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?"

of the pain, Toshimoto forced himself to open

blue eyes staring at him. With a smile on his

very nice to meet you…

***

Master? Benefactor?

same person as the one

Or was he not?

is so

the end, I still came to the decision

martial manual had granted me. Without it, I wouldn't have

"Y,you, who are you?"

different from the Keiki that

soul I had met back then, he looked much older and more malnourished. The skin on his face was also quite pale, and he appeared to have trouble standing up

Let me help you get out of here

my hand, which he glanced at with caution.

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

Keiki's face changed before he eventually

"You're right."

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

and grabbed hold of my hand. It was at that point that I directed my mana into his body, and finally, his frail body started

posture began to straighten, and his

looked like

"This…"

the sudden changes, but I

do for now. Let's

Rumble!

when I felt a strong force heading in my direction, and I furrowed

"…How annoying."

a figure slammed into the nearby

"Cough… Cough…"

came after that, and I found myself on the other end of two

"I,impossible."

trying her best to get out of

rolled my eyes and turned

"What's wrong?"

way he looked at me was akin

"T,that… How?"

"Don't worry about it."

doors suddenly blasted open, revealing two elderly men in poor health. One's stature

'Grandmaster Levisha, Grandmaster Gravar.'

they both sped in my direction. When they arrived, I pressed my hand against each of their

from before replayed, and the two of them began to heal very quickly, and not long after that, they became

"What's going on?"

"What's happening?"

their attention back to me.

an honor to

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

apprehensive the three of

in their situation, I'd

"Ukh… Cough…"

a series of coughs coming from

'She's quite tenacious.'

are

"Can't you see?"

was fairly obvious from

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

"D,don't you da-pftt"