Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 44

The long-haired man turned and walked out of the alley.

“Are you okay?” Han Se-yeon, having regained her composure, approached the trembling woman and asked.

The woman suddenly raised her head and shouted at Han Se-yeon.

“Are you people crazy?”

“Huh?”

“How could you just let them go! Shouldn’t you have called the police? Are you out of your minds?”

Han Se-yeon stared at the woman, bewildered.

“Why did you just let those people go! Are you with them? Did you do that on purpose?”

“Hey.”

“I’m going to sue you all!”

Han Se-yeon turned to look at Kang Jin-ho. Kang Jin-ho shrugged, giving her an ‘I told you so’ look.

“Oppa! Oppa! Wake up! Hey!” The woman shook the man who had fallen to the ground, trying to rouse him.

“You talked big, but what is this! Hey! Aren’t you going to get up?”

Kang Jin-ho sighed and said, “Let’s go.”

“Okay.” Han Se-yeon nodded and followed behind Kang Jin-ho.

“Hey! Where are you going! Don’t you stop there?”

“Why?”

“You let them go! How can you just leave like that! I’m going to sue you all.”

Jeong In-gyu stuck out his tongue.

“Do whatever you want!” As soon as Han Se-yeon got out of the alley, she stuck out her tongue as well.

“Seriously, what’s with that woman?” Kang Jin-ho chuckled lightly.

It would be great if goodwill was always received as goodwill, but the world wasn’t always like that. If everyone could live righteously and sensibly, there wouldn’t be any need for laws or regulations.

“But it was a little scary.”

At Han Se-yeon’s words, Jeong In-gyu nodded.

“It was a little scary at first, but then it suddenly got really scary around the middle. My body was shaking.”

“Jin-ho is really good at fighting.”

“Let’s go to a karaoke.”

Kang Jin-ho and his group headed to a karaoke. However, Kang Jin-ho kept looking back as he walked.

‘It’s here too.’ He had found traces of martial arts. Martial arts were being passed down here as well. A deep smile spread across Kang Jin-ho’s face.

“I’m home.” Kang Jin-ho stepped into the house. His father and mother’s long, drawn-out battle had finally ended in his father’s victory. On the condition that he would hand over all rights to use the remaining money to his mother, his father had gotten the house with a garden that he had wanted. But when he thought about it, his father hadn’t lost anything. After all, his father had never decided how to spend money on his own anyway. Kang Eun-young called her father’s deal a stroke of genius.

“Are you home?” Baek Hyun-jung stared intently at Kang Jin-ho.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Did you study hard? I was worried because your grades dropped after the accident…”

“Yes.”

“I haven’t said anything until now, but you’re a senior in high school, so shouldn’t you pay a little more attention?”

“Yes.”

“I guess I’ve been nagging too much.” Baek Hyun-jung had never once mentioned Kang Jin-ho’s grades before. Thanks to that, Kang Jin-ho had never felt any pressure about his grades. Kang Jin-ho was grateful to Baek Hyun-jung for that.

“Where’s Dad?”

“He’ll be a while longer before he closes up shop and comes home.”

“I told him to take a break.”

“If someone who’s been working stops working, they’ll get old quickly.”

“I guess you don’t want Dad to get old.”

“Look at your father. What will I do if that man gets old?” Kang Jin-ho laughed.

“What’s wrong with Dad?”

“It’s a relief you take after me!” Kang Jin-ho touched his face. As he mastered martial arts, his body had transformed into its most balanced and perfect state. Thanks to that, Kang Jin-ho’s face had changed quite a bit over the past year. People around him hadn’t noticed because the changes were gradual, but relatives who hadn’t seen him in a long time couldn’t recognize him at first glance. Fortunately, his face hadn’t completely changed from the past. Traces of his old self remained.

The door opened, and a sound like the earth collapsing could be heard.

“Hyu hyu hyu hyu…” Kang Jin-ho saw his younger sister entering through the door. Kang Eun-young’s face had also changed quite a bit over the past year. Kang Jin-ho, who had been displeased with her talking about plastic surgery before her debut, started to fix Kang Eun-young’s face himself. It wasn’t difficult. All he had to do was push his internal energy directly into her face to balance it. She hadn’t changed as much as Kang Jin-ho, who had mastered martial arts himself, but she was much prettier than before. Seeing Kang Eun-young and Kang Jin-ho, their friends couldn’t help but be envious, calling it a family trait.

“Oppa.”

“Yeah?”

“I have a selection test this time.”

“What’s a selection test?”

“It’s a test to see if I can be a member of the group that’s debuting this time.”

“Is that so?” Kang Eun-young sighed at Kang Jin-ho’s words.

“Can’t you say something to Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo?”

“Huh?” Kang Jin-ho frowned. What did the selection test have to do with Hwang Jung-hoo?

“Why?”

“Everyone else has some kind of backing. There aren’t many who make it based on skill alone. There are only a few spots, so it’s too hard to make it with just skill.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

“No way.”

“Oppa!”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Why! Everyone else is doing it.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly looked at Kang Eun-young and said, “Then what about the person who was originally supposed to be in the spot you’re trying to take?”

“Well…”

“If it’s a spot you earned with your skills, it’s fine. But if it’s not because of your skills? You’re taking someone else’s opportunity to get into that spot. Is that okay with you?”

“But everyone else is doing it.”

“Is it over as long as you become a singer? Is it okay to do anything as long as you can become a singer? Is that what you thought when you first joined the agency?”

“That’s not it, but…” Kang Jin-ho said with a firm look in his eyes.

“Did you practice until dawn three times a week for years just to become a singer with someone else’s help?”

“…”

“If that’s your dream, give it up now. Even if you become a singer later, if you live your life as a singer like that, you won’t have anything left. The reason I didn’t oppose you when you were going around saying you were going to become a singer was because I felt you liked singing, not because I wanted you to become a star.”

“Okay.”

“I opposed Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo when he said he would push you a little at first. People who get famous like that don’t last long anyway.”

“I understand.”

“Don’t be impatient. You’re still young.”

“Everyone debuts at my age these days! If I get any older, they’ll say I’m old.”

“If you have the skills, age doesn’t matter.” At Kang Jin-ho’s words, his mother nodded.

“That’s right, our son spoke the truth.”

“Mom!” Kang Eun-young screamed when even Baek Hyun-jung didn’t take her side. However, Baek Hyun-jung answered by slapping Kang Eun-young on the back.

“I’m against you becoming a singer like that too. You know, taking away someone else’s opportunity is something a person shouldn’t do. Do you know how much my heart ached because I didn’t give other men a chance to date me in the past?”

“Why couldn’t other men date?”

“They said they couldn’t see any other woman because of me, so what could I do?”

“…” Kang Jin-ho sighed, and Kang Eun-young smiled.

“Ah, is that why you married Dad?” Baek Hyun-jung’s face twitched slightly.

“Kang Eun-young.”

“Yeah?”

“You make your own dinner!”

“Ah, Mom! Why are you getting sulky over something like that! Mom!” Kang Jin-ho shook his head and went into his room. He turned on his computer and started looking for articles.

‘Park Yu-min’s landslide victory!’

‘In the first match of Group B in the KGL [Korean Gaming League] group stage, rookie gamer Park Yu-min achieved a clean victory.’

‘The match, which took place in Star Arena, was opened by Yoon Min-sang’s early rush, but Park Yu-min calmly blocked it and overwhelmed Yoon Min-sang with his unique mass production.’

‘With this victory, Park Yu-min achieved his first advancement to the finals and his first victory at the same time…’

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

“It wasn’t that I was bad.” It was just that Park Yu-min was really strong. There are people in the world who show special talent in one field. While Kang Jin-ho had exploited that with the advantage of martial arts rather than talent, Park Yu-min had reached his current level with real talent and effort. Kang Jin-ho closed the article and logged into Galaxy Craft. He wanted to play a game after a long time.

* * *

“He hasn’t been logging in lately.”

“Who?”

“KILLYM.”

“What kind of ID is that? Kill YM?”

“You don’t know KILLYM?”

“I’ve never heard of him.”

Galaxy pro gamer Jang Jeon-gu laughed as if he was dumbfounded.

“Don’t you even look at the Battle.net rating?”

“Why would I look at that? The really good players don’t have high ratings anyway.”

“This guy is different.”

“How is he different?”

“His rating is 2,500.”

“Huh?” Jang Jeon-gu looked at Park Young-tae, who was staring at him with a surprised expression, and said, “What’s the highest rating you’ve ever gotten?”

“I used to play in the 2,000s. I haven’t been able to get that high since I became a gamer.”

“Do you even have a sense of how high 2,500 is?”

“But once you get over 2,000, it’s all the same. It’s not like everyone with a high rating is good.”

“I played against him once before.”

“Yeah.”

“He’s really good.”

“…Really?”

“He’s unbelievably good. I thought Yu-min was good when I first saw him, but it’s nothing compared to him. My jaw just drops on its own.”

“Then why is he playing as an amateur? He should be a pro gamer.”

“He probably doesn’t need to. He has a lot of money and just wants to enjoy the game casually, but he’s good… I guess it’s something like that?”

“That’s weird.”

“He used to show up often, but he hasn’t been around much lately.”

“Really? But he’s logged in right now.”

“Huh?” Jang Jeon-gu turned his head to look at the screen. KILLYM was logged in on his friend list.

“He’s here! I have to play a match against him!”

“Hey, don’t. You’re a pro.”

“No, it’s not about whether he’s a pro or an amateur, he’s just really good.”

“…Should we watch?” At that moment, a voice came from behind them.

“Then I’ll be going.”

“Okay. Take care, Yu-min. Be careful on your way.”

“The manager is giving me a ride?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. You did a great job today. Congratulations on your first win.”

“Yes. Then…” Park Yu-min smiled as he looked at the ID on the screen. KILLYM. It was the ID he had created after his friend had crushed him, when he had decided to give up everything and start anew.

“That guy is good, right?”

“Wow, he’s really good. Who would win if you played against him?”

“It’s about the same. I’ve been losing a little more recently.”

“Really?”

“Well, I’m practicing builds for the tournament, so I can’t use them.”

“Ah, I guess that’s true. Still, if you’re about the same, that means he’s as good as Yu-min, our team’s hidden strongest player? He should become a pro gamer right now.”

“I’m not going to.”

“Why?”

“I’m enough to win the championship as a pro.”

“Huh? You know this guy?”

“I’ve talked to him a few times in chat.”

“Ah, I see. But it sounds like you’re talking about someone you know really well. Never mind.”

“Yes.”

“Oh! He accepted! I have to play a match against him! Take care, Yu-min.”

“Yes, then.” Park Yu-min walked out of the building. The black sky was visible. He had been returning to the orphanage after dark more often, but it didn’t matter.

“Is he not going to change that ID?” Park Yu-min grinned. KILLYM. Kill you, Park Yu-min. His friend was too mature and sometimes too realistic, but sometimes he was excessively childish.

“I have to work hard so I don’t lose either.” Park Yu-min got into the car.