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.

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

only way

"You?"

then turned to

"..."

you also don't want

instructor. Flicking his fingers,

Puff.

slowly rose in

a nice

"Hm?...what the"

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

they shut

building to him was

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

students in their arms, Kevin could also

"I'm also not su—"

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

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

screen in the distance, Kevin

comprehend the situation,

"W-what."

like a goldfish, Kevin's jaw moved up and down repeatedly.

Didn't he already arrive? This must be an

through his mind. It was only after that he realized what was happening that he opened his mouth

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

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

to him, Jin was also staring at the monitor's in the distance. Because his face never changed,

someone

his fists clenched tightly. So tightly that they were

***

inside of the Lock private

Ren doing over

cried out

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

see his face. It was without question

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

aftershockes of the explosion were so

their eyes were glued on the TV screen in front

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

"...kh"

grit her teeth and turned her head

always clear, at this moment her mind was a

'Did Ren just die?'

in the world, for the

"...just w-hat?"

head sideways, she

screams. Even then, as if her throat was

"..."

Amanda's eyes never left the screen. Out of

the television screen. Amanda's mind was completely

grasp, what was happening. What had

couldn't be dead

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

mouth, in an almost inaudible

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

a relatively large apartment, a high-pitched scream rang

"Ren!"

crazed person,

not my son! Anyone but my son! Give

started falling by the side of her

"Mama?"

years old, Nola couldn't comprehend a lot. But even then, seeing the state her mother was in, Nola understood that something

too started

"Maama...whaaa!"

sofa 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 didn't love

No.

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