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.

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

was the only way he could

"You?"

turned

"..."

also don't want

Flicking his

Puff.

rose

beats a nice

"Hm?...what the"

Kevin's brows suddenly

haven't they shut down

opposite building to him was

see the images of some of the students desperately

a couple of students in their arms, Kevin could also see some professors rushing towards the entrance

"I'm also not su—"

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

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

in the distance, Kevin all of a sudden noticed

times to comprehend the situation,

"W-what."

moved up and down repeatedly. But

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

thoughts ran through his mind. It was only

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

Taking his hand off the

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

if someone

see his fists clenched tightly. So

***

time, inside of the

Ren doing over

cried

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

room could see his face. It was

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

the aftershockes of the explosion were

no one cared. That was because their eyes were

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

"...kh"

Melissa grit her

was usually always clear, at this moment her mind

'Did Ren just die?'

most complex problems in the world, for

"...just w-hat?"

head sideways,

supress her screams. Even then, as if her throat was dry,

"..."

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

on the television screen.

grasp, what was happening. What had she just

be dead

before she knew it, tears had already started falling by the side

in an almost inaudible

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

of a relatively large apartment, a high-pitched

"Ren!"

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

son! Anyone but my son! Give me

already started falling by the

"Mama?"

a lot. But even then, seeing

too

"Maama...whaaa!"

to Ren, was Ronald Dover, his father. He

No.

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