Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1825

No matter the heart of the one wielding it, a sword in hand must be utterly merciless.

Baek Yeon-hong, as if proving this with his very being, swung his sword with utter ruthlessness.

Shwooook!

It wasn’t as if a powerful roar echoed. Only a faint sound, like air escaping a balloon, was heard.

However, the result of that faint sound was anything but faint.

Swoosh!

A tiny wound appeared on the throat of a demonic cultist who had charged forward.

To the eye, it was no more than a mosquito bite, but the sword energy that pierced through it completely ravaged the inside of their throat.

“Gurgle…”

The demonic cultists, unable to stop the blood flowing back up their throats, flailed their hands before collapsing to the ground with thuds.

“That damn bastard!”

The Assembly members’ eyes went wide at the sight.

No matter how different their beginnings were, the demonic cultists were comrades who had fought alongside them, risking their lives. Seeing them die before their eyes, there was no way they could maintain their composure.

“Hyaaaaaaah!”

The Assembly members roared and charged at Baek Yeon-hong.

*Tsk tsk tsk.*

Baek Yeon-hong clicked his tongue and slightly lowered his sword.

“A martial artist…”

*Paaaat!*

His sword sliced through the air like a beam of light.

“…must always maintain their composure.”

The ones who had charged were pierced by the beam-like sword energy and fell without even a scream.

“Still not enough.”

Baek Yeon-hong lightly flicked the blood off his sword and looked ahead.

The ones who had been filling the gaps as they fell were now unable to even think of blocking Baek Yeon-hong’s path.

But no one could blame them. Life was precious to everyone, wasn’t it?

“Hmm.”

Baek Yeon-hong, with his hands behind his back, leisurely ascended the hill.

Those who couldn’t dare to charge, yet couldn’t retreat either, watched Baek Yeon-hong slowly approach them, their faces hardening.

“R-run…”

“Shut up!”

The moment someone tried to speak weakly, a sharp voice cut through.

“This is our home! What kind of owner runs away from their own house, you idiot!”

Those who had gritted their teeth gripped their weapons.

Even if they couldn’t stop him, their determination to at least not show a pathetic sight was clear.

Seeing their eyes, Baek Yeon-hong smiled.

“Good eyes.”

He had seen many who were forced to fight by fear. He had seen enough who charged mechanically, not even knowing what they were doing.

But it had been a long time since he had seen those who stood their ground with their own will, waiting for him.

‘Enough to make me feel a bit nostalgic.’ There were many like them in the past.

Of course, he didn’t completely romanticize the past. Even in the days when he lived in the Central Plains [the traditional heartland of Chinese civilization], there were plenty who were obsessed with profit, and there were countless more cruel and evil people than now.

But even so, that era was a world where romantic heroes lived, willing to risk their lives to uphold their own will.

It was truly ironic that he was feeling a sense of nostalgia from the past, something he had rarely felt recently, in a foreign land.

“If I fight you carelessly, would that be insulting you?”

Baek Yeon-hong flicked the tip of his sword.

He slightly licked his lips and looked at those who were standing before him with cold eyes.

“Alright, then try to stop me!”

Just as Baek Yeon-hong was about to swing his sword with a bizarre smile.

*Kwaaaaaaaah!*

“Hm?”

Baek Yeon-hong’s brow furrowed slightly at the violent power (奉方) flying from above. [奉方 (bongbang) is a term referring to a type of powerful energy or force]

His sword lightly bounced up, and then the power, tinged with red, stuck to the side.

And then…

*Whirl!*

It gently pushed aside the power that was flying in a smooth circle.

*Kwaaaaaaaang!*

The power, which hadn’t even touched Baek Yeon-hong, flew backward and crushed the ground.

“Impressive power.”

Baek Yeon-hong raised his head and looked at the one who had unleashed the power.

“…Is that the Iron Tower Giant?”

A man with a physique three times larger than an average person was glaring at him as if he would devour him.

His face, which would have been menacing even if expressionless, was distorted like a demon, and worm-like veins stood out on his head.

“You… I’ll tear you to pieces.”

Bator, his face flushed red, looked at those who had fallen dead and those who had lost consciousness and fainted.

“I’ll kill you!”

A wrinkled hand stopped Bator, who was about to rush out with a roar.

“What, Elder…”

“Calm down.”

Jang Min said in a calm voice.

“The damage here is too great.”

“What are you talking about…”

“I said calm down.”

Bator closed his mouth.

It was because he saw the tip of Jang Min’s hand, which was stretched out in front of him, trembling slightly.

‘Elder.’

Indeed.

The ones who had died, their blood spilled, were mostly demonic cultists. For Jang Min, who led the demonic cult, they were like his own children, and dozens of them had become wandering spirits in an instant.

Was there any need to explain in words how much patience Jang Min was exerting right now?

“That damn bastard…”

But Bang Jin-hoon was just as enraged.

Blood dripped from his hand, which he had clenched so tightly that his veins were about to burst.

“This is quite the flamboyant visitor.” The one who was maintaining his composure was Wiggins.

“My Chinese is still weak.”

Wiggins, stroking his newly grown beard with one hand, stepped forward.

“If I had known you were coming, I would have gone out to greet you, you’re a very impatient person.”

At those words, Baek Yeon-hong raised his head and looked at Wiggins.

“Hmm.”

Then, he sighed as if he was very dissatisfied.

“The procedures here are complicated too. After all this, the Demonic Heavenly Sovereign should have come out himself.”

“Shouldn’t it be at least the Black King to have that kind of qualification? A dog should be treated like a dog.”

“Dog?”

“Yes. Aren’t you the Black King’s dog?”

Baek Yeon-hong laughed heartily at those words.

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m the Black King’s dog. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard those words.”

Wiggins narrowed his eyes.

‘He’s not getting agitated.’

It was a simple provocation. But it was an extremely effective provocation.

That was because someone with that level of skill would never tolerate being ignored.

But that man didn’t fall for the provocation.

‘Strange.’

The more he looked at him, the stranger he felt.

Contrary to his sharp and cynical appearance, his way of speaking and acting was carefree. It was as if two personalities had been mixed together.

“Then aren’t you the Demonic Heavenly Sovereign’s dogs?”

“That’s right.”

Wiggins smiled and said.

“Dogs should hang out with dogs. Come up. We’ll fight you in a wider place.”

“Heh.”

Baek Yeon-hong nodded as if he found it interesting.

“Alright. Lead the way.”

Wiggins, who had been staring intently at Baek Yeon-hong, turned his body without a word.

“Let’s go.”

“The damage will be greater here. Let’s go.”

The other directors nodded and turned their bodies. Then, they slowly began to ascend the hill leading to the Assembly’s central training ground.

It wasn’t that they weren’t boiling with anger, but right now, preventing further damage was the priority.

And Baek Yeon-hong, who had watched their backs, also sheathed his sword and leisurely began to ascend the hill.

“Are you going to follow them?”

At Kwak So’s words, he shrugged his shoulders.

“They told me to come.”

“What if there’s something waiting for you up there? What if it’s a trap!”

“What kind of trap could stop me?”

“They’re not that stupid. Unlike you.”

“Kkuung.”

Kwak So shook his head.

In his eyes, the ones who had appeared now were clearly extraordinary masters. They were not even comparable to the ones Baek Yeon-hong had faced so far.

Yet, Baek Yeon-hong didn’t even treat them as opponents.

This arrogance was typical of Baek Yeon-hong, but…

“Ah, let’s go together.”

The martial artists of the Assembly, watching Baek Yeon-hong walk up, gritted their teeth.

Just as they seemed about to rush at his back, someone’s shout was heard.

“What are you doing, you bastards!”

“Move the injured first! There are still some alive! We have to save even one more person!”

At those words, the ones who had regained their senses bit their lips and rushed to the fallen.

“Hmm.”

Baek Yeon-hong, who had come up to the training ground, looked around.

“It’s low.”

It wasn’t a place where tall buildings could be built, so he didn’t have high expectations, but the Assembly’s building didn’t suit his taste at all. It was too old and too low for the Assembly, which had unified the Korean martial arts world.

“It doesn’t fit.”

Baek Yeon-hong lightly shook his head.

Just by looking at this, one could tell how different the owner of this building was from him.

“Alright.”

Wiggins, who was facing Baek Yeon-hong in the center of the training ground, opened his mouth.

“What is your business here?”

“You’re talking nonsense.”

Baek Yeon-hong opened his mouth indifferently.

“I’ve come to take the Demonic Heavenly Sovereign’s head.”

“Alone?”

“Two of us.”

Baek Yeon-hong nudged Kwak So’s shoulder.

“Though he’s useless.”

“…Hey, in front of others.”

He was utterly relaxed.

Even though he was surrounded in the middle of the enemy’s camp, Baek Yeon-hong didn’t show even a hint of a sense of crisis.

And that composure irritated Wiggins.

“You seem to be mistaken, this place isn’t that fair and square.”

“You’re the one who’s mistaken.”

Baek Yeon-hong twisted the corner of his mouth.

“Do you think you can do anything to me if you all attack at once? Even if you bring all those riffraff?”

“You’re a bunch of fools who don’t know your place. You’re playing the boss in this small country, do you think you’re kings or something?”

Baek Yeon-hong slowly shook his head.

“There’s only one person of value here. That’s all I’m interested in. So don’t waste time and bring the Demonic Heavenly Sovereign. Or I’ll use your death throes to summon him.”

“You…”

“Enough!”

Bator cut off Wiggins’ words with a growling voice.

“You can’t reason with a madman. Just crush his head and that’s it!”

Wiggins didn’t try to stop Bator any further.

As he stepped forward, Baek Yeon-hong looked at Bator with indifferent eyes.

“What are you going to do?”

“Are you deaf? I said I’m going to kill you.”

“You?”

Baek Yeon-hong chuckled.

“The Demonic Heavenly Sovereign is a person who doesn’t understand jokes, so it was frustrating, but you guys are overdoing the jokes. What can you do to stop me?”

Bator’s eyes began to fill with blood.

“You’ll find out when you experience it!”

Bator’s shirt on his upper body burst as he drew up his demonic power, and his whole body turned red.

“Hoo.”

Baek Yeon-hong smiled wryly at the sight.

“Such a messy act.”

*Creak.*

The sword slowly emerged from its scabbard.

“Good, come at me. It’ll be good enough as a warm-up before facing the Demonic Heavenly Sovereign.”

Bator, who had drawn up all his inner power, charged at Baek Yeon-hong like an enraged bear.