Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1192

“I did think about it a bit.”

“Think about it?”

“Yeah, think about it.”

Bang Jin-hoon replied with an awkward laugh.

“I was wondering if I should just go all out at once, or try to make it look like I was just dribbling a little bit so it wouldn’t be noticeable.”

“……Huh?”

“I’m talking about piss, you bastard. Piss.”

Kim Won-hyuk’s eyes widened. What was he talking about?

“I was about to piss my pants from being scared.”

Bang Jin-hoon glared at Kim Won-hyuk, as if annoyed.

“Hey, do you think I’m not human? It’s a situation where I could lose my head with just one mistake, wouldn’t I be scared?”

“But how were you able to fight like that?”

“What do you mean how did I fight?”

“You showed your full potential……”

*Thud!*

Bang Jin-hoon smacked Kim Won-hyuk on the head. Kim Won-hyuk covered his head and bowed.

“Ouch, ouch……”

“This bastard, what a funny guy? Is that all you think of me? Man, if I had shown my full potential, I would have torn that guy apart in ten seconds.”

“……Huh?”

“Who the hell shows their full potential in a real fight? Everyone fails to show their full potential.”

Kim Won-hyuk looked at Bang Jin-hoon, as if he couldn’t understand.

“So, you’re saying you didn’t even show your full potential, but you still beat that Japanese guy?”

“That bastard didn’t show his full potential either.”

“Huh?”

“Ha, this bastard…… Huh, huh, what’s so strange about that, huh? Do you think soccer players or basketball players show their practice skills 100% in a real game? Have you seen NBA players practice their three-pointers? They make every single one out of a hundred. But when they go into a real game, they can’t even make 40%. That’s what a real game is like.”

Kim Won-hyuk’s eyes wavered.

“So, stop watching so many movies, you bastard. A type that’s strong in real fights? There’s no such thing. That’s just in movies. Everyone fails to show their full potential in a real fight. That’s just how it is.”

“It’s not that you’re a coward. That’s just how it is.”

Kim Won-hyuk nodded, as if he understood.

“So, what you’re saying, Director, is that it’s not wrong that I was scared.”

“Yeah.”

“That means……”

Kim Won-hyuk understood the true meaning hidden in Bang Jin-hoon’s words.

“……It’s a matter of skill.”

“You got it.”

Bang Jin-hoon clicked his tongue and said.

“People always look for reasons when they can’t produce satisfactory results. Hey, let’s say you were completely scared today, but you still beat up ten guys. Would you be worrying about this now?”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“Right. You’re looking for reasons because you’re not happy with the result, and the easiest reason to find is something like that. You were nervous, you were unlucky, you weren’t in good condition. What a load of crap. You know, Michael Jordan was flying around in the finals even when he had the flu. If you have the skill, you can cover up things like condition or luck.”

“Yes.”

“Mental strength? Mental strength is important. But you can’t use that mental strength if you don’t have the skill. Don’t worry. Even if you weren’t scared at all today, the result wouldn’t have changed. So, instead of worrying about useless things, you should train. There’s only one way. Improve your skills. Got it?”

“Yes, Director!”

Kim Won-hyuk nodded vigorously.

In fact, it was closer to a new problem arising rather than the problem being solved. And that new problem was a little more serious than the problem he had been thinking about.

But Kim Won-hyuk felt relieved.

If he lacked skill, he could just improve it. But mental aspects aren’t something that can be solved by trying. Just finding room to try was positive.

“Make sure you go to the hospital.”

“Yes!”

As Kim Won-hyuk bowed his head and turned around, Bang Jin-hoon smiled and looked at Kim Won-hyuk’s back.

‘It won’t be easily solved.’

But it was still good.

Perhaps it was just a waste of time in the midst of being busy. Listening to such worries in this urgent situation was an excessive luxury.

But Bang Jin-hoon thought this time had meaning.

Fighting this battle without Kang Jin-ho, taking risks, and putting ordinary martial artists at the forefront was all for this.

‘Worry.’

What it means to live as a martial artist, and what one must bear to live as a martial artist……

If everyone worries about that and finds their own answers, the General Assembly will be able to move forward more than it is now.

‘That’s also a problem for when we win this war.’

Bang Jin-hoon turned his head with a slightly serious face.

It was unlikely, but if something were to happen to Kang Jin-ho, all of this would be in vain.

‘For now, let’s do what I can.’

Supporting Kang Jin-ho was something others would do. First, Bang Jin-hoon had to clean up this place.

‘I need to talk to the police.’

About how to wrap things up here.

“Don’t slack off, you bastards! Hurry up and pour! If you don’t finish before sunrise, you’re done for!”

“Yes!”

Bang Jin-hoon slightly eased the worry on his face as he watched the people diligently carrying water tanks.

“Huff! Huff! Huff!”

Lee Hyun-soo saw the sky turning yellow.

‘Damn it, it’s still night!’

It was too early for the sun to rise. But the sky was yellow. That’s how much he had reached his limit.

Normally, he would have complained, but now Lee Hyun-soo gritted his teeth without a single complaint.

It was none other than him who had forced his way to follow. But now he couldn’t say anything else. Even if his breath reached the tip of his chin and his heart burst, he had to run until he collapsed.

‘Even so……’

It was an incredible speed.

Perhaps if Lee Hyun-soo was alone, it would have been impossible to run at this speed. But running in pace with others made it possible to push himself to his limit.

That’s how he was able to keep up with this speed.

A dark mountain path.

They were moving at high speed on a path that ordinary people would struggle to even walk on, let alone run. The surrounding scenery passed by quickly.

The sound of feet kicking off the ground and the rough breathing pierced Lee Hyun-soo’s ears.

“Huff! Huff!”

The one in the lead was Jang Min.

Jang Min’s back urged them on. After hearing that Kang Jin-ho might be in danger, Jang Min didn’t fret like usual. He just nodded with a stern face and started leading everyone.

“Which way!”

When an ambiguous path appeared, Jang Min shouted without looking back. Lee Hyun-soo quickly looked at his phone screen and answered.

“Left!”

The direction changed. In that instant, Lee Hyun-soo, who had staggered, lost his balance and crashed to the ground.

No, he should have crashed.

*Thump.*

At that moment, something grabbed the back of Lee Hyun-soo’s neck.

“Ah……”

“Tsk.”

A huge hand.

The hand that lifted Lee Hyun-soo pulled him up and tucked him under his arm. Being hung on a man’s side wasn’t a pleasant experience, but this wasn’t the time to worry about that.

“Tell the direction properly.”

“Yes!”

Lee Hyun-soo answered with difficulty, trying to catch his breath.

‘Damn it.’

His stomach churned.

He was aware that he wasn’t a combatant, but he shouldn’t be a burden like this. A tool that can’t be used when needed is useless no matter how useful it is.

He had to get stronger. To keep pace with them.

“How far?”

“We’re almost there.”

“Wo……”

Wiggins let out a slightly suppressed groan.

His hands were glowing white. He didn’t know the principle, but Wiggins was using magic to increase the speed of those who were moving. Their feet moved as if they were skating on ice.

If this was possible, wouldn’t it be better to bring more people? But when he saw Wiggins’ face, that thought disappeared.

“Hah!”

Wiggins raised his hand and wiped his face.

Sweat poured down his pale face like rain. Lee Hyun-soo had never seen Wiggins struggle this much.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“But……”

“It seems like Bator’s side is comfortable, seeing as your mouth is open.”

“This isn’t the time to worry about whether I’m okay or not. We have to do everything we can.”

“Yes.”

Lee Hyun-soo shut his mouth.

‘It’s desperate.’

Not just Lee Hyun-soo, but everyone else too.

Wiggins had consumed a large amount of mana due to the battle in Gunsan. And he was still using mana now. If he ran to the General Assembly like this, Wiggins might collapse without even being able to participate in the battle.

But now, Wiggins wasn’t thinking about the aftermath.

Others could handle the battle. But this was something only he could do. He had to squeeze out every last drop of mana to reduce the time it took to arrive, even by a little.

‘Even if I collapse on the way.’

Wiggins gritted his teeth.

None of those running to the General Assembly right now thought that Kang Jin-ho would be easily defeated. Kang Jin-ho was that kind of person. Even if Wiggins were to fight Kang Jin-ho, they couldn’t even figure out how to kill him.

Absolute strength.

Overwhelming power.

But war wasn’t just about that.

Unexpected variables always occur in war. Forces that seemed like they would never lose could be annihilated in an instant, and battles that seemed impossible to win could end in a great victory due to luck.

If war was something that could be perfectly calculated with reason and strategy, it wouldn’t even happen in the first place. The outcome would be decided before it even started.

In other words……

No matter how strong Kang Jin-ho was, there was always a possibility that he could be defeated by the Japanese. Especially if they didn’t know what those guys were hiding.

Reducing that variable was their job.

If something were to happen to Kang Jin-ho, the aftermath was unimaginable.

And it wasn’t just a matter of the result.

None of the people here wanted Kang Jin-ho to die. Kang Jin-ho now had a meaning to them that was more than just a superior.

“Hah! Hah! Hah!”

His hair, which had fallen down, stuck to his face.

Wiggins, in a state that was more disheveled than he could ever have imagined, urged his heavy legs on.

The directors, except for Wiggins, had managed to preserve some of their stamina, but those who were following them were now exhausted.

At that moment, Jang Min’s voice was heard.

“Increase the speed!”

‘More than this?’

Before he could even organize his thoughts, Jang Min’s unusually cold voice flowed out.

“Those who dare to target the Demon Lord will be thrown into the depths of hell and torn to pieces! Those who can’t run, crawl!”

“Yes!”

Wiggins grinned and boosted his magic power.

‘Let’s die on the way.’

He unleashed his magic power without thinking about the aftermath. If he did this, he would never be able to walk to the General Assembly, but it didn’t matter.

Looking at the back of that reliable old man.

“We’ll arrive in 20 minutes! Last push!”

At Lee Hyun-soo’s shout, everyone put strength into their legs.

The goal was the General Assembly.

The place where Kang Jin-ho was.

“……It’s tough.”

Tsukikage’s eyes slightly narrowed.

The one who attacked had turned into blood and disappeared. But in the case of Kang Jin-ho, who had taken the attack head-on, he had only suffered minor bruises.

An attack that he thought would at least blow off an arm was just a minor bruise……

‘The more I look at him, the more he seems like a monster.’

Kang Jin-ho was completely beyond the common sense of martial arts that Tsukikage knew.

But it wasn’t bad news.

‘So, he does get hurt?’

Tsukikage licked his lips. The fact that he confirmed the opponent could be injured was encouraging.

It was obvious, but for them now, that obvious fact was more important than anything. Being able to get hurt meant that attacks were working, and if attacks were working, it meant there was a possibility of defeating him with continuous attacks.

‘I need to push him without giving him a break.’

Tsukikage signaled with his hand. In the eyes of the shadows and Tsukihas [members of the Tsukikage clan] who received his signal, a desperate determination flickered.

Throb.

The pain in his shoulder was grating on his nerves.

Kang Jin-ho took a deep breath.

A rage that made his head spin was stimulating him. Seeing the blood splattered on the floor made his anger surge even more.

‘A suicide attack….’

He didn’t intend to criticize the means.

When facing an opponent that you can’t win against no matter what, you can’t consider the means or methods. If you fight fair and square, you’ll just die. You can’t tell someone to die honorably.

That wasn’t why Kang Jin-ho was angry.

‘Kamikaze….’

Living as a Korean, it’s a word you can’t help but hear. [Kamikaze refers to suicide attacks by Japanese pilots in World War II, often associated with a sense of desperate sacrifice.]

But Kang Jin-ho hated that word with a passion.

Giving up your life to gain an advantage?

What a joke.

That advantage is only for those who remain.

How can you possibly compensate for the life of the dead?

The decision to give up one’s life can only be made by one’s own will.

Of course, they must have their own reasons.

And they must have their own will.

But he couldn’t help the physiological disgust that surged from his heart.

Even if Shinichi-kai [a fictional organization] were to dominate the world using such methods, what could they possibly compensate the dead with?

This was a different issue from risking one’s life in battle.

“Tch!”

Kang Jin-ho spat out the blood that flowed from his torn mouth.

Then, without a word, he raised Red Dew and Blue Dew [likely names of his swords].

“Maybe it’s a form of consideration.”

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes glowed red.

He really felt like fighting properly.

The subtle feeling of not being fully engaged had disappeared. He felt like crushing everything in front of him.

With Tsukikage’s signal, the Tsukihas screamed and rushed at Kang Jin-ho.

Darkness mingled with their black uniforms. All that could be seen were the blue-glowing Japanese swords.

Kang Jin-ho bared his teeth at the sight.

Red Dew and Blue Dew were engulfed in black flames. The ominous, pitch-black flames completely enveloped Red Dew and Blue Dew and fell upon the charging Tsukihas.

It was a sight of evil manifesting in the world.

The charging Tsukihas flinched and trembled.

Something was different.

Clearly, there was no change in Kang Jin-ho’s appearance from before. His appearance was the same. But the sensation that was being transmitted was clearly different from before.

His heart was shrinking.

His skin was tightening, and he was suffocating.

The violently surging killing intent was bleaching their brains white.

“Gasp!”

The reason they couldn’t back down was not because of willpower. It was the brainwashing-like teachings they had heard thousands of times on the battlefield that they should never retreat that grabbed their ankles.

And the price was high.

Crack!

A sword that emits sword energy.

For a swordsman, the sword is a symbol of absolute faith.

The reason humans can fight with swords is because they believe that the sword will never break. This is why no one fights with a razor blade, no matter how sharp it is.

It will not break against the opponent’s attack. It will not break against one’s own inner strength.

That’s why, for a swordsman, the sword is an absolute, immortal existence that they can bet their lives on.

But now, that faith was crumbling.

Clang! Clang!

The Japanese swords broke like reeds.

The highest-grade Japanese swords, made with all the heart and soul of a recognized master craftsman, were snapped and broken as easily as a child’s toy.

Wide eyes.

The reaction of a human whose faith has been shattered is usually similar.

Horror turns into doubt, and doubt turns into despair. But fortunately, they didn’t have to go through that miserable process.

Before horror could turn into doubt, Kang Jin-ho’s Red Dew had already sliced through their hearts.

Swoosh.

The sword cut through the flesh. There wasn’t even a sound.

The human body was too weak to withstand Kang Jin-ho’s Red Dew, which was filled with demonic energy that seemed about to explode.

That’s what power is.

The Tsukihas were those who had endured hellish training.

They were people who could be proud of their own strength and level.

But power is always relative.

No matter how much power they had accumulated, they were bound to be weak in the face of greater power.

In that sense, facing Kang Jin-ho was their misfortune.

Kang Jin-ho was always a predator on the battlefield, a demon who trampled on the weak.

Swoosh!

A fountain of blood sprayed everywhere. The body, split in half, collapsed and was covered in black flames.

“Haaah!”

But the reaction was a little different.

They were also aware of Kang Jin-ho’s strength. They didn’t think for a moment that those who had rushed ahead would be able to stop Kang Jin-ho. Even while watching their comrades’ bodies being covered in black flames and dying right in front of them, they rushed in with eyes full of poison.

“Long live Shinichi-kai!”

The sudden shout grated on Kang Jin-ho’s nerves.

A sharp Japanese sword barely grazed Kang Jin-ho’s neck. The price for missing a desperate, life-risking blow had to be paid with one’s life.

Wham!

Kang Jin-ho’s fist struck the jaw of the one who had rushed in.

The body, with a large hole from the jaw to the top of the head, was flung into the air.

Overwhelming power.

The sheer sight of it was enough to rob one of the will to resist.

And with that momentum, Kang Jin-ho, who seemed about to charge, spun his body around.

He saw a shadow rising from the floor in his eyes.

Kang Jin-ho bared his teeth and smiled.

Swoosh!

Before he could confirm with his eyes and his head could finish thinking, Blue Dew sliced off the neck of the one who was rising.

The shadow probably didn’t even feel its neck being severed.

But Kang Jin-ho saw it.

He saw the hand of the shadow whose neck had been severed moving, and that something was being held in that hand.

Click.

The moment the thumb pressed something!

BOOM!

The shadow’s body exploded. At the same time, an unbearable, massive shock covered Kang Jin-ho’s body.

Kang Jin-ho, who had been thrown to the floor, spat out blood and immediately got up.

His mind was dizzy.

‘I cut off his neck?’

For a moment, he couldn’t understand.

Energy is will. The one whose neck was severed could no longer continue his will. No matter how strong his mental power was, no matter how strong his willpower was, it was the same.

The will of the dead has no power in reality.

But to exert this much power? It was realistically impossible. This was something that overturned the common sense of martial arts.

Then there was only one conclusion.

This was not martial arts.

At that moment, someone suddenly rose from under Kang Jin-ho’s feet. Before he could even react, a hand that had popped out grabbed Kang Jin-ho’s ankle.

If there had been even a little bit of killing intent, there was no way Kang Jin-ho wouldn’t have noticed. But from the one who had risen, there was not a trace of killing intent, not a trace of hostility.

Kang Jin-ho’s gaze turned downwards.

The one who had grabbed his ankle was looking up at Kang Jin-ho.

All that could be seen through the mask that covered most of his face were his two eyes. And Kang Jin-ho, confirming that tears were flowing from those two eyes, unknowingly clenched his teeth.

“Mother….”

BOOM!

The explosion sent Kang Jin-ho flying into the air.

The slightly blackened vision returned. What came into his brightened vision was the large moon looking down at him.

Kang Jin-ho’s body fell to the ground.

Thud!

The Tsukihas rushed at Kang Jin-ho from all directions as he turned his body and landed on the ground.

“Ugh!”

In an instant, demonic energy blazed from the tips of Kang Jin-ho’s feet. The demonic energy, burning like the hellfire of hell, spread out like the tongue of a demon, covering the rushing Tsukihas.

“Aaaah!”

“Uwaaaah!”

The pain of their entire bodies melting was too much to bear with mental strength alone. Those covered in demonic energy screamed in terror and rolled on the floor.

“Cough!”

Kang Jin-ho covered his mouth as he withdrew his demonic energy.

Thick blood stained his hand.

“Hoo…”

Kang Jin-ho, who had exhaled deeply, got up.

The wounds were deep.

The body, which had taken the full force of the explosion, was burned, and the thigh, which had taken the explosion at the closest range, was torn and bleeding.

If the wound had been a little deeper, the femoral artery might have been torn, and he might have lost his life in an instant.

This was a completely different kind of crisis than anything Kang Jin-ho had experienced before.

There was an irony.

The speed of those who use martial arts cleanly transcends human reflexes.

But those who use martial arts avoid and defend against the attacks that are unleashed at that tremendous speed. It’s like how a boxer avoids a jab that is impossible to see and block with his eyes, just by weaving.

It was the same principle.

Martial artists also don’t accurately recognize and avoid the opponent’s attacks. All attacks have a preliminary action. The energy circulates, and it determines the direction in which the energy will extend. If you can sense that in advance, it’s not impossible to avoid it.

But this explosion was not like that.

There was no sign, no preparation. It just exploded at some point.

And now Kang Jin-ho could tell where this shock came from. The heat and the acrid smell were telling him.

“…A bomb?”

Kang Jin-ho muttered as he wiped his face with his sleeve, and Tsukikage replied with a blank face.

“That’s right.”

Tsukikage gave a slight nod. A warrior who was trembling like an aspen began to translate in a stammering tone.

“Are you going to call it cowardly?”

“Cowardly?”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

Cowardly….

If you think about it that way, martial arts would be cowardly too.

Whether it’s martial arts or weapons, their roots are the same. Aren’t they tools to kill the opponent efficiently? There’s no law that says martial artists shouldn’t use firearms or weapons.

That’s just what those who are swayed by martial arts and confuse the means with the purpose say.

But….

“This isn’t cowardly.”

Kang Jin-ho bared his teeth.

“It’s called despicable.”

Kang Jin-ho’s Red Dew pointed at Tsukikage.

“If you want to use such methods, you should have charged in yourself. Not just stand there and send your subordinates.”

Tsukikage shrugged.

“Let’s just say it’s a difference in methods.”

A difference in methods….

“Hah…”

Kang Jin-ho let out a bitter laugh.