“Thud!”

“W-Who hit me?”

A stinky shoe came flying in like lightning and smacked Xiaobai, who was spacing out.

“Who do you think, brat? There are only the two of us on this mountain. Who else would it be? Ever since you broke through the day before yesterday, you’ve been grinning to yourself and calling me an idiot in your head again, haven’t you?”

“No.”

When faced with a question like that, it was all about reflexes. Don’t think—answer decisively.

“Am I imagining things?”

“Yes, yes, you are.”

Xiaobai answered while nodding over and over.

“Ohhh, I see. Good student—get lost! You think I’m an idiot or what? Tch. This isn’t the first time you’ve spaced out like that. Getting cocky now that you’ve grown up, are you? And you used to be so well-behaved as a kid. I’d tell you to do something, and you’d do it.”

That’s because you’re too strong for me to dare fight back...

“So what if you’re the Sword God? You’re still my disciple! How dare you call your great master an idiot? You wouldn’t have gotten where you are without me pushing you. Let’s see... Today’s training: before dinner, cut twenty identical pieces of tofu. Then take the potatoes I brought back and slice them into strips that are all the same length and thickness. Oh, and stop cutting up the table. Get to training, or you’re not eating tonight!”

……

……

……

I didn’t want to go hungry, even if my master’s cooking wasn’t exactly delicious.

That’s also why, even now that I’ve reached the Sword God level, I still don’t want to “rebel.”

If I cut down the old man, who’d cook for me?

Cook for myself? I wasn’t born with that talent...

I still remember one time in particular. The old man had been down the mountain for too long.

I rubbed my stomach and made up my mind: I’d just have to fend for myself for once.

And so, a meal with no color other than black—and an ominous, mysterious aura—was born.

I ate it, and then... nothing.

If my master hadn’t rushed back in time, the being known as “Ye Xiaobai” would’ve been dead.

I have a dream. I want to eat the most delicious food in the world.

Of course, it’d be even better if I could learn how to cook.

In ten years, I’d only left the top of this little mountain once.

That was when my master took me down the mountain to “show off” to his friend.

Honestly, my opponents were all so weak. I could’ve beaten them with a single sword strike, but my master insisted I hold back until I was using only a tenth of my strength.

So I’d end up locked in a close fight with them, then wear them down through sheer stamina.

My master said that was called keeping a low profile.

I thought, That’s just fucking stupid.

Of course, back then I could only complain about it in my head. At the time, my highest level was Sword Sovereign, and I still couldn’t beat that Sword Saint old man.

Sigh. I really want to go down the mountain and have some fun. I’m sick of boring sword practice up here.

The Elven Race’s ears are different from humans’: long and pointy. They’re really interesting.

Light Mages probably don’t even need lamps at night.

And another thing—I bet Fire Mages are great at grilling.

I picked up my trusty black sword, gripped the hilt, and began today’s training as usual.

The potatoes had been acting a little strange these past few days. They even ran around on their own. It was pretty interesting.

They were a little harder to cut than before, but that was no problem for me.

I fixed my eyes on a potato as it bounced around and found the perfect spot to cut.

Then I drew my sword and swung, sending out a tiny streak of sword energy that sliced through the potato.

The potato split into ten in an instant, then into a hundred, and the strips fell onto the plate.

I looked at the potato strips, each one exactly the same length and thickness, and nodded.

As expected, I’m just that perfect.

“Splat!”

The table let out a dying groan...

“Xiaobai, did you break the table again?” the old man called suspiciously from far away.

“It was an accident!” I hurriedly shouted back.

As if. How could perfect me possibly admit I’d just messed up?

Next up: tofu.

This one was easy. There was no way someone as brilliant as me could mess up again.

I patted my chest, trying to calm my nervous little heart.

The Sword God. The strongest in the world. And today, once again, I was training at home by slicing potatoes and tofu.

I bet no one would believe me if I told them...

Time flew by. I glanced at the clock. It read 11:45.

Another ordinary day had gone by.

“Hey, my disciple. How’d you like a chance to let loose for once?”

The old man suddenly appeared out of nowhere and asked me something I’d never expected to hear from him.

“This is for my wife. You just need to deliver it to Elvia Magic Academy. It’s a simple little favor. Wanna go?” As he spoke, the old man slowly pulled a letter from inside his robe.

“No. I’m staying on the mountain to practice my swordsmanship.”

I refused without hesitation and pushed the letter away.

Something was off. This wasn’t like the old man at all, so refusing first had to be the right move.

“The place your master’s wife lives is much nicer than here. You really don’t want to go?”

“No. Master, you told me people should learn to live simply and endure hardship.”

“Your master’s wife has loads of pretty girls around her. You really don’t want to go?”

“No. Master, you said that no matter how beautiful someone is, they’ll end up a skeleton.”

“You really don’t want to go?”

“No. Master, you said we have to learn to say no to temptation!”

“You really don’t want to go?”

“I’m not going!!!”

“Sigh. Your master’s wife’s cooking is ten thousand times better than mine, and you still won’t go. Fine, I guess I’ll just go by myself. You’re stronger than me now, anyway, so I can leave you here on your own without worrying. I’ll be off, then. Hope we meet again someday. Hehe~ Bye-bye, my adorable disciple.”

My master glanced at the clock, gave me a strange smile, and waved. In the blink of an eye, the old man disappeared~

“By—huh? Wait... What did you just say? Crap, Master, you heard me wrong! I’ll go!”

You old man! Why didn’t you tell me the most important part sooner? What am I supposed to do for food after you leave?

And I can’t pass up food that’s ten thousand times more delicious than yours! You’re so unfair, old man.

No, I couldn’t space out now. I snatched up my trusty black sword, picked a direction, and took off after him in one smooth motion.

The highest peak of the Demon Beast Mountain Range.

“Whoosh, whoosh~”

Two figures shot past at incredible speed, one chasing the other. They even broke the sound barrier.

The black-sword-wielding boy chased after him, shouting, “Hey, hey! Master, wait up! Slow down! Take me with you! Don’t leave your adorable disciple behind! Waaah...”