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 and see

blue eyes staring at him. With a smile on his face, he

to meet

***

Master? Benefactor?

that the right way to address him? Technically speaking, he wasn't the same person as the one from my world, but at the same time…

Or was he not?

this is

of how to address him. In the end, I still came to the decision that it was appropriate to address him as

everything that his martial manual had granted

"Y,you, who are you?"

from the

he looked much older and more malnourished. The skin on his face was also quite pale, and he appeared to have trouble

questions for later. Let me help you

which he glanced at with caution. I smiled

understand your caution, but you really have no choice but to take my hand. It's either

changed before he

"You're right."

composure in dealing with the unexpected matter was rather surprising, but how should I put this... As expected of my

grabbed hold of my hand. It was at that point that I

his posture began to straighten, and

like

"This…"

sudden changes, but I merely smiled at him and

for now. Let's

Rumble!

I felt a strong force heading in my direction,

"…How annoying."

I moved my hand forward, a figure slammed into the nearby wall, leaving behind

"Cough… Cough…"

and I found myself on the other end of

"I,impossible."

best to get out of the deformation

and turned to look at

"What's wrong?"

way he looked at me was akin to that

"T,that… How?"

"Don't worry about it."

pat on the shoulder before turning my attention to the other two prison cells. After pointing at them, the doors suddenly blasted open,

'Grandmaster Levisha, Grandmaster Gravar.'

and they both sped in my direction. When they arrived, I pressed my

to heal very quickly, and not long after that, they

"What's going on?"

"What's happening?"

in disbelief for a moment before turning their attention back to me.

honor

looked at each other before shifting their attention toward Grandmaster Keiki, who shook

of them were, I didn't bother saying

their situation, I'd have reacted the same

"Ukh… Cough…"

startled by a series of coughs coming from behind me. Turning around, I saw Mia standing there. My eyes opened in

'She's quite tenacious.'

what are

"Can't you see?"

was fairly obvious from the

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

"D,don't you da-pftt"