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.

I get my hands

as she clenched on the side of

performances were currently being displayed on national television.

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

about it, the greater her

"Just you fucking wait..."

***

presence as much as I could, I stood on top of a tree and observed five

E ranks and three

undulations of magic emanating from the bodies of the students before me suggested that they

is going to

high chance that these

had told me to observe and that they were behaving suspiciously; Staying within the same perimeter for an extended period longer than five minutes, and having

was definitely something

observe a

involvement. Before they made I proper move,

was already starting to make

'”Vrrrrrr! '”Vrrrrrr!

bit, my watch vibrated. Twisting my

"...yes."

brought the watch near my

"Are you ready?"

portal

be in a similar situation to mine, as his voice

them. Tell

the scenario was the same, then the portal should

to be straying far from a certain location and I've also found that that they

briefly paused before

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

head, my eyes

Guess I've

whilst I

'”Hee...sucks for you.

my reply, Kevin's voice became slightly sarcastic.

"You taunting me?"

'”...no.

pause before he replied. My mouth twitched as a

in the middle of

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

bastard was

hidden beneath the ground. Right in the middle of all of the five individuals. At least

explaining to me

"You sure?"

your situation the

"Yeah..you making a move?"

people, so I can't afford to be

"...Clever."

the initiative and doing a surprise attack was

about to start.

"Yeah."

I quickly

guess I should get started as

'”Di! '”Di!

red notification clogged the screen of my

now engage with the

edges of my lips

"...talk about perfect timing"

'”Thud!

one of the individuals, my feet abruptly stopped. At this point, I stopped breathing and fully focused

start with one of

'”Click!

hand on the sheath of the sword, the all too

'”Thud.

on the ground. Right at the moment my sword was about to hit his head, a small protective shield formed around him, saving

"What!"

"Who's there?"

did not go unnoticed as everyone turned their heads in my direction. Already expecting this, dashing forward, I headed towards the person in the middle. The other ranked

me attack their most

my eyes 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 step back terrified. They could only helplessly watch as I

"Gyek!"

was setting up the

at me, my feet abruptly stopped. Though

'”Shaa!

blade, I raised my right hand

'”Snap!