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

there that he caught sight of two deep blue eyes staring at him. With a smile on his face,

very nice to meet

***

Master? Benefactor?

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

Or was he not?

is

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

respect for everything that his martial manual had granted me.

"Y,you, who are you?"

from the

I had met back then, he looked much older and more malnourished. The skin on his face was also quite pale,

me help

which he glanced

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

changed before he eventually nodded his

"You're right."

with the unexpected matter was rather surprising, but how should I

the initiative and grabbed hold of my hand. It was at that point that I directed

flushed with red, his posture began to straighten, and his muscles began to

he looked like a completely

"This…"

seemed startled by the sudden changes, but I

for now. Let's

Rumble!

strong force heading in my direction, and I furrowed my

"…How annoying."

slammed into the nearby wall, leaving behind a

"Cough… Cough…"

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

"I,impossible."

trying her best to get out

rolled my eyes and turned to

"What's wrong?"

was akin to that of someone looking at

"T,that… How?"

"Don't worry about it."

my attention to the other two prison cells. After pointing at them, the doors suddenly blasted open, revealing two elderly men in

'Grandmaster Levisha, Grandmaster Gravar.'

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

replayed, and the two of them began to heal very quickly,

"What's going on?"

"What's happening?"

stared at themselves in disbelief for a moment before turning their attention back to me. As soon as they

an honor to meet

each other before shifting their attention toward Grandmaster Keiki, who

just how apprehensive the three of them were, I didn't bother

I'd have reacted the same

"Ukh… Cough…"

series of coughs coming from behind me. Turning around, I saw Mia standing

'She's quite tenacious.'

what are you

"Can't you see?"

was fairly

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

"D,don't you da-pftt"