Eastern Great Winter Forest.

Tens of thousands of Abyss Demons, resembling a black ocean, were rapidly charging through the forest toward the central region and the depths.

These were the Abyss Demon hordes that had previously attacked Garos Fortress.

Now that the threat of the Mana Fission Bombs had been eliminated, the hordes had begun a disciplined retreat under Yumo's orders.

No earth-shaking roars.

No suffocating waves of Shadow of Silence Power.

No overwhelming scent of blood.

The Abyss Demons had entered an unusually "well-behaved" state and quietly sprinted through the forest.

The reason for such strange behavior was simple.

They didn't want to disturb the incomparably beautiful black-haired woman resting at the center of the horde.

At this moment,

Yumo sat sideways upon the back of a seventh-tier Abyss Demon, quietly holding Mengxi in her arms.

After glancing once at Garos Fortress behind her, Yumo shifted her gaze toward Liyu's embrace.

More accurately,

Toward the little white wolf in her arms.

The Demon King-class existence—

Limo.

The one who had been blasted silly.

Watching her daughter quietly,

Recalling the moment Limo had been struck by the Mana Fission Bomb,

Recalling the mournful cry of the giant wolf that had reached her ears,

Yumo's heart couldn't help becoming conflicted.

At the beginning,

She had raised Limo and the others so they could become stage bosses.

Experience packs for the protagonist group.

To be honest,

Back then, Yumo didn't care whether they lived or died.

After first arriving on Anqieka Continent,

She had only one goal.

To go home.

Her parents, her older sister, her friends—

She missed them desperately.

According to the mysterious goddess,

As long as she completed the trial, she would be allowed to reunite with those she loved.

Besides,

Compared to remaining in the desolate Great Winter Forest among bloodthirsty monsters,

Modern cities were naturally far more attractive.

Furthermore,

After becoming the management consciousness of the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons, Yumo had quickly realized how terrifying Abyss Demons truly were.

Their brutality.

Their bloodlust.

Although she didn't know why she felt no resistance toward them,

She had absolutely no psychological burden in sending such monsters to become experience packs for the protagonist group.

She knew Demon King-class Abyss Demons possessed intelligence.

But she didn't care.

Because when she first became the management consciousness, there had already been a Demon King-class Abyss Demon beside her.

And that thing had been a genuine lunatic.

'Intelligent Demon Kings are simply even more terrifying Abyss Demons.'

That concept had long been engraved into Yumo's heart.

Thus,

Without hesitation,

She began raising Demon King-class Abyss Demons.

Then,

To her astonishment,

She discovered she had been wrong.

Not all Demon Kings were bloodthirsty monsters like the first one.

The new Demon Kings she raised—

Limo, Liyu, Shuoyue, and the others—

Were completely different from that madman.

These children...

Were too adorable.

Not only were they intelligent,

They were cute.

Obedient.

Their presence constantly brought warmth to Yumo's heart.

And,

As time passed,

Watching them grow up,

Yumo's thoughts gradually changed.

"Mother!"

"Mommy~"

"Mother."

...

...

The idea of letting these children die meaninglessly disappeared.

As for those epic trial missions requiring eighth-tier bosses,

Yumo had no intention of sending them to their deaths.

At most, she would let them put on a show, train the protagonist group, and then rescue them afterward.

As for how,

She had devised countless plans.

She had even raised human experts like Xiao specifically for that purpose.

Before attacking Garos Fortress,

Yumo believed injuries were acceptable.

But now,

After seeing Limo injured,

She denied her previous beliefs.

Limo's sorrowful cries had made her understand.

She truly didn't want to see her children hurt.

Originally, she had planned to rescue them when they were on the verge of being killed by the protagonist group.

But now,

She didn't even want them acting as bosses for high-tier trials.

Minor wounds were acceptable.

They could serve as training.

But severe injuries?

Being beaten half to death by the protagonists?

Yumo simply couldn't accept that.

Now,

Watching humans torn apart by Abyss Demons stirred nothing within her.

Yet seeing Limo or Liyu injured made her heart ache.

Perhaps,

Without realizing it,

She had truly come to regard herself as their mother.

However—

'The trials cannot stop...'

Thinking this, seriousness filled Yumo's ruby eyes.

If her children no longer became boss monsters,

Then where could she find eighth-tier beings willing to oppose the protagonist group?

This...

Really was a troubling problem.

She had no answer.

Watching Limo's little head,

A trace of heartache appeared on Yumo's face.

"Still..."

One thing was one thing.

Heartache was heartache.

Disobedient children still needed discipline.

Thinking this,

Yumo's ruby eyes narrowed dangerously.

Recalling Limo's actions earlier—

Mobilizing the Abyss Demon army.

Bombarding Garos Fortress.

And doing all of it while directly disobeying her orders.

'Seriously, she's far too reckless!'

Wasn't she being way too disobedient?!

If she didn't discipline her properly, wouldn't her authority as a mother—ah, no! Father—completely disappear?!

'But...'

Yumo tilted her head in frustration.

Honestly,

She had beaten that naughty girl many times before.

So why wouldn't she listen?

She hit hard enough!

Hm?

Could it be because she'd beaten her too much?

Had Limo become immune to pain?

Or was her skin simply too thick?

In any case,

It seemed her previous educational strategy had indeed been flawed.

It needed changing.

Then...

How about some spiritual education?

Like higher mathematics?

Vector algebra and analytical geometry.

Multivariable calculus.

Ordinary differential equations. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Monotone bounded convergence theorem.

Navier-Stokes equations.

All the subjects that had tortured her to death back then—

She could serve them all to Limo~

Simple-minded Limo might not fear beatings.

But these problems would absolutely torture someone who hated thinking~

Hehehe~

Staring at the little white wolf,

Miss Yumo unknowingly revealed a terrifying smile.

Instantly,

The little wolf cub shivered.

"Meowuu??" (Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling? 0-0)

Naturally,

Limo had no idea what Yumo was planning.

However,

Yumo wasn't going to begin the mental education immediately.

After all,

Limo was currently in stupid-dog mode and couldn't understand such profound knowledge.

Actually,

Besides Liyu, nobody could communicate with her properly.

Once she recovered,

Yumo would settle accounts with her slowly.

Her butt would bloom.

And her spirit would receive proper enlightenment too.

Having reached her decision,

Yumo silently recorded it in her little notebook.

This most disobedient child absolutely required strict training.

Just as Yumo was wearing that strange smile,

Little Liyu slowly flew over and curiously asked:

"Mother, what are you planning to do with this Heavenly Apostle and that silver-haired girl?"

"Hm?"

Yumo's thoughts returned from the matter of educating the wolf cub.

After thoughtfully glancing at the White Yama hanging from Liyu's hand, she slowly spoke:

"Enmmmm, as for the Heavenly Apostle, lock her up for now."

"As for this one..."

Looking down at the heavily injured and unconscious silver-haired girl in her arms,

Yumo smiled softly.

"Let's bring her back to the little wooden cabin first."

There were many things to do.

Treat her wounds.

Strengthen her body.

Although Yumo still had no answer regarding future high-tier bosses,

Training the heroine was never wrong~

After all,

Their current strength was still far from enough for high-tier missions.

'The road ahead is still very long~'