Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1726

Kwaaaang!

The fist, imbued with terrifying demonic energy, shot out.

The man facing him was blasted backward, unable to withstand the sheer force of the demonic energy.

‘This bastard?’

His eyes, blood-red from the demonic energy surging to his head, were filled with murderous intent.

But before he could unleash his fury, a barrage of attacks came hurtling toward him.

Kwaang!

Kwaaaang!

Demonic energy clashed against demonic energy, creating a violent storm of power around them.

Koo-oong!

With a resounding crash, a figure was sent flying, tumbling across the floor.

Lee Myung-hwan, who had been relentlessly attacking, planted his fingers on the ground to regain his footing.

His body trembled, but he slowly regained his balance.

‘…That bastard, he’s been brutal lately.’

‘He’s gotten incredibly strong, too.’

The demonic flames [a group of fighters with demonic powers] watching him clicked their tongues.

When the demonic flames were first formed, Lee Myung-hwan hadn’t stood out like he did now. He was merely the leader because he was the only one who could communicate smoothly with Kang Jin-ho among the other difficult members.

But now, none of them could look at Lee Myung-hwan the same way.

Through the rigorous training of Kang Jin-ho and Jang Min, Lee Myung-hwan had grown faster than anyone else. Now, none of the demonic flames could confidently say they were stronger than him.

The demonic flames watched Lee Myung-hwan with undisguised envy and jealousy.

‘That bastard, until recently, he was weaker than me…’

‘When was ‘recently’? Do you think a year is like a day?’

‘What, you little punk?’

The sharp voices echoed through the training ground.

It was only natural.

The demonic flames were chosen for their competitive spirit and personalities, not just their martial prowess. If they could simply laugh when someone weaker surpassed them, they didn’t deserve to be there.

They had to be seething, as if they had a hot stone in their stomach.

However, even with their envy, no one belittled Lee Myung-hwan. They all knew how hard he had trained.

It seemed the saying ‘a position makes a person’ wasn’t entirely wrong.

At first, Lee Myung-hwan was extremely burdened by his role as leader of the demonic flames. But through his efforts to become worthy of that position, he had become one of the strongest among them.

However, Lee Myung-hwan didn’t seem too happy with his achievements. He lowered his fist, his face still etched with regret and lingering frustration.

‘Hoo!’

A rough breath escaped him.

‘Hey, aren’t you overdoing it?’

‘What?’

‘It seems excessive.’

Lee Myung-hwan frowned. He seemed about to say something, but he shook his head and headed to the shower room.

‘…What’s wrong with that bastard?’

‘Leave him alone.’

‘No, it’s not like he’s only training.’

‘I said leave him alone.’

Some of the complaints were quickly silenced by an annoyed voice.

‘You bastards, I’ve been watching you. Since when did we start picking on someone for working hard?’

‘If you can’t keep up, you should grit your teeth and push harder, not try to backstab like a petty person. You idiots.’

His words hit the mark, and no one answered.

‘That bastard is doing everything he can right now. So, if you can’t praise him, at least don’t be a jerk. He must be under a lot of pressure right now.’

Everyone nodded.

‘If you have time to talk about others, go train, you bastards.’

The demonic flames’ gazes followed Lee Myung-hwan as he headed to the shower room.

Shwaaaaaa.

The water pressure felt a bit strong. Or maybe he was just overly sensitive, feeling the water hitting his skin with unusual force.

Lee Myung-hwan, who had raised his hand to sweep back his wet hair, frowned without realizing it.

‘It’s not enough.’

He was trying.

He was pushing himself to his limits.

But no matter how hard he tried, this thirst wouldn’t go away. Even as he grew stronger, the path ahead still seemed too far.

If it had been him in the past, he wouldn’t have felt impatient about the distance. Because he felt like he had plenty of time.

But both he and the demonic flames felt it. That this battle with the Heavenly King might be their last.

A possibility only has meaning when it becomes a reality. No matter how much potential there is to become stronger, if you die before realizing that dream, then it’s over.

That’s why he was impatient.

He had to get as strong as possible before this war broke out.

‘Hoo!’

Lee Myung-hwan rubbed his face roughly.

He tried not to be impatient, but how could he control his heart?

One thought, in particular, was making things difficult for Lee Myung-hwan.

‘Did I really do my best?’

He thought he had tried hard.

He always trained more than others, and he worked harder than others. Even when his body felt like it was going to break from the pain of training, he gritted his teeth and endured it.

But this question still tormented him.

‘Did I really do my best?’

He couldn’t answer.

No.

Who in the world could answer that question clearly?

Was there even a single day when he could confidently say that he had done his best?

Lee Myung-hwan turned off the shower and walked out.

In the past, he thought that he and the directors, no, even before Kang Jin-ho, had different innate talents. So, no matter how hard he tried, he could never be like them.

But recently, his thoughts had changed a bit.

Maybe what separated him from them was the difference in how many days they had pushed themselves to their absolute limit.

‘I should have realized it sooner.’

Lee Myung-hwan bit his lip tightly. At that moment, the door burst open.

‘I’m gonna die, seriously.’

A booming voice echoed through the locker room.

‘Huh?’

‘What?’

The two men looked at each other.

Gong Young-gil, his body covered in bruises, squeezed through the door and came inside.

‘…Hey, why is your body like that?’

‘What?’

‘Why are you covered in bruises?’

‘You’re asking the obvious. It’s because I got my ass kicked.’

‘…By Director Bator?’

‘Would I be alive if it wasn’t him?’

Gong Young-gil snorted.

‘These bastards, now when we spar, it’s never an easy thing. In the past, we would just punch each other and be done, but now, if you fall, they jump on you! Are we wrestling?’

Lee Myung-hwan tilted his head, as if he couldn’t imagine it.

Well.

Since they were mainly training in external martial arts, it would be advantageous for them to close the distance. So, they could fight like that.

There was no right answer in martial arts, and choosing the fighting method that best suited one’s characteristics and martial arts was also a skill.

‘So, it’s because you got hit?’

‘If I got like this from getting hit, what would have happened to the others? They’re all in the infirmary right now.’

‘I didn’t ask?’

‘…You bastard.’

Gong Young-gil got annoyed and went into the shower room.

As Lee Myung-hwan was about to leave without a word, Gong Young-gil glared at him.

‘Where are you going?’

‘Where else? I’m going out. I’m done showering.’

‘Wait, you bastard. I haven’t showered yet.’

‘Do I have to wait for you to shower?’

‘I have something to say, so wait.’

That guy was a weirdo, too.

Lee Myung-hwan chuckled and sat on a chair in the locker room. Soon, the sound of water spraying from the shower that Gong Young-gil had turned on could be heard.

‘Oh, my?’

He told someone to wait and then started humming. In the past, he was a guy who knew shame and manners, but now, it seemed like his muscles had filled up the space where shame and manners used to be.

After waiting for a long time, Gong Young-gil came out of the shower and put on his clothes.

‘Let’s have a banana milk.’

‘…Did you come here for a bath?’

‘Banana milk is the truth after a shower.’

Gong Young-gil walked briskly to the lounge without waiting for Lee Myung-hwan’s answer.

Lee Myung-hwan sighed and followed Gong Young-gil.

Sluuuurp.

‘…Hey, Young-gil.’

‘What?’

‘Are you drinking yogurt?’

Gong Young-gil, who was sucking down a six-pack of banana milk with one straw as if it were yogurt, frowned.

‘Man, I’m big.’

‘You’re only half the size of Director Bator.’

‘…I’ve been thinking about that, and that guy doesn’t seem human. He’s probably an alien or a giant or something.’

Gong Young-gil, who had finished his banana milk and put it on the table, glanced at Lee Myung-hwan and stroked his chin.

‘But why does your face look like that?’

‘…What?’

‘You look like you’re about to explode with complaints? Are you getting beat up these days?’

‘…Me?’

Lee Myung-hwan chuckled.

Come to think of it, no one had said that to him lately. Among the general members of the Assembly, the only people who could joke with Lee Myung-hwan were Gong Young-gil and Chun Tae-hoon.

‘I just have some worries.’

‘Cheer up. You look like crap.’

Lee Myung-hwan’s face hardened.

‘That’s a bit…’

‘I don’t know what you’re complaining about, but even if a person changes, their attitude shouldn’t change. If it were you in the past, would you have had that kind of expression when you had worries?’

‘I thought, wow, a great master has been born. Since when did Lee Myung-hwan’s shoulders become so stiff? I know you’re doing well, but you’re starting to become annoying, so tone it down.’

‘Hey, you bastard, are you going to keep talking like that?’

‘What? Why? Do you want to fight?’

Lee Myung-hwan gritted his teeth and glared at Gong Young-gil.

Gong Young-gil had always been like this. He didn’t know how to keep his distance, and he would sometimes say things that were too much. Since the past….

‘Since the past?’

Lee Myung-hwan closed his mouth.

That’s right.

Gong Young-gil was originally that kind of person. And Lee Myung-hwan knew that, but he was still Gong Young-gil’s closest friend. Because it didn’t bother him in the past.

Then what about now?

‘Do you understand?’

Gong Young-gil frowned and looked at Lee Myung-hwan.

‘You seem to be mistaken, but just because you’ve become stronger and more capable doesn’t mean you can act like you’re a big deal. That’s annoying.’

‘You’re Lee Myung-hwan, not the Assembly Leader. Even the Assembly Leader doesn’t act like you. I don’t know what your worries are, but does that mean everyone around you has to take care of you? Should we carry you on our shoulders?’

‘…No.’

‘Power is crap. When people get stronger, they want to show off. Those who do it openly just get cursed at, but those who subtly make things difficult for those around them, like you, will be abandoned by those around them.’

Gong Young-gil got up from his seat.

‘Tone it down, you bastard. Tone it down. The Lee Myung-hwan I know was someone who thought about the people around him, even if he wasn’t strong. When did you become this kind of guy?’

‘I’m going. Next time we meet, try to cheer up.’

Gong Young-gil turned around and headed outside.

‘Hey, Young-gil!’

‘…What?’

Lee Myung-hwan, who had called out to Gong Young-gil, stared at him for a long time before opening his mouth slightly.

‘Thank you.’

‘You’re full of it.’

Gong Young-gil raised his middle finger and went outside without any regrets.

Lee Myung-hwan, who was left alone, let out a deep sigh.