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.

wait till I get

clenched on the side

being displayed on national television. Everyone was

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

it,

"Just you fucking wait..."

***

stood on top of a tree and

ranks and three

faint, the undulations of magic emanating from the bodies of the students

is going

chance that these people before me

fact that they were in the area that Kevin had told me to observe and that they were behaving suspiciously; Staying within the same perimeter for an extended period longer

was definitely

a little

still wasn't one hundred sure about their involvement. Before they made I proper move, I would stay here and keep a good watch

already

'”Vrrrrrr! '”Vrrrrrr!

me a little bit, my watch vibrated. Twisting my wrist lightly, I answered the

"...yes."

then brought the watch near

"Are you ready?"

portal and the

similar situation to mine, as his voice

them. Tell me where the portal

portal should also be in a similar

seem to be straying far from a certain location and

briefly paused

a lower-end academy. The strangest thing is their 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

head, my eyes

Guess I've got the short

I got

'”Hee...sucks for you.

Kevin's voice became slightly sarcastic.

"You taunting me?"

'”...no.

a short pause before he replied.

me in the middle of a serious

when did Kevin joke in such serious situations? Wasn't he supposed to be

rotten bastard was definitely

in the middle of all of the five individuals. At

before explaining

"You sure?"

Is your situation the

"Yeah..you making a move?"

people, so I can't afford to be sloppy. I'm

"...Clever."

fighting against four individuals with unknown backgrounds was stupid. Taking the initiative and doing a surprise attack was the most efficient way to win against

I'm about to start. You should

"Yeah."

I quickly took out a

guess I should get

'”Di! '”Di!

glaring red notification clogged the screen

engage with the

message, the edges

"...talk about perfect timing"

'”Thud!

down the tree, I stealthily moved forward. Moving behind one of the individuals, my feet abruptly stopped. At this point, I stopped

start with one

'”Click!

the all too familiar clicking sound resounded across the

'”Thud.

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

"What!"

"Who's there?"

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

course, the three other people wouldn't just let me attack their most important

them, my eyes slowly turned

"Stay."

Instantly everyone stopped.

"Ghhh...what!"

"Khhh..."

"S-stop him!"

a step back terrified. They could only helplessly watch as

"Gyek!"

up the

feet abruptly stopped. Though confused, the individual before me

'”Shaa!

I raised my right hand

'”Snap!