The Author's POV

Minutes before the explosion, outside of the dome.

"Jin, you're here."

Kevin approached Jin.

Looking left and right, he asked.

"Have perhaps you seen Ren anywhere?"

Staring at the large translucent barrier covering the dome, Jin shook his head.

"No."

"Strange..." Kevin murmured. "I thought he'd be here already since he left earlier than me."

Having left before him, Kevin assumed that Ren had already left the dome.

'Perhaps he's already left the area?'

Though Plausible, Kevin shook his head.

Even if he chose to go back, he wouldn't have gotten far. Especially since Ren only left a minute before him.

Most likely, he was still roaming around here somewhere or was with a professor.

"Hey, you two! Help out over here!"

"..uh?"

Snapping Kevin out of his thoughts was a rough voice. Turning his head, Kevin spotted a professor in the distance.

With one hand touching the blue barrier, using his right hand, the professor motioned him and Jin to go to him.

Kevin immediately rushed to the professor. Jin silently followed from behind.

"How may I help you?"

"How is your mana reserve?"

The professor asked.

"Half."

"Good...you?"

The professor turned his attention to Jin.

Squinting his eyes for a second, Jin eventually responded.

"...About the same."

"Hm, that's perfect, I need you both to channel your mana inside of the barrier."

"Channel our mana inside of the barrier?"

"Mhm, we need as many helping hands as possible. This is the only way we can contain the large explosion from affecting the civilians that have come today."

The instructor's voice became serious.

"You understand how serious the situation is, right?"

If the explosion was not contained, many of the people that had come to attend the tournament would die. Especially since the majority couldn't defend themselves. Not everyone was a powerful hero.

"Understood."

Kevin's back straightened.

Convinced by the instructor's words, Kevin immediately placed his hand on the barrier and injected his mana into it. Jin did as well.

By the side, taking out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, the instructor thought for a moment before asking.

"Want some?"

"No, thank you"

Taken aback for a second, Kevin refused.

Even though smoking was not something that would affect his health as it did in the past, Kevin hated the smell.

Kevin was trying to put on a brave front, Kevin knew that deep down he was

cigarette was the only way

"You?"

turned to

"..."

you also don't

his fingers,

Puff.

slowly rose

a

"Hm?...what the"

smoke that was floating in the air, Kevin's brows suddenly knit.

shut down

opposite building to him was

Kevin could see the images of some of the students desperately running away for

in their arms, Kevin could also see some professors rushing towards the entrance of

"I'm also not su—"

"...Hm? Isn't that Ren?"

cutting off the instructor mid-sentence. This anger the instructor a

on the screen in the distance, Kevin all of a

couple of times to comprehend the situation, his body

"W-what."

up and down repeatedly. But no sound escaped from

to already be here? Didn't he

ran through his mind. It was only after that he

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

drowned out by the large explosion that erupted within the dome. Taking his hand

the monitor's in the distance. Because his face

someone

see his fists clenched tightly. So tightly that they were

***

time, inside of the Lock private waiting

doing over

suddenly cried out in

Ren's figure staring into the camera.

his face. It was without question

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

and the whole room shook. Because they were quite far from the dome, the aftershockes of the explosion were so strong

cared. That was because their eyes were glued on

body was enveloped by the thick and raging flames coming from the

"...kh"

a short second, Melissa grit

couldn't watch the scene any longer. Though her head was usually always clear, at this moment her mind was a mess.

'Did Ren just die?'

problems in the world, for the first time in her life,

"...just w-hat?"

similar reaction. Turning her head sideways, she also stopped herself from watching

supress her screams. Even then, as if her throat

"..."

of the three, she was the only one that watched the whole thing from

her eyes remained fixed on the television screen. Amanda's mind was completely numb at this

was happening. What

be dead

laborious for Amanda, and before she knew it, tears had already started falling

almost inaudible voice, Amanda hoarsely

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

large apartment, a high-pitched

"Ren!"

front of her, like a crazed person, Samantha Dover, Ren's mother grabbed the TV screen and

Anyone but my son! Give me my son back! Give him back

had already started falling by the side of her

"Mama?"

comprehend a lot. But even then, seeing

too

"Maama...whaaa!"

resemblance to Ren, was Ronald Dover, his father. He wasn't a many of many words, but that didn't

No.

reason he was still working at a run-down