Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 745

“What the hell are you doing!”Lee Hyun-joo stared at Lee Hyun-soo, her expression conveying utter disbelief.‘Why did Grandpa lose to that guy?’She couldn’t comprehend it.It was impossible for her to be completely objective about her own grandfather, but even from a neutral standpoint, Lee Joong-geol was more than just remarkable; he was a force to be reckoned with, even if he wasn’t a hero in the traditional sense.The fact that such a man had fallen to someone like that was causing her to question everything. However, she couldn’t simply attribute it all to Kang Jin-ho’s power, because her grandfather’s assessment of Lee Hyun-soo was still fresh in her mind.“Kim Seok-il, that moron, was never my match. The reason I left the Yeongnam Association alone wasn’t because I lacked power. It’s because I know how annoying and troublesome it is to integrate small factions and sects into one group. If things had gone according to plan, I would have swallowed the Yeongnam Association whole when it was ripe, but at that opportune moment, Lee Hyun-soo, that bastard, overturned everything. If you ever have to deal with the Yeongnam Association when I’m not around, don’t worry about Kim Seok-il. Just don’t let that weasel Lee Hyun-soo get away.”‘Grandpa, I think you misjudged him.’The weasel was roaring. No, this wasn’t even a roar. The weasel was having a complete meltdown.His legs were trembling uncontrollably. It was questionable whether ‘trembling’ was even the right word. The entire chair was creaking from his violently shaking legs.His elbows on the desk were also thumping. Meanwhile, his thumb was in his mouth, being mercilessly bitten by his teeth.His eyes were bloodshot, and his neatly styled hair, which had been slicked back with pomade, was now a complete mess from how much he had been pulling at it.Looking at that state, Lee Hyun-joo felt a renewed sense of resentment towards the heavens.‘Grandpa, why did you lose to someone like that?’If he had just been cleanly defeated by Kang Jin-ho, she wouldn’t be so frustrated. But Lee Hyun-joo knew that all of Kang Jin-ho’s actions were carried out under Lee Hyun-soo’s plan.That’s why she was so annoyed.When Lee Hyun-soo’s thumbnail was torn off again with a crunch, Lee Hyun-joo couldn’t hold back any longer and spoke.“You’re bleeding.”“I’m bleeding, you idiot!”“Huh?”Lee Hyun-soo turned to Lee Hyun-joo as if asking what she had said. Seeing his blank eyes, Lee Hyun-joo sighed deeply without realizing it.“Get a grip, get a grip! You need to be more level-headed, especially at times like this! Isn’t that what a division chief should be doing!”“Why?”Instead of agreeing, Lee Hyun-soo questioned Lee Hyun-joo.“Why should I calm down?”“Are you asking because you don’t know? That way, you can prepare for anything that happens. Don’t you know that those who carry out a major task should always remain calm?”Lee Hyun-soo nodded.“I know.”“Then why are you acting like this?”“Because I can’t, that’s why I’m the division chief!”“……What?”Lee Hyun-soo shouted as if he was going to release all the pent-up frustration inside him.“If I were someone who could do that, I would be the leader, not some division chief under someone else!”“Wow…”It was absurd nonsense, but it had a crazy amount of persuasiveness. What he said was true. If someone could walk the path of perfection on their own, they wouldn’t need to be under someone else.What he said was right, but…“As an advisor, you should naturally be calm.”“Do you think this is some great position?”Lee Hyun-soo scoffed.“Try playing chess or Go [a strategic board game]. Even a 9-kyu player [a low-level player] can give advice to a 10-dan player [a high-level player]. When it’s not your own job, people can see things clearly and easily understand them.”“Just because you’re good at telling others what to do, doesn’t mean you’re good at doing your own job! Not at all!”Lee Hyun-soo expressed his emotions intensely.“I’m just a neighborhood thug if there’s no one to pull me up. Or maybe a con artist. I’m only able to be the head of the general affairs department because Kang Jin-ho is here. If he wasn’t here, what kind of mess would I be in right now? And you’re telling me to calm down? How the hell am I supposed to calm down!”“Oh my god…”Lee Hyun-joo was so shocked that she covered her mouth.To think there was someone who could so vehemently proclaim their own uselessness. That was quite something in itself.Lee Hyun-joo, who had been drawn into his logic, suddenly came to her senses. How could she have been momentarily swayed by such nonsense?“That doesn’t mean you have to be so jittery.”“The ascension isn’t happening!”“It’ll just take a little time.”Lee Hyun-soo’s face contorted.‘Take time?’That was the most idiotic thing to say. The time he had scheduled had already passed a long time ago.Even if there was a small issue in the middle that took more time, it shouldn’t have taken this long. This clearly meant that something had gone wrong.And Kang Jin-ho was unable to resolve that issue.Did she not realize how terrible this situation was?‘I didn’t expect anything.’He didn’t expect that from Lee Hyun-joo. She wasn’t someone he had chosen with that in mind from the start. This was a problem that Lee Hyun-soo had to handle alone.Lee Hyun-soo, who had been anxiously looking at his watch, shook his head and got up from his seat.“Where are you going?”“There’s someone I need to meet.”“At a time like this?”Lee Hyun-soo’s eyes turned cold.“Especially at a time like this.”Lee Hyun-joo frowned as she watched Lee Hyun-soo leave without looking back.The scene was like a celestial being punishing the world.A dazzling light was piercing down from the sky. It was as if a giant with the sky on his head had thrust a shining spear into the earth.Everyone who witnessed the scene was overwhelmed.Those who were weak in martial arts and didn’t understand what they were seeing were overwhelmed by the sight itself, and those who knew what it meant clenched their fists in the face of the Hong King’s terrifying power.Even though they were seeing it with their own eyes, they couldn’t see it, and even though they were hearing it with their own ears, they couldn’t hear it.Even Jang Min, who could claim to have seen the most in this place, could only stare with his mouth open.Those who see a typhoon from afar try to run away.But what about a human who sees a typhoon swallowing cars and houses right in front of them?They can only marvel.Jang Min had seen the world collapse and even watched people rise again from the collapsed world. He had been confident that nothing in the world could surprise him anymore, but the sight before his eyes now left him in shock.‘How can a human….’The ultimate state of martial arts is when a human becomes one with nature.Humans cannot stop the blowing wind. They cannot push back the surging waves. They cannot move a mountain, and they cannot avoid the falling rain.For humans, nature has always been an irresistible force. Those who admired that power wanted to become one with nature themselves. The goal of those who practice martial arts is ultimately to reach the realm of nature, to become one with nature and wield its power.Demonic arts are different. Demonic arts follow a different path. But just because their path is different doesn’t mean they deny them. What they hate are the righteous sects, not their martial arts. They respect different paths. And they believe that their path is also right.But then, what should he call that?The power that the Hong King was emitting was not human. His power was the power to change the direction of the blowing wind, push back the surging waves, turn mountains into dust, and make the rain fall away.Awe, and reverence.He was not unaware of his situation.He was a servant of the Demon Lord, one who had to be buried in the Demonic Cult, one who had devoted his soul to the Demonic Cult, regardless of practicalities or reason.And yet, such a man was now trembling with reverence for the Hong King.He was not overwhelmed by the power. He was not trembling out of fear. It was the reverence that came from seeing with his own eyes the ultimate state that he could never reach, no matter how much he walked, no matter how much he threw his whole body into the thorny path.“Kuh-uh-uh!”Perhaps sensing the intense wave of power, Bator twisted his body and opened his eyes.As soon as he opened his eyes, he turned his head sharply without even looking after his own safety. His huge head turned to the side in an instant. Then, he widened his eyes.“M-Master!”Bator could tell.He could tell without seeing the events that had led up to this. Who else would such power be directed at? The fact that such immense power was being unleashed meant that there was someone who could stand against it.No one would swing a fine sword to catch a bug.Kang Jin-ho was taking the full brunt of that unbelievable power.It was a ridiculous thing.Old Madu, who had only wished for the Demon Lord’s descent, was captivated by the intense light emitted by the Hong King. Old Madu, who had only wished for the revival of the Demonic Cult and had sought to devour the righteous sects, was now immersed in reverence, forgetting his own situation in the face of the Hong King’s strength.However, the warrior of the plains, who had only sought strength his entire life, was now looking only for Kang Jin-ho, not the Hong King. Even though the strength he had dreamed of and sought his entire life was right in front of him, his eyes did not follow the Hong King’s strength.It was something that even he would be bewildered by.When Jang Min heard Bator shout ‘Master,’ he instantly realized his mistake.‘What am I looking at?’Crunch.His front teeth dug into his lip. Blood flowed down his chin in an instant.‘That power is directed at the Demon Lord, you idiot!’Disgust instantly washed over Jang Min. How could he be admiring this? It was like applauding the sight of a bomb falling on his own side’s camp, calling it spectacular.He felt the urge to gouge out his own eyes right away, but Jang Min suppressed his emotions. This sin could be repaid later. The real sin was being swept away by his own emotions and failing to protect the Demon Lord.“Bator.”Bator didn’t turn his head. But he was clearly listening to his words.“Bator, what do we have to do to stop the Hong King?”“Stop him?”A hollow laugh escaped Bator’s lips.To say they would stop the Hong King after seeing that.It was something that only someone who had lost their mind would say.“I don’t think we can kill the Hong King. But if I and the elders all rush in, can we at least hold him back for a moment?”“…What are you going to do with that time?”“Save the Demon Lord.”Jang Min spat out the words.“I’ve only just realized it now. I’ve only just realized it now. Even though I’ve been saying that the Demon Lord is the rightful master who will rule over everything in the Demonic Cult, I didn’t know what that meant. Elders? Followers? They’re all useless. The Demon Lord is the cult, and the cult is the Demon Lord. If only the Demon Lord’s body is preserved, the cult can be revived at any time. Not these useless old men!”Jang Min’s last words were almost a scream.“Tell me, Bator! Is it possible?”“Impossible.”Bator answered without a moment’s hesitation.“Are we that weak?”“That’s not it.”Bator reached out and touched the ground. Then, he staggered to his feet.“Even after seeing so much, you still don’t understand. The person you call your master….”Bator smiled with a grotesque expression.“He is not someone who retreats in the face of an enemy. Even if his body is torn to shreds.”At that moment!Something black surged up through the light that seemed to pierce the world.