Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1578

“Well…”

Bang Jin-hoon looked at Kang Jin-ho with a disgruntled expression.

“Of course…”

He then let out a deep sigh.

“Of course, it’s true that the Guild Master ordered me to create a martial art for the Assembly’s warriors to learn…”

Bang Jin-hoon’s fingers fidgeted, unsure of what to do with themselves.

“It’s a subordinate’s duty to follow orders, but…”

Bang Jin-hoon, with a sulky look, opened his mouth with a subtle tone.

“That martial art… it’s not like it appears out of thin air just because you order it, and expecting results in just a month is a bit much…”

Looking at Kang Jin-ho’s expressionless face, Bang Jin-hoon groaned.

‘I’m not a monster like you guys.’

No, this was something even other monsters would scoff at.

To create a new martial art in just one month.

This was something even Bator would be horrified by, and Wiggins would turn away from. But is it even reasonable to ask that of Bang Jin-hoon?

Bang Jin-hoon looked at the tyrant sitting in front of him with resentful eyes.

That guy is the type to buy a loaf of bread, two colas, and a cup of ramen for five hundred won and tell you to keep the change. He began to feel sorry for those who were Kang Jin-ho’s juniors in the military.

“I think…”

Kang Jin-ho, who had been quietly observing Bang Jin-hoon’s reaction, opened his mouth.

“Yes.”

“Even if I hadn’t said anything first, given Director Bang’s personality, I thought you would have already been preparing. Am I wrong?”

Bang Jin-hoon shook his head.

“Since when did you know my personality so well?”

“You get to know it as you see it.”

“Sigh, there are no secrets in this place.”

Bang Jin-hoon scratched his head. Then, with a slightly embarrassed face, he said,

“It’s not really preparation, but I do have something I’ve been scribbling as a hobby. But it’s not something I’ve built a solid foundation on enough to show…”

“Bring it here.”

“…You’ll hurt your eyes.”

“It’s okay.”

“Ugh…”

Bang Jin-hoon sighed again.

‘Seriously, people’s privacy should be respected.’

Everyone feels the same way about not wanting to show half-finished work to others. It’s not like something amazing is going to come out of it anyway.

Bang Jin-hoon grabbed the mouse with a weak hand and opened the file.

“Here you go.”

“Why are you doing that?”

“No… I still can’t get used to seeing secret manuals in a Korean word file.”

“In this day and age, are we supposed to write it in a notebook?”

“It’s not that, but…”

Kang Jin-ho grabbed the mouse with a disgruntled face.

‘Sometimes, analog isn’t so bad.’

In this situation where you have to read a secret manual on a monitor, analog becomes even more desirable. Of course, if there is no difference in content between typing a secret manual and writing it by hand, there would be no problem, but…

‘It feels different.’

Kang Jin-ho lowered the mouse wheel with an awkward gesture.

Kang Jin-ho’s expression became more serious as he read the tiny letters filling the Korean word document.

“Ugh…”

At the same time, Bang Jin-hoon fidgeted his fingers incessantly behind Kang Jin-ho.

‘Ah, this is so awkward.’

It’s not like I’m a kid getting my homework checked, who knew I’d feel like this at this age.

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho stared intently at the monitor, then, without looking away, took out a cigarette from his pocket. Kang Jin-ho, with a cigarette in his mouth and lit, looked at the screen with a strange gaze.

“…Well, if it’s weird, please say it’s weird.”

“No. It’s not that…”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

“I’m just a little surprised.”

“Yes?”

“So, this is how martial arts evolve.”

Kang Jin-ho let out a hollow laugh.

The secret manual he was looking at was clearly unfinished. But the framework was definitely there, and that framework was what surprised Kang Jin-ho.

‘What should I call this?’

It’s practical and unconventional. On the surface, it’s almost no different from demonic arts. But at its core, the flow of orthodox energy [traditional martial arts energy] is clearly alive.

This was almost a new martial art.

“Necessity is the mother of invention.”

Perhaps the Assembly’s situation, constantly experiencing real battles and wars, led Bang Jin-hoon to create this martial art.

‘If it were the past…’

This martial art would never have been completed.

It’s filled with killing intent. The stances themselves are closer to unorthodox or demonic arts than orthodox ones. If someone from the orthodox sects had created such a martial art in his time, they would have been branded as a demonic heretic, and their limbs and meridians would have been severed.

Because they would have heard that an orthodox practitioner had created demonic arts.

However, there was no sign of such anxiety in Bang Jin-hoon, who was looking at him with a slightly disgruntled expression.

‘So, times have changed.’

In this world where the boundaries between orthodox and unorthodox have blurred and practicality is valued, it seems that even Bang Jin-hoon, who has mastered orthodox martial arts, can produce such a martial art.

Kang Jin-ho stared at the monitor with an incredibly curious look.

“…Is it bad?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“I tried to make it more practical. Thanks to the Guild Master mixing in practical aspects when creating the new martial art before, something good came out… and there are things we have to face in the future.”

“Good choice.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

You can’t have everything. If you want to have one thing, you have to give up another.

Martial arts of speed can be learned quickly, but their limitations are clear. And martial arts of gradual improvement do not have great limitations, but it takes a long time to learn them.

Which one is right is debatable, but there is no need to think about what kind of martial art the Assembly needs now. First, we need to raise the level right away. It’s not too late to worry about the future later.

In that sense, Bang Jin-hoon’s choice was not wrong. No, rather, he created something better than Kang Jin-ho had imagined.

“Why haven’t you completed it?”

“I’ve reached my limit.”

Bang Jin-hoon shrugged.

“It’s similar. I know how it should go, but I don’t know how to get there. I tried to make it similar to the previous martial art, but the level is different, so it’s not helpful.”

“Ugh…”

Bang Jin-hoon shrugged.

“What answer would you get if you asked a frog why it can’t fly? All I know how to do is jump, but I have to teach how to fly, so it’s just difficult.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

“Such exaggeration.”

“It’s not an exaggeration. I’m not a monster like the Guild Master or Bator. If the Guild Master wasn’t here, I’d be bickering with guys like Lee Jung-geol or Kim Seok-il. Everyone has their own limits.”

“It’s not that bad.”

Kang Jin-ho stated firmly.

Of course, it is unknown how the power struggle between Lee Jung-geol and Bang Jin-hoon would have unfolded if Kang Jin-ho had not been there. Lee Jung-geol also had a hidden card.

But regardless of the issue of power and influence, if you were to ask who is the better martial artist, Kang Jin-ho would choose Bang Jin-hoon without hesitation. If ten more years had passed, Lee Jung-geol would not have dared to even think of matching hands with Bang Jin-hoon.

“It doesn’t seem that difficult.”

“Yes. It would be for the Guild Master.”

“No. Director Bang can do it too.”

“Come on, how can I do it? I have no idea what form it will take when it’s completed.”

“I’ll show you.”

“••••••Yes?”

Kang Jin-ho got up from his seat.

Then, he slowly extended one hand forward.

Bang Jin-hoon’s eyes widened as he realized that the stance was the starting posture of the secret manual he had created.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“You’ll know when you see it.”

“W-wait a minute! Here?”

“It doesn’t need that much space.”

“No, that’s not the problem…

Is there really a need to do that?”

Bang Jin-hoon was first taken aback by the fact that Kang Jin-ho had roughly skimmed through the unfinished secret manual and drawn out its completed form.

‘No, well, he can do that. It’s him, after all.’

Bang Jin-hoon had vowed not to be surprised by Kang Jin-ho anymore, at least in matters related to martial arts. To put it bluntly, Bang Jin-hoon was confident that he wouldn’t be surprised even if Kang Jin-ho suddenly flew in the sky.

He would just laugh it off, thinking, ‘Haha, he’s doing all sorts of things now.’

The problem was that if he had grasped the secret manual enough to draw out its completed form, he could just complete it himself, so why was he passing the work on to him by demonstrating it?

“Do it yourself, do it yourself!”

“No can do.”

“Why! Isn’t time of the essence now?”

“It’s important to complete the martial art and pass it on to many people.”

“That’s right!”

“But it’s more important for Director Bang to take a step forward.”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Bang Jin-hoon with serious eyes.

“I’ve never classified Director Bang as outside of our forces. I only assigned you to teach the kids because you wanted to, but Director Bang is also an important part of the Assembly’s power. Not as a teacher, but as a martial artist.”

Bang Jin-hoon bit his lip tightly.

“…Can I really do that? There are so many monsters out there?”

“If Director Bang were their age, you’d be twice as strong.”

“Orthodox energy is something you build up. The accumulated orthodox energy will show its power later. Don’t be discouraged if you think I look weak now. That’s only natural.”

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

“In the past, we only compared ourselves to those who had mastered the same orthodox martial arts. Then, when those who had mastered other martial arts appeared, you felt like it was hard to keep up. Don’t be disappointed. Orthodox energy is like a jar that is wide at the bottom and narrows as it goes up. Even if you fill it with the same amount of water, it will rise more slowly at first.”

“…I understand what you mean.”

“See, and try to complete this martial art. You will definitely be able to take another step forward.”

Bang Jin-hoon nodded with serious eyes.

Why wouldn’t he have the desire to become stronger?

There is no martial artist who gives up on strength. They might give up being a martial artist, but those who live as martial artists can never let go of the desire to become stronger.

They had just put it down for a while, faced with the wall of reality. And they had just found a place where they could be used.

But now, Kang Jin-ho is saying that he still has value as a martial artist.

‘If someone else had said that, I would have laughed…’

Kang Jin-ho is a person who doesn’t lie. If he thought that Bang Jin-hoon was beyond hope, he would have comforted him, but he would not have tried to boost his spirits with a lie.

“Look.”

Kang Jin-ho’s hand slowly began to move.

Bang Jin-hoon’s eyes widened.

He focused and concentrated as if he wouldn’t miss a single one of Kang Jin-ho’s movements.

Kang Jin-ho’s movements, which had been flowing smoothly, became faster and faster. Energy surged, and the air burst out. But even in the face of the fierce wind, Bang Jin-hoon’s eyes did not blink even once.

Soon, Kang Jin-ho’s movements stopped.

Kang Jin-ho, having lowered his hand, looked at Bang Jin-hoon. But Bang Jin-hoon was not looking at Kang Jin-ho.

He just kept muttering something, his eyes closed as if he was trying to organize what had come to his mind.

Kang Jin-ho quietly left the room without disturbing Bang Jin-hoon.