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.

next to Kevin was trying to put on a brave front, Kevin knew that

way he

"You?"

turned

"..."

you also don't want some...sucks for

instructor. Flicking his fingers,

Puff.

slowly rose in the

a nice

"Hm?...what the"

Kevin's brows suddenly knit.

haven't they shut

to him was a large

could see the images of some of the students

also see some professors rushing

"I'm also not su—"

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

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

the screen in the distance, Kevin all

a couple of times to comprehend the situation,

"W-what."

Kevin's jaw moved up and down repeatedly. But no sound escaped from

to already be here? Didn't

ran through his mind. It was only after that

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

out by the large explosion that erupted within 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.

someone

fists clenched tightly. So tightly that they were

***

the same time, inside of the Lock

Ren doing over

cried

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

in the room could see his face. It was without

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

defeating explosion rang, and the 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

because their eyes were glued on

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

"...kh"

Melissa grit her

always clear, at this moment her mind was a mess. Many thoughts

'Did Ren just die?'

world, for the first time in

"...just w-hat?"

head sideways, she also stopped herself from watching

she tried to supress her screams. Even then, as if her throat was

"..."

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

television screen. Amanda's

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

be dead

before she knew it, tears had already started falling

almost inaudible voice, Amanda

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

of a relatively large apartment, a high-pitched

"Ren!"

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

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

started falling by

"Mama?"

years old, Nola couldn't comprehend a lot. But even then, seeing the state

too started to

"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

No.

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