"A Demon's Resolve."

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At Minato's house—

Utaha and Asia returned home together.

While Minato had been gone, their lives had pretty much become a simple loop—either sleeping or training nonstop.

"Seriously, that pervy Master of ours is way too irresponsible. He just vanished and left us to keep training on our own."

Utaha pulled off her black stockings and started rubbing her aching, pale toes.

Asia replied in a small voice, "Big Brother Minato isn't like that. I'm sure he had something important to do."

"Yeah, yeah, I know..." Utaha frowned and muttered, "But I still can't shake the feeling that our pervy Master went off to do something shady."

Click!

The door opened, and Minato stepped inside, smiling as he returned from the other world.

"What's this? Talking behind my back the moment I leave?"

"Pervy Master Minato, don't get the wrong idea," Utaha said, rolling her eyes. "For you, doing 'shady things' is practically a compliment."

She even emphasized the "shady things" part.

"I mean... you're not exactly wrong." Minato chuckled. "I did bring back a few new followers, after all."

"Knew it! I knew you weren't up to anything decent while you were gone, you damn lech."

"Hey, I am a demon. What's wrong with recruiting some followers?"

Minato's expression was full of righteous confidence.

"..."

Utaha froze.

Damn. That actually... makes sense. I can't even argue with that.

Ugh, this damn pervy Master.

Just then, a glowing magic circle appeared in Minato's hand, and he pulled out a sealed jade flask.

"Here. This is a gift for you."

Utaha blinked and looked over the flask suspiciously. "Master Minato, you do know girls hate getting stuff like this, right?"

"What are you even imagining?" Minato knocked on her head lightly, then popped open the lid. "The real treasure's inside."

As she stared at the boiling, lava-like liquid inside, Utaha gulped.

"Why does it look... super dangerous?"

"You're right. It might even kill you."

"You're giving me something this dangerous?!"

"It's an Imperial Arm—the Flame God's Essence."

Minato's expression turned serious as he briefly explained what had happened while he was gone.

"You were in another world, Big Brother Minato?" Asia gasped in shock from the side.

Utaha, too, couldn't keep her cool anymore.

She always knew her Master wasn't normal, but this... this was on a whole other level.

She'd done a lot of cramming on demon knowledge recently, so she wasn't a total noob anymore. And she knew—trying to extend your influence into another world? That was something not even Demon Kings could pull off.

But her Master? He actually pulled it off.

"This Imperial Arm... so it's basically a divine artifact?"

She looked down at the jade flask, hesitating a bit.

"It functions similarly, yeah. But how strong it ends up depends on how well you can use it."

"You're seriously giving this... to me?"

For a moment, her eyes shimmered, and the feelings she usually kept buried deep inside almost overflowed.

A power beyond even Demon Kings—offered as a gift.

To any demon, that kind of gesture hit hard.

Seeing the look in Utaha's eyes, Minato was clearly enjoying the attention. But still, he handed her the flask.

"So? What's your choice?"

His gaze was deep, clearly waiting for her answer.

"If I drink this... it's really dangerous?"

Utaha hesitated.

"Could be."

"But I'll gain serious power, right?"

"No doubt."

Hearing that, Utaha took a deep breath and calmed herself.

Before meeting Minato, she was just a regular girl—aside from her looks.

Now, even though her potential was great, all her training had only just gotten her promoted to a mid-tier demon.

And in the underworld, that was still bottom of the barrel.

Someone like Minato... he was destined to have powerful followers by his side.

Take Asia, for example—she wasn't much of a fighter, but the power of her sacred gear was undeniable.

And her?

"Phew..."

Utaha exhaled deeply, then knelt formally before Minato.

"???"

Minato raised an eyebrow.

Why so serious all of a sudden?

This is kinda awkward...

Utaha lifted her head, her voice firm and unwavering.

"I'll drink it. I want to get stronger."

"Alright!"

Minato reached down, one hand moving toward his waistband.

Wha-Wha-Wha—What the hell is he doing?!

Asia quickly covered her face with both hands—but peeked through her fingers anyway.

The pose between the two of them looked super suggestive.

Asia's face turned completely red, recalling some of the books she secretly read...

"Oh no, dear God, please forgive my filthy thoughts—ah! Ow ow ow!"

Utaha's eyes went wide in shock. "Pervy Master Minato, don't joke about stuff like that!"

"Oh, my bad." Minato smirked and placed the jade flask in her hands. "But hey, I was being serious just now."

"...Heh."

Utaha twitched at the corner of her mouth.

Damn it!

Give me my dramatic resolve moment back!

She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down.

"Stay calm. Calm down."

"You know Master's a perv."

"And he's doing this for your own good."

"Still... would a girl really enjoy something like that?"

Wait... what the hell am I even thinking?

As her face kept shifting between expressions, Minato blinked at her.

What the heck is she imagining now?

Kinda curious, honestly.

After a few seconds, Utaha's face turned serious again.

She held the jade flask in both hands and asked, "So I just drink it, right?"

"Yep."

"Glug, glug, glug, glug—!"

Without hesitation, Utaha chugged the whole thing.

Minato smiled as he watched her.

The Flame God's Essence was dangerous...

But there was no way he'd let his follower take such a risk without making preparations.

He hadn't told her everything because this was her test.

Even though she'd become a demon...

She'd come from an ordinary human background, and what she'd always lacked was one key thing: resolve.

And now?

She had the will to become stronger.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Suddenly, Utaha's skin turned a fiery red, and the sound of her heartbeat boomed like thunder.

Her whole body started trembling violently, and her blood felt like molten lava running through her veins.

The room temperature skyrocketed. The air around them began to warp from the heat.

"....."