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 his eyes and

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

nice to meet you… Uhm,

***

Master? Benefactor?

the right way to address him? Technically speaking, he wasn't the same person

Or was he not?

this is so

end, I still came to the decision that it was

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

"Y,you, who are you?"

looked different from the Keiki

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

me help you get out of here

my hand, 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 you take my hand or

before he

"You're right."

rather surprising, but how should I put this... As expected

hand. It was at that point that I

became flushed with red, his posture

looked like a completely

"This…"

sudden changes, but I merely smiled

for

Rumble!

just turned around when I felt a strong force heading in my

"…How annoying."

a figure slammed

"Cough… Cough…"

came after that, and I found myself on the other

"I,impossible."

while trying her best to get out of

eyes and turned to look at

"What's wrong?"

akin to

"T,that… How?"

"Don't worry about it."

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

'Grandmaster Levisha, Grandmaster Gravar.'

sped in my direction. When

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

"What's going on?"

"What's happening?"

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

honor to

shifting

of them were,

been in their situation, I'd have reacted the

"Ukh… Cough…"

speaking when I was startled by a series of coughs coming from behind me. Turning

'She's quite tenacious.'

what are

"Can't you see?"

thought it was fairly obvious from the

Her hair was all over her face, and blood

"D,don't you da-pftt"