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.

Although the instructor next to Kevin was trying to put on a brave front, Kevin knew that deep down he

way he could deal with the

"You?"

turned to

"..."

also don't want some...sucks for

his fingers,

Puff.

rose in the

beats a

"Hm?...what the"

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

shut

opposite building to him was

some of the students desperately running

also see some professors rushing

"I'm also not su—"

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

This anger the instructor a bit, but Kevin did not seem to

the distance, Kevin all

a couple of times to comprehend

"W-what."

jaw moved up and down repeatedly. But no sound

supposed to already be here? Didn't he already arrive? This must

only after that he realized what was happening

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

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

was also staring at the monitor's in the distance.

if someone looked

see his fists clenched tightly. So tightly

***

time, inside of the Lock private waiting

Ren doing over

cried out in

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

see his face. It was without question

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

quite far from the dome, the aftershockes of the explosion were so strong that the windows trembled unctrontrollably.

one cared. That was because their eyes were glued on

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

"...kh"

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

couldn't watch the scene any longer. Though her head was usually always clear, at this moment her mind was a

'Did Ren just die?'

in the world, for

"...just w-hat?"

head sideways, she also stopped herself from watching the

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

"..."

unlike the other two, Amanda's eyes never left the screen. Out of the three, she was

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

what was

be dead

she knew it, tears had already

in an almost inaudible voice,

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

of a relatively large apartment, a

"Ren!"

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

my son! Anyone but my son! Give me my son

tears had already started falling by the side of

"Mama?"

Nola couldn't comprehend a lot. But even then, seeing

too started to

"Maama...whaaa!"

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

No.

was still working at a run-down guild that was filled with debt was because