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.

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

only way

"You?"

turned to

"..."

also don't want some...sucks for

instructor. Flicking his fingers, the cigarette lit

Puff.

rose in the

a

"Hm?...what the"

the air, Kevin's brows

haven't they shut down the broadcast

on the opposite building to

some of the students

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

"I'm also not su—"

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

instructor mid-sentence. This anger the instructor a bit, but Kevin did not

displayed on the screen in the distance, Kevin all of a sudden

comprehend the situation, his body suddenly

"W-what."

a goldfish, Kevin's jaw moved up and down repeatedly. But

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

mind. It was only after that he realized what was

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

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

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

if someone

fists clenched tightly. So tightly that

***

inside of the Lock

Ren doing

cried out

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

his face. It

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

rang, and the whole room shook. 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

eyes were glued on the

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

"...kh"

short second, Melissa grit her teeth and turned her head to

watch the scene any longer. Though her head was usually always clear, at this moment her mind was a mess. Many thoughts

'Did Ren just die?'

ability to comprehend the most complex problems in the world, for the first time in her life, Melissa found something she couldn't

"...just w-hat?"

head sideways, she also stopped herself

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

"..."

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

fixed on the television screen. Amanda's mind was completely numb at

was happening. What

couldn't be dead

before she knew it, tears had already

her mouth, in an almost inaudible voice, Amanda hoarsely

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

a relatively large apartment, a high-pitched

"Ren!"

screen in front of her, like a crazed

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

falling by the side of

"Mama?"

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

she too

"Maama...whaaa!"

bearing a striking resemblance to Ren, was Ronald Dover, his

No.

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