Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 527

It was undeniable.

Bator understood in that moment why they were called demons. Kang Jin-ho was unlike any enemy he had ever faced.

Strength?

That was a secondary issue.

This man was cruel.

Cruel in a way that was different from what he understood. To him, cruelty meant physical torment. He used the word ‘cruel’ when he tortured an opponent, not killing them easily but inflicting pain.

But Kang Jin-ho was different.

His cruelty wasn’t on the same low level as Bator’s.

Even after just a few exchanges, Bator’s mind was already torn to shreds.

Like a cat toying with a cornered mouse, he slowly pressured Bator. He identified what Bator was proud of and slowly dismantled it.

Like a hunter sniping at a prey’s legs one by one from afar.

It was vicious.

Too vicious.

He thought of Kang Jin-ho as a beast.

Anyone would think so. Anyone who saw that thick bloodlust and explosive energy would think the same.

But it wasn’t so.

Kang Jin-ho was more like a hunter than a beast. A very skilled one at that.

Instead of fiercely chasing his prey, he slowly drove it towards an inescapable cliff. The moment the prey realized it was cornered, he would start approaching step by step.

As if forcing them to choose between dying by his hand or jumping off the cliff.

When had Bator ever been in such a situation?

There had been victories.

There had been defeats.

His life had been filled with countless battles. But he had never been hunted. Even against stronger opponents, he had always been an equal, fighting on equal terms.

But this man was different.

Bator realized.

He had been excited by the strength of his opponent, but Kang Jin-ho was enjoying the fact that his prey was huge. Like a hunter going after a tiger, excited by the tiger’s massive footprints. Like a fisherman on the open sea, tensing up at the sight of a shark’s fin breaking the surface.

This was a difference in essence.

The fact that he was being treated like prey made Bator unable to bear it.

Then he had to show him.

That there were hunters who were hunted by their prey!

That going into the mountains with a rifle also put your own life at risk!

“Kang Jin-hooooooooo!”

Bator unleashed a fist imbued with all his might.

The power in that fist, which had far surpassed the limits of a human, was distorting reality.

The shockwave from the extended fist blasted away everything around it. A massive cloud of dust billowed out in all directions, as if a missile had struck.

“W-what is this? Damn it!”

Lee Hyun-soo retreated, disoriented by the intense wind that was rushing towards him.

Was it even logical to create such a wind just by swinging a fist? He had long given up on logic when it came to those two, but even so, his astonishment showed no signs of stopping.

If he, who was so far away, had to endure such intense pressure, how much more tremendous impact was Kang Jin-ho, who was the target of that fist, enduring?

KWA-AAANG!

A deafening explosion that seemed like it would burst his eardrums erupted. Lee Hyun-soo gritted his teeth.

‘Is it going to be okay?’

It was a secluded mountain, but with such continuous explosions, wouldn’t someone report it? He realized that he should have prepared more thoroughly instead of just trusting them. If he thought about it rationally, he should call and have the area controlled right now, but Lee Hyun-soo didn’t move.

He knew, but he couldn’t take his eyes off it.

He was also a martial artist.

Not to the point where he could boast about his martial arts, but he was still a martial artist who had dedicated everything to it. How could he turn away from this absolute battle?

KWA-AAANG!

Explosions erupted continuously.

The ground rose and fell like a milkshake in a giant cup. Dust clouds scattered everywhere, and trees far away were uprooted and sent tumbling.

‘Damn it, I can’t see!’

The dust was too much.

He could see through this much darkness, but the dust cloud that didn’t allow him to secure any visibility was an exception. It was clear that something was moving inside, but it was impossible to perceive it accurately.

And then, at that very moment.

KOO-OONG!

With a heavy sound that felt like a steel hammer crushing his entire body, the dust cloud was pushed away in all directions.

Lee Hyun-soo, who had tightly closed his eyes against the sudden sandstorm, opened them.

In the middle of the cleared space, Kang Jin-ho and Bator were standing close to each other.

Kang Jin-ho’s sword, crossed in an X, was blocking Bator’s fist. In that position, the two were glaring at each other, locked in a standoff.

‘Who has the advantage?’

It was impossible for him to grasp the situation with his abilities. All he could see was their appearances.

Kang Jin-ho’s appearance was terrible.

His skin was visible through his tattered clothes.

Patches of his skin were blackened. It was astonishing that a person’s skin could turn so black. Dark red blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, dripping down his chin.

But Kang Jin-ho’s expression was no different from the beginning.

His face, which seemed expressionless yet held a subtle sneer, remained unchanged despite his terrible appearance.

Bator wasn’t in much better shape either.

While Kang Jin-ho had turned black, Bator’s body had turned red. His body, which had seemed harder than steel, was split open in places, gushing out blood.

The red blood mixed with the flying dust, staining his entire body.

Seeing that, Lee Hyun-soo had two thoughts.

One was that this scene looked quite desperate.

His idea that the battles of martial artists who had reached a certain level would be like the battles of gods was completely shattered. The battles of masters were more brutal and desperate than those of novices.

And…

‘It’s like a scene from a legend.’ It was like a warrior who had endlessly trained his human body trying to defeat a demon spewing black demonic energy.

If he took a picture of that scene and showed it to someone, everyone would say the same thing. Although, the fact that he was on the side of the demon was a bit of a problem.

At that moment, Bator let out a shout that sounded like his lungs were about to burst.

A roar that was greater than any explosion so far, truly a beast’s cry.

Bator, who had slightly pulled back, gathered all his strength from head to toe and pushed against Kang Jin-ho. No, it was more like he was bouncing off him.

When he bounced his body with all his strength, even Kang Jin-ho couldn’t withstand it.

“Kuh!”

Kang Jin-ho’s body was shot backward like a bullet.

Bator, as if determined to end the fight, ran like a beast. Bator, who was kicking the ground with his hands and feet, howled towards Kang Jin-ho, who was being flung away, leaving a long afterimage.

“This is the end!”

His body began to emit a faint blue light.

Like the blue wolf from Mongolian legends, Bator kicked the ground with his hands and feet and charged at Kang Jin-ho at an invisible speed.

But Kang Jin-ho was Kang Jin-ho.

Even while being flung away, Kang Jin-ho, who had never lost his posture, curled up the corner of his mouth as he watched Bator charging at him.

He was strong.

Incredibly strong.

The pure destructive power of this man’s body was at a level that even Kang Jin-ho had never experienced before.

His whole body was screaming in pain from the continuous battles, but Kang Jin-ho smiled as if he was enjoying it.

In a chilling way.

Even those who knew him would turn away if they saw Kang Jin-ho’s face now. It was too chilling and cruel to bear.

“It’s time to keep my promise.”

The Red Dew and Blue Dew trembled.

Unable to withstand the violent internal energy that was rushing in, the two swords screamed.

A sword cry that echoed slightly darkly!

Kang Jin-ho landed on the ground, firmly planted his two feet, and gritted his teeth.

At the same time, ominous demonic energy began to surge.

A dark, gloomy demonic energy that seemed to constrict a person’s heart just by looking at it, swirled around Kang Jin-ho’s entire body. As if he was being burned by black flames.

Bator, emitting a majestic blue light, flew towards Kang Jin-ho, who was emitting black flames.

“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Fist.

The blue energy that had been emanating from Bator’s body gathered into his right fist.

It was clear.

Anyone could tell.

That fist would break mountains and tear through the sky. It was something that a weak human body could never stop.

It was literally despair, destruction itself.

Who could stand before that?

A human made of flesh and blood could not dare to stand before that power. They didn’t have two lives.

But Kang Jin-ho did not back down.

The demonic energy that was emanating from Kang Jin-ho’s entire body also gathered into the swords in his hands.

A burning sword.

A tar-like, thick demonic energy burned like flames on the swords.

Kang Jin-ho, who had scattered the flames in all directions with a swing of his sword, gripped the swords tightly with a face that was gleaming with murderous intent.

“Kang Jin-hooooooooo!”

Bator unleashed a blow with all his might. As if he wouldn’t even have the strength to walk back!

A blue light was emitted.

Kang Jin-ho had a momentary illusion that the whole world had turned blue. The immense power was distorting even his perception.

Poo-oot!

Blood spurted from his nose and ears.

Even though that fist had not yet reached him, the terrifying pressure was constricting his body. Even a giant steel structure would be crushed, bent, and eventually melted here.

Feeling as if his body was being torn apart, Kang Jin-ho bared his teeth and smiled.

Yes, this was it.

This was what he had long forgotten.

A battle on the edge of a cliff where life and death were decided by a single mistake.

A pleasure that was incomparable to pain coursed through his body.

The memories of countless battles were returning.

And in those battles, Kang Jin-ho felt alive. It was this tension and this pain that had kept him grounded in the surreal feeling of a long dream.

In the midst of the excruciating pain that was crushing his entire body, Kang Jin-ho felt the most intense sense of being alive since returning to this world.

He pushed himself into the inescapable vortex of battle and firmly gripped the swords in his hands.

Then, he poured all his internal energy into them and swung them towards the incoming blue light.

A clash of power against power.

The swords and fist of the two warriors, who would not back down even an inch, collided head-on.

And…

The world collapsed.