Okay, before you read, hear me out.
Listen to Senses by MICO.
Great song, make me very sad.
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It was Ren.
He came just in time and saved me.
Ren took out all 4 of them at the same time using his sword art, the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu[1].
Haha, just kidding I meant Keiki style.
There was something different about him though. He felt stronger. The mana wandering around him indicated that he was D- rank. Last time I checked he was E+.
He probably ate something we got from Immora.
Ren was disheveled. His entire soul looked tired from the way he stared back at me. His legs were staggering and he was completely out of breath.
"Haaa…haaa…"
While taking in deep breaths he walked towards me.
What happened to him?
I stared at him, dumbfounded.
For some reason, when he got close to me Ren immediately hugged me and whispered
"Hooo… good, you're not dead."
How did he know?[2]
Actually, I have to stop thinking that, of course he knows. he's a fucking prophet who knows the god damn future. What am I, stupid?[3]
But anyways, he's still hugging me…
This caused a stupid grin to appear on my face.
His arms were wrapped around my collarbone just above my shoulders, chest to chest, head resting on the side of mine.
I could hear his gentle breathing on my ears which made me tingle.
I was flustered.
Since when was he comfortable hugging me?
Although he was hugging me, I wasn't hugging him back… should I?
I reach both my arms over to his waist and hugged him back. Ren felt so small in my arms despite only being a little shorter than me.
Okay, maybe not a little but not by a lot either.
I feel like screaming... Why am I like this?
"Sorry to burst your... whatever it is you guys have here, but you both need to get out of the barrier. We're evacuating everyone."
Both Monica and Ms.Longern were standing beside us, just watching. What the hell...
Monica even had a glint of amusement in her eyes like this was a little show worth watching.[4]
When Ms.Longbern spoke, Ren immediately let go of me and looked at the ground. He looked so cute with his ears flushed red in front of me, I wanted it all for myself. The red was so vibrant on his pale white skin...
Damn it, snap out of it Kevin! We need to get out of here or there will be no more staring at flushed and embarrassed Ren!
"Ren, let's go."
"...Nn..."
I couldn't hear him.
"What did you say?"
He spoke in a louder voice this time.
"...I said no, Kevin"
"What, why?"
"Just worry about yourself."
Ren glanced at me briefly. Then ran away?
What.
He was stilled injured first of all, not like I wasn't but somehow, I was in better condition. I saw him using his movement skill but was that enough? I couldn't tell.
His eyes told me not to follow him, and he looked serious so I better not though.
I sprinted in a slightly different direction towards the barrier through the...half trees?
All of the trees were cut perfectly horizontal; the only culprit could be Ren.
I guess this is why he was fatigued and injured, Ren probably pushed himself towards his limits to defeat someone. But he probably wouldn't need to rank up to do that though, so why is he D- rank?
Using my movement skill I swiftly passed through the cleanly cut trees, but something caught my eye. A red book.
My gut churned for some reason. Is that book important?
Why is it that my stomach is always telling me what to do?[5]
Anyways, I pick up the red book and go full speed ahead not conserving any mana.
...
Shortly after, I arrive outside the barrier containing the explosion. There were many students in the same area already, all of them or mostly all of them scared due to the death threat inside the barrier. Some were helping professors inject mana into the barrier so it wouldn't be able to reach the civilians.
A professor nearby the barrier says to me,
"Could you come over here and inject your mana into it too? We need some more help despite having all the professors and some students contributing too."
I took my left hand and placed it on the barrier, injecting mana into it. Then I notice Jin right next to me, also injecting mana. He didn't seem like he wanted to talk though so I just left him alone.
Still holding the red book in my other hand, I open it to see what's inside.
The moment I opened it I recognized a name.
__________________________
"Didn't I tell you to shut down the broadcast already! Turn it off!"
The broadcasting manager was worried. Who would want to watch children with so much potential die right in front of their eyes?
Inside of a large room filled to the brim with screens and other devices everyone in the room was frantically moving around trying to follow orders.
"W-we can't sir!"
A random guy stuttered loudly.
"What do you mean we can't?! We have direct orders from the higher ups to specifically do so!"
"It's not that sir! The controls aren't functioning at all!"
The broadcasting manager looked at the young employ's screen and frowned, all he could see was:
[ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR]
<><><><><><><><><><><>
"I'm almost there."
Ren said as he increased his pace. The distance wasn't far but wasn't close either considering his health right now.
Using every bit of mana, he pushed forward towards the exit. Next to him were multiple students also out of breath making it towards the exit and successfully escaping the barrier.
...
Suddenly, his view changed.
Instead of making it out of the barrier Ren was instead looking at the barrier about a kilometer away. Looking again he saw Aaron, who used his Dual Link skill on him to switch places.
Ren felt a wave of different emotions come over him, but it was too late. Contemplating his decisions so far, he asked himself.
"Just where did it go wrong?"
Not knowing if the cameras were still working, he turned to the camera to say his last final words.
"If the cameras are still working, I'm sorry everyone..."
A bitter smile appeared on Ren's face, and it exploded.
BOOOOOM!
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...What.
It was Ren.
Where he died.
From the explosion?
WHAT
My eyes widen as I slowly move my head up to look at the unapproved broadcast on the small hanging TV.
Just as the book had said, Ren was there.
Still far away from the barrier.
He should have made it.
Why
Why
Why
Why
...Why
On the screen he knelt down, just like the book said.
He looked at the camera, just like the book said.
He said he was sorry, just like the book said.
And it exploded, just like the book said.
I screamed, screeched, wretchedly watching everything unfold over my very eyes... just like the book said.
"REEEE-"
BOOOOOM!
White light was all over the small screen as I cried and screamed in pain. The sounds were drowned out by the explosion though, so no one could hear my pleas as I knelt to the floor.
"Rennn... no, please. Hick. Why...how, hnnggg"
I started crying and hick upping.
I've thought of many things through my 16 years of life, but nothing was more resolute than this.
Ren was killed, on purpose.
...I'll kill Aaron if it's the last fuck ass thing I do.
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Erm...
Hope you liked this chapter, it's longer.
By longer I mean like 6 times longer than my shortest chapter.
Funny huh.
Long chapters are rare, savor them.
I didn't get lazy this time, mommy, are you proud of me.
Anyways... I'm not really happy with this chapter, Idk why.
[1] Do ya know where this comes from? (old samurai anime/manga)
[2] you stupid motherfucker
[3] You should know… I made you stupid.
[4] Lowkey real tho, I'd watch it...
[5] Heh, sorry Kevin, that was me. I'm basically using your gut as a plot device now.