathered in the room.

"From what I've gathered, in order for us to win, all we need is four first-years to win their respective games, followed by two by the second years."

Pausing, Ebonie took out a tablet. Tapping on the screen on the tablet, the TV screen behind her changed.

"If they somehow can achieve this, we should be able to widen the gap with Theodora Academy. If we can't achieve that then we have no choice but to..."

Ebonie paused.

"No choice but to...?"

Perry asked as he too seemed to have also calmed down from the previous outburst.

"Win one of the battle royale games..."

"..."

At her words, the room instantly became quiet.

If there was one game that no one could guarantee first place spot, it would be the battle royale game.

The reason was simple.

There was no rule that stated that the other academies couldn't form alliances with one another.

As a result of this rule, every year the Lock and the other larger academies would end up fighting at a numerical disadvantage. Making it much harder for them to win first place.

It was also because of this that the points awarded to the academies upon winning the game were much higher than singular games.

If two academies were neck and neck with each other in terms of points, they'd need to be able to win the battle royale in order to widen the gap.

"That shouldn't be a problem."

The first to speak up was Perry. A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Since we're already guaranteed first place in our battle royale, we don't really have to worry too much about it."

"That's easier said than done..."

Ebonie replied as she put her tablet down. From the way that she didn't deny Perry's statement, it seemed as though she agreed with him about the fact that the third year will win their battle royale.

so, she didn't seem to be completely confident

the third years are the ones that carry the whole school up. The first

was Mark who started

at all of the

up you lot! You've heard what she said. Make sure you don't disappoint during the battle royale games..." A threatening aura started exuding from his body. "I hope we don't go down in history as the worst team to have

glare, everyone in the room sheepishly nodded their

their example and nodded my

about what they were saying.

regarding the Monolith

with him in his

to just ask Kevin. It wasn't because I was too lazy or anything like that, it was

Kevin, the book was filled with

of his shower and washed his body with the new soap that

size, the number of pages it had was scary. It probably numbered in

it was filled with useless stuff like that. This was why

living under the same roof had its perks. Within a minute I had

nonstop bullshit about how I had this vision that

short, I managed to get Kevin to

because he trusted me a lot, or just because he was still immature due to his young age, after

to convince me that something was definitely

talk pretty much confirmed that my worries

Monolith was indeed

matters worse, that thing was going to without a doubt implicate

from what I had gathered from Kevin, they were planning on doing something big during the battle royale event

good enough

I wasn't yet sure about what they were planning, this was

to work with. It was

thank you all for

thoughts,

the room stood up. I too subconsciously followed the

the beginning of the meeting, and after coming up

to get enough points in the individual matches, we will bet everything on the battle royale. I hope everyone tries their best till then. I will not let the technical staff brief some individuals on their

Mark and Perry also left. Behind them were their usual rows of

"Ren, come here"

also about to also leave, Melissa called out for me as she sat on a chair in

do

moving

come here, I need to talk to you about

I'd rather stay as far away

I shook my head.

my previous experiences with Melissa, I wanted nothing more than to be as far away from her

am

with her hand, Melissa

replied. "...yes

sure that she didn't misunderstand, I repeated this

grow a pair for god's sake. I'm not doing this because

her tongue, Melissa was starting to

a contestant for the tournament, she wasn't actually participating in

Ebonie had stated before, there

technical team's role was to analyze the student's performances as well as the competitors and come up with a

was talking to me because she was part of the technical

coming or

joking. What

push and when to back down, I gave in

"Here"

pointed towards a certain section of

"What is this?"

I curiously asked.

in order to secure first place in the dummy massacre

the confidence that

information displayed

matches she had, I've made a rough estimate of her final score. Taking into account the worst-case scenario, I've shaven off ten seconds off of her estimated overall score and

time Melissa was referring

and twenty-eight

"Indeed."

nodded her head and

cross-reference the data from each game, this should be the target score that you should be aiming for when entering the finals. If you can beat this score, there is a high possibility of you

felt Melissa's stare directed in my direction. With a soft

"...Hmmm, maybe?"

of my neck,

all out, then there was a possibility of me beating this score, but

I had some confidence in beating the score, I wasn't arrogant to the point that I

was always best to remain

can't do it or can do it. I'm

her hands in her pocket and left. From the

my previous advice about drinking

course wasn't going to let her go like

"What?"

Melissa's footsteps halted.

a sweet smile appeared on

try

one that comes with the label from

a meaningful

potion for me it wasn't even made from her.

that I personally poured all of my love into. Trust me. You're