Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1548

My heart is racing uncontrollably.

The pounding is so loud it’s echoing in my head.

My legs are giving out.

I’m worried that my trembling legs might be visible to others. I hate showing such a pathetic sight more than death itself.

Ryuichi bit his lip hard.

Then, he glared straight at Kang Jin-ho.

Kang Jin-ho, sensing the provocative gaze, looked at Ryuichi with a subtle smile.

‘You said you had something to say?’

Ryuichi clenched his fists tightly. What he had intended to do had already failed.

Even if he rushed at Kang Jin-ho now, he would end up in the same state as the one who was crushed by the previous blow.

He wouldn’t be able to achieve anything that way. It wasn’t because he was afraid of death. Death has its own value. Who would want a meaningless death where they couldn’t convey their will?

Ryuichi, biting his lip, opened his mouth.

‘If we go to Korea, will we learn Korean martial arts?’

‘That’s right.’

‘Why can’t we further develop the martial arts we’ve already learned?’

A sneer appeared on Kang Jin-ho’s lips.

‘Do you even need to ask?’

‘……Yes?’

‘You’re asking something too obvious. It’s because you’re weak.’

Ryuichi closed his mouth.

Then, Kang Jin-ho added words he didn’t need to.

‘Japanese martial arts have limitations in how strong they can make you.’

‘……May I ask why you think so?’

‘I’ll say it again…’

Kang Jin-ho’s lips curled up further.

‘Do you even need to ask?’

Everyone bit their lips.

‘I don’t think there’s a need for proof. The proof is already done.’

It was an undeniable statement.

If Japanese martial arts were superior to Korean ones, Japan wouldn’t have been defeated by Korea.

With the number of warriors being more than twice as large, yet Japan being completely occupied by Korea, none of their words could hold any weight. Moreover, they had failed even to resist the occupying forces after the war.

As Kang Jin-ho raised his head, everyone lowered their gaze.

‘Why did that damn guy get up…’

‘Is he going to spit in his face or something?’

Everyone looked at Ryuichi with faces that showed they couldn’t understand him. There was no need to ask such a question and expose their weaknesses.

However, Ryuichi stood tall, facing their angry gazes.

This place isn’t for arguing logic. What needs to be shown is will!

‘We may be weaker than Korea now. But Japanese martial arts also have potential.’

Kang Jin-ho answered indifferently.

‘Then go back.’

‘……Yes?’

‘I said go back.’

Kang Jin-ho waved his hand as if he was annoyed.

Ryuichi stared at Kang Jin-ho with a blank look. Kang Jin-ho’s answer was different from any kind of answer he had expected.

Seeing that look, Kang Jin-ho chuckled and said,

‘So, what you’re saying is that I should take you and teach you your traditional martial arts and develop them?’

‘Ah, no…’

‘I understand your desire to prove the superiority of your martial arts. But…’

Kang Jin-ho tilted his head slightly.

‘Is this the place to say that?’

‘If you want to develop it, you do it. I don’t think I have any reason to be interested in that.’

Kang Jin-ho answered nonchalantly and then asked back.

‘Do you have anything else to say?’

Ryuichi clenched his fists again.

‘Don’t you?’

‘What is the intention… what is your intention behind doing this?’

‘Intention?’

‘Yes. Intention!’

Kang Jin-ho looked at Ryuichi and smiled.

He seemed to know what Ryuichi’s intention was in saying this. If so, it wouldn’t be bad to go along with his intention.

‘I’ll tell you what you want to hear. We’re going to use you as pawns to control Japan, turn the hatred towards us onto you, and properly exploit Japan while avoiding responsibility. And it seems that you guys, rather than us Koreans, would be better at tearing apart Japan.’

‘Should I tell you more? It will also prove that your so-called Yamato spirit [Japanese spirit] is nothing in the face of money and power. Ultimately, we plan to fill the upper echelons of Japanese warriors with pro-Koreans to establish permanent control.’

Ryuichi unknowingly opened his mouth wide.

No one is unaware.

Anyone who came here, or even those who didn’t, if they had any sense, would know what their intentions were.

Nevertheless, the reason why Ryuichi asked such a question was to make Kang Jin-ho, who wouldn’t be able to say it openly, uncomfortable. Just by showing him stuttering and avoiding the topic in front of so many people, the fear of him would be somewhat neutralized.

However, Kang Jin-ho didn’t evade the question.

Rather, he revealed his intentions so bluntly that it was absurd even to him. It made him wonder if there was another hidden intention behind it.

‘Why? Did you want me to sugarcoat it? I heard that’s what Japanese people like?’

‘My intention is as I just said. Those who don’t like it, get lost. Go and talk about it as much as you want.’

‘……Are you saying that it’s okay to convey those words as they are?’

‘Is there any reason why it shouldn’t be?’

Kang Jin-ho asked back.

But he couldn’t answer that question.

Any reason why it shouldn’t be?

There was no such thing.

Even if Ryuichi stormed out of this place and shouted to others that Kang Jin-ho had said these words, what would change? Nothing would change.

It would only make the oppressed even more humiliated.

Unless that humiliation leads to anger, and that anger leads to action, nothing would change.

‘No. If they take action, they’ll suffer an even more miserable fate.’

They had already lost the power to resist the Korean martial world. No matter what they did or said, they had no choice but to endure.

Ryuichi’s shoulders slumped.

‘I thought we would become slaves…’

If not that, I thought we would become dogs.

A dog that doesn’t disobey its master, but if it keeps getting its food taken away and beaten, it might bite at their ankles. At least, I believed we would become that much.

But it wasn’t so.

To Kang Jin-ho, Japan was no different from a half-dead fish on a cutting board.

A master who raises a dog cares about the dog’s feelings, but a chef who cooks a fish doesn’t care about the fish’s feelings. Whether the fish is sliced or grilled is up to the chef’s choice.

That’s all Japan is to Kang Jin-ho right now.

A half-dead fish that can’t resist no matter what is done to it.

To offer training and education to such people might even be a merciful act.

‘Stop beating around the bush and say what you want to say.’

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes looked at Ryuichi.

Looking into those eyes, Ryuichi realized something anew.

There was nothing in those eyes.

There was no intention of intimidation, no superiority of a ruler. There wasn’t even annoyance at Ryuichi, who was bothering him with his questions.

It meant he wasn’t even worth that.

If he had gotten angry and crushed Ryuichi, he wouldn’t have felt this way.

‘It means I’m not even worth that.’

If a fierce dog barks, people can’t help but pay attention. But if a puppy smaller than a palm gets angry and barks, would people pay attention?

Rather, they would only feel like petting it because it’s cute.

‘Do you think… do you think we will be forever subjugated by this?’

Ryuichi, losing his reason due to anger and helplessness, said something he shouldn’t have.

However, Kang Jin-ho didn’t show much reaction to that statement.

‘It seems like you’re misunderstanding something…’

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

‘Permanent control is just a wish. I’m not stupid enough to dream of eternal control over Japan when the country isn’t even unified.’

‘However…’

Kang Jin-ho shrugged.

‘At least, as long as I’m alive, I have no intention of letting those who resist go free.’

‘So, what you guys have to do is one of two things. Either you lie low and live quietly until I’m gone…’

Kang Jin-ho crushes everyone with his gaze.

‘Or you cooperate with me and enjoy glory.’

‘That’s all.’

Kang Jin-ho drew a line.

‘Those who came here are one of two types. One is those who came to cooperate and try to seize an opportunity, and the other is those who came to figure out what our intentions are.’

Kang Jin-ho pointed to the back door.

‘I don’t blame you. I don’t intend to scold you for being disrespectful. While I go out for a smoke, those who don’t intend to cooperate, go back.’

Everyone held their breath.

‘There’s no need to be cautious. I keep my word. However… if there are still those who remain here with other intentions when I return, they will pay the price. As you know…’

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

‘I’m not that merciful.’

The room fell silent.

Kang Jin-ho left those words and turned around.

Lee Hyun-soo followed him out the door.

Kang Jin-ho, having left the grand hall, lit a cigarette.

‘Are you sure about this?’

‘About what?’

‘You crushed them too much. They have their pride, you know?’

‘Pride…’

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

They are the ones who bowed their heads in defeat and chose to survive rather than rush in and die. Of course, Kang Jin-ho doesn’t blame them for that. It’s better to survive than to die a meaningless death.

But there is one thing that those who made that choice must abandon.

That is pride.

Survival and pride cannot be taken together. If one chooses to survive and enjoy peace, they must not try to keep their pride.

Also…

‘Weren’t those the kind of guys we needed, the ones without pride?’

‘That’s true.’

Lee Hyun-soo grinned.

‘So, what do you think? Do they seem worth nurturing?’

‘There’s no way decent guys would be left.’

Kang Jin-ho frowned.

Lee Hyun-soo agreed with that statement.

If there were any useful talents, they would have been mobilized during the war with the General Assembly, and most of them wouldn’t have survived. Those who are left are just husks.

‘We have to choose.’

‘Choose what?’

‘Either we acknowledge that those guys are husks and use them as they are.’

‘……Or?’

‘Or we try to make people out of the husks.’

Kang Jin-ho curled up the corners of his lips.

‘Will it work?’

‘There’s nothing that can’t be done if you roll it [a metaphor for pushing someone hard].’

‘I clearly told you last time that not everything can be done just by rolling people…’

Lee Hyun-soo shrugged.

‘Just do as you please this time. I don’t care if they break while you’re rolling them.’

‘You have a bad personality.’

‘I’ve always been like this.’

Kang Jin-ho chuckled and turned his head to look ahead. Even though he had said that, not a single person had left the hall yet.

‘There’s also one arrogant guy.’

‘Ah, that guy? He was interesting. It was impressive how he kept his head held high even when facing the Lord. Even though he’s so weak that he can’t feel anything.’

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

‘That kind of guy is the type to become a proper villain if he changes his mind.’