The Author's POV

-Vroom! 

With my hands on Donna's waist, I turned my head to the side and stared at the cars beside us that were slowly getting surpassed by Donna who was zig-zagging around them at extreme speeds. 

With the speed that we were going, I would've normally been scared shitless. However, knowing that a <S> ranked hero was the one driving, I knew that I was in safe hands. 

...furthermore, my mind at the moment was currently racing as I tried my best to not be affected by Donna's seductive art. 

Although she wasn't actively releasing it, just standing close to her almost made me lose composure multiple times. 

This was really taking a toll on my mental fortitude. 

Fortunately, helping me distract myself from all of the unnecessary thoughts that I was having, Donna came to the rescue as she asked. 

"So, your rank is E+?"

I was instantly taken aback. 

"How did you know?" 

I thought that the results weren't even out.

How could she had possibly known? 

Briefly glancing at my dumbfounded expression and rolling her eyes beneath her helmet, Donna replied. 

"Who do you think I am?" 

"Right, sorry I even asked..."

Instantly realizing my mistake, I apologized. 

Why did I even need to ask? 

Given Donna's reputation as a ranked hero, it was only natural for her to be able to get access to the information before it was released. 

As soon as my rank was measured at <E+> rank, without a doubt she got notified of this. 

Therefore, I knew that I could no longer get out of this situation. 

Even if Doona didn't get the results immediately she was bound to find out given that the data would soon be updated on the investigation report. 

Yup. 

The more I reminded myself of this fact, the longer my sighs became. 

-Skrri! 

After a while, stopping before the red traffic lights, Donna glanced at me and scrutinized my body closely for the first time since leaving the building. 

"Mh, if your rank is E+ then something really doesn't seem to add up." 

"What doesn't add up?" 

Smiling beneath the helmet, Donna calmly analyzed as she asked. 

"How can your talent assessment possibly be D rank when you're already almost close to that rank?

"That..."

"That shouldn't be possible, right?" 

Hearing her statement, I feigned ignorance. 

"I don't know, maybe the orb was malfunctioning?" 

...It's not like I could say I had limitless talent no? 

Sadly, my acting was unable to convince Donna who continued. 

"Judging from how calm you are, most likely you already knew that your rank was not D from the very beginning, aren't I right?"

If the talent assessment orb really malfunctioned, Ren should've easily been able to notice that something was wrong with the orb.

He was E+ at the moment. Only someone stupid couldn't tell that his talent assessment was wrong. 

...the more Donna thought about it, the more certain she was about the fact that I knew that my talent was not D rank all along. 

Thinking along those lines, Donna triumphantly smiled. 

"Although you may be able to trick others, you won't be able to trick me" 

Hearing Donna's conjecture, I shut my mouth and did not respond. 

"..."

I shall rightfully plead the fifth. 

Since anything I said could potentially reveal clues to my limitless talent I may as well just not talk. 

...although most of my secrets were laid bare to the world, it was still better to hide the existence of the seed of limit. 

After all, you never knew how humans behaved.

Furthermore, given my rank and talent assessments, there was a high chance I would be targeted by the Monolith and the demons.

Not that it matters as much anymore...

Unaware of what was happening, snorting, Donna's lips curved as she proceeded to stare at the street ahead of her. 

"I won't ask since it's none of my business, but I do warn you..." 

Pausing for a second as her voice turned cold, Donna threatened. 

"If for whatever reason you were hiding your strength and rank had to do with demons or anything that would jeopardize the school reputation...I will make sure to get rid of you personally" 

Feeling the coldness in Donna's voice, I firmly nodded my head and responded. 

"understood"

Smiling, speeding up the bike, Donna softly mumbled. 

"Good, I hope you don't betray my trust" 

Following that, along the way back to the academy, neither Donna nor I spoke a single word as we silently made our way back to the academy. 

Donna wasn't the type of person to pry about her student's past given that everyone had their own secrets they couldn't share. 

Kevin included. 

Moreover, given that I wasn't a villain as no demonic energy lingered in my body, Donna hoped that I wasn't someone that had bad intentions towards the academy. 

After all, she had gotten quite attached to me these past few months. With all of the training sessions we had together, it was only natural that this happened. 

To Donna, it would really be a pity if it turned out to be someone who worked for the demons. 

-Screech! 

Stopping right before the academy, Donna took off her helmet. Her black hair gently cascaded all the way down her shoulders as a result. Turning her head around and glancing at me, she said. 

"We're here, hop-off"

Nodding my head, I jumped off the motorcycle and took off the helmet that was in my head.

"Thanks, here" 

Extending my hand, I handed the helmet back to Donna who calmly took it back and reminded me. 

"Thanks, make sure you are not late tomorrow" 

"Aye" 

As I was putting the helmet back into her dimensional space, not so far from where I was standing, putting her hands on the handles of the bike, Donna calmly waved goodbye to me. 

"Alright, that's enough of that for now, I'll see you in the morning. Once again, do not be late!" 

"Understood" 

-Swoosh! 

Nodding my head as a defeated look appeared on my face, I watched Donna's figure leave in the distance. Shortly after, I turned around and slowly made my way back towards my dorm. 

...ah, if not for Donna reminding me, I probably would've forgotten about the fact that tomorrow I had a training session with her early in the morning. Recalling all of my past experiences with her, I sighed and softly muttered. 

"I really don't feel like getting a beating..." 

...

[Who is the mysterious youth that aided in the defeat of a Viscount ranked demon? Is this the rise of a new prodigy?]

[Breaking news : According to reports, the youth's name is Ren Dover, and is currently studying at the Lock, the number one academy in the human domain. From current police reports and data released by the central government, we may have found the next prodigy. With a staggering rank assessment at E + and...]

-Click! 

Turning off the TV as a photo of me wearing my school uniform appeared next to the male anchor reporting the news, I massaged my forehead. 

Not long after, I sat down on the sofa of my dorm and once again massaged my forehead as I felt a headache coming my way. Calmly staring at the window of my room, I muttered. 

"I guess the cat is now officially out of the bag" 

...the whole world now knew of my talent and rank.

My parents included. 

Without a doubt, my peaceful life was now gone. Thinking thus far, I sighed and stood up. 

"I need to take a breath of fresh air"

-Clank! 

Opening the door that led to the balcony, I calmly walked towards the edge of the balcony where a handrail made out of granite stood. Placing both of my elbows on the handrail of the balcony, I calmly looked at the academy before me. 

"I guess this is it..." 

Overlooking the academy campus from the balcony of my room, I brushed my hair to the side. 

News of my exploits had already made waves throughout the whole human domain, and although I was able to enter the academy fairly unnoticed thanks to Donna, I knew that tomorrow my once peaceful life would be gone. 

I really had mixed feelings about this situation. 

Although the fact that my talent and rank were exposed to the world was very inconvenient as it would definitely create a lot of enemies for me.

Honestly, aside from that, there were also advantages that came from standing out. 

...like gathering the attention of a large organization that would do anything to protect me and my talent or to appear more dominant against my opponents. 

Leaning on the handrail of the balcony and staring at the star-filled night, a bitter smile appeared on my face. Turning around and looking at my room, I softly muttered. 

"Would I still be in this room?" 

With my talent soon becoming known throughout the academy, it wouldn't be strange for me to be allowed access to the Leviathan building. 

...it's just that I felt that it was a bit of a pity. 

Although I wasn't able to stay here for long, I had actually made two proper friends here. Leo and Ram. 

For the past month that I had been with them, I always hung out with them at night as we tried all of the restaurants near the academy. I also loved relaxing and chilling with them back in my apartment or their apartment as we played cards.

Aside from that, I knew that I still had unfinished business here. As I thought along those lines, with my brows knit and placing my hand on my chin, I mused. 

"Mhh, Tyrants aside, I guess I don't really have to worry about Ava..." 

With me having already established a relationship with Ava, I didn't necessarily need to be in the same building as her anymore.

After all, we were in the same class.  Even if I moved away from her I could probably still interact with her like usual. 

Thinking along those lines, I sighed in relief. 

...now that I had gotten the Flute of Artemis, having Ava join our group was a must. With her, the strength of the mercenary group would without a doubt soar to unprecedented levels. 

Placing my hand on my chin as I frowned, I looked at the star-filled night and muttered. 

"I guess, that now leaves me with the five tyrants problem..." 

Should I remove them or should I leave them alone once I left? 

*pfftt*

Chuckling to myself, I shook my head as I looked at the lamps on the campus grounds that shone and illuminated the asphalt roads of the academy. 

Who was kidding? 

Regardless of the fact that I may soon leave this building, I was still dead set on removing them. 

That goal did not change. 

...and that was because of a couple of reasons.

One, making Leo and Ram's life more bearable. With them losing time stamps, their growth would be hindered which was not good as they were fairly talented. 

Secondly, because I was a petty person.

As they had stolen from me, I had to let them know their place.  I wasn't just going to let someone steal from me and let the walk Scott-free...

Lastly, this project was chosen in order to maximize the profit that I would gain from the operation of eliminating the five tyrants. 

Thinking about the plan that I had prepared in order to eliminate the five tyrants, my brows knit together as I softly mumbled. 

"...I guess I need to make changes to my plans"

Before, my plan was made with the thought of not interfering with the plotline, adding a lot of restraints to them. 

...but now. 

Staring at the darkness in the distance, a soft smile appeared on my face. 

Now I didn't really need to worry about it anymore. 

-Rustle! 

As the wind blew and brushed past my skin, extending my hand forward I caught a leaf that drifted along with the wind. Staring at the leaf in my hand, I softly muttered. 

"I guess it's about time I changed along with the changes in my plans..." 

My memories of the novel. 

I knew that I could no longer rely on such knowledge like I used to before. 

What I so desperately wanted to keep was no longer going to be something I could use to my advantage. 

The changes that I have caused since reincarnating into this world have slowly piled up together changing the original course of the novel. 

In what way the changes I have brought will affect the future, I had no way of knowing. 

...but what I did know was that I had to change along with the changes that I had brought. 

There was no longer a need for me to keep the storyline as it was before. 

It was time for me to personally take matters into my own hands and protect this world for my sake and the sake of those whom I hold dear. 

Releasing the green leaf in my hand as it once again drifted in the sky, I muttered. 

"In a way, I guess this is better..." 

Although a lot of troubles lay ahead of me, I knew that the end result would make up for the struggles. 

Just like a pawn. 

I could only move forward and not backward. 

This was merely the beginning of my life in this world. 

---

End of volume [1]

Quick author note : Thank you for reading this far. I hope you liked the first volume. Now, a quick note about the next volume. 

For the second volume, things will change. The story should be faster-paced, and interactions between Ren and the others will drastically increase. With the layout and the info-dumps pretty much all done in the first volume, the second volume should naturally flow much more smoothly. I hope it will be better than the first one. Fingers crossed. (P..S. this message won't increase the price of the chapter since its written after I uploaded the chap)