The Author's POV

"...Where is it?"

Fifteen minutes had passed since I had entered the dome, and I was now alone.

Right after entering the dome, we all split up. Kevin, Jin, and I all went our separate ways.

Nothing needed to be said about Kevin and I since we had something to do, but Jin just naturally left. In all fairness, as an assassin, Jin thrived in this kind of environment so being with a team was useless to him. It would only give away his location.

"...We probably look like fools to the audience."

Moving forwards, a bitter smile appeared on my face.

This was a given though.

In a team game, the first thing we did was split up. This became especially worrisome to the spectators supporting the Lock as everyone knew that the lower-end academies tended to team-up together.

In short, we looked like the third years.

Their result? A humiliating loss. To the audience, we probably looked like arrogant pricks overconfident in our strength.

...but I honestly couldn't care less.

I had different priorities. What did the tournament matter if everyone died?

'”Vrrrrrr! '”Vrrrrrr!

'”Ren, how far are you from the location?

My watch suddenly rang. It was Kevin.

Raising my wrist towards my mouth, I softly whispered.

"I'm almost there."

Following the map that everyone was given at the beginning of the game, I was able to navigate my way towards the location Kevin told me to go to a couple of hours ago.

According to him, that was the place where the portal devices were going to be installed.

'”That's good, I'm almost there too. All that's left is finding the portal itself.

"...easier said than done."

Even though we knew the approximate location of the portals, unlike Kevin, I didn't have a system that would help me detect the exact location of the portal.

Kevin had it, so as long as he knew the general location it was in, he'd be able to find it. Fortunately, I wasn't completely helpless.

After all, there was bound to be a couple of individuals setting it up. All I had to do was find them.

'”Ren, I'm hanging up. I think I've got something.

"Sure."

Disconnecting my call with Kevin, I increased my pace.

Navigating through the dense vegetation, my pace slowed down significantly.

"...Let's not be too obvious."

Realistically speaking, the portal should be protected by at least four individuals.

If I was too brazen about my appearance, I'd lose the element of surprise and be at a disadvantage. Even though I was confident in my strength, four individuals were a lot.

Couldn't just brazenly show up without any preparations. It may end up costly.

***

"What are these idiots doing!"

Inside of the Lock private waiting room. A high-pitched voice sounded across the space.

"Why are they separating from the very beginning? Don't they have a brain?"

Like a machine gun, Emma venomously spat at the TV screen in front of her.

Besides her was Amanda. Though she said nothing, Amanda agreed with everything she was saying.

"Damn it, what are they doing? Did everything that I told them before the match go to deaf ear?"

On the other hand, not far from them, Melissa similarly cursed.

Prior to when the match started, she briefed Ren, Jin, and Kevin, on the strategy that they should've followed in the battle royale to secure first place.

but...

They had completely ignored whatever she had said to them. As though her words went from one ear to the other, the trio separated and did the exact same thing she told them not to do.

This irritated her to no end.

get my hands

she clenched on

being displayed on national television. Everyone was

advisor, her face and name was plastered on the same screen as theirs. If they ended up losing, part of the

she thought about it, the greater her

"Just you fucking wait..."

***

on top of a tree and observed five individuals ahead

ranks and

faint, the undulations of magic emanating from the bodies of

is going

high chance that these people before me were the ones I was

told me to observe and that they were behaving suspiciously; Staying within the same

was definitely something

observe a little bit

one hundred sure about their involvement. Before they made I proper move, I would stay here and keep

so, I was already

'”Vrrrrrr! '”Vrrrrrr!

my watch vibrated. Twisting my wrist lightly, I answered

"...yes."

then brought the watch near my

"Are you ready?"

the portal

a similar situation to mine, as his voice was

I've also found them. Tell

then the portal should also be

four individuals. They seem to be roaming randomly but, they don't seem to be straying far from a certain location and I've also

briefly paused

rank. It shouldn't be possible for such a low-end academy to have such talented individuals. They are individuals that even the Lock would want. This makes me think that it's

my head, my eyes

got something similar...five individuals though. Guess I've got the short end of the

I got five. What a

'”Hee...sucks for you.

voice became slightly sarcastic. My brows

"You taunting me?"

'”...no.

he replied.

the middle of a

joke in such serious situations? Wasn't he supposed to be the serious type of

was

Right in the middle of all of the five individuals. At

apologized before explaining to

"You sure?"

your

"Yeah..you making a move?"

four people, so I can't afford

"...Clever."

with unknown backgrounds was stupid. Taking the initiative and doing

about to start.

"Yeah."

my wrist, I quickly took out a

guess I should get started as

'”Di! '”Di!

my watch vibrated. A glaring red notification

engage

the edges of my

"...talk about perfect timing"

'”Thud!

behind one of the individuals, my feet abruptly stopped. At this point, I stopped

with one of the

'”Click!

my hand on the sheath of the sword, the all

'”Thud.

small thud accompanied the clicking sound as the individual I targeted fell face-first on the ground. Right at the moment my sword was about to hit his head, a small protective shield formed around him, saving his life. The impact still caused him to pass out. Although the shield saved his life, it did not reduce

"What!"

"Who's there?"

go unnoticed as everyone turned their heads in my direction. Already expecting this, dashing forward, I headed towards the

three other people wouldn't just let me attack their most important member. Taking

slowly turned gray as I

"Stay."

Instantly everyone stopped.

"Ghhh...what!"

"Khhh..."

"S-stop him!"

their bodies could not listen to them, they all took a

"Gyek!"

up the portal took out his weapon and dashed in my

him come at me, my feet abruptly stopped. Though

'”Shaa!

raised my right hand and snapped

'”Snap!