Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1084

‘Director Bang requested additional servers?’

‘I told him to go buy them.’

‘Who did you tell?’

‘Director Bang.’

Lee Hyun-soo wiped away the cold sweat.

‘Th-that… there was talk about expanding the warehouse because there wasn’t enough space to store the office equipment…’

‘I told them we’d expand it.’

‘H-how?’

‘We’ll bring in containers. We can just put them next to the building.’

‘……Right.’

Right, that makes sense. After all, a warehouse just needs to keep out the rain and wind, so containers are fine.

Of course, if Lee Hyun-soo had done it, he would have been cursed for bringing in such an eyesore next to the main building, but who would dare say anything if Kang Jin-ho was the one doing it?

In about three days, everyone might be polishing the containers, saying they can’t let the gifts bestowed by the Lord rust.

‘Wow, is it really turning out like this?’

At this point, it’s beyond unfair; it’s astonishing.

In a place where so many people gather and move, problems are bound to arise.

It’s Lee Hyun-soo’s job not only to help the Assembly develop but also to resolve the issues that occur in between.

And from experience, there’s no such thing as a perfect solution that satisfies everyone. No matter how much effort you put in and how much you consider both sides, there will always be someone who is negatively affected.

It was Lee Hyun-soo’s job to adjust that damage to an acceptable level. It was a difficult and tiring task, but he had somehow managed to do it until now.

But…

‘Can just changing a seal really make this happen?’

In the end, dissatisfaction has a threshold. Even if there is dissatisfaction, if it can be understood and accepted, it doesn’t become a problem.

The problem is that what Lee Hyun-soo says and what Kang Jin-ho says are different, even if they say the same thing.

What Lee Hyun-soo says is nonsense, but when Kang Jin-ho says it, everyone accepts it.

They have to accept it. Or else, they’ll get beaten.

‘L-Lord, if you handle things like this…’

‘It will be a problem if it continues.’

‘That’s right!’

People’s dissatisfaction builds up. You can tolerate one instance of dissatisfaction, but you can’t tolerate a thousand. Even if it’s something that’s being implemented under Kang Jin-ho’s orders, it will eventually reach its threshold.

‘You’ll be back before that happens.’

‘So, isn’t it okay?’

‘W-will it be?’

Wiggins clapped his hands.

‘That’s a great idea. And while we’re at it, it would be good to let everyone know that the Lord will be handling things instead of Director Lee for a while. Everyone will follow more enthusiastically.’

‘Liar!’

They’re planning to give everyone hope that this will end when Lee Hyun-soo returns. That way, everyone will be able to endure while waiting for Lee Hyun-soo to finish his training and come back!

Lee Hyun-soo couldn’t help but sigh as he saw the triumphant smile on Wiggins’ face.

There’s no way out of this.

‘Then I guess I have to go. Yes, I’ll go.’

Lee Hyun-soo said with a resigned look.

‘Well, it’s a bit forced, but…’

The reason why he wasn’t too upset was because Lee Hyun-soo knew that what Wiggins said was right. Learning at the Round Table would be several times better than learning in the finance department.

‘However, Lord, just one thing.’

‘Speak.’

‘People want rationality. If this process continues, even if you patch things up later, there might be a perception that there will be problems if the Lord leads the Assembly. So…’

‘Ah, it’s fine.’

Wiggins answered instead.

‘Because you’ll do it.’

‘Huh?’

‘You don’t think that going to the Round Table means you’ll be moving to England for good, do you?’

‘……W-well, of course not?’

Wiggins grinned.

‘We’ll open a gate for you morning and evening. You’ll come to work here, go through the gate to England, and then come back through the gate when you leave work.’

‘Isn’t that great?’

Then nothing has changed, you jerk! How is that different from working two jobs at the same time!

‘The Lord will share the workload, so it won’t be too much of a burden. Of course, I’ll share it too.’

‘Yes, well…’

Lee Hyun-soo nodded weakly.

There’s no point in saying anything more here. What’s important is to go to the Round Table and see what he has to do firsthand.

‘Well, I’ll figure it out when I experience it.’

‘Then we’ll proceed like that. So, when do I start?’

‘Tomorrow.’

‘……Do you know the saying about roasting beans in a flash of lightning?’

‘I think I saw it in the proverb book you gave me. The sooner things are done, the better.’

‘Ugh.’

Kang Jin-ho looked at Wiggins quietly and said,

‘Did you find a way?’

‘I’m going to try to struggle.’

‘Okay.’

Wiggins bowed his head.

‘Thank you for accepting my unreasonable request.’

‘It’s nothing.’

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

‘If those who belong to us become stronger, the Assembly will also become stronger.’

‘I will keep that in mind.’

Wiggins smiled slightly.

‘However…’

At the same time, Lee Hyun-soo interjected.

‘When you use the training grounds, I wish you would be a little more considerate. This week alone, four training grounds have already been destroyed.’

Lee Hyun-soo continued with a sulky face.

‘Of course, it’s inevitable that there will be damage when someone of the Lord’s caliber uses the training grounds, but please also think about those who have to repair the training grounds every time.’

Kang Jin-ho looked troubled.

There are simple ways to train without causing damage to the surroundings. But the problem is that Kang Jin-ho is currently re-examining his own body.

To re-examine his body, he has to do it in the way he is doing it now.

‘Then let’s do this.’

Wiggins clapped his hands.

‘As compensation for accepting the unreasonable request, I will make a training ground. It will be difficult to fully receive the Lord’s power, but it won’t be as easily destroyed as the current training grounds.’

‘Is that possible?’

‘It’s not easy, but it will be possible with the Master’s support. I’ll give it a try.’

‘I’m counting on you.’

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

‘Then I’ll leave the rest to you. I’m going to go train.’

‘Please take care of yourself.’

‘I will handle everything perfectly, Lord.’

It was the moment Kang Jin-ho was about to go outside.

KWA-AA-AA-ANG!

A huge explosion erupted from outside the window.

Kang Jin-ho, who had been silently looking outside, spoke again.

‘Wiggins.’

‘Yes, Lord.’

‘And make one for Bator while you’re at it.’

‘……I will do so.’

Kang Jin-ho shook his head and went outside.

Lee Hyun-soo and Wiggins walked to the window and looked outside.

‘That’s some unbelievable toughness.’

‘Indeed.’

Recently, Bator has been sparring with Kang Jin-ho once a day.

‘It’s not something a human should do.’

Wiggins had already experienced it. He knew what it was like to face Kang Jin-ho, who was fighting with all his might.

The gap?

The humiliation of not being able to even touch him?

No, those are nothing.

What truly drives a person to hell is facing Kang Jin-ho’s killing intent head-on.

The feeling of experiencing death dozens of times in just one sparring session.

It’s not just physical violence. It’s a sensation where your mental strength is chipped away until your brain turns white.

And after enduring that, he trains again.

It’s not something that can be explained simply by the word ‘toughness.’

‘Can I ask you something?’

Lee Hyun-soo was looking at Wiggins with an uncharacteristically serious face.

‘That’s a good expression.’

‘What are you curious about?’

‘How can Bator be so diligent?’

‘Hmm?’

Wiggins looked at Lee Hyun-soo with a questioning gaze.

‘I don’t really understand. I’ve only ever had one foot in the path of a martial artist, so I have no idea how people who dedicate their lives to martial arts feel.’

‘Most people wouldn’t know.’

They dedicated everything to martial arts. They dedicated everything to becoming stronger.

There are many people in this world who say such things, but there are not many who are truly qualified to say they have dedicated everything.

Yes.

Like Bator, for example.

Wiggins’ gaze followed Bator. He could see Bator’s figure, a small dot in the distance, at the training ground.

His body must have been destroyed from sparring with Kang Jin-ho, but instead of resting, he’s pushing himself even harder in his training. It was closer to abuse than training.

But it can’t be called a foolish act.

‘That’s usually how it is.’

Even Buddha himself pushed himself to the limits of asceticism to achieve complete enlightenment.

That’s what it means to gain something. If you live an ordinary life according to the logic of ordinary people, you won’t be able to break free from the ordinary.

Only those who stand at the extreme and run to the limit can break free from the norm and enter another world.

‘I don’t think I could do that.’

‘Hmm.’

‘How can a person push themselves like that? In fact, Bator is already strong enough. Even in terms of martial prowess, there aren’t that many people left above him, so how…’

‘You don’t seem like a normal person either.’

They say you know yourself the least, and Lee Hyun-soo, who is asking this question so casually, is even more frightening.

‘Because there aren’t many people who can be happy with a silver medal.’

‘Huh?’

Wiggins shrugged his shoulders.

‘Medals have value in themselves. That’s a common saying these days. And that’s definitely true. But… which do you want, a gold medal or a silver medal?’

‘Of course, a gold medal.’

‘Right, that’s how it is. Because they do their best, or rather, because they do their best, they can’t accept that someone is above them. Who would accept that their talent was only that far after pushing themselves to the limit?’

‘……That’s true, but…’

Usually…

Wiggins quietly looked at Bator and said,

‘It’s as the Lord said. In the end, martial artists are a kind of people who can’t accept that there is someone stronger than them. They fall away in the order that they accept it. And what happens if they can’t accept it and keep struggling to get stronger?’

‘They become like that.’

‘That’s right.’

It’s not much different from a child.

Growing humans learn rationality. They learn the reasons, accept the situation, and set limits.

But those who deny that rationality, those who know it in their heads but can’t understand it in their hearts, keep pushing and being unreasonable. Those are the ones who become strong.

‘I am too.’

Wiggins curled up the corners of his mouth.

‘I still have to be unreasonable.’

‘Then…’

‘Huh?’

Lee Hyun-soo tilted his head and asked,

‘What happens if you get stronger and stronger and there’s no one left above you?’

‘……Well?’

Wiggins couldn’t answer that question either.

‘I guess the only person who knows the answer to that right now is the Lord.’

‘Hmm, I guess so.’

‘It’s good to be curious about the path of a martial artist. But you should be faithful to your own path.’

‘Don’t try to motivate me with those words. Aren’t you just using me as you please?’

‘It’s enough if you know that.’

Wiggins smiled and patted Lee Hyun-soo on the shoulder. Then he slowly turned around.

‘What happens if there’s no one left above you…’

Wiggins doesn’t know.

But he felt like he knew.

‘Still, it won’t end.’

The path that reaches the end is bound to lead to a new path. Like Kang Jin-ho now, the path doesn’t end even if you keep walking.

‘Even so, I walk.’

‘Huh?’

‘No, it’s nothing.’

Wiggins smiled and said,

‘Then I’ll go prepare…’

‘Where are you going? You have to help me with this.’

‘……Organize.’

‘Sit down.’

…’〒

Regardless of martial arts or whatever, the work was more urgent right now.