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.

people had a different way to deal with anxieties. Although the instructor next to Kevin was trying to

way he could deal

"You?"

then turned to

"..."

also don't want

the instructor. Flicking his fingers, the

Puff.

slowly rose in

a

"Hm?...what the"

was floating in the air, Kevin's brows suddenly knit. Turning his attention back to the instructor he

they shut down the

building to him

see the images of some of

arms, Kevin could also see some professors rushing towards

"I'm also not su—"

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

anger the

at the scene displayed on the screen in the

a couple of times to comprehend

"W-what."

like a goldfish, Kevin's jaw moved up and

Didn't he already arrive? This must be an illusion.

It was only after that he realized what was happening that

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

the dome. Taking his hand off the barrier, Kevin watched in despair as

him, Jin was also staring at the monitor's in the distance. Because his

someone looked

fists clenched tightly. So tightly that they were

***

of

doing

cried out in

figure staring into the camera. Falling on his knees,

the room could see his

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

shook. Because they were quite far from the dome, the aftershockes of the explosion were so strong that the windows trembled unctrontrollably. It was as though they were in the middle

because their eyes were glued on the TV

in the room watched as Ren's body was enveloped by the thick and

"...kh"

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

her head was usually always clear, at this

'Did Ren just die?'

problems in the world, for

"...just w-hat?"

her head sideways, she also

she tried to supress her screams. Even then, as if her throat was dry, no

"..."

other hand, unlike the other two, Amanda's eyes never left the screen. Out of the three, she was

statue, her eyes remained fixed on the television

process, grasp, what was happening. What had she just

be

started to become more laborious for Amanda, and before she knew it, tears had already started falling by the side

her mouth, in an almost inaudible voice,

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

a relatively large apartment, a high-pitched

"Ren!"

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

but my son! Give

started falling by the

"Mama?"

a lot. But even then, seeing the state her mother was in, Nola understood that something

too started

"Maama...whaaa!"

opposite to them, bearing a striking resemblance to Ren, was Ronald Dover, his father. He wasn't a many of many words, but that didn't mean that he

No.

he loved his family tremendously. The only reason he was still working