Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1359

A man opened his eyes.

Looking down to check his body, the man let out a sigh that seemed to drain his soul.

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this level of realism.’

His entire body was soaked in cold sweat.

It wasn’t his first time experiencing ‘death.’ But the shock this ‘death’ gave him was on a different level than any before.

No, to be precise, the shock he felt from the one who dealt him death was different from anything he had experienced before.

“To tear apart two Black Steel Ghouls like paper and crush even a Blood Steel Ghoul like a toy…”

The man chuckled dryly.

‘Not even a superhero could do that.’

Heavenly Beginning, Demonic End.

All demonic arts begin with the Heavenly Demon and end with the Demonic Fiend. [This refers to a concept in martial arts where the practitioner progresses from a state of heavenly purity to a state of demonic power.]

He never thought he would experience that old saying so vividly. The ‘Demonic Fiend’ he had experienced was so strong and ruthless that it made the legends passed down in the cult seem pale in comparison.

‘Moreover….’

The biggest threat wasn’t the Demonic Fiend’s strength. The problem was that the Demonic Fiend knew too much about the Blood Cult.

‘He clearly already knew about the existence of the Blood Steel Ghouls.’

Considering what the Demonic Fiend said to him at the end, he already knew that he wasn’t facing the true body of the Blood Demon.

“I will find you someday. Until then, wait. For the unavoidable death.”

The Blood Demon’s body trembled.

He had made such a powerful demonic being his enemy. The Blood Demon was now experiencing exactly what the predecessors of the Blood Cult must have felt when they had to face the Demonic Cult in the past.

The Blood Demon licked his lips.

“This is a bad deal.”

His eyes glowed a fierce blue.

Buzz. Buzz.

But before he could even sort out the situation, his phone rang. The Blood Demon bit his lip slightly as he checked the screen and answered the call.

“Yes.”

[You failed.]

The Blood Demon’s face contorted.

“…The information was completely wrong. If we didn’t properly assess the opponent’s strength, it’s only natural that problems would arise, wouldn’t it?”

[That’s true.]

Wang Rong.

Wang Rong’s voice on the other end of the line was monotone. The Blood Demon sometimes found it uncomfortable to talk to this man.

[But tell me, what do you call someone who can only succeed when they have perfect information and perfect circumstances?]

Wang Rong didn’t wait for the Blood Demon’s answer.

[Incompetent.]

A faint smile appeared on the Blood Demon’s otherwise expressionless face.

“I can’t deny that. I was definitely incompetent this time.”

[Do you know why I trust you?]

“I wonder.”

[Because you’re quick to admit your mistakes and good at self-assessment. You don’t make useless excuses.]

“I appreciate that.”

[There’s no need to. I prefer a stubborn but capable person over an incompetent one who’s quick to admit their faults.]

[You’ve disappointed me once. Don’t forget it. I won’t either.]

“I will keep that in mind.”

[I’ll take over the matter of Kang Jin-ho.]

“Wait. I don’t want to deny that I failed. But Kang Jin-ho, the Demonic Lord, is not someone your Deputy Chief of Staff can handle.”

[I know. It’s my job to figure out how to deal with him. If I’m not incompetent, that is.]

“…Understood.”

[Return.]

The Blood Demon stared at the phone that had been disconnected.

Crack.

The part where his finger had touched broke, and spiderweb-like cracks spread across the entire screen.

‘I was underestimated.’

The Blood Demon let out a deep sigh.

His cooperation with the military wasn’t because of any great patriotism for China.

In an era where science surpasses martial arts, he believed that the only way for martial artists to survive was to cooperate with those who wielded science.

Right now, the Three Kings were at the top, but that was only temporary. Someday, the power they wielded would surpass the Three Kings. The Blood Cult, which had cooperated with them from the beginning, would be recognized for its contributions at that time.

‘It’s a simple calculation, but….’

Becoming a dog of the state wasn’t that simple.

They were greedy.

Those who fed the wolves to tame them like dogs would start using the whip once they thought the wolves were sufficiently tamed. Instead of spending money on good meat, they would try to control the dogs with a free stick.

“…Now I’m being treated like a complete dog.”

The Blood Demon licked his lips.

His red, glistening lips hinted at a murderous intent.

He had brought this treatment upon himself. So, he didn’t have any particular complaints. He believed that he could be satisfied as long as he could get good food and a comfortable home, whether he was a dog or a cat.

But now, that belief was wavering.

‘Demonic Fiend.’

Kang Jin-ho.

The power of Kang Jin-ho, which he had witnessed with his own eyes, was enough to shake all of the Blood Demon’s beliefs.

Overwhelming power that made resistance impossible.

It was a power that truly deserved to be called the incarnation of a demon.

‘Can the People’s Liberation Army suppress that power?’

If it had been just a day ago, he would have answered that question with a resounding yes. But now, his thoughts were a little different.

Victory or defeat isn’t determined by the power you possess. If that were the case, the United States wouldn’t have lost in the Vietnam War. Ultimately, the victory or defeat of a war depends on how much of the power you possess that you can mobilize.

Military artists had an advantage in that regard.

Even though martial artists were beings who transcended the state, the fact that they were ‘citizens’ didn’t change. How much military force could be mobilized against citizens who lived within their own country?

‘Just deploying five helicopters on the road is already giving them a headache with the aftermath.’

Perhaps….

The Blood Demon slowly rose from his seat.

“Ugh…”

The impact he had received in the body of the Blood Steel Ghoul was now being transmitted directly to his body. One arm and two legs felt numb, and his head was throbbing as if it would break.

An attack that damaged not only the body of the Blood Steel Ghoul but also his spirit….

His body trembled.

The image of Kang Jin-ho’s eyes, which had been trampling on his head, wouldn’t leave his mind. It was true oppression and true terror.

“The Heavenly Demonic Lord…”

The Blood Demon bit his lip and began to move. His eyes were glowing with a strange light that had never been seen before.

Back at the headquarters, Wiggins started by checking the situation.

“Were there any personnel monitoring the headquarters?”

“Huh? I didn’t find any signs of that.”

“Strengthen the security. And secretly deploy search teams so that it’s not obvious from the outside.”

“Understood.”

Wiggins narrowed his brow.

‘They wouldn’t be monitoring us in an obvious way.’

They wouldn’t be stupid enough to use people to monitor martial artists. They would probably be using all sorts of advanced technology.

The chances of finding them with the human eye were low, but it was better than doing nothing. It also served to clearly convey their position.

Wiggins glanced at Bang Jin-hoon.

‘I think I need to calm this guy down first….’

Bang Jin-hoon was struggling to suppress his boiling anger. Judging by his expression, he looked like he was about to hijack a bus and storm the Blue House. [The Blue House is the former presidential residence of South Korea, similar to the White House in the US.]

“Director Bang, please calm down.”

“…I know.”

“As I’ve said repeatedly, our priority is to safely bring the Lord back to the headquarters.”

“Damn it, that’s what I’m saying. Even if it’s just a rescue team…”

“Have you forgotten? South Korea is practically an island nation. And we can’t do anything on the sea. Have you already forgotten what we experienced before?”

“Ugh.”

Wiggins quickly changed the subject.

“So, have you secured the safety of the Lord’s family?”

“They’re surrounded like a pack of dogs. Even if a mechanized division came, they could hold out for two hours.”

“You didn’t make it too obvious, did you?”

“Don’t worry. Isn’t that our specialty? Monitoring without anyone knowing.”

“…Don’t call that a specialty.”

“No, that’s…”

It was at that moment.

Bang!

The door was blown off its hinges.

Wiggins and Bang Jin-hoon turned around, channeling their inner power.

‘An attack?’

But they soon realized that the person who had burst through the door was not an enemy.

It was just that, sometimes, an ally could be more unwelcome than an enemy.

The old man who had burst through the door had his hair standing on end.

It wasn’t just an expression; it was literally standing up. The excessive power he had drawn up was pushing his hair upwards.

His bloodshot eyes and the white hair standing on end were enough to make the hearts of those who saw him ache.

“Elder Jang.”

Wiggins and Bang Jin-hoon looked at Jang Min with bewildered expressions.

Jang Min gritted his teeth.

“Those vermin… What the hell happened?”

“Ah, no, that’s…”

“Did you say that the Demonic Lord is under attack in China?”

“And what are you vermin doing here?”

Murderous intent.

A murderous intent that seemed to tear apart their bodies and grind their flesh enveloped Bang Jin-hoon and Wiggins. They knew that Jang Min was a completely different person when he was angry, but the murderous intent that Jang Min was emitting now made even their expectations pale in comparison.

“Elder, please calm down.”

Wiggins swallowed hard and tried to dissuade Jang Min.

But that didn’t mean that Wiggins was calm. Dealing with a fanatic was always difficult. Their way of thinking was different from that of ordinary people.

If they could subdue him with force, they would try, but with Kang Jin-ho gone and Bator also away, there was no one who could stop Jang Min. If he decided to go on a rampage, half of the headquarters would be destroyed in less than an hour.

“Calm down?”

Jang Min clenched his fist. Dark red demonic energy surged out.

“Did you just say calm down?”

Flames flickered in Jang Min’s eyes.

“I am completely in my right mind right now.”

“Elder, please.”

“Find a way to get to China. If you can’t, I will end your pathetic lives here. I’m going to China right now.”

“Elder, please…”

“Now!”

Just as Wiggins was breaking out in a cold sweat, Bang Jin-hoon said irritably.

“Going to China will only be a hindrance!”

“…What did you say?”

Jang Min turned his head and stared directly at Bang Jin-hoon.

Even just watching from the side, the murderous intent was enough to make one’s hair stand on end. But Bang Jin-hoon didn’t back down at all, facing that murderous intent head-on.

“What good will it do for us to go to China? It’ll only be a burden for the Lord to escape. Isn’t it better to just shut up and cooperate here?”

“How dare you…”

“Don’t you think that what you’re doing is a hindrance to the Lord?”

Flames flickered in Jang Min’s eyes.

But Bang Jin-hoon didn’t back down an inch and confronted Jang Min’s momentum.

“Please calm down. Before the Lord is truly in danger.”

Crack.

Jang Min’s eyes turned dark red.