Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 265

Lee Joong-gul clenched his teeth. If someone else had said those words, he would have laughed. Arrogance tends to provoke laughter. But Lee Joong-gul couldn’t laugh now. He was clenching his jaw so hard his teeth might break, his hands were digging into his thighs, and he could feel cold sweat trickling down his back as he endured the sweat stinging his eyes. That was all he could do. Based on what he had shown so far and the fact that he was a returnee, Lee Joong-gul knew that Kang Jin-ho’s words were not mere bluster.

‘A Demon King?’

As far as Lee Joong-gul knew, ‘Main’ was a general term for those who practiced demonic arts. So, what did this man mean by ‘Demon King’? Was he an exceptionally strong practitioner of demonic arts? Or something else? Many questions arose, but this was not a tea party. The person he was talking to was not the right one to answer his questions.

“…Are you saying you’re a Demon King?”

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs.

“I should be called a Demon Sovereign. It might be hard for you to understand, but in my time, I was called the Demon Sovereign.”

‘Demon Sovereign…’

It was certainly a more refined term than ‘Demon King’ or ‘Heavenly Demon,’ but that didn’t lessen the pressure the man in front of him was exuding.

“A returnee and a Demon Sovereign…” Lee Joong-gul’s gaze lowered.

“Then why aren’t you part of the returnee forces?”

“Why would I be?”

Lee Joong-gul was speechless at Kang Jin-ho’s retort. What was he supposed to say to that? But his current demeanor was definitely kinder than before. He had elaborated for someone who didn’t understand.

“I don’t belong to anyone. If they want, they should bow their heads before me.”

Arrogant. So arrogant that it sounded like the ravings of a con man. An unreal feeling. The arrogant aura emanating from the man before him and the lingering stench of blood were all too real, yet Lee Joong-gul felt a sense of unreality, as if he were in a dream. Was it because he was experiencing something he never thought he would?

“So…”

Kang Jin-ho asked again, sensing Lee Joong-gul’s confusion.

“What are you going to do?”

That was the question. What was he going to do? Lee Joong-gul squeezed his eyes shut. He had been somewhat prepared, but when the moment of choice arrived, he couldn’t help but hesitate. If he said he couldn’t help the Main now, he couldn’t guarantee his and his granddaughter’s lives. But he couldn’t cooperate with that Main either. He had already seen with his own eyes that the man was no different from a human butcher. Lee Joong-gul prided himself on living by the code of chivalry. Could he, Lee Joong-gul, support a Main to save his own life?

‘Impossible.’

Lee Joong-gul gritted his teeth and glared at Kang Jin-ho.

“I cannot cooperate with a Main.”

“Grandfather!”

Lee Hyun-joo was horrified and glanced at Kang Jin-ho. But surprisingly, Kang Jin-ho looked calm.

“I see.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded. Then he stood up.

“Then I guess it’s my turn.”

“Huh?”

Lee Hyun-joo unconsciously retorted. Lee Joong-gul also stared at Kang Jin-ho, filled with questions. But Kang Jin-ho walked out without another word. Lee Hyun-joo, who was blankly staring at the door Kang Jin-ho had left through, began to feel goosebumps on her arms. She realized why Kang Jin-ho hadn’t demanded anything more.

“No, Grandpa! We have to catch him.”

“Hyun-joo, that man…”

“That’s not the problem!” Lee Hyun-joo’s voice was almost a scream by the end.

“That man doesn’t need our help! Because he has Bang Jin-hoon!”

A groan escaped Lee Joong-gul’s throat. Now that he thought about it, Chun Tae-hoon had said he would connect Bang Jin-hoon and Kang Jin-ho. And Kang Jin-ho had also told Chun Tae-hoon to bring Bang Jin-hoon to him within two days. If the two of them met and Bang Jin-hoon agreed to support Kang Jin-ho, then they could naturally secure the support of the General Assembly. It was already difficult to deal with Bang Jin-hoon, but if Bang Jin-hoon got his hands on a sword like Kang Jin-ho, he wouldn’t be wary of Lee Joong-gul anymore. Lee Joong-gul, realizing why Kang Jin-ho hadn’t pressed them, struggled to his feet.

“We have to catch him.”

Even if he didn’t help, the General Assembly would eventually have to support Kang Jin-ho. If he didn’t, Bang Jin-hoon would. If that was the case, they would gain nothing by letting Kang Jin-ho go. Lee Hyun-joo, who had rushed outside, only saw the open front door. She couldn’t find Kang Jin-ho anywhere.

“…Oh, no.”

Feeling the cold wind, Lee Hyun-joo slumped to the ground with a despairing look.

“I’m home.”

Kang Jin-ho arrived home in the early hours of the morning.

“Oppa!”

“You’re not asleep?”

Kang Jin-ho looked displeased at Kang Eun-young, who was rushing towards him with a ghostly expression.

“How can I sleep when Oppa isn’t home!”

“What time is it?”

“Is that what you should be saying? That’s what I should be saying! Did you meet a girl?”

“Wow, is it true?”

“No.”

Kang Jin-ho waved his hand.

“It’s not true, right?”

“If I had met a girl, would I have any reason to hide it from you?”

“Hmm?”

Kang Eun-young approached Kang Jin-ho with a knowing look. He wondered what she was up to now, and as he watched her, Kang Eun-young tiptoed and sniffed Kang Jin-ho’s head.

“What are you doing?”

“…It’s subtle. It’s not shampoo, but it smells like soap. If you went to a motel, you’d smell like shampoo. I can’t tell because it’s mixed with the smell of cigarettes.”

“You want to get in trouble.”

Kang Jin-ho glared at her, and Kang Eun-young stuck out her tongue and ran into her room.

“Hurry up, you delinquent!”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled as he watched Kang Eun-young shout and slam the door. Watching her had eased the murderous intent that had been filling his chest. Kang Jin-ho went into his room, took off his clothes, folded them, and threw himself onto the bed. Fatigue washed over him.

‘I went too far.’

Was it because he had caught the Red Dew [a term for a specific type of demonic energy]? He had done something he used to do in the Central Plains [a fictional setting often used in martial arts stories] without a second thought. Kang Jin-ho raised his hand and rubbed his face.

‘I can’t even deny that I’m a Main.’

The meaning of ‘Main’ was different for Kang Jin-ho and for them. But Kang Jin-ho thought that he fit the conditions of the Main they spoke of. Today, he had lost his reason and gone wild. Was it because he had been suppressing himself for so long, or was it because the order in which he was learning demonic arts was different from the past, and the demonic arts were affecting his mind?

“No, it can’t be.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled. Let’s not try to deceive ourselves.

“I was always like this.”

If he hadn’t been like that, Kang Jin-ho wouldn’t have earned the name Red Sky Demon Sovereign. Even before he joined the Demonic Cult [a group of martial artists who practice demonic arts], he was considered a public enemy of the martial world. He was called a demon for his cruel and merciless ways, and even within the Demonic Cult, which was full of the most vicious Mains in the world, he was a figure of terror known as the Red Demon. Kang Jin-ho had always been like that. If there was an enemy, he would cut them down, and if they bothered him, he would cut them down. It didn’t matter if the other person was right or if he was right. What mattered was whether they bothered him or not. He had simply done what he used to do. The reason he felt uncomfortable was because Kang Jin-ho had changed. He shouldn’t keep making excuses. Today, he had faced his past self. If he felt uncomfortable with that, he could change from now on. There was no need to make excuses for his actions by finding other reasons. Kang Jin-ho closed his eyes. Hwang Jung-hoo’s words that getting involved with them would affect his modern life were becoming more and more real. He had answered with a calm face, but his insight was something that even Kang Jin-ho couldn’t ignore.

‘Balance…’

The words that he needed to balance his current life and his life on the other side were becoming more real. And so was the statement that it wouldn’t be easy. Kang Jin-ho closed his eyes and quietly organized his thoughts. Where should he start to untangle this tangled mess? As thoughts led to thoughts and worries led to worries, the conclusion came surprisingly easily.

‘The Yeongnam Association.’

Whether they were hostile or not didn’t matter. From what he had experienced, the General Assembly was not a place that bothered him. From the head of the General Assembly to those trying to usurp it, everyone was trying not to antagonize Kang Jin-ho. Those people wouldn’t be a burden on Kang Jin-ho’s life. The problem was the Yeongnam Association. They knew of Kang Jin-ho’s existence, yet they were interfering in his life. And they were doing it with hostility. It wasn’t just because they had kidnapped Kang Eun-young. He couldn’t look at the Yeongnam Association for that reason alone anymore. They were interfering in Kang Jin-ho’s life and trying to twist it.

‘If something bothers me, I should get rid of it.’

In the darkness, Kang Jin-ho smiled brightly. The Red Sky Demon Sovereign within him was whispering.

—Since when have you been considering this and that before taking action?

If something bothered him, he would get rid of it. That was the Red Sky Demon Sovereign’s way. It was a radical method, but Kang Jin-ho himself had already proven that it was the most efficient method. If he destroyed the Yeongnam Association, Kang Jin-ho’s world would become more comfortable. And if another problem arose while destroying the Yeongnam Association, he would just destroy that too. Kang Jin-ho opened his eyes. His eyes were glowing blue. No matter how much he tried to deny it, he was still a martial artist, still a Main, and still a Demon Sovereign. His true nature, which had plunged the Central Plains into terror, was still inherent within him. Kang Jin-ho chuckled softly. It was exhilarating. He wanted to say it wasn’t, but the heat boiling inside him was making him feel incredibly happy. Ah, yes. He had endured too much. Kang Jin-ho had endured when those who were nothing more than riffraff poked at him, when those who knew him tried to understand him, and even when his family was harmed. He thought that he had to endure to maintain this life. But today, he realized. He didn’t have to endure. Others could endure. He just had to make it so that even though the existence of Kang Jin-ho was clear, they would ignore it as if he didn’t exist and not dare to meet his eyes. What if they couldn’t endure it? He would make them endure it. Because the dead didn’t have to endure. It sounded like laughter was coming from somewhere. A twisted laughter. The twisted and distorted laughter of a demon, as if it couldn’t contain its joy. Kang Jin-ho knew that the laughter was his own. Listening to the laughter flowing from his mouth, Kang Jin-ho quietly closed his eyes. He would be able to sleep soundly tonight. Very soundly.