Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1102

“Oh, my, my. Please calm down.”

Though a clear hostility was palpable, the Master remained unfazed. There was no reason for him to be agitated. After all, he was the one wielding the sword.

The sword he held was an incredibly sharp and dangerous demonic blade. A blade so perilous that a careless swing could easily cut his own throat.

Yet, at this moment, the demonic blade was pointed at them. So, there was nothing to fear.

“Getting worked up won’t solve anything, will it?” The Master spoke with a gentle tone, as if soothing a child.

Knight Bellinger let out a deep sigh.

“Master.”

“Speak, Knight Bellinger.”

“What is the reason for this?”

“…Hmm?”

Knight Bellinger met the Master’s gaze steadily.

“I respected you, Master. I had no doubt that you would guide the Round Table in the right direction. That’s why I was able to dedicate myself as a Knight.”

“Indeed.”

The Master acknowledged this. Knight Bellinger was one of the Knights who was a source of strength for the Master. He was a man of honor, aware of his responsibilities. He wasn’t driven by self-interest and always strived for balance.

If it weren’t for Knight Lebeau, a genius among geniuses, the responsibility of uniting the Round Table’s consensus would have undoubtedly fallen to Knight Bellinger. Just as it should be now.

“But why are you doing this?” Knight Bellinger’s face contorted in anguish.

“Those who resort to violence can always be swayed by violence. That’s why, within the Round Table, we must engage in discussions on equal footing, without being influenced by the power we wield or the differences in national strength. Before attempting to resolve issues with force, we must always try to find a solution through dialogue. Wasn’t that your principle, Master?”

“It was.”

“Then why!” Knight Bellinger’s voice rose sharply.

“Why are you doing this! We are Knights. Shouldn’t we, the Knights, be the first ones you consult and discuss such matters with, not those others! Yet why are you trying to suppress us without a single consultation! Without a single conversation!” His voice was almost violent.

Resentment, anger, and passion. Knight Bellinger’s voice was filled with all of that. As if the composed demeanor he displayed before entering the Round Table was a complete lie, he was unleashing pure, unadulterated anger at the Master.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Master!”

But the Master’s eyes didn’t waver in the slightest. With eyes as cold as the glaciers of the Arctic, the Master received the full force of that anger and replied in a voice as cold as his gaze, starkly contrasting with Knight Bellinger’s heated tone.

“Knight Bellinger.”

“Yes, Master.”

“It’s time for you to understand the reality of the situation.”

“…Yes?”

The Master looked at Knight Bellinger with chilling eyes.

“If I were to consult with you, would you hand over your military authority to me?”

Knight Bellinger fell silent.

He knew the answer he should give. Yes. If there was a good reason, and if that method was considered the best, he could hand it over without hesitation. What the Knights desired most was the betterment of the Round Table, not the interests of their individual nations.

Yes, he knew the answer.

However, Knight Bellinger couldn’t bring himself to say that answer aloud.

Because he knew it wasn’t the truth.

He couldn’t hand it over.

No matter the circumstance, relinquishing military authority was impossible. No Knight would agree to it.

“Tell me, what is a conversation?”

“A conversation is…”

“A conversation is meaningful when we can adjust each other’s opinions and move in a positive direction. But do we have any different direction than the one I envision?”

The Master smiled faintly.

“I understand your point. But I simply wished to expedite the process. Lengthy conversations, unproductive meetings, and disagreements that would never find common ground. After all that time, we would have inevitably arrived here. Wouldn’t we?”

“I…”

“Let’s just assume we had a conversation. It wouldn’t change anything anyway.”

“From the beginning!” Knight Bellinger’s voice grew agitated once more.

“Isn’t it you, Master, who is being unreasonable! If the authority to command the Knights Templar passes to you, what can the Knights do! If our hands and feet are bound, what purpose do we serve as Knights!”

“Did you say there’s nothing to do?”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

The Master smiled quietly, looking at Knight Bellinger. Unable to bear that gaze, Knight Bellinger looked away.

“No, no. There are countless things to do. A Knight’s duty is not limited to leading the Knights Templar into battle. And the fact that you must seek my permission does not mean that you won’t be able to lead the Knights Templar in the future. Isn’t that so?”

Knight Bellinger glared at the Master, silent.

“Ultimately, that’s all it is. Whether you seek permission beforehand or not. It’s just a simple procedure. The reason so many people have gathered here is because they don’t wish to adhere to that trivial procedure.”

“So, are you criticizing us?”

“No. It’s not like that. If I were in your position, I would have acted the same way. However, unfortunately, you and I are in different positions. You can’t simply let go of what you hold in your hands, because it’s not something you acquired solely through your own power. So I know you can’t discard it as if you’re doing a favor. But, you see…”

The Master’s voice grew colder.

“I have to take it.”

“Master.”

“You can label it as greed, or you can curse me for being senile. But my decision is final. I have to take it.”

“For what purpose?”

“Does that matter?”

“Are you saying it doesn’t matter?”

The Master laughed.

“Of course, it doesn’t matter.”

“Look, isn’t it time we were honest with each other? If I had a just and good reason, would you hand over the Knights Templar to me?”

Knight Bellinger couldn’t answer.

Because he simply couldn’t.

“If the result remains the same, what’s the point of the reason? No matter the reason I provide, your decision won’t change. If it were me in the past, I would have tried to persuade you somehow, because I believed that was the right thing to do. But not anymore.”

The Master declared.

“Sometimes, adhering to ‘righteousness’ leads to the worst possible outcomes. The result isn’t everything, but neither can we pursue only the process. So, step back. No words, no persuasion can make me step back.”

Knight Bellinger quietly met the Master’s eyes.

Cold eyes.

But within them, he could sense an unwavering conviction.

At that moment, Knight Bellinger realized.

Just as the Master had said, a conversation with him was impossible. No matter what Knight Bellinger, and the other Knights, said, the Master would not withdraw his position.

“Master.”

Thus, Knight Bellinger also had to make a decision.

“You know what happens when matters cannot be resolved through conversation, don’t you, Master?”

“Of course, Knight Bellinger.”

The Master smiled faintly.

“In a way, it was a contradiction. That those who revered power more than anyone else would decide their affairs only through conversation, and not through power. That contradiction has been growing within me. And finally, it has reached its breaking point.”

“Humans are not beasts. Because we are not beasts, we can engage in conversations.”

“You’re wrong again. Beasts also communicate. And there is no animal that suppresses and kills each other with power as much as humans do.”

“So…”

Knight Bellinger raised his head.

“Are you suggesting we should kill each other?”

“Listen carefully, Knight Bellinger,” the Master said calmly.

“If I were afraid of that, would I have come this far? I won’t ask you to understand me.”

It was as Lee Hyun-soo had said.

Understanding is not necessary. The moment you understand your opponent, the fear of them disappears.

“I understand.”

Knight Bellinger rose from his seat.

“The Master I knew no longer exists. From this moment on, I will not acknowledge the Master…”

That was when it happened.

“Sit down.”

A low voice pierced Knight Bellinger’s ears. And before he could even interpret the meaning of the words spoken, Knight Bellinger found himself back in his seat.

Knight Bellinger glared at the one who had spoken.

Kang Jin-ho.

Leaning back in his chair, Kang Jin-ho was looking at him with a nonchalant expression.

“Pathetic.”

Kang Jin-ho put his hand in his pocket and took out a cigarette. He placed it in his mouth and snapped his fingers to light it.

“Hoo.”

Kang Jin-ho slowly exhaled smoke and looked at the Knights.

“We can talk later. It’s not as if we don’t have time. What we need to decide here isn’t that, is it?”

Knight Bellinger stared at Kang Jin-ho with a blank look.

What was this guy saying?

“There’s only one thing to choose. To follow or not to follow.”

What had he heard?

Was he not understanding English properly?

If he had listened to their conversation so far, there was no way he wouldn’t know what decision he, and the Knights who agreed with him, had made.

However, considering how fluently he spoke English, there was no way he couldn’t understand.

“Choose.”

Whether he knew Knight Bellinger’s thoughts or not, Kang Jin-ho continued to speak calmly.

“Whether to follow or not.”

No.

It wasn’t that he didn’t understand the words.

The faces of the Knights who understood Kang Jin-ho’s intentions turned red.

They were afraid.

Yes, they were afraid of Kang Jin-ho. To simply dismiss him as a martial artist from a small country in the East was absurd, the things he had achieved were too significant, and the pressure they were feeling from him was beyond imagination.

But…

Even so, he couldn’t threaten the Knights sitting at the Round Table! Never!

“This is too much!” Before Knight Bellinger could even open his mouth, someone jumped up from their seat.

A face flushed with blood.

Shoulders rising and falling in agitation.

A face that hadn’t completely overcome fear, yet was brimming with determination not to back down, it was overwhelming everything.

Knight Yankova shouted, exuding an aura of defiance.

“What will you do if we don’t follow! How dare someone who isn’t even affiliated with the Round Table…”

Knight Yankova’s words were abruptly cut off.

Knight Bellinger initially thought he was simply too agitated and was catching his breath.

But no matter how long he waited, Knight Yankova’s words did not resume.

With a question in his mind, Knight Bellinger turned his head and froze.

A red line.

A clear red line was appearing on Knight Yankova’s neck, who wore a slightly dazed expression. The line, initially so thin it was difficult to see with the naked eye, was gradually growing thicker.

It was a bizarre sight.

And then…

Crack.

With a sound like the tearing of dry parchment, Knight Yankova’s head separated from his body and fell to the floor.

Thud.

Everyone watched the scene without uttering a word.

It was as if time had stopped for everyone except Knight Yankova.

Thump.

Finally, Knight Yankova’s body fell to the floor. The blood that gushed from his neck began to stain the pristine white marble floor with a vivid crimson color.

‘This is…’

A frozen mind.

More bewildered than horrified.

Before they could even fully grasp what was happening, a low voice pierced their ears.

“Next.”

When they turned their heads, there was Kang Jin-ho, with a nonchalant expression, holding a cigarette in his mouth.

Only then did everyone realize.

From the moment that man appeared here, there was no choice left for them.

Because a deal with the devil always ends this way.