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.

anxieties. Although the instructor next to Kevin was trying to

was the only way he could deal

"You?"

then turned

"..."

also don't want

his fingers, the

Puff.

rose in the

a

"Hm?...what the"

air, Kevin's brows suddenly knit. Turning his attention back

haven't they shut down the broadcast

on the opposite building to

images of some

their arms, Kevin could also see some professors

"I'm also not su—"

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

anger the instructor a

screen in the distance, Kevin all of a

to comprehend the

"W-what."

moved up and down

be here? Didn't he already arrive? This

It was only after that he realized what was happening that he

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

within the dome. Taking his hand off the barrier, Kevin watched in despair as Ren's

monitor's in the distance. Because his face never changed, no one knew

someone looked

fists clenched tightly. So tightly that they

***

time, inside of the Lock

doing over

cried

her was Ren's figure staring into the

see his face. It was

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

whole room 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

so, no one cared. That was because their eyes were glued on the TV screen in front

the room watched as Ren's body was enveloped by the thick and raging flames coming

"...kh"

grit her teeth

Though her head was usually always clear, at this moment her mind was a mess. Many

'Did Ren just die?'

for the first time in

"...just w-hat?"

Turning her head sideways, she

screams. Even then, as if her throat was dry, no words escaped

"..."

unlike the other two, Amanda's eyes never left the screen. Out of the three, she was the only one that watched the whole

fixed on the television screen. Amanda's mind was

what was happening. What had she

couldn't be dead

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

almost inaudible

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

apartment,

"Ren!"

like a crazed person, Samantha Dover, Ren's

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

tears had already started falling by the

"Mama?"

only two years old, Nola couldn't comprehend a lot. But even then, seeing

too

"Maama...whaaa!"

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

No.

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