Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 455

“Humans are such weak beings.”

Kang Jin-ho spoke as if he truly couldn’t understand.

“And they’re also irrational.”

Kang Jin-ho’s voice pierced Lee Myung-hwan’s ears.

“Humans are always on the verge of death. Just look at the news; humans die for countless reasons. Disease, accidents, and murder.”

“A shocking number of people are dying at this very moment. But the funny thing about humans is that they don’t think they can die. More than ten people die in traffic accidents every day, yet they drive cars without a second thought. It’s strange, isn’t it? Why don’t they think they could be one of them?”

A wave of intense pain washed over him.

The pain of breaking a bone was horrific. As a martial artist, he had suffered many injuries. But the pain he felt from accidents or during training was on a different level than the pain he was experiencing now.

If it were the same injury, the pain should be the same, but it wasn’t. His heightened nerves and sensitive senses were amplifying the pain several times over.

“That’s why I’m curious.”

What curiosity?

Lee Myung-hwan wanted to shout.

Why are you taking it out on me! Why me!

“Whether you truly understand death. Whether you know what you’re talking about, or if you’re just putting on a show.”

Kang Jin-ho’s hand grabbed his other arm.

Lee Myung-hwan’s hand trembled.

“Which one are you?”

Crack!

Lee Myung-hwan’s other arm was also broken.

Tears streamed from Lee Myung-hwan’s eyes.

Because of the pain?

No.

He was a martial artist. He was used to pain, and he had vowed never to succumb to it. What was truly tormenting him now was not the pain.

It was helplessness.

The helplessness of not being able to do anything in front of his opponent was crushing him, trampling him, and burning him alive.

Was this how a live fish felt, pinned to a cutting board with a skewer, unable to thrash?

The feeling of not being able to resist as a long, sharp sashimi knife dug into his body.

“I want to ask you something now…”

The voice was low.

Lee Myung-hwan couldn’t resist the despair that washed over him. That dry voice. A voice that was slightly mixed with laughter, like a mechanical sound, dragged Lee Myung-hwan down to hell.

The fact that the demon in front of him didn’t flinch at all, even as he was trembling, tears streaming down his face, and drool dripping from his mouth, made him unbearable.

He would break him.

His entire body.

And his mind.

Like a child breaking a reed into small pieces, he broke people’s bones out of mere interest and amusement. Without any guilt or hesitation.

“Are you truly prepared for death?”

The sensation of his feet touching the floor.

His body, which had been forcibly lifted, was lowered.

The moment he felt the bottom of his sneakers touch the floor, Lee Myung-hwan felt a glimmer of hope.

Like a child getting tired of a toy, perhaps Kang Jin-ho had lost interest in Lee Myung-hwan at this moment.

But that was just an illusion.

Crack!

Kang Jin-ho, who had let Lee Myung-hwan touch the floor, stomped on his foot. The bones in his toes and instep were all broken.

He couldn’t scream. His face was covered.

But if his mouth wasn’t covered, would he have been able to scream?

Even if he were free, he wouldn’t have been able to do anything more than open his mouth and shudder in the face of this unbearable pain.

“Let me ask you.”

At that moment, Kang Jin-ho took his hand off Lee Myung-hwan’s face and grabbed his neck.

A little freedom.

But it felt like he had only pulled his face out of water that had been submerged up to his head. If he stayed submerged, he would slowly die of hypothermia, but at least he had avoided suffocating to death right away.

But Lee Myung-hwan soon realized.

That the outside of the water he had escaped was on fire.

His vision cleared, and he saw Kang Jin-ho’s face, which was gripping his neck.

He should have just not looked.

He should have just closed his eyes.

Only then did regret wash over him, but regret always comes a step too late.

Red eyes.

Red eyes that didn’t seem human were staring at him. Eyes that seemed to be devoid of all emotion, yet also seemed to be seething with negative emotions like hatred and anger.

Red eyes and a slightly curled-up corner of his mouth.

Could Kang Jin-ho’s face, which he had thought was kind, change this much?

‘No, it can’t be.’

Kang Jin-ho hadn’t changed.

This was Kang Jin-ho’s true self.

‘Naive.’

Choi Jin-young’s words came to mind. He had wanted to become like this Kang Jin-ho. He admired him and followed his strength.

Without knowing anything.

Nothing.

“Do you still think you’re prepared for death?”

The hand that was holding his neck tightened.

The force that was strangling him was clearly conveying his intention. If he was prepared for death, he would truly give him that death.

Yes, it could be a threat.

It could be a joke.

But could he say that he was prepared for death?

In front of this person? In this situation?

Could he even utter the word death in front of that demon who was breaking his bones like a toy, torturing him, and laughing? Could he?

It was becoming real.

What death was.

Yes.

Death was right in front of his eyes.

If death was something that came with an irresistible force, taking everything away and never allowing resistance, then… there was no one more suited to the word death than Kang Jin-ho.

Prepared for death?

Lee Myung-hwan wanted to tear his own mouth apart.

Did he even know what death was, yet he was acting like he was prepared for it?

This wasn’t a movie. It wasn’t a cartoon where you could come back to life after dying. This was reality.

Death was like a cruel executioner who slowly cut away at a person’s flesh, against whom one could never resist.

Yes.

Like the person in front of him.

Let’s stop.

He had to stop.

He shouldn’t even utter such stupid words like ‘I’m okay with dying.’ He should just turn around and run away. Far, far away. So that he would never be seen by this person again.

“Krrk…”

He was just trying to see if he could make a sound, but a bizarre voice came out of his mouth. Lee Myung-hwan’s lips twitched several times, confirming that he could make a sound.

The unbearable pain surging through his body and the murderous intent he felt from his tightening neck.

Under the pressure of all of that, Lee Myung-hwan shouted.

“I… I will!”

“Hmm?”

Kang Jin-ho tilted his head slightly.

Then, he curled up the corner of his mouth a little more and pulled Lee Myung-hwan closer to him.

Lee Myung-hwan and Kang Jin-ho’s eyes met directly.

He wanted to run away.

He wanted to close his eyes.

It was a miracle that he hadn’t peed his pants.

No, maybe he just hadn’t noticed, and his pants were already soaked.

Come to think of it, when he first entered this room, he thought he smelled a faint odor of urine along with the smell of blood. If others had suffered the same fate, it was only natural.

But Lee Myung-hwan couldn’t close his eyes.

It wasn’t because of his will not to run away. His body was completely out of his control. Even if he tried to close his eyes, they wouldn’t close. The only things he could move were his tongue and mouth.

Kang Jin-ho’s blood-red eyes seemed to cover the entire world.

“Tell me.”

“So I can hear you. Come on, tell me. That you’re okay with dying. That this much pain is nothing to you. That way, I’ll be a little less bored. Tell me. That you’re prepared for death, so you can endure more.”

Was a demon a being that tempted or intimidated?

Perhaps if a demon offered a contract to a human, it would be in this tone. A subtle temptation mixed with a terrifying threat that made it impossible to escape.

“…will.”

“I can’t hear you.”

Crack!

His collarbone broke.

His prediction was correct.

Even though his mouth was open, Lee Myung-hwan couldn’t even scream. All he could do was open his mouth and tremble all over his body like someone having a seizure.

He must have bitten his mouth somewhere, because blood and saliva were mixed and dripping from his open mouth. He had shed so many tears that the red eyes in front of him were blurry.

“I’m sorry, but I haven’t learned mind-reading. I won’t know unless you tell me.”

“Kk… Kkuh…”

“Come on, answer me. Say you’re okay with dying. Don’t you have to prove how prepared you are?”

Kang Jin-ho’s soft laughter pierced Lee Myung-hwan’s ears with utmost clarity.

“Or give up here. Then I’ll let you live. I’ll let you go. Then you can go back to your peaceful life.”

The answer was obvious.

If anyone chose a different answer in this situation, they would either be someone who was truly desperate to die or a psychopath who enjoyed pain.

The moment he said he was prepared for death, he would be volunteering to be Kang Jin-ho’s toy. Who would do such a crazy thing?

“Last time. I’ll ask you one last time. You better answer properly.”

Kang Jin-ho paused slightly and whispered.

“Are you really prepared for death? Really?”

Lee Myung-hwan’s mouth slowly opened. His lips trembled pitifully, and his tongue, which wouldn’t move properly… desperately made a sound.

“…pre…pared…”

“Yes.”

“Prepared… I am…”

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes turned slightly red.

Lee Myung-hwan realized what he had done. He should have said he would stop. He should have said he would stop. That was the only way to escape this demon’s grasp.

But his mouth was saying the opposite of what he wanted.

Lee Myung-hwan’s body began to tremble as he realized what he had done.

Again, he had to say it again. Right now!

But his mouth wouldn’t open as if it had been glued shut. Only a low moan escaped, as if his lower and upper lips were stuck together, and nothing that could be called a ‘word’ came out.

And then, the corner of Kang Jin-ho’s mouth curled up a little more.

“Good guts.”

The demon began to laugh.

As if he was enjoying the fact that he had a new toy to torment to his heart’s content.

“It would be rude to ask again. Okay, fine. I respect your choice. You can imagine what will happen to you from now on. I will definitely show you more than that.”

“But I have to give you a conclusion. That’s for later. Lee Myung-hwan.”

Kang Jin-ho’s mouth slowly opened.

“Passed.”

Then, the world shook.

The pain receded, and a terrible dizziness and nausea washed over him. Whether his eyes were open or closed… whether he was awake or asleep, it was such a terrible confusion that he couldn’t tell.

Then, that voice was heard.

“Lift your head. It’s over.”

It was a very calm voice.