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 put on a brave

the cigarette was the only way

"You?"

then turned to

"..."

also don't want some...sucks

the instructor. Flicking his

Puff.

slowly rose in

a nice

"Hm?...what the"

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

they shut down the broadcast

to

it, Kevin could see the images of some of the students

their arms, Kevin could also see some professors rushing towards the

"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 did not

screen in the distance, Kevin all of a sudden noticed something

couple of times to comprehend the situation, his body

"W-what."

moved up and down

he supposed to already be here? Didn't he already arrive? This must be an illusion. What is

millions of thoughts ran through his mind. It was only after that he realized what was happening that he

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

explosion that erupted within the dome. Taking his hand off the barrier, Kevin watched in despair as Ren's figure slowly disappeared within

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

if someone looked

fists clenched tightly. So tightly that

***

the same time, inside of the

Ren doing over

suddenly cried

figure staring into the camera. Falling on his knees, he mumbled something to the

the room could see his face.

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

the aftershockes of the explosion were so strong that the windows trembled unctrontrollably. It was as though they were in the middle

cared. That was because their eyes were

Ren's body was enveloped by

"...kh"

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

couldn't watch the scene any longer. 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 also

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

"..."

the screen. Out of the three, she was the only one

a statue, her eyes remained fixed on the television screen. Amanda's mind

comprehend, process, grasp, what was happening. What

couldn't be dead

laborious for Amanda, and before she knew it, tears had

mouth, in an almost inaudible voice,

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

large apartment, a high-pitched

"Ren!"

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

not my son! Anyone but my son! Give me my son back! Give him

already started falling by

"Mama?"

a lot. But even then, seeing the state

she too started to

"Maama...whaaa!"

Ronald Dover, his father. He wasn't a many of many

No.

only reason he was still working at a run-down guild that