Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1420

“Man, this is driving me nuts. Why can’t that guy ever have an easy game?” Han Jin-sung was biting his nails. Jo Mi-hye, who would usually scold him without hesitation, didn’t say a word this time. She just clasped her trembling hands in front of her chest, her eyes fixed on the arena with fervent hope. 2 to 2. The finals, a best-of-five series, had come down to the final match. It was a rollercoaster, going up and down, winning one, losing one, then winning again, and losing again. “Ugh, I feel sick.” “Calm down. Oppa [older brother or a term of endearment for a male] will win.” “If I thought he was going to lose, I wouldn’t have watched this far. Of course, he’ll win! He has to win! But why can’t he win easily? It’s always win-lose-win-win-win or lose-win-lose-win-lose… no! It’s win-lose-win-lose-win!” “You sound like you’re rapping.” “Ugh.” Han Jin-sung scratched his head vigorously. “I’m going to get an ulcer at this rate!” “Stop whining. How hard do you think it is for Yu-min oppa, who’s actually playing?” “Hmm.” Han Jin-sung looked at the arena, as if acknowledging the point. Park Yu-min’s face, as he prepared for the fifth game, was expressionless, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking. ‘Is he nervous or not?’ Now that they’ve reached the fifth game, he might be relaxed, or he might be even more nervous since it’s the final match. Han Jin-sung shook his head. ‘I could never do this.’ The result of a year’s worth of effort is decided in just one game. It’s just like the college entrance exam. ‘Early admission is the best.’ Han Jin-sung prefers mid-term evaluations. He really doesn’t like this kind of extreme tension. “Yu-min oppa is amazing. We’re just watching, and our stomachs hurt. How much more nervous must Yu-min oppa be?” “…Isn’t it like me when I took the college entrance exam?” Jo Mi-hye glared at him. “You were a mess whether you did well or not, how can you compare yourself to Yu-min oppa? Even if Yu-min oppa loses now, he’s still the top student in the country! This is a world championship!” “You have a way of making people feel sad even when you say the same thing.” “It’s not that, it’s that you have a way of saying things without any sense!” “…See?” Han Jin-sung sighed with a mournful look, and Jo Mi-hye clicked her tongue. Kang Jin-ho watched the whole scene and then looked down at his own hands. His palms were wet with sweat. ‘This is killing me.’ He had rarely experienced this level of tension in his life. Kang Jin-ho was someone who didn’t even get nervous when a knife was held to his throat. It wasn’t just talk; even when a blade was stuck in his body and a sword pierced through his side, he had no other thought than ‘I’m going to die.’ But now, Kang Jin-ho was so nervous that he could barely sit still. “…Ah, I’m dying.” Choi Yeon-ha seemed to feel the same way, constantly wiping the cold sweat from her forehead. “Is it usually this intense?” “It’s not usually like this…” A great match is a great match. In the process of reaching the fifth game, there were three long battles. It was a back-and-forth of nail-biting tension. “I heard it’s easy to win the world championship.” Han Jin-sung sighed. “That’s in the past, not anymore. Last year, they didn’t even make it to the top 4, let alone win.” “Really?” “That’s why there are such high expectations for Yu-min hyung [older brother or a term of respect for a male] this time…” Kang Jin-ho glanced at Park Yu-min. Contrary to his worries, Park Yu-min’s play was not bad. In fact, it was more accurate to say that he was playing exceptionally well. His teammates? They were also doing well. The reason why the match wasn’t going easily was that the opponents were also playing exceptionally well. “Hyung, the community is going crazy. They’re saying it’s the best final ever.” “Really?” Kang Jin-ho ended up asking something he shouldn’t have. “Who do they think will win the fifth game?” “…They say we’re at a disadvantage because of the map?” “I see…” Kang Jin-ho’s gaze turned to Park Yu-min. “Hyung, Jin-ho hyung! Yu-min hyung will be okay, right? If I were there, I’d be so nervous I wouldn’t even be able to see the monitor.” “He’ll be fine.” Kang Jin-ho said with a firm face. “Everyone is nervous. The important thing isn’t not being nervous, but performing well even when you are.” That’s the burden that everyone in the world of competition carries. Losing because you couldn’t perform at your best? There’s no excuse more pathetic than that. Not being able to perform at your best is also a skill. The mental strength to withstand pressure is also part of your skill. “There’s no way Park Yu-min would falter under this much pressure.” “Wipe your sweat before you talk!” “…Was I sweating?” Kang Jin-ho wiped his forehead with his sleeve. The match had already been going on for over four hours. Even the spectators were exhausted, so he couldn’t imagine how hard it must be for the players themselves. Physical strength isn’t just depleted by moving your body. Why else would office workers who sit at their desks all day complain of fatigue? The more you concentrate on something, the more your physical strength drops exponentially. The players’ faces were clearly showing tension and fatigue. ‘It’s okay.’ Kang Jin-ho was sure that Park Yu-min wouldn’t lose his focus this easily. Park Yu-min had endured much more difficult situations than this. ‘Let’s go!’ At that moment, the game screen appeared on the monitor. “Aaaah! It’s starting!” Han Jin-sung rubbed his face vigorously with both hands and then opened his eyes wide. “Ah… I can’t watch.” “Watch! What do you mean you can’t watch! It doesn’t matter if he wins or loses. Yu-min hyung came all this way to play, he’s still amazing even if he loses! We have to watch!” “That’s true, but…” “Brace yourself and watch! I’m going to watch until the end.” Han Jin-sung said, looking around. “You guys too! Don’t miss hyung’s match! Got it?” “Yes, hyung!” “Got it!” Kang Jin-ho chuckled as he watched Han Jin-sung, who was comforting the kids. ‘He’s like the old Park Yu-min.’ Although their styles are different, he’s no different in taking care of and leading the kids from the orphanage. ‘Yeah, that’s right.’ At one time, Park Yu-min was constantly visiting the orphanage even while living as a pro gamer. Even with a schedule that made it hard to take care of himself, he was someone who tried to do anything for the kids at the orphanage. That’s why everyone likes Park Yu-min. “Yu-min-ssi… he’ll win, right?” Choi Yeon-ha’s voice trembled slightly. Choi Yeon-ha doesn’t know much about games. Until the announcer says that someone has won, she doesn’t even know who’s winning or losing. Even someone like that was cheering for Park Yu-min with such a desperate look. [Okay, the final match is starting. The winner of this match will be the world champion. The best team of the year will be decided by this match.] [Both teams are showing a truly amazing performance. No matter who wins, everyone will have to acknowledge their perfect gameplay!] [They’re monsters! Everyone is a monster!] [I don’t understand why the finals are a best-of-five series. If it were a best-of-seven, the viewers would be satisfied, and we would be satisfied too. I should suggest that.] [Are you trying to catch the players?] [The players will be happy too. I believe so.] [The faces of the players on the screen don’t look like that. They’re all squeezing out every last drop! That’s why people come to watch the games! That’s why people all over the world are watching!] [Yes. We can see Park Yu-min’s face now. Ah, amazing. Park Yu-min! He’s showing a great performance today. The return of the old guard! The veteran!] [He started his pro career so early and achieved results so early that he seems very old, but he’s not actually that old. He’s still at his peak. The veteran thing is a bit…] [Hahaha! Being a veteran isn’t a bad thing, is it?] [No. The meaning is wrong.] Even while the commentators were bickering, the game was progressing. Kang Jin-ho didn’t miss a single movement on the screen. ‘Even after working so hard, it’s 2 to 2…’ The other players must be the same. There probably isn’t anyone who has worked harder than Park Yu-min among those who have made it this far. They all cut down on sleep and rest time to focus on the game. For others, games are just a form of entertainment, but for them, it’s their life. “Ah, I’d rather go to the awards ceremony or take the same scene a hundred times, this is really making me sick.” Choi Yeon-ha was stomping her feet. Where Kang Jin-ho and the others were, there was an overwhelming sense of tension, but elsewhere, it was a festival atmosphere. Even though the game had only just started, cheers were still pouring out, and chants supporting each team were coming one after another. And in the middle of that festival, Park Yu-min was playing the game. From Kang Jin-ho’s seat, Park Yu-min’s face was not visible. The cheering section was placed behind the game seats, which were arranged in a circle facing each other, so all he could see was Park Yu-min’s chair and the back of his head. Kang Jin-ho quietly heightened his senses and felt Park Yu-min’s energy. ‘Excitement, tension, anxiety, and… enjoyment, maybe?’ Kang Jin-ho smiled without realizing it. “He’s going to win.” “Huh? You can tell just by looking at that? I don’t understand at all.” “No. It’s not that…” Kang Jin-ho chuckled and said. “Yu-min looks like he’s in good shape.” “…You can’t even see the back of his head properly, do you two have some kind of telepathy? I’ve always thought your relationship was suspicious.” Ignoring Choi Yeon-ha’s sharp gaze, Kang Jin-ho quietly looked at where Park Yu-min was. It was a strange feeling. Kang Jin-ho had always respected Park Yu-min. It was true that he had received a lot of help from him, but even without that help, Park Yu-min would have found his own way eventually. He had only sped up the process a little. That’s why Kang Jin-ho recognized Park Yu-min not as someone subordinate to him, but as a friend who was living his own life. But at this moment, Kang Jin-ho was feeling a subtle sense of disappointment. ‘It wasn’t completely, huh?’ It was like the feeling of healing an injured animal and letting it go. Seeing Park Yu-min standing tall completely on his own, without his help, he felt a mix of emotions. ‘That’s how everyone grows.’ It’s not just Kang Jin-ho who is moving forward. Everyone is moving forward. Park Yu-min, Choi Yeon-ha, his friends, his family, the people at the council, and the kids at the orphanage… Every day, they fight in their own battlefields, get hurt, and overcome it to become greater people. Kang Jin-ho muttered without realizing it. “Sister Director.” Yu-min is fighting over there. Now he’s doing it alone, without you or me. Kang Jin-ho quietly closed his eyes. – Then how about you? Well, Sister. I’m just trying my best. To become the person you said I should be. Kang Jin-ho smiled and opened his eyes. “Win! Park Yu-min!” Kang Jin-ho jumped up from his seat and shouted, and the kids from the orphanage and Lee Hyun-soo also jumped up and started shouting. In that great roar, another moment was passing by.