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

the only way he could deal

"You?"

then turned to

"..."

also don't want

Flicking his

Puff.

slowly rose in

a

"Hm?...what the"

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

they shut down the broadcast

building to him was a large

some of the students desperately running

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

"I'm also not su—"

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

instructor mid-sentence. This anger the instructor a bit, but Kevin did

displayed on the screen in the distance,

comprehend the situation, his body

"W-what."

mouth, like a goldfish, Kevin's jaw moved up and down repeatedly. But no sound

he doing there? Wasn't he supposed to already be here? Didn't he already arrive? This must be

ran through his mind. It was only after that

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

by the large explosion that erupted within the dome. Taking his hand off the barrier, Kevin watched in

was also staring at the monitor's in the distance. Because his face never

someone

clenched tightly. So tightly

***

the same time, inside of the Lock

Ren doing

cried out in

opposite to her was Ren's figure staring into the camera. Falling on his knees, he mumbled something to the

see his

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

aftershockes of the explosion were so strong that the windows

eyes were glued

watched as Ren's body was enveloped by

"...kh"

at the scene for a short second, Melissa grit her teeth and turned her head to the

Though her head was usually always clear, at this moment her

'Did Ren just die?'

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

"...just w-hat?"

her head sideways, she also stopped herself from watching the

screams. Even then, as if

"..."

the screen. Out of the three, she was the only one that watched the whole thing

a statue, her eyes remained fixed on the television screen. Amanda's mind was

was happening. What had she

couldn't be

for Amanda, and before she knew it, tears had

in an almost inaudible

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

a relatively large apartment, a high-pitched scream rang

"Ren!"

the TV screen in front of her, like a crazed

my son! Anyone but my son! Give me my son

had already started falling by

"Mama?"

even then,

too started

"Maama...whaaa!"

to Ren, was Ronald Dover, his father. He

No.

his family tremendously. The only reason he was still working at a run-down guild that was filled with debt was because