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 deep down

the only way he could deal with the

"You?"

then turned to

"..."

don't want some...sucks for

Flicking his fingers, the cigarette lit

Puff.

rose in the

a nice

"Hm?...what the"

air, Kevin's brows suddenly

they shut down the broadcast

on the opposite building to him was

images of some of the students desperately running away for their

Kevin could also see some professors

"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

in the distance, Kevin all of a sudden noticed something

times to comprehend the situation, his

"W-what."

mouth, like a goldfish, Kevin's jaw moved up and down repeatedly. But no sound

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

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

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

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

to him, Jin was also staring at the monitor's in the distance. Because his face never changed, no

if someone

his fists clenched tightly. So tightly that they were

***

of the Lock private waiting

Ren doing

suddenly cried out in

into the camera. Falling on his

his face.

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

Because they were quite far from the dome, the aftershockes of the explosion were so strong that the windows trembled unctrontrollably. It was as though they were in the

was because their eyes were glued on the TV screen in front of

room watched as Ren's body was enveloped by the

"...kh"

grit her teeth

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

'Did Ren just die?'

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

"...just w-hat?"

similar reaction. Turning her head sideways, she also stopped herself from

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

"..."

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

statue, her eyes remained fixed on the television screen.

comprehend, process, grasp, what was happening. What

be dead

she knew it, tears had already

almost inaudible

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

apartment, a high-pitched scream rang

"Ren!"

a crazed

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

already started falling by the side

"Mama?"

But even then, seeing the state her mother was

she too

"Maama...whaaa!"

Ronald Dover, his father. He wasn't a many of many words, but that didn't mean that

No.

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