Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 74

Kang Jin-ho’s mouth opened, a silent prelude to the confrontation. A quiet stillness descended around him, a bubble of silence in the heart of the city. The hush was both serene and eerie, as if the world had momentarily shifted, leaving only this space untouched by the usual chaos. It was as if this place alone had turned to another world.

“Come out before I drag you out myself. I don’t say things twice.” His voice was low, carrying a hint of warning.

“Didn’t you already say it twice?” A voice, equally low, replied from the shadows, and a figure slowly emerged.

“How long have you known?” The man who stepped into the light was middle-aged, wearing a fedora that cast a shadow over his eyes. His surprise was evident, a flicker of astonishment that Kang Jin-ho had detected his presence. He had been confident in his stealth, but this was the first time he had been caught by Kang Jin-ho.

Kang Jin-ho responded with a bluntness that matched his tone. “From the beginning.”

“Tsk, tsk.” The middle-aged man clicked his tongue, shaking his head in mock disappointment. “You’re wrong. I’ve been tailing you for three months already.”

“Yeah, from the beginning.” Kang Jin-ho’s words were firm, unwavering.

The middle-aged man’s expression hardened, understanding the implication. “You knew?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why have you just been watching until now?”

Kang Jin-ho’s voice was tinged with a hint of bitterness. “Because I didn’t want to break it.”

He continued, “Because I didn’t want to break the peace I had after so long.”

The middle-aged man smiled, a knowing glint in his eyes. “You’re even more outstanding than we expected.”

Kang Jin-ho stared at him, his gaze unwavering. He didn’t know what ‘we’ meant, nor did he understand why they had been watching him, why they had remained in the shadows. He had chosen to ignore it, not wanting to disturb the fragile peace he had found. But now, the time for ignorance was over. The truth, hidden beneath the surface of his world, was beginning to surface.

“Now tell me. Why were you tailing me?”

“Didn’t you say you called me?” The middle-aged man’s question was laced with a hint of amusement.

“Me?” Kang Jin-ho’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“I heard you told my foolish disciple to bring his master.”

Kang Jin-ho searched his memories, a flicker of recognition crossing his face. “I did say that.” He remembered the encounter with the martial artist from his high school days.

“So, I came.” The middle-aged man’s tone was matter-of-fact.

Kang Jin-ho’s lips curled into a humorless smile. “I hate jokes.”

He added, his voice hardening, “Especially when they come from a rat who’s been following me. It makes me want to kill.”

“Heh heh heh.” The middle-aged man chuckled, a sound that grated on Kang Jin-ho’s nerves. “Should I say sorry?”

“There’s no need. Just get to the point.” Kang Jin-ho’s patience was wearing thin.

The middle-aged man nodded, his smile fading into a more serious expression. “Then I’ll get to the point. The reason I’ve been tailing you is to find out what kind of person you are.”

“Why?” Kang Jin-ho’s question was sharp, demanding.

“I need to know what kind of person you are to decide whether to bring you in or eliminate you.” The middle-aged man’s words were blunt, devoid of any pretense.

It was a worthless statement, at least to Kang Jin-ho. He had no interest in their games.

“So, what’s the decision?”

“That’s… I don’t know.” The middle-aged man scratched his cheek, looking genuinely perplexed. “I’ve never had this happen before. You have so many different sides to you. You seem like a villain, but sometimes you seem very good. You seem indifferent, but you’re also meticulous. You seem cold, but you’re also sentimental. I’ve never seen anyone with so many personalities in one person.”

He continued, “So, I can’t decide. I can’t decide what to do with you.”

“Just give me the conclusion.” Kang Jin-ho’s voice was firm, brooking no further delay.

“So, I was thinking, we don’t need to decide.” The middle-aged man’s words were laced with a strange kind of logic.

“What do you mean?” Kang Jin-ho’s eyes narrowed, his suspicion growing.

“You can decide for yourself.” The middle-aged man’s smile returned, a hint of something unsettling in its depths.

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes narrowed further, his gaze fixed on the man before him. “How about it, will you join us?”

Kang Jin-ho looked at the middle-aged man, his expression unreadable. “I know. You need an explanation. Well, we’re not trying to do anything grand. I won’t say we’re trying to conquer the world or anything ridiculous like that. Our goal is just to control everything from the shadows.”

“Control?” Kang Jin-ho’s voice was flat, devoid of emotion.

“There are people in this world with powers unknown to the world. The world sometimes called them witches, and sometimes prophets. But in modern times, none of them are visible. You’re the same. Even those who think they know you best would look at you like a monster if they knew what you could actually do.” The middle-aged man’s words were a veiled warning, a hint of the power he knew Kang Jin-ho possessed.

Kang Jin-ho nodded, acknowledging the truth in the man’s words. It was a reality he had long been aware of.

“It’s wrong. Why should being outstanding be a reason to be ostracized? We’re just trying to fix that order.” The middle-aged man’s voice was filled with a strange conviction.

Kang Jin-ho nodded again, the logic of the man’s words resonating with him. The world was indeed a jungle, where the strong should naturally dominate the weak. But in modern times, the truly powerful were forced to hide from the masses.

The development of modern weapons, and the insatiable desire for new power, had created a world where martial artists like him were seen as threats. If his abilities were to become widely known, countless individuals would seek to dissect him alive, driven by fear and greed.

Kang Jin-ho wasn’t afraid of that. He had faced far worse in his past. But it meant a break from the life he had painstakingly built, a life of peace and quiet.

A break from the happiness he desired. Kang Jin-ho didn’t want that. He had fought too hard to achieve it.

“You were going to eliminate me?” Kang Jin-ho’s voice was calm, but a dangerous edge had crept into it.

“…If you didn’t fit our ideals.” The middle-aged man’s answer was hesitant, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.

“Then you guys must be fighting amongst yourselves.” Kang Jin-ho’s observation was sharp, cutting through the man’s carefully constructed facade.

“Well, to be honest, yes. There are always moderates who want to maintain the status quo.” The middle-aged man’s admission was reluctant, but honest.

“If I was a moderate, you would have eliminated me?” Kang Jin-ho’s question was direct, demanding a clear answer.

“Not necessarily. Even if you’re a moderate, we won’t eliminate you if you don’t oppose or interfere with us. That’s why I’ve been following you for so long. We’re not a group of murderers who enjoy meaningless killing.” The middle-aged man’s explanation was an attempt to reassure Kang Jin-ho, to paint his group in a more favorable light.

Kang Jin-ho nodded, his expression still unreadable. “I see.”

“Have you made a decision?” The middle-aged man’s voice was filled with anticipation.

“I already have.” Kang Jin-ho’s answer was immediate, leaving no room for doubt.

“Let’s hear it.” The middle-aged man’s eyes were fixed on Kang Jin-ho, waiting for his response.

Kang Jin-ho nodded, his gaze unwavering. “Get lost in front of me.”

He continued, his voice hardening, “I won’t kill you. I’m different from before. So, don’t bother me and get lost. If you bother me one more time, you’ll know who I am.”

“Can I ask why?” The middle-aged man’s question was laced with a hint of desperation. “You want to bring me in?”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled, but it was not his usual smile. It was a smile that sent a chill down the middle-aged man’s spine. It was the smile of the Heavenly Demon Lord, a figure of terror from a bygone era, now blooming in the heart of the modern world.

“The world is a jungle.” Kang Jin-ho’s voice was low, resonating with a power that seemed to shake the very air around them.

“That’s right.” The middle-aged man’s response was hesitant, a flicker of fear in his eyes.

“Then why should I, the strong, bow my head and join your weak group?” Kang Jin-ho’s words were laced with arrogance, a challenge to the man’s authority.

“…What?” The middle-aged man’s voice was barely a whisper, his disbelief evident.

“If you want to be with me, kneel. And bow your head. Then I might accept you.” Kang Jin-ho’s words were a blatant display of power, a demand for absolute submission.

“You crazy bastard!” The middle-aged man laughed in disbelief, his face contorted in a mixture of shock and anger. This wasn’t just arrogance; it was madness. How could such words come from his mouth?

“You’re acting out of line.” The middle-aged man raised his cane, his hand trembling slightly. “If you promise not to interfere, I’ll spare your life. How about it?”

Kang Jin-ho smiled at the middle-aged man’s words, a cruel twist of his lips. “Interfere?”

“Yes.”

“You’re going to control everything in the world?” Kang Jin-ho’s voice was laced with mockery.

“Yes, that’s our goal.” The middle-aged man’s answer was firm, unwavering.

“Including me?” Kang Jin-ho’s eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing the man’s soul. “Are you telling me to close my eyes and ears and let my family and friends be controlled by you?”

The smile on Kang Jin-ho’s lips twisted slightly, a subtle shift that sent a wave of dread through the middle-aged man. That was all, but that alone completely changed the atmosphere. The air grew heavy, the silence oppressive.

The middle-aged man trembled and stepped back, feeling the changed atmosphere. For a moment, a sense of despair, as if his body was falling into an abyss, pressed down on him. The middle-aged man’s shoulders trembled, his confidence shattered.

‘My, my assessment was wrong.’ The middle-aged man’s thoughts were filled with a growing sense of dread.

The murderous intent emanating from Kang Jin-ho’s body tightened around the middle-aged man’s neck, a suffocating pressure that made it hard to breathe. It was a murderous intent that felt as if it would tear his skin and burst his heart.

“Dare you to me?” Kang Jin-ho’s voice was a low growl, filled with a barely contained rage.

“Keok!” The middle-aged man collapsed to the floor, his body shaking uncontrollably.

‘Wh, who is this guy…?’ The middle-aged man trembled all over, his mind reeling. This was beyond just being strong. This was the power of a grandmaster, someone who could rule the world in any era.

“Wh, who are you!” The middle-aged man’s voice was filled with terror.

“You know.” Kang Jin-ho’s answer was simple, but it carried a weight that crushed the middle-aged man’s spirit.

The middle-aged man shuddered, his eyes wide with fear. Kang Jin-ho slowly approached him, his movements deliberate and menacing. The middle-aged man unconsciously stepped back, his body screaming at him to flee.

‘Am, am I afraid? Me?’ The middle-aged man gripped his cane tightly, his knuckles white. Kang Jin-ho slowly… very slowly, he approached and stood right in front of the middle-aged man. Then, he quietly opened his mouth.

The middle-aged man couldn’t move, even while watching all of this. It wasn’t that Kang Jin-ho had restrained him with any power. Yet, the middle-aged man couldn’t move. A fear that felt like his whole body would be torn to shreds if he even moved a finger dominated him.

“Don’t worry. I keep my promises. I’ll let you go.” Kang Jin-ho’s voice was calm, but it carried a chilling undertone.

“Go and tell them. Don’t touch me. Don’t touch those around me. Otherwise… you’ll see hell while you’re alive.” Kang Jin-ho’s words were a promise, a threat that resonated with the power of his presence.

“Ugh…” The middle-aged man could only groan, his body still trembling with fear.

Kang Jin-ho turned around, his back to the man. The conversation was over. The matter was settled.

The reason he had ignored those who had been circling him was purely because he didn’t want to get involved with them. It wasn’t that he didn’t have a desire for martial arts. He wanted someone to recognize his level, and he wanted to find someone to compare his level with. But he had suppressed those desires, choosing peace over conflict.

His current life was several times more precious to him than any trivial desire for martial arts. Especially if those who were chasing him were not just simple martial artists, but people who were moving in a thoroughly organized manner. Getting involved with them would completely disrupt his life. Kang Jin-ho didn’t want that.

There were two options: eliminate them all, or keep them away from him. Kang Jin-ho chose the second option. He had no desire to spill blood if it could be avoided.

The middle-aged man opened his mouth with difficulty, his voice raspy. “Heh heh heh, strong, strong! You’re really strong!”

He continued, his voice filled with a strange awe, “How many times do you have to go through it to become this strong?”

Kang Jin-ho’s head turned slightly, his interest piqued by the man’s words. He had already lost interest in the middle-aged man, but his words had lightly irritated him. Strangely, it was a bothersome thing to say while also being interesting.

‘How many times?’ Kang Jin-ho’s mind raced, trying to understand the man’s cryptic words.

What did he mean?

“Dozens of times, or hundreds of times?” The middle-aged man’s voice was filled with a strange intensity.

Kang Jin-ho turned his head back, his gaze fixed on the man. Dozens of times? Hundreds of times? What was he talking about going through? Unintelligible words, yet they resonated with a strange familiarity.

Kang Jin-ho’s intuition moved at words that could be dismissed as nonsense. This wasn’t something to just pass over. There was something more to it.

“Answer me, Kang Jin-ho. How many hells have you crossed to return here!” The middle-aged man’s voice was filled with a manic energy, his eyes burning with an unsettling light.

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes widened, his head turning very slowly. “Hells?”

The middle-aged man’s teeth were bared, his lips stretched into a wide, unsettling smile. He was smiling as if he was very pleased, as if he had finally revealed a hidden truth.

“It’s hell. It’s hell. A past called hell. How many lives have you crossed to return here, returner.” The middle-aged man’s words were a revelation, a challenge to Kang Jin-ho’s understanding of his own existence.

Kang Jin-ho’s body trembled, his mind reeling. What was he saying? What was this man saying? The man delivered the final blow, his voice dripping with a strange satisfaction.

“Did you think you were the only one who crossed the past to return here?” The man’s smile dug into Kang Jin-ho’s eyes, a dark and unsettling image.

A dark night. The crescent moon. The time when night crosses into dawn. The time waiting for twilight to come. In this present world… A new wind was blowing, carrying with it the scent of change and the promise of a future yet unknown.