Chapter 23
“Give me back my dad! Come out, you jerk who turned my dad into an idiot!!”
At the entrance to Arcana Resort.
A kid about 120cm tall was swinging a greatsword bigger than himself.
Red skin, two cute little horns. It was the son of the Western Ruler, the Mad King Asura—Ashura Jr.
“Kid, that's dangerous. Put the sword down.”
Ma Dongtak blocked the way with a troubled expression.
If it had been a demon king, he'd have smashed it with his axe, but this... what the hell? It was kindergarten size—he couldn't hit it.
“Move! You muscle pig!”
Bam!
Ashura Jr. brought the greatsword down.
Ma Dongtak tried to block it casually, but the massive impact sent him sliding back.
The ground cracked open, and a fracture appeared on his shield.
“Gasp?!”
Ma Dongtak's eyes nearly popped out.
“What the hell is this power? Stronger than an ogre?”
“My dad's the strongest in the universe! But ever since he got that shot here, he just waters flowers all day! He won't even spar with me anymore! Waaah!”
Ashura Jr. threw a tantrum and started rampaging.
This wasn't just whining.
Every time he stomped, the ground quaked, and every wail sent shockwaves that shattered the hospital's windows.
S-rank demon king genes. Pure gold flowing with the Blood of Madness.
“Director! What do we do? Should we subdue him?”
Lee Shinwoo shouted while erecting a spatial barrier.
Kang Jinhyeok, watching from the clinic window, set down his coffee cup.
His eyes sharpened coldly.
“Subdue? This is discipline.”
Jinhyeok flung open his gown and stepped outside.
In his hands, instead of weapons, he held a love paddle and a stethoscope.
“Hey! Brat!”
Ashura Jr. froze at Jinhyeok's shout.
He wiped his tears and glared at Jinhyeok.
“You're the doctor? You made my dad a dummy?”
“Dummy? I reformed him into a pacifist.”
“Tsk tsk. No wonder he's like that when neglected.”
Jinhyeok clicked his tongue.
Asura had rampaged madly for 500 years, barely seeing his son's face, let alone raising him.
Classic case of a kid craving dad's attention, lashing out in twisted ways.
“You came because you miss your dad, right?”
“N-no! I came for revenge!”
“Revenge later. Have you eaten?”
“Hmph! No way! Anything you give me is poison!”
Ashura Jr. raised his greatsword again.
Jinhyeok sighed.
Won't listen to words.
Time for a physical conversation.
“Kids. Deploy.”
Jinhyeok snapped his fingers.
Time for Korea's top three hunters to transform into nannies... no, kindergarten teachers.
[1st Period: PE Time (Energy Discharge)]
“Alright, little buddy! Wanna play tag with uncle?”
Ma Dongtak approached with a forced smile.
He ditched his shield and went barehanded.
“Tag? Boring! Die!”
Ashura Jr. charged.
His tiny fist slammed into Ma Dongtak's gut.
Thud!
“Guh...!”
Ma Dongtak's face turned beet red.
Organs twisting in agony.
But he endured with S-rank tank pride.
“Haha! That didn't hurt at all? You're weak, kiddo!”
“What? Why aren't you flying away?”
Riled up, Ashura Jr. unleashed a flurry of punches like a maniac.
Ma Dongtak became a punching bag.
Not just taking hits—he dodged cleverly, baiting the kid.
“Nyah-nyah! Can't hit me? Right here!”
“Raaargh! When I catch you, you're dead!”
Ashura Jr.'s face flushed as he chased Ma Dongtak around.
About 100 laps around the hospital yard later.
Even the demon king's son started huffing and puffing.
“Nothing beats running to drain stamina.”
Jinhyeok watched contentedly.
[2nd Period: Thinking Chair (Spatial Isolation)]
“Gotcha!”
Ashura Jr. lunged to bite Ma Dongtak's leg.
Whoosh!
The kid floated into the air.
Lee Shinwoo had lifted him with spatial magic.
“Let me down! Cheating with magic!”
Ashura Jr. flailed, but powerless in midair.
“Tch! No tantrums. Good kids don't bite.”
Lee Shinwoo scolded sternly.
“Shut up! Let me go?!”
Ashura Jr. spat fire from his mouth.
Just like dad, he could breathe flames.
“Hey now. No spitting at friends. Silent Cube.”
Lee Shinwoo traced a square in the air.
A transparent hexahedral barrier enclosed Ashura Jr.
Perfect soundproof room—no noise or heat escaped.
The infamous Thinking Chair.
Inside, Ashura Jr. screamed and pounded the walls, but outside, silence.
Lee Shinwoo wiped sweat, glancing at Jinhyeok.
“Director... this barrier drains 1,000 mana per second. Hurry, please.”
“Hold on a bit. Until he tires himself out.”
[3rd Period: Art and Emotional Development]
Ten minutes later.
They released the panting, exhausted Ashura Jr. from the barrier.
Sweat-soaked, but his eyes still fierce.
“Just you wait... when my strength returns...”
“You're hot. Let's cool you down.”
Seo Jihu approached.
He swung his staff, summoning snow from the sky.
Snow Fall.
White flakes gently blanketed Ashura Jr.'s head.
Snow unseen in the Abyss.
Ashura Jr.'s eyes widened.
“Wh-what's this?”
“Snow. Cold and pretty, right?”
Seo Jihu made a tiny snowman on his palm.
Ashura Jr. poked it cautiously.
Cool texture.
His overheated body cooled.
“Whoa...”
The beautiful sight quelled the child's rage momentarily.
Seo Jihu crafted an ice slide.
“Wanna try?”
Ashura Jr. hesitated, then slid down.
“Wheee!”
Fun. Way more fun than sword fights.
Soon, he was playing snowball fights with the hunters.
“Kids are kids, after all.”
Jinhyeok smiled, signaling Luna.
“Bring food.”
[4th Period: Mealtime Manners]
Sunset. Dinner was served in the hospital cafeteria.
Menu: tonkatsu set, cream soup, and the kid-hated broccoli salad.
Ashura Jr. sat drooling on his chair.
After playing all day, his stomach was glued to his back.
The savory fried scent assaulted his nose.
“Eat up. It's free.”
Jinhyeok handed him a fork.
As Ashura Jr. reached for the tonkatsu, Jinhyeok whisked the plate away.
“Huh?”
Ashura Jr. panicked.
“Wait. Something to say before eating?”
“...What?”
“'Itadakimasu.' And, 'Sorry for hitting the uncles earlier.'”
“No way! Why should I apologize?!”
Ashura Jr. pouted.
Pride wouldn't allow it.
“Fine? Starve then.”
Jinhyeok was merciless.
He speared a piece and ate it in front of the kid.
Crunch.
“Mmm. Delicious. Meat melts in your mouth. Crispy batter.”
Gulp.
Ashura Jr.'s throat bobbed.
Ma Dongtak chomped beside him.
“Man, this place's tonkatsu is top-notch. Sauce is killer.”
“I... gimme some...”
Tears welled in Ashura Jr.'s eyes. Hunger crushed demon pride.
“Said it: Apologize first.”
Jinhyeok was firm.
Ashura Jr. sniffled, looking at Ma Dongtak, Lee Shinwoo, and Seo Jihu.
“I... did wrong...”
“And?”
“Itadakimasu...”
“Good boy.”
Jinhyeok slid the plate over.
Ashura Jr. shoved tonkatsu in his mouth.
His eyes lit up.
Worlds apart from Abyss's tough meat—so tender.
“*Munch munch*! Waaah!”
The kid wolfed it down, crying.
“Hey, hey. Eat your broccoli too. Picky eaters don't grow tall.”
Jinhyeok snuck in the salad.
Normally he'd spit it out, but broccoli in tonkatsu sauce? Sweet.
Meal over, Ashura Jr. patted his belly, nodding off.
Full belly, warm back—sleep hits hard.
Jinhyeok scooped up the sleeping kid and headed to the ward.
Angelic face in slumber. Awake, a disaster; asleep, pure child.
“Good work, everyone.”
Jinhyeok thanked the hunters.
Ma Dongtak rubbed his bruised arms, grinning.
“Haha... tougher than raids. Didn't know childcare was this brutal.”
Lee Shinwoo sprawled on the sofa, mana-drained.
“I'll... stay single forever...”
Next morning.
“Daddy!”
Ashura Jr. bolted out, calling for dad.
Someone approached the entrance.
Floral shirt, laurel crown on a massive frame.
Mad King Asura.
His face serene. Neighborhood fool's smile—no killing intent.
“Lord Asura! You've arrived!”
Jinhyeok greeted him.
“Oh, Director. Heard my boy's here.”
Asura held a bouquet of picked flowers and a handmade wooden doll toy.
“Daddy!!”
Ashura Jr. ran into his arms.
“Daddy... sob sob... missed you...”
“Aww, my boy. Sorry, daddy. Got held up flower-viewing.”
Asura hoisted his son up.
Ashura Jr. sniffed a new scent in dad's embrace.
Not blood—flowers and grass.
And dad's eyes weren't bloodshot red anymore.
“Daddy... not mad anymore?”
“Nope. Not mad. Director's medicine cleared my head.”
Asura spun his son around.
“Wanna go play now? Fishing, planting flowers.”
“Yeah! Awesome!”
Father-son reunion. Heartwarming sight rare in blood-soaked Abyss.
Jinhyeok approached with the bill.
“Nice to see. Time to settle the daycare fees.”
“Of course.”
Asura grinned, pulling out from his pocket.
[Western Mine Mining Rights] and a sack of top-grade red magic stones.
“This covers my boy's meals. And...”
Asura scratched his head sheepishly.
“Can I... drop him off sometimes? I'm hopeless at parenting.”
“......Pardon?”
The hunters paled.
Drop him off again?
That little terror?
“VIP service includes Kids Cafe passes, right?”
“Haha... sure, if you pay.”
Jinhyeok accepted readily—but glancing at the hunters.
Thus, Arcana Resort gained a new revenue stream: Demon Realm Kindergarten.
“C'mon, son. Daddy'll piggyback you.”
“Yay! Daddy's the best!”
Watching the father-son duo leave, Ma Dongtak wiped tears.
“Damn... why's it so touching...”
Seo Jihu replied.
“You're getting old, bro.”
Jinhyeok checked his bank balance.
It skyrocketed.
Money, fame, demon king connections.
All pieces falling into place for Earth conquest.
“Now, time to fit the final puzzle.”
Jinhyeok's gaze turned to the hospital basement, where Yoo Isu rested.
Her body fully recovered now. Next: prepare triumphant return to Earth with all these gains.
But then.
An ominous light descended from the sky.
The pillar that bald angel Piel rode.
But not alone this time.
From the light emerged a colossal being with six wings.
A high-ranking heavenly officer: a Seraph.
“So this is... the miraculous hospital that reforms demons?”
Jinhyeok's lips curled up.
It had finally arrived.
Beyond demon realm pacification, signs of a heavenly big deal brewing.