Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 366

“Um… Master?”

“What?”

“How are we going to subdue them?”

“Huh?”

“…How are we going to subdue them and corner them? We can’t just knock them out one by one.”

“Ah!”

Only then did Bang Jin-hoon, realizing the problem, look at the Yeongnam Association members who were still out of it with a somewhat disgruntled expression.

“Just tell them to go over there.”

“Will that be okay? If those guys resist all at once, it’ll be chaos.”

“Then what other way is there?”

“…There isn’t any.”

“And do you think they look like they’re going to resist?”

“No.”

“Then why are you asking, you bastard!”

At Bang Jin-hoon’s outburst, the guy who flinched and turned away muttered, ‘Still, I have to report it, damn it,’ loud enough to be heard, but Bang Jin-hoon didn’t stop him.

To be precise, he didn’t have the strength to stop him.

‘This is… damn it.’

Bang Jin-hoon couldn’t stop the hollow laughter that kept escaping him. It was so absurd it was beyond ridiculous. He couldn’t make sense of the situation in his head.

The hall was still as quiet as a tomb.

Neither the shattered Yeongnam Association nor the General Assembly members who had witnessed it dared to open their mouths.

It was Kang Jin-ho who had created this situation, but he had disappeared inside the building, leaving only those who remained to clean up the chaotic aftermath of his presence.

“This is driving me crazy.”

It was a great victory.

No, it was more than a great victory.

In war terms, it was like the charging general had tripped on a rock and died, and the rest had simply surrendered.

They had achieved an overwhelming victory against such a force without suffering any significant damage, but they couldn’t be happy about it.

“Those corpses…”

“No! Let’s just handle it ourselves! Ourselves! I’m not in the right state of mind to nitpick everything you guys do, so just do what you normally do, you bastards!”

As Bang Jin-hoon exploded in anger, those around him flinched and slowly moved away.

It wasn’t that he didn’t think it was unnecessary anger, but no one could fail to understand why Bang Jin-hoon was so angry.

They were all feeling uneasy, so how much more would Bang Jin-hoon be feeling?

Bang Jin-hoon huffed and puffed for a long time by himself.

He didn’t know exactly why he was so annoyed and angry. However, after seeing Kang Jin-ho’s rampage today, a sense of frustration washed over him like an aftereffect.

‘I need to pull myself together.’

Frustration was frustration, and he was the head of a faction. He had to do what he had to do now.

Thinking he had given enough instructions, Bang Jin-hoon started walking towards what he thought was the most urgent task.

The main gate.

A man was sitting slumped right in front of the gate, which was now shattered and left no trace. Seeing him, a sense of guilt washed over him.

“Hey, Lee Myung-hwan.”

Lee Myung-hwan’s head turned towards Bang Jin-hoon.

Looking at his dazed face, he regretted, ‘What have I done?’

“I’m sorry, man.”

Perhaps the one who had been most shocked today wasn’t him, but Lee Myung-hwan. He had watched Kang Jin-ho’s rampage right next to him.

“Get a grip, you idiot.”

He knew he should speak gently, but the anger rising from within kept making his words harsh. After smacking his lips a few times, Bang Jin-hoon was wondering what to say when Lee Myung-hwan opened his mouth weakly.

“…Did you see it?”

“I did.”

“…What kind of human is that?”

“You can say that again.”

Bang Jin-hoon sighed.

Lee Myung-hwan probably didn’t even know what he was saying. He was completely out of it.

“I didn’t know the situation would go this far either. If I had known it would be this bad, I wouldn’t have sent you.”

“Huh?”

Lee Myung-hwan looked at Bang Jin-hoon with a puzzled expression.

“Anyway, I’m sorry.”

“No, Master, you don’t have to be sorry. I should be grateful.”

“Grateful?”

What the hell is this guy talking about?

“Who else would get to see something like that up close?”

“…That’s true.”

“It feels like I can’t breathe properly. Seriously… wow, that was really…”

Lee Myung-hwan’s eyes became hazy.

Seeing this, Bang Jin-hoon patted Lee Myung-hwan’s shoulder.

“I know what you mean, so go over there. I told the guys to prepare something warm, so go drink it and rest, and you’ll feel better.”

“…Yes, Master.”

Lee Myung-hwan, staggering as he got up, turned his head and called out to Bang Jin-hoon.

“Master.”

“What?”

“Will I be sticking by Kang Jin-ho’s side from now on?”

“…I’m not sure about that. Why? Do you want me to take you off?”

“No.”

A determined look appeared in Lee Myung-hwan’s eyes.

“I want to stick by him even if I die.”

“You perverted bastard.”

“Please let me serve him. I can really do a good job.”

“I get it, so get lost, you bastard!”

Bang Jin-hoon clicked his tongue as he watched Lee Myung-hwan turn away with an awkward smile.

‘That sycophantic bastard.’

Logically, it was an obvious response. Anyone who had seen Kang Jin-ho’s actions today would not doubt that Kang Jin-ho would bring the General Assembly and the Yeongnam Association under his feet.

Kang Jin-ho had imprinted his presence on everyone’s minds in less than thirty minutes, to a degree that was more intense than anything else, to the point where they would have to question the meaning of their previous efforts to get to know his face and their past worries.

Therefore, no one would dare to oppose Kang Jin-ho, and everyone would naturally acknowledge his influence.

Even without a specific position or title, Kang Jin-ho had solidified his position as the de facto ruler of the Korean martial arts world.

‘And my bowing down to him will also have an impact.’

Since he, the head of the General Assembly, had stood at attention like a private meeting a division commander as soon as Kang Jin-ho called him, anyone with eyes would have noticed the hierarchical relationship between Kang Jin-ho and Bang Jin-hoon.

Yet, no one was surprised, and no one asked Bang Jin-hoon about the situation, which proved the status Kang Jin-ho held now.

Who would object if Kang Jin-ho, who had taken a position above Bang Jin-hoon without any title, claimed ownership of the Yeongnam Association that he had destroyed with his own hands?

Bang Jin-hoon turned his head and looked at the martial artists of the Yeongnam Association. Seeing them with dazed faces, forcing strength into their limp legs and walking unsteadily as the General Assembly martial artists led them, he didn’t know what to say…

‘What was all the martial arts I’ve learned until now?’

He thought they had learned the same martial arts, but after seeing such an overwhelming display, a sense of doubt washed over him.

‘This won’t do.’

If the martial arts world of Korea was unified, Japan and China would not stand idly by.

It would be impossible to withstand their pressure with such a disorganized group.

Thinking that he would have to discuss countermeasures with Kang Jin-ho as soon as this was over, Bang Jin-hoon looked at the building.

Kang Jin-ho, who had left them behind and entered the building, would soon find Kim Seok-il.

Thinking of Kim Seok-il, who would soon meet Kang Jin-ho, Bang Jin-hoon quietly closed his eyes and prayed for Kim Seok-il’s soul.

Kang Jin-ho was walking down a dark hallway.

‘I went a bit too far.’

He thought he shouldn’t have gone this far.

He hadn’t realized it when he was in the heat of the moment, but now that the heat had subsided, he suddenly felt that way.

He thought he hadn’t deviated from what he used to do, but looking back, that was the problem.

This wasn’t the Central Plains [a region in China often associated with martial arts] where he used to be.

This was South Korea in the 21st century, and no matter how immune the martial artists of the martial arts world were to violence compared to ordinary people, it was an undeniable fact that they had been subjected to a level of violence that far exceeded what they could accept.

And that meant that Kang Jin-ho was still not free from the influence of the Heavenly Demon Lord.

‘It’s not enough.’

Kang Jin-ho felt a thirst.

He stopped suppressing his martial arts. And as he decided to accept his martial arts, his body began to grow explosively, as if everything that had been suppressed until now was exploding.

He absorbed external energy and converted it into internal energy, changing the quality of his muscles.

His bones became stronger, and his body evolved in a way that was more suitable for martial arts.

What the people of the past called a metamorphosis.

To be precise, it wasn’t a complete metamorphosis that changed everything, but he was going through a similar process, albeit a minor one, and regaining his former martial prowess.

He was still a long way off, though.

But thanks to that, he had gathered a power that was excessive in this world, and thanks to that, he was able to run wild for the first time in a while.

“Huuuuh.”

But his heart was still not calming down.

He needed more.

Blood, violence, and rage…

‘It’s not enough.’

This thirst was not easily quenched. Perhaps it was because of the backlash from suppressing his nature after returning to this world, but his thirst was growing day by day.

But it was okay.

Because it was right in front of him.

The blood that would quench his thirst.

It couldn’t be the blood of others. They were just pitiful beings caught up in the conflict between Kang Jin-ho and Kim Seok-il.

The one who dared to target him, target his family, and trample on his life with dirty feet was inside.

Kang Jin-ho quietly stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.

He tasted a metallic scent of blood that wasn’t his own. Feeling the blood that was familiar yet would never be familiar, Kang Jin-ho took one step, then another.

Srrrring.

Then, Red Dew was drawn.

Holding both Red Dew and Blue Dew in his hands, Kang Jin-ho moved forward.

Kuurung!

At that moment, the ceiling collapsed, and a man stabbed at Kang Jin-ho with a long iron rod through the hazy dust.

Paang!

With a sound that tore through the air, the one who had been aiming for Kang Jin-ho was split in half and fell to the floor.

Through the thick dust, Kang Jin-ho with a blank face moved forward.

In front of the hallway.

And behind.

Even above the ceiling.

His skin tingled.

It was a vicious killing intent that he had never felt even once since returning to this world.

“That’s more like it.”

Kang Jin-ho grinned, revealing his teeth.

It was a little bland, wasn’t it?

That couldn’t have been all of it, right?

There was no way a snake-like guy would entrust his life to such ordinary people.

Kang Jin-ho knew Kim Seok-il well. Such people never protected themselves with their exposed forces. The real force that would protect their lives would be hidden away.

Yes. Like a heretic.

Kang Jin-ho, feeling the faint scent of demonic energy amidst the killing intent around him, burst into laughter as if he was delighted.

‘It’s not enough.’

It was still not enough.

He had not yet fully enjoyed the blood and death.

Then, could these people fill it?

His endless thirst that would disappear as soon as it was filled, like a water bottle with a hole in the bottom.

“Well, let’s begin.”

Kang Jin-ho rushed forward, his eyes emitting streaks of red light.

In the dark building with no light, the Demon Lord began to roar.