The Author's POV

The aperture in the cell was so small that very little light could pass through it. It was eerily quiet and pitch black. He had no idea how long he had been locked up for. He had long stopped keeping track.

He just felt numb.

Thinking about his wife and daughter, he felt his heart get torn into pieces.

He was innocent. He didn't do anything, but for some reason, he was framed. It wasn't just him; Levisha and Gravar were put in the same circumstances as him.

… They had been wondering why, but the only response they got was a list of charges. Each worse than the other.

The looks of scorn and the contempt he received from the guards were something he'd never experienced in his whole life.

'Why are they doing this to me?'

Toshimoto's head slowly raised as he gazed up at the pitch-black ceiling above him with a blank expression on his face.

He felt so empty…

Rumble!

Suddenly, he heard a muffled rumbling sound coming from a distance, and he lowered his head to look in that direction.

"What's going on?"

He wondered, weakly raising himself and moving toward the door.

Rumble!

Another muffled rumble reverberated. This time, it was a lot closer, and Toshimoto was able to make it out clearly.

'Did something happen in the facility?'

He felt his heart beat quicker.

Rumble!

The rumbling was getting louder and louder with each passing second, and it wasn't long before it reached his direction; he could feel the entire room shaking as it happened.

"This power?"

It felt terrifying and oppressive.

"Mia?"

He was able to instantly recognize it due to the heaviness of it. What was more terrifying was the fact that it was getting weaker and weaker by the second.

'Is she fighting against someone?'

It soon became clear to him that something major was happening. An attack perhaps? He wasn't sure… but for it to require Mia's personal intervention... It had to be extremely serious.

Booom!

The terrifying sound of an explosion came from nowhere, and at the same time, the door of the cell was violently blown open.

Toshimoto had to quickly cover his eyes with his arm in order to protect himself from the sudden influx of light that filled the room.

"Argh!"

He still nonetheless felt his eyes sting.

"W,what is happening?"

spite of the pain, Toshimoto forced himself to open his

eyes staring at him. With

nice to

***

Master? Benefactor?

him? Technically speaking, he wasn't the same person as the one

Or was he not?

this is so

the end, I still came to the decision that it was appropriate to address him

a form of respect for everything that his martial manual had granted me. Without it, I wouldn't have been

"Y,you, who are you?"

the Keiki that

looked much older and more malnourished. The skin on

Let me help you

him my hand, which he glanced at

to take my hand. It's

Keiki's face changed before he

"You're right."

dealing with the unexpected matter was rather surprising, but how should I put this...

that point that I directed my mana into his body,

flushed with red, his posture began

looked like a

"This…"

by the sudden changes, but I merely smiled

do for

Rumble!

just turned around when I felt a strong

"…How annoying."

slammed into the nearby wall, leaving behind

"Cough… Cough…"

that, and I found myself on the other

"I,impossible."

weakly muttered while trying her best to get

my eyes and turned

"What's wrong?"

me was akin to that of

"T,that… How?"

"Don't worry about it."

to the other two prison cells. After pointing at them, the doors suddenly blasted open, revealing two elderly men in poor health. One's stature was larger than the other, while another seemed rather handsome, and I

'Grandmaster Levisha, Grandmaster Gravar.'

them with my finger, and they both sped in my direction. When they

before replayed, and the two of them began to heal

"What's going on?"

"What's happening?"

at themselves in disbelief for a moment before turning their attention back to me. As soon as they laid eyes on me, I smiled warmly and offered

an honor

other before shifting

of them were, I didn't bother saying

situation, I'd

"Ukh… Cough…"

coming from behind me. Turning around, I

'She's quite tenacious.'

what are

"Can't you see?"

thought it was fairly obvious from

all over her face, and blood was dripping

"D,don't you da-pftt"