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.

the instructor next to Kevin was trying to put on a brave front, Kevin knew

was the only way he could deal

"You?"

turned

"..."

also don't want some...sucks for

the instructor. Flicking his

Puff.

rose in the

a nice

"Hm?...what the"

smoke that was floating in the air, Kevin's brows suddenly knit.

they shut down the

on the opposite building to him was

of some of the students desperately

in their arms, Kevin could also see some professors rushing

"I'm also not su—"

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

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

in the distance, Kevin all of a sudden noticed something

comprehend the situation, his

"W-what."

his mouth, like a goldfish, Kevin's jaw moved up and down repeatedly.

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

It was only after that he realized what

"REE——!"

—BOOOOOOOM!

dome. Taking his hand off the barrier, Kevin watched in despair as Ren's figure

distance. Because his face never changed,

someone looked

fists clenched tightly. So

***

same time, inside of the Lock private

Ren doing over

suddenly cried out

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

his face.

Then.

—BOOOOOOOM!

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

because their eyes

enveloped by the thick and raging

"...kh"

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

was usually always clear, at this moment her mind was a mess. Many

'Did Ren just die?'

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

"...just w-hat?"

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

Even then, as if her throat was

"..."

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

on the television screen.

process, grasp, what was happening. What had

couldn't be

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

almost inaudible voice, Amanda hoarsely

"...Liar. "

***

"Noooooo!"

large apartment, a high-pitched scream rang

"Ren!"

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

my son! Anyone but my son! Give me

tears had already started falling by

"Mama?"

lot. But even then,

she too

"Maama...whaaa!"

Ren, was Ronald Dover, his father. He wasn't a many of many

No.

working at a run-down guild