"The Sernik Continent?"
Umi showed a hint of confusion when he heard Waffle mention that name.
"That place… has it been invaded by demons?"
He asked, his voice carrying a trace of concern.
Waffle glared at Umi. The wings behind his back spread wide and began to flap rapidly.
A dark crimson Essence radiated from those wings.
"That's right… and I am the one who caused its collapse!"
He roared, raising his right hand.
The right wing behind him stopped beating, then gradually swelled up like a massive sphere.
He pointed his arm straight at Umi.
"Beetle Form! Black Fire Cannon!"
In an instant, the wing exploded.
Dark red Essence burst outward, forming a dense cloud that blasted away dirt, sand, and nearby shrubs.
Waffle's arm was fired like a cannon shell, shooting straight toward Umi.
Umi stepped back and raised his hand.
"Frozen Protection! Divine Deer Shield!"
A blue light flashed.
A deer head made of ice appeared in midair.
But before it could freeze the surrounding space into a full shield—
Waffle's arm had already pierced straight into it.
At the moment of impact, the deer head shattered.
Cracks spread from within the arm, and countless sharp black spikes burst outward in all directions.
Umi couldn't evade in time.
Dozens of spikes pierced straight into his body.
From afar, Waffle laughed mockingly.
"A Grand Commander, huh? I've only been a demon for a few days, and I can already overpower you!"
Umi raised a hand to his face—where several spikes had pierced through.
His shoulders, arms, and abdomen were also struck, blood continuously flowing out.
He lifted his head and calmly asked:
"Waffle… was the Sernik Continent invaded only a few days ago?"
One of Waffle's wings stopped flapping again.
He raised his remaining right arm and aimed it at Umi.
"That's true! Right after that bastard Ganso left!"
Umi fell silent for a moment, then continued:
"Then… are you also someone from that place? You chose to become a demon to serve the Demon King, and then—"
Before he could finish, Waffle roared in rage:
"Shut up! Your stupid questions are driving me insane!"
The wing behind him swelled up once more, preparing another attack.
"Beetle Form! Black Fire Cannon!"
Suddenly—
A patch of ice formed on Waffle's face.
It spread rapidly, covering part of his face and startling him.
Waffle lowered his arm.
The swollen wing behind him suddenly developed multiple holes, dark red Essence leaking out uncontrollably.
"What… what is this? Why is it so cold?"
Confused, he turned toward Umi.
On the other side, Umi stood calmly.
His hands rested on his hips, his face no longer carried any trace of amusement.
Umi stepped forward.
Immediately, a wave of freezing air spread out, turning the ground beneath his feet into a thick layer of ice.
"Do you think… this fight has lasted this long… because you are stronger than me?"
Umi's voice was soft.
He exhaled a cold breath and slightly lowered his head.
Waffle trembled, but forced himself to shout:
"Who are you trying to scare, you weakling!? Do you really think—"
Before he could finish, a blast of freezing air shot forward.
His two left arms were instantly frozen solid.
The surrounding air turned into a cold blue hue.
Ice spread across everything.
With every step Umi took forward, the temperature dropped further.
The grass around them froze and shattered into countless fragments.
As Umi walked, he pulled the black spikes out of his own body one by one:
"The reason you're still alive until now… is because you're too stupid."
Waffle flinched, trying to step back.
But his legs were already completely frozen.
Umi's voice continued, drawing closer:
"Too stupid to die early… too stupid for me not to extract information from…"
Umi spread his arms.
A transparent droplet of ice appeared behind him.
"Frozen Strike! Divine Deer Blood Vein!"
The droplet fell onto the frozen ground where Umi had just stepped, creating ripples across the ice.
From below, a deer's head emerged.
It leapt upward, stepping through the air before landing beside Umi.
Then, the Divine Deer sprang into the sky, charging straight toward Waffle, leaving behind a trail of ethereal blue light.
"You bastard, let me go!"
Waffle shouted, raising his only remaining arm to block.
The Divine Deer rushed forward, piercing through his body—
But nothing happened.
Waffle stared in confusion at his body—still intact.
Umi raised his hand.
"The only weakling here from the very beginning… is you, Waffle."
At the center of Waffle's left chest, a patch of ice formed—
Taking the shape of a deer.
Umi clenched his hand.
A blue light flashed.
The Divine Deer reappeared, forcing its way out from inside Waffle's body through the top of his head.
He screamed in agony, struggling violently.
The ice spread, covering half of his body.
Then—
It exploded.
The Divine Deer shot up into the sky and vanished.
Below, countless sharp ice pillars burst out from Waffle's body, forming a dense network like blood vessels, pinning him firmly to the ground.
Umi walked closer.
He raised his hand and gently placed it on Waffle's head.
"Standing before you… is one of the three strongest of humanity."
He looked down, his voice cold:
"Now tell me… who is the real weakling?"