Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1653

“Run! Get out of the way!”\n\n”Aaaaaaah!”\n\n”S-save me…”\n\nThe King’s subordinates screamed and scattered. Unbecoming of warriors, some fell clumsily, rolling on the ground.\n\nBut it wasn’t their fault.\n\nWho could remain calm when faced with death? Even those who didn’t fear death would run if they could avoid the approaching end.\n\nAnd there it was.\n\nBefore them, a clear manifestation of death moved like a flickering flame.\n\nCrack.\n\nA foot surrounded by dark mana crushed the twig-covered ground.\n\nKang Jin-ho, enveloped in darkness deeper than the surrounding gloom, began to advance slowly, his steps measured, not at all fast.\n\nThose who saw this screamed and fled, their eyes wide with terror.\n\n”Ah… Ah…”\n\nAnd those who couldn’t run because their legs had given way met their inevitable end.\n\nSnap.\n\nA warrior with a broken neck hung limply, his tongue lolling out. Kang Jin-ho took his hand off the dead warrior’s neck and walked away indifferently.\n\nLee Hyun-soo’s hair stood on end as he watched Kang Jin-ho’s back.\n\nLee Hyun-soo lowered his gaze slightly, looking at his hands. They were already damp with cold sweat.\n\nIt was a sight he had seen countless times. Now, even if asked to draw it without looking, he was confident he could depict the scene almost perfectly.\n\nBut strangely, the fear he felt from that sight hadn’t diminished in the slightest from the beginning until now.\n\nEven Lee Hyun-soo, who was on Kang Jin-ho’s side, felt a bone-chilling fear. How much more terror must those facing Kang Jin-ho on the opposite side be feeling?\n\nThat’s why Lee Hyun-soo couldn’t laugh at the King’s faction warriors who were screaming and running away.\n\n’You can never understand that unless you experience it.’\n\nLee Hyun-soo still remembered.\n\nThe very moment he faced Kang Jin-ho as an enemy.\n\nEven now, with the complete trust that Kang Jin-ho wouldn’t kill him no matter what, Lee Hyun-soo sometimes felt a chill down his spine from Kang Jin-ho’s back.\n\nA fear etched into his soul, beyond memory.\n\nIt was almost cruel to tell someone experiencing that for the first time to endure it.\n\n”…Damn it.”\n\nWhat was even stranger were the directors’ reactions.\n\nBator’s body trembled like an aspen. Jang Min was almost in a frenzy, out of his mind, and even Wiggins was at a loss, wiping away cold sweat.\n\n”That’s, like…”\n\nThe only person maintaining some semblance of calm was Bang Jin-hoon. But even Bang Jin-hoon couldn’t finish his sentence properly, making it seem like he was feeling an even greater shock than Lee Hyun-soo.\n\nIn other words….\n\n’Are they getting more shocked in order of their martial prowess?’\n\nJudging by how Bator and Jang Min were reacting the most, that thought didn’t seem too far off.\n\n”…Is he even human?”\n\nA groan escaped from Bator’s lips.\n\nHis trembling eyes followed Kang Jin-ho’s back.\n\n’I thought he would have gotten stronger, but…’\n\nHe was also a warrior second to none. He had recently felt that Kang Jin-ho’s aura was gradually becoming softer than in the past.\n\nAt first glance, the fact that the sharp aura was becoming dull might seem like his skills were regressing, but that was in normal cases. For a warrior who had transcended the limits of humanity like Kang Jin-ho, that common sense didn’t apply.\n\n”…Elder.”\n\n”Speak.”\n\n”Wasn’t the Master supposed to have reached the realm of Transcending Demonic Nature?”\n\n”That’s right.”\n\nTranscending Demonic Nature.\n\nThe realm where a demon completely breaks free from the demonic nature that binds them and dominates that demonic nature.\n\nIt was a legendary, ultimate stage, like enlightenment for Taoists and liberation for Buddhists, there was Transcending Demonic Nature for demons.\n\n”But what is that? It’s even worse than before?”\n\n”What do you mean?”\n\n”I mean, why has his demonic nature become even more intense? Damn it, my body is stiffening because of the demonic energy piercing my skin.”\n\nJang Min turned his head slightly to look at Bator.\n\nNormally, he would have clicked his tongue and rebuked him, but Jang Min didn’t have the luxury to do that now. He was also feeling his body go numb because of the demonic energy emanating from Kang Jin-ho.\n\n”Don’t talk nonsense.”\n\n”…What do you mean?”\n\n”Does a Taoist who has ascended to immortality abandon the Tao [the Way]? Does a monk who has attained enlightenment return to nothingness?”\n\n”A Taoist who has ascended becomes an immortal, and a monk who has attained enlightenment becomes a Buddha. Then what does a demon who has reached Transcending Demonic Nature become?”\n\n”…Are you saying he’s becoming a real Asura [a powerful, wrathful demigod in Buddhist and Hindu mythology]?”\n\n”I don’t know.”\n\nBator turned his head to look at Jang Min. But Jang Min quickly continued, as if he wasn’t in a situation to indulge in such banter.\n\n”Of course, we can’t know. There has never been a case of a demon achieving complete Transcending Demonic Nature. Even the Heavenly Demon, who is called the ancestor of demons, didn’t reach complete Transcending Demonic Nature.”\n\n”…Has there been none even after the Master?”\n\n”You fool. Have you forgotten the Heavenly Beginning, Crimson End! After the Demon Sovereign passed away, the Demonic Path fell into disarray. Those who say that flowers bloom in the mud should have their mouths torn apart. Flowers may bloom, but can those flowers compare to the flowers that grow in good soil?”\n\nJang Min spoke in an unusually serious tone.\n\n”In other words, the Demon Sovereign is now stepping into a realm that no one in the world has ever reached before. Who knows what lies beyond that, or why such a thing is happening?”\n\n”Isn’t that just saying that even the Elder doesn’t know?”\n\n”You could have just said you don’t know, why did you have to make it so long?”\n\nBator looked at Kang Jin-ho with a slightly annoyed expression.\n\nOf course, Jang Min’s words were absurd, but the reason he was annoyed wasn’t because of Jang Min’s words.\n\n’I thought I had caught up a little now….’\n\nBut when he actually checked, the gap had widened even further, not narrowed. Every time he checked, he felt the gap widening, and now he didn’t even feel angry anymore.\n\n”How much stronger do you plan to get?”\n\n”He will continue to get stronger as long as he is alive.”\n\nJang Min said with excited eyes.\n\n”At this rate, the Demonic World will be ours. The whole world will bow down at the feet of the Demon Sovereign…”\n\n”Please calm down, Elder.”\n\nWiggins smiled wryly and stopped Jang Min.\n\nWhat was the point of having vain dreams when Kang Jin-ho himself had no intention of doing so? Kang Jin-ho, burdened by the fact that more people were gathering under him, didn’t seem like he would use his power to do more.\n\nMore than anything….\n\n”That’s something we can think about after we overcome the Three Kings. Don’t let your guard down. It is a clear fact that the Lord is incredibly strong, but we also didn’t expect the Red King to be defeated like that.”\n\n”Hmm…”\n\nEven Jang Min couldn’t refute that and let out a deep groan.\n\n”The power of the Azure King and the Black King is unknown. To gauge that power, we need to save the Red King and hear the situation. So, this mission must be successful.”\n\n”I know.”\n\nJang Min nodded with a stern face.\n\n”Time is of the essence.”\n\n”I know.”\n\n”We don’t have time for this.”\n\n”…What are you doing?”\n\nJang Min tilted his head and looked back at Wiggins. He didn’t understand why he kept repeating what he had already said.\n\nWhen their eyes met, Wiggins gave an awkward smile, then slightly avoided Jang Min’s gaze and opened his mouth.\n\n”So, let’s go quickly…”\n\nJang Min’s gaze returned to the front.\n\nThud.\n\nThud.\n\nKang Jin-ho was walking towards Jangja-kou at a speed not much different from that of an ordinary person.\n\nOh….\n\nOf course, the enemies were all running away at the sight of him, so there wasn’t really a problem.\n\n’He’s like a turtle crawling.’\n\nIt was also an undeniable fact that his speed had become several times slower than when they were clearing the path.\n\n”Why don’t you just say it directly, ‘Let’s go quickly.’”\n\n”To him?”\n\nWiggins shuddered and said, “I’m someone who values my life, so I can’t say such things. Honestly, I don’t even want to go near him.”\n\n”…Do I have two lives?”\n\n”But he wouldn’t kill the Elder, would he?”\n\nJang Min glanced at Bator. Then Bator also gestured with his chin, urging Jang Min on.\n\n”Go.”\n\n”Hey, you guys! You’re using an old man…”\n\n”You’re only an old man at times like this. And you’ve lived long enough, so you should die first.”\n\nJang Min, who had nothing to say, looked at Kang Jin-ho’s back with trembling eyes.\n\nBeautiful.\n\nTo him, a demon, that sight was truly moving, enough to bring tears to his eyes.\n\nHowever….\n\n’Honestly, I’m a little scared.’\n\nThe tar-like dark mana was burning like the flames of hell. Even if an Asura from hell descended into the world, it wouldn’t look like that.\n\nEven if that sight was like a manifestation of divinity to him, the fear didn’t disappear. Rather, for him, who was subordinate to the demonic energy, it was a scene that made him feel more fear than others.\n\n”Go quickly, Elder. The sun will rise.”\n\n”Ugh…”\n\nJang Min groaned and glanced around.\n\n”No, but why do I have to…”\n\n”Who was it that said that no one here could dare to follow in the Elder’s footsteps when it comes to loyalty to the Demon Sovereign?”\n\n”If we go this late, we might ruin things. Prove that loyalty now.”\n\n”I’m going, I’m going! You damn things!” Jang Min shouted and trudged forward.\n\nLee Hyun-soo watched the scene from behind and smiled faintly.\n\n’What a mess.’\n\nThose who were supposed to be the directors of the General Assembly were gathered together, acting like this. It was quite a sight.\n\nWith a sullen expression, Jang Min walked towards Kang Jin-ho. But the closer he got to Kang Jin-ho, the slower his steps became.\n\nGulp.\n\nFinally reaching within striking distance of Kang Jin-ho, Jang Min prostrated himself on the spot.\n\n”Demon Sovereign! This humble subordinate dares to speak to the Demon Sovereign. The evil hands of those vile enemies may reach the Red King at any moment, and in this humble one’s opinion, we should hurry a little more!”\n\nKang Jin-ho slowly turned his head.\n\nJang Min, who had slightly raised his head, trembled.\n\nFrom within the pitch-black mana, a terrifying, blood-red glint that seemed to stop his heart just by looking at it was emitted. The red eyes, even more intense than in the past, pierced through Jang Min’s soul.\n\n”Ah… Ah…”\n\nThe fear that was incomparable to when he was watching his back pressed down on Jang Min.\n\n”D-Demon Sovereign.”\n\nAt that moment.\n\n”Did you say to go quickly?”\n\n”…Yes?”\n\nA calm voice, so different from his appearance, flowed out.\n\n”You said to go quickly, right?”\n\n”Ah… Yes. That’s right, Demon Sovereign.”\n\n”Let’s go, then.”\n\nKang Jin-ho gestured with his hand, looking back.\n\n”Let’s go quickly. They said we’re late.”\n\nThose who had been suppressed by Kang Jin-ho’s mana stared blankly.\n\n”…He seems to be in his right mind?”\n\n”I guess so.” How strange, it’s really strange….