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

cigarette was the only way he could deal with the

"You?"

turned

"..."

you also don't want

the instructor. Flicking his fingers,

Puff.

slowly rose in

a

"Hm?...what the"

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

haven't they shut down

to him was

see the images of some of

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,

in the distance, Kevin all

of times to comprehend the situation, his body suddenly

"W-what."

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

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

of thoughts ran through his mind. It was only after

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

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

the distance. Because his face never changed, no one knew what he

if someone

fists clenched tightly. So tightly that they were

***

same time, inside of the Lock private waiting

Ren doing

cried out

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

see his face. It was

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

rang, and the whole room shook. Because they were quite far from the dome, the aftershockes of the explosion were

That was because their eyes were glued on the TV screen

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

"...kh"

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

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

'Did Ren just die?'

problems in the world, for the first time in her life, Melissa found

"...just w-hat?"

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

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

"..."

Out of the three, she was the only one that watched the

eyes remained fixed on the television screen. Amanda's

comprehend, process, grasp, what was happening. What had

be

before she knew it, tears

almost inaudible voice, Amanda

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

relatively large apartment, a high-pitched scream

"Ren!"

in front of her, like a crazed person, Samantha Dover, Ren's mother grabbed the

but my son! Give me my son back! Give

already started falling by the side of her

"Mama?"

then, seeing the state her

she too

"Maama...whaaa!"

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

No.

still working at a run-down guild that was filled