Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1020

Momentum, once it starts to rise, is relentless. It doesn’t stop.

The reason is simple: humans are emotional creatures. Momentum is, after all, confidence. The difference between approaching a task with confidence and without it is like night and day.

When the thought of ‘I can do it’ is ingrained in one’s mind, a person gains composure. They can see the situation more calmly.

When boiling passion and cold reason are harmonized, humans develop and become stronger.

The current state of the Assembly was exactly like that.

Before Kang Jin-ho’s appearance, the Assembly was stagnating.

Externally, they were being pushed back by the Yeongnam Association, and internally, they were tearing each other apart in power struggles. There was no way the Assembly, suffering from internal and external troubles, could develop.

Moreover, their system was haphazard, and no matter how strong they became, they were crushed by the unspoken sense of defeat that they could not compare to China or Japan.

However, after Kang Jin-ho appeared, this situation was neatly resolved.

He swallowed the Assembly whole, reorganized the Yeongnam Association, and absorbed it. In the process, he clashed with the Hongwang Group and achieved a draw, and even overwhelmingly crushed the Japanese invasion.

And now, he stormed into the Round Table, swept away those who resisted, and led a forward-looking alliance.

All of this happened in less than a year.

At this point, even a child could see the change.

The best way to boost morale isn’t through speeches, encouragement, or a vision through a perfect system.

It’s victory.

Victory after victory.

The morale of the Assembly, which was running without a single defeat, was now at its peak. That was why the martial artists of the Assembly were also training their hardest.

The future was clear, and possibilities were apparent.

So, who would hesitate to train? It had already been proven that if they believed and followed, they would change.

That was why the martial artists of the Assembly were pushing themselves in training today without a single doubt… or so it should have been…

“…Kuhhh…”

A dying groan escaped from Lee Myung-hwan’s mouth.

‘No!’

Lee Myung-hwan’s eyes widened. His head turned sharply, and his gaze was directed towards a man slowly walking towards him.

‘Why is he suddenly like this!’

Of course, the man was Kang Jin-ho.

Lee Myung-hwan began to reflect on how the situation had come to this point.

Even when he returned to the Assembly after settling the matter of the Round Table, Lee Myung-hwan’s heart was full of confidence.

Of course, the Flame Demons had done almost nothing in this expedition, but hadn’t they seen with their own eyes that they were no different from the elites of the Round Table who dominated the West?

No, it wasn’t just that they were no different.

If a few variables were excluded, if all the Flame Demons were to step forward, they could neatly take care of a few knight orders. If they were to fight with equal numbers, he was confident that they could finish it without any casualties.

In other words, the current power of the Flame Demons was superior to any power of the Round Table. It was clear that they could not dare to face the Elder Knights or whatever they were called, and that the Knights were much stronger than them, but if they were to clash in a head-on battle of force against force, he was confident that no knight order in Europe could dare to face the Flame Demons.

So, how could they not be encouraged?

Only half a year ago, they were just young martial artists of the Assembly.

They weren’t even treated as proper forces within the Assembly. But now, they had reached a point where they could face the world-renowned elite forces of the Round Table and not be pushed back, but rather be confident of their superiority.

Some might think it was luck.

After all, all their achievements stemmed from one thing: being noticed by Kang Jin-ho. But Lee Myung-hwan knew that wasn’t all there was to it.

The reason they were chosen by Kang Jin-ho was because they had proven their will to become stronger, even if it meant dying.

And that proof was still ongoing.

They endured harsh training that others couldn’t even imagine, and they had come this far while enduring hellish pain. So, how could they not be proud of themselves?

When Kang Jin-ho said he would take time out today to watch their training, Lee Myung-hwan was delighted.

Recently, their training had often been conducted on their own or under the direction of Bator. But Kang Jin-ho was going to train them directly.

This was a reward.

That was why Lee Myung-hwan and the Flame Demons went to the training ground with joyful hearts. Kang Jin-ho’s training would surely be extreme, but if they could endure it, they could become stronger. If they could become stronger, they could endure any pain.

That was definitely what they thought…

“Kuhhhhhh…”

“..Ugh…”

Groans were coming from all directions.

It wasn’t just whining.

Even Lee Myung-hwan, who thought he could endure most pain with a smile, couldn’t even open his mouth properly due to the pain he felt all over his body.

“You’re weak.”

Kang Jin-ho looked around as if he was displeased.

‘No…

Logically, there’s a limit to how strong one can be.

The entire Flame Demons attacked at once, but how could they not even land a proper hit!

My pride is collapsing.

The confidence I’ve built up has been shattered.

No matter how strong Kang Jin-ho is, no matter how much stronger he has become, I thought the gap was definitely narrowing. No matter how fast Kang Jin-ho gets stronger, he can’t get stronger faster than the Flame Demons’ growth rate.

That’s common sense.

But Kang Jin-ho was now breaking that common sense with a blank face.

“Lee Myung-hwan.”

“Yes!”

He thought he couldn’t even make a proper sound, but the moment Kang Jin-ho spoke, his neck moved on its own and let out a loud answer.

“What have you been doing?”

“You had that much time.”

Lee Myung-hwan’s eyes trembled.

“And yet, you’re still at this level.”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Lee Myung-hwan with indifferent eyes. But that indifferent gaze was pressing down on Lee Myung-hwan more strongly than any stern rebuke.

“…I’m sorry.”

Lee Myung-hwan lowered his head.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to become stronger?”

“…Yes.”

“So, have you become stronger?”

Lee Myung-hwan bit his lip.

Kang Jin-ho’s authority was still firm. But…

“May I dare to say something?”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Lee Myung-hwan quietly and nodded.

“Speak.”

Lee Myung-hwan swallowed hard.

Just the thought of objecting to Kang Jin-ho made cold sweat run down his back, and his hands and feet trembled.

But now, he had to speak.

“I think it’s natural that we look inadequate in your eyes, Lord. But… we are getting stronger at a rapid pace and doing our best.”

“No one in the Assembly is getting stronger faster than us. And we are really doing our best…”

“Best?”

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

The moment Lee Myung-hwan saw the white teeth revealed at the corner of his mouth, he felt a fear that made his heart drop. He now knew that that expression was the one Kang Jin-ho made when he was truly angry or when he felt murderous intent.

Step. Step.

Kang Jin-ho approached Lee Myung-hwan.

And at that moment, Lee Myung-hwan could guess what kind of state he would be in.

Grab.

Kang Jin-ho grabbed Lee Myung-hwan’s neck and lifted him up. Lee Myung-hwan instinctively grabbed Kang Jin-ho’s wrist with both hands.

“You dare to talk back.”

“Kuhhh…”

His breath was being choked.

A force that seemed like it would break his neck was pressing down on him.

‘I’m going to die.’

This was no joke. This wasn’t just a simple punishment. Kang Jin-ho was really squeezing his neck with the intent to break it.

“Ughhhhh!”

Lee Myung-hwan grabbed Kang Jin-ho’s wrist with bloodshot eyes. The thought that death was approaching erased who was choking his neck.

He kicked with his feet and shook his wrist as if he would break it.

When his struggling movements gradually decreased and his body slumped, Kang Jin-ho threw Lee Myung-hwan’s body to the floor.

Thud!

“Cough! Cough! Haaah!”

Lee Myung-hwan gasped for breath, making rough sounds. After trembling and taking several deep breaths to take in oxygen, Lee Myung-hwan looked at Kang Jin-ho with bloodshot eyes.

“This is what ‘best’ looks like.”

Kang Jin-ho rolled up his sleeve and showed his wrist.

Handprints.

The handprints made by Lee Myung-hwan, who was driven to death and struggled, were clearly imprinted on Kang Jin-ho’s wrist.

“You’re saying you’re doing your best?”

Kang Jin-ho’s indifferent eyes pressed down on Lee Myung-hwan.

“You were like that at first. Because you were desperate then. You were willing to give up anything if it meant becoming stronger.”

“But what about now? Are you still willing to give up anything?”

Lee Myung-hwan couldn’t answer.

He thought he was.

But was he really?

“Do you know when a person stops?”

“…I don’t know.”

“When they’re satisfied.”

Lee Myung-hwan closed his mouth.

“You’re right. You’ve become stronger. Faster than anyone else. But because of that, it seems like you no longer feel the need to become stronger.”

“N-No, that’s not true.”

“Is that really so?”

Lee Myung-hwan lowered his head.

They were still enduring painful training, and they were devoted to training, forgetting to eat and sleep.

But…

Kang Jin-ho’s words pierced his heart.

They weren’t desperate.

They were doing the same training for the same amount of time, but they were no longer as desperate as they were in the past. They couldn’t say they were the same as they were back then, when they were willing to give up their lives if it meant becoming stronger.

“Becoming stronger is easier than you think. It’s something you can do if you try. But becoming even stronger is difficult. Because the stronger you become, the harder it is to try as hard as you did in the past.”

Kang Jin-ho spoke in a cold tone.

“The saying ‘fight yourself’ doesn’t mean to control yourself. It means to push yourself to not be satisfied and to not conform little by little. Are you fighting yourselves?”

Lee Myung-hwan bit his lip.

His lip burst, and thick blood flowed out.

While fighting the Round Table and returning to the Assembly, he was confident that they had become stronger. And he wanted to show others how strong they had become and boast about their exploits at the Round Table.

If it were in the past?

He would have rushed to the training ground without any hesitation and pushed himself to the point of abuse.

What he thought was natural was no longer natural the more he thought about it.

“I’ll ask again.”

Kang Jin-ho looked at everyone and opened his mouth.

“Did you do your best?”

The answer was obvious.

“…No, we didn’t.”

“I see you understand.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“The reason why moving forward is difficult is simple. At first, there’s a reason. And there’s also a driving force. But the reason and the driving force don’t last. Those who are satisfied will eventually stagnate. The most important thing for becoming stronger is not talent or ability. It’s how much you can strive for strength without stopping. In other words, it’s desperation.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled slightly.

“Are you desperate now?”

“Yes!”

Lee Myung-hwan shouted at the top of his lungs.

He might not have been able to say that a little while ago, but now he could say it for sure. They were desperate.

“Then prove it.”

Crack.

Kang Jin-ho clenched his fist.

“Come at me.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Flame Demons rushed at Kang Jin-ho with bloodshot eyes.

Kang Jin-ho curled up the corners of his mouth as he watched the scene.

It was a smile of satisfaction, different from the one he had shown a moment ago.