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?"

Toshimoto forced himself to open his eyes and see what

was there that he caught sight of two deep blue eyes staring at him.

very nice to meet you…

***

Master? Benefactor?

him? Technically speaking, he wasn't the same person as the one from my world, but

Or was he not?

this is

felt a headache thinking of how to address him. In the end, I still came

was a form of respect for everything that his martial manual had granted me. Without it,

"Y,you, who are you?"

looked different from the

The skin on his face was also quite pale, and he appeared to have trouble

questions for later. Let me help you get

my hand, which he glanced at with caution. I smiled

to take my hand. It's either you take my hand or you stay here and go through

changed before he eventually nodded

"You're right."

composure in dealing with the unexpected matter was rather

of my hand. It was at that point that I directed my mana into his

face became flushed with red, his posture began to straighten, and his

looked like a completely

"This…"

the sudden changes, but

for now. Let's

Rumble!

felt a strong force heading in my direction, and I

"…How annoying."

figure slammed into

"Cough… Cough…"

found myself on the other end of

"I,impossible."

her best to get out of

turned to look

"What's wrong?"

was akin to

"T,that… How?"

"Don't worry about it."

him a friendly pat on the shoulder before turning my attention 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 instantly knew who

'Grandmaster Levisha, Grandmaster Gravar.'

my finger, and they both sped in my

of them began to heal very quickly, and

"What's going on?"

"What's happening?"

both of them stared 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

an honor to meet

them looked at each other before shifting their attention

just how apprehensive the three of them were, I

in their situation, I'd have reacted the same

"Ukh… Cough…"

had just finished speaking when I was startled by a series of coughs coming from

'She's quite tenacious.'

are

"Can't you see?"

was fairly obvious

more fiercely and took a step forward. Her hair was all over her face, and blood was dripping down the side of her mouth

"D,don't you da-pftt"