"Cough... cough... I'm not done yet... Master!"

Gasping for fresh air, Lily opened her eyes in confusion. When she recognized the figure before her, she cried out joyfully.

Bending down, Ink Ash placed his disciple on the grass. He flicked her forehead—not too hard, not too soft—and complained, his voice thick with concern. "What’s with you? How can you be so unlucky? Every time we part ways, you stumble into life-threatening dangers!"

"Mmm... Lily doesn’t know either."

"Idiot! I told you to think, not act pitiful!" With a firm snap to her snow-white forehead, Ink Ash scolded sternly.

Pouting cutely, Lily felt utterly wronged. "But... but I didn’t want this! I was smoothly clearing the final stage when a madman suddenly appeared..."

"A madman? Which one?" Ink Ash glanced at the unconscious weakling on the ground, then at his disciple. Finding no target, he frowned in confusion.

Pointing at the lingering dust cloud in the distance, Lily replied uneasily, "The one you just sent flying."

*My master’s so thick-headed...*

Nodding in sudden realization, Ink Ash didn’t let the girl sigh in relief. He flicked her again. "Oh~~ I see—you thought this’d save you from a spanking? Keep a mental note. We’ll settle this outside!"

Instinctively covering her recently healed bottom, Lily’s face flushed crimson. She whispered, "Eh? You don’t mean... nooo, please! Can we switch punishments?"

"No. Punishment is necessary to teach you a lesson. If you can’t win, just run! Why stubbornly fight to the death? Do you think you’re one of those shonen heroes who explode with power anytime?" Poking her dusty cheek in exasperation, Ink Ash glared at his thick-headed disciple. *How can you fight me, the Demon King, when you’re this dumb? It’s giving me a headache!*

Letting her master poke her innocent cheeks, Lily pouted pitifully before blinking in confusion. "What are ‘shonen heroes’?"

"Tch. Not the point." Ink Ash suddenly stood, coldly staring at the motionless dust cloud. "Hey, you over there—stop playing dead. I barely used any strength in that punch!"

*Clap! Clap!* Crisp applause echoed abruptly from the smoke.

Sneering, Ink Ash’s face twisted in annoyance. "I gave you ages to ambush me. Can your guts be any smaller?"

*Personally, you just dodged answering your disciple’s question!*

"Impressive. Truly. Even an ordinary punch from you... nearly overwhelmed me." A breeze cleared the dust, revealing an unscathed figure walking forward.

Eyes narrowing slightly, Ink Ash asked with interest, "You know... me?"

"Of course. You’re the comet-like overlord who rose in this world—the Demon Realm’s—"

Before the youth could finish, a fierce gust slammed into him. Ink Ash’s fist arrived in a blur. "So fast!" Stunned, the boy took the brutal punch head-on.

*Crack!* A crisp snap echoed. The youth stumbled back meters, his left arm dangling limply. From its grotesque angle, it was clearly ruined.