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.

a different way to deal with anxieties. Although the instructor next to Kevin was trying to put on a brave front, Kevin knew that deep down

way he could

"You?"

turned

"..."

you also don't want

the instructor. Flicking his fingers, the cigarette lit

Puff.

rose

a

"Hm?...what the"

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

shut down

building to

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

also see some professors rushing towards the

"I'm also not su—"

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

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

at the scene displayed on the screen in the distance, Kevin

comprehend the situation, his body

"W-what."

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

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

a short second, millions of thoughts ran through his mind. It was only

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

the large explosion that erupted within the dome. Taking his

was also staring at the monitor's in the distance. Because his face never changed, no one knew what he was

if someone looked

see his fists clenched tightly. So tightly that they

***

the same time, inside of the Lock private waiting

doing over

cried out

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

room could see his face. It was without question

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

were quite far from the dome, the aftershockes of the explosion were so strong that the

eyes were glued on

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

"...kh"

short second, Melissa grit her

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

'Did Ren just die?'

comprehend the most complex problems in the world, for the first time in her life, Melissa found something she

"...just w-hat?"

similar reaction. Turning her head sideways, she also

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

"..."

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

a statue, her eyes remained fixed on the television screen.

couldn't comprehend, process, grasp, what was happening.

couldn't be

to become more laborious for Amanda, and before she knew it, tears had

almost inaudible voice,

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

apartment, a high-pitched scream rang

"Ren!"

TV screen in front of her, like a crazed person, Samantha

Give me my son back! Give him back

already 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

she too started to

"Maama...whaaa!"

a 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

No.

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