Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 615

‘Has it begun?’

Lee Hyun-soo, having handed over command and entered the mansion, saw Kang Jin-ho and Lee Jung-gul facing each other.

Lee Hyun-soo swallowed hard.

He was nervous.

It wasn’t something to be nervous about, yet he was.

Objectively speaking, Lee Jung-gul was no match for Kang Jin-ho. There were no variables to consider.

Yet, Lee Hyun-soo couldn’t relax.

Was it because Lee Jung-gul might do something unexpected?

No, that wasn’t it.

This fight, from a combat perspective, was meaningless, but it held symbolic significance.

It was a showdown between Lee Jung-gul, who had represented the Korean martial arts world until now, and Kang Jin-ho, who would represent it in the future.

Even though the outcome was obvious, it wasn’t a fight one could watch with a relaxed heart.

‘So, we’ve finally reached this point.’

When Lee Hyun-soo first decided to follow Kang Jin-ho, he knew this moment would eventually come.

Lee Jung-gul was a tiger.

Just because he was old didn’t mean he would start eating grass. An aging tiger would eventually be torn apart by the claws of a younger one.

That was the law of nature.

‘Calling Kang Jin-ho a young tiger is a bit strange, though.’

In terms of age, he was actually older than Lee Jung-gul. Only his body was young.

Lee Hyun-soo glanced around.

The atmosphere was heavy.

Everyone was watching them with tense eyes. Despite the number of people present, no one dared to speak.

The first to move was Lee Jung-gul.

Lee Jung-gul’s movements were both deliberate and fierce.

It felt like he was pouring everything he had into this.

He was strong.

Lee Hyun-soo’s impression of Lee Jung-gul was firm. He was strong. And fast. For his age, it was remarkable.

Excluding Kang Jin-ho, Bator, and Knight Wiggins, there was no one in the Assembly who could match him. Even at his advanced age, Lee Jung-gul had not lost his agility.

But…

‘That’s all there is to it.’

That wasn’t enough. No matter how fast Lee Jung-gul moved or how powerfully he struck, he couldn’t reach Kang Jin-ho. Kang Jin-ho was effortlessly receiving all of Lee Jung-gul’s attacks.

It was as if he was telling him to do everything he could without regret.

Even though it was a life-or-death battle, it felt like a training match.

It was a little sad.

Eventually, everyone would be pushed aside by the next generation. No one could avoid it. Even those who clung to their positions during their lives were ultimately powerless in the face of death.

What should those who are pushed aside do?

Should they simply accept it as natural, or should they resist like Lee Jung-gul, gathering every last drop of their strength?

Someday, Lee Hyun-soo would also face such a situation.

The day he had to admit that he was no longer the best.

What would Lee Hyun-soo do then?

The answer might lie in this very match.

Lee Hyun-soo remained tense, watching the situation.

It didn’t work.

His desperate attacks were blocked too easily.

But he wasn’t disappointed. Even if he broke through that defense and landed a full-force blow on Kang Jin-ho’s face, he doubted it would even make a dent.

It was like a child fighting an adult.

‘To feel like a child at this age.’

It was a strange experience.

Old memories came back to him.

When he was still young, he felt this way when sparring with his master.

No attack worked against his master, who was as big and strong as a mountain. After unleashing a flurry of attacks, his master would lightly tap him on the head and end the sparring session.

Yes, that’s how it was back then.

As time passed, his master began to struggle to block his attacks, and eventually, the day came when he surpassed his master.

The hint of bitterness hidden in his master’s smile at that time.

‘The day I understand has come.’

It is said that it is the wish of all predecessors for their successors to surpass them.

But is that really true?

No, it’s not.

Predecessors don’t want to be surpassed. They always want to be the ones leading the way.

But someday, they will be surpassed.

Just like now.

Lee Jung-gul unleashed a powerful punch, staring at Kang Jin-ho. His full-force punch was easily deflected by Kang Jin-ho’s hand.

‘Was my life worth anything?’

He had heard countless times that people leave their names behind after death. But aren’t those names ultimately for the living?

What did he truly want to leave behind?

What did his life, lived with all his might, even neglecting his own children, leave behind?

Lee Jung-gul lowered his hands and stepped back.

Kang Jin-ho didn’t bother to pursue him.

The outcome was already decided. He knew it even before the fight. He was simply grateful to Kang Jin-ho for indulging in his last fight, which was nothing more than a way to vent his frustrations.

“May I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“…What will become of the Assembly?”

Regret was evident on Lee Jung-gul’s face.

“Now that I see this as my end, that’s all I can think about. Perhaps the Assembly is like a child to me. Even my dead son and granddaughter don’t bother me, but the Assembly does. Please answer me, Kang Jin-ho. What will become of the Assembly?”

Kang Jin-ho, who had been quietly looking at Lee Jung-gul, opened his mouth.

“I have already failed once in a place I belonged to.”

Lee Jung-gul’s eyes deepened at Kang Jin-ho’s words.

“I have no intention of repeating a mistake I’ve already made. You don’t have to worry. The Assembly will become stronger than you can imagine.”

“Is that so…”

Strangely, he felt relieved.

Even though he was an enemy, he could trust this man. Perhaps the reason Lee Jung-gul had been so harsh in suppressing those around him was because he had no one he could truly trust.

‘It would have been better if we had met sooner.’

Lee Jung-gul smiled gently.

Now, he had no regrets.

“Hey, Kang Jin-ho.”

“Speak.”

“Take the position of Assembly Head.”

Lee Jung-gul advised him sincerely.

“Maintaining such an ambiguous position is not good for anyone. It’s not good for Bang Hwe-ju either. It’s better to frankly acknowledge your position and become the Assembly Head with dignity. That way, the Assembly’s children will also feel at ease.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“And I ask you this. Please don’t discriminate against those who were under me. They had no choice but to follow me when I asked them to. I beg you.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

That was his intention from the start. If not, he wouldn’t have chosen such a troublesome method.

“One last request. I know what you’re doing. Yes, you must become stronger. China and Japan are constantly eyeing Korea, so we must become stronger as quickly as possible. In the end, I know that you are someone who will enforce your will, no matter the complaints. But please, don’t let the lineage of Korean martial arts be severed.”

“I promise.”

“Alright. Then that’s enough.”

Why had he struggled so hard, unable to let go, when it was so easy to feel at peace after letting go of everything?

‘If you turn your head, it’s the other shore.’ Death was frightening.

His legs were trembling.

But Lee Jung-gul did not back down. His lifelong belief was that how one dies is as important as how one lives. Now, it was time to end his life.

“Come.”

Lee Jung-gul opened his arms.

Kang Jin-ho quietly looked at Lee Jung-gul, then raised his right hand. Ink-like demonic energy began to gather on his right hand.

Kang Jin-ho, who was about to move, paused.

“When a person dies, it’s over.”

Unless they are resurrected, like him.

Kang Jin-ho didn’t know what was after death.

He had died several times, but he was someone who had never truly experienced death.

“But what is left behind lives on. As long as the Assembly doesn’t disappear, you won’t disappear either.”

A smile formed on Lee Jung-gul’s tense lips. His face became much softer.

“You have an unexpectedly good side.”

“Of course.”

At that moment, Lee Jung-gul whispered something softly. Kang Jin-ho nodded and then flew towards Lee Jung-gul in an instant.

Their eyes met.

And then…

Thud!

Kang Jin-ho’s right hand landed precisely on Lee Jung-gul’s chest. With a sound like striking a large leather drum, Lee Jung-gul’s body shook slightly.

Kang Jin-ho removed his hand from his chest and stepped back. Lee Jung-gul looked down at his chest.

It was clean.

Not even his clothes were damaged.

‘The corpse will be left clean.’

He could feel the bewildered gazes. They were probably wondering if Kang Jin-ho might spare him.

That wasn’t the kind of person he was.

The dull pain in his chest was telling him. His life was now short. There was no way someone whose cardiovascular system was severed could survive.

“…I’m counting on you.”

“Don’t worry.”

Lee Jung-gul quietly nodded.

Then, his body slowly began to collapse.

Thump.

A chilling sound.

It was a sound too cold to be the sound of a person falling to the ground.

No one could speak as they looked at Lee Jung-gul, who had fallen to the ground.

“Assembly Head!”

“Assembly Head!”

The elders, who had been watching the situation with gritted teeth, rushed towards Lee Jung-gul. Lee Jung-gul, with a pale face, had already stopped breathing.

Low sobs.

Resentful glances.

He was used to it.

But it was a sight he could never get used to.

“Clean up. We’re going back.”

Kang Jin-ho said those words and turned away.

“Hey, you bastard! Kill us too!”

“Assembly Head! Assembly Head! Sob!”

Ignoring the sounds behind him, Kang Jin-ho walked out of the mansion, not too quickly.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Lee Hyun-soo bowed to him.

Kang Jin-ho lightly nodded in response.

“Will you go to the Assembly?”

“No. I’m going home. I’m not in the mood right now.”

“Yes. Then I’ll take care of things.”

“I’m counting on you.”

Kang Jin-ho slowly walked out of the mansion. Dawn was breaking in the distance.

‘It’s been a while since I felt like this.’

Even though he had dealt with the person he needed to, he didn’t feel refreshed.

But it couldn’t be helped. What he wanted to do and what he had to do were different.

As he left the mansion, the eyes of those who were cleaning up the grounds all turned to Kang Jin-ho. Those who spotted Kang Jin-ho quickly bowed their heads to him.

“Take the position of Assembly Head.”

Perhaps he should.

Stepping back from the Assembly and avoiding responsibility was no longer meaningful. Even if he didn’t want to, if everyone thought so, what was the point of not taking the position?

As he passed by those watching him and reached the path down the mountain, Kang Jin-ho quietly closed his eyes.

“…I’m counting on you.”

Kang Jin-ho turned his head.

The mansion, which seemed even more covered in gray than before, came into his view.

If there was an afterlife…

Would Lee Jung-gul’s soul remain there, or would it have already left this place?

“Don’t worry.”

Kang Jin-ho murmured softly.

It was a tribute he was sending to Lee Jung-gul.