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?"

the pain, Toshimoto forced himself to open his eyes and see what

caught sight of two deep blue eyes staring at him. With a smile

nice to meet you…

***

Master? Benefactor?

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

Or was he not?

is so

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

had granted me. Without it, I wouldn't have been what I

"Y,you, who are you?"

looked different from the Keiki that

older and more malnourished. The skin on his face was also

the questions for later. Let me help you get out of here

glanced at with

choice but to take my hand. It's either you take my hand or

face changed before he eventually nodded

"You're right."

the unexpected matter was rather surprising,

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

face became flushed with red, his posture began to

seconds, he looked like

"This…"

sudden changes, but

will do for now.

Rumble!

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

"…How annoying."

my hand forward, a figure slammed into the nearby wall,

"Cough… Cough…"

found myself on

"I,impossible."

to

rolled my eyes and turned to look

"What's wrong?"

was akin

"T,that… How?"

"Don't worry about it."

blasted open, revealing two elderly men

'Grandmaster Levisha, Grandmaster Gravar.'

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

scene from before replayed, and the two of them began to heal very quickly, and not long

"What's going on?"

"What's happening?"

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 to

at each other before shifting their attention toward Grandmaster

three of

I'd

"Ukh… Cough…"

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

'She's quite tenacious.'

are you

"Can't you see?"

it was fairly obvious

her face, and blood was dripping

"D,don't you da-pftt"