Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1868

“Striking methods, grabbing methods, kicking methods, hand methods, palm methods, fist methods, throwing methods, joint manipulation methods, uh… this is a whip method, and a sliding method? Hmm, should this be classified separately?”

Wiggins was at a loss for words.

‘What kind of variety is this?’

This is enough to start a university.

Moreover, the martial arts he’s currently classifying all fall under the category of fist techniques, or more broadly, attack techniques. He hasn’t even started classifying movement techniques, internal energy cultivation [a practice focused on developing inner strength and vitality], or mental cultivation methods.

“Are there usually this many types of martial arts in the East?”

“This is just the beginning.”

Bang Jin-hoon scoffed.

“We’re still relatively tame. Those Chinese bastards create separate martial arts for using their elbows, and they research how to create wind with their toes.”

Wiggins, speechless, shook his head.

‘This is too inefficient.’

Categorizing and subdividing is a natural tendency for researchers, but this is excessive. Moreover, this isn’t subdivision; it’s just him creating whatever martial art he wants.

“Anyway, let’s try to divide them for now.”

“Ugh, I’m doing it.”

Even while groaning, Bang Jin-hoon started classifying the manuals as Wiggins instructed. He also realized that the problem couldn’t be solved with the current method.

Whether it would help or not, there was no harm in listening to him.

“Ugh… there are way too many.”

Wiggins, Bang Jin-hoon, and Chun Tae-hoon looked at the classified manuals. They had divided the haphazardly piled manuals, and because there wasn’t enough space, they had taken over an entire conference room.

“Hmm.”

Wiggins stroked his chin and clicked his tongue as if he was disappointed.

“Ideally, I’d like to classify Korean and Chinese martial arts separately, but…”

“Then it’ll be twice as much!”

“I know. That’s why I’m holding back.”

Wiggins chuckled at Bang Jin-hoon’s horrified reaction.

“Okay, now that the classification is done, let’s start properly. What kind of martial art are you trying to create?”

“…Why do you ask that?”

“We need to eliminate the unnecessary. Knowledge is essential for creating something new, but sometimes useless knowledge can hinder imagination. There’s a saying in Korea, ‘ignorance is bliss.’”

“…Is that how that saying is used?”

It was pointless to discuss the nuances of Korean with a British person.

“So, what’s your answer?”

Bang Jin-hoon scratched his head as if he had a headache.

He had heard that he needed to create a new martial art. To do that, he also heard that he needed to use all the martial arts in the Assembly as a database and cram them into his head.

He had started with that, so he didn’t have a specific direction for what he needed to create.

“I thought something would come to me if I just did it…”

“That’s where you went wrong.”

“Huh?”

Wiggins frowned.

“Research is only meaningful when there’s a clear objective. Sometimes, research can lead to completely different results or unexpected discoveries, but those are just lucky occurrences that happen when you’re systematically researching with a clear goal.”

“…Okay.”

“So, decide on a direction first. If you don’t have a goal of what you want to create, you’ll end up going the long way around.”

Bang Jin-hoon nodded.

Certainly, Wiggins was more of an expert in this area than he was.

“If I have to create something… it would probably be a divine art.”

“A divine art?”

“Should I call it an internal energy cultivation method, or a basic technique for manipulating energy?”

“Why?”

“Is there a specific reason? It’s just that…”

Wiggins looked at Bang Jin-hoon with a slightly probing gaze. Seeing that gaze, Bang Jin-hoon continued awkwardly.

“It’s… because it’s the most basic of the basics, isn’t it?”

“Basic?”

“Yes. The base of any martial art is internal energy. Whether it’s a hand technique, a striking technique, a fist technique, or a kicking technique, internal energy is the foundation for unleashing its full power…”

Bang Jin-hoon hesitated slightly before speaking.

“I don’t have a specific martial art that I’m particularly good at, and I don’t have a specific area where I have outstanding talent.”

“Hmm.”

Wiggins looked at Bang Jin-hoon with a meaningful expression.

‘Surprisingly, this kind of steadiness is Bang Director’s characteristic.’

He looks like someone who would go around collecting debts, but when it comes to martial arts, he’s surprisingly serious. He doesn’t overestimate himself, nor does he fall into unnecessary self-deprecation.

His constant complaints are a flaw, but who doesn’t have flaws?

“Then we should start with a divine art.”

Wiggins’s gaze turned towards the pile of manuals.

“Which one is…”

Wiggins stopped talking.

His eyes were drawn to the highest and thickest pile of manuals in the center of the pile.

“…You’ve reduced it a bit.”

“…Thank you so much, really.”

Bang Jin-hoon sighed deeply.

“Hey, Bang Director.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll give you a piece of advice.”

“I’ll take it to heart.”

Wiggins’s eyes gleamed slightly as he spoke.

“We have a saying: ‘The success or failure of research is determined when the research begins.’”

“…What does that mean? Then why do we do research?”

“That’s the important part.”

Wiggins stared at Bang Jin-hoon.

“It means that the initial setup is that important. Basically, when someone decides to uncover a fact through research or acquire new knowledge through research, they’ve already almost finished understanding what they’re researching.”

“Research is just the process of confirming it.”

“So, uh…”

“In your heart, you already have a general sketch of the martial art you’re trying to create.”

Bang Jin-hoon closed his mouth.

He seemed to be thinking for a while before tilting his head.

“Honestly, I don’t really know. What I’m trying to do…”

“Then start with that.”

Wiggins elaborated when Bang Jin-hoon looked confused.

“The method you’ve used so far was to understand more things first. It was as if there was no harm in knowing more, whether it helped you or not.”

“…That’s right.”

“But you won’t find an answer that way. How did you create martial arts before?”

“Well…”

After thinking deeply, Bang Jin-hoon nodded.

“I thought about what the guys who would learn this martial art absolutely needed. So, I searched through various martial arts and mixed in the necessary parts.”

“That’s probably what you did. That’s how it should be.”

Wiggins clapped his hands.

“You were able to find what you needed because you had a perfect blueprint back then. But now, that blueprint doesn’t exist. Just like you can’t build a house without a blueprint, no matter how much material you have, you can’t even start if you don’t know what you’re trying to create, no matter how many martial arts you analyze.”

“Start there first. What kind of martial art you’re trying to create now. What kind of martial art will really help you, what kind of martial art will take you to the next level.”

Bang Jin-hoon scratched his head.

“I don’t really understand what you’re saying, but…” Bang Jin-hoon’s eyes became a little more serious.

“Anyway, I think I understand.”

“…That’s a strange answer.”

Wiggins nodded and turned around.

“Then I’ll leave you alone so you can concentrate. Do your best.”

“Um…”

“Hmm?”

Wiggins glanced back at Bang Jin-hoon.

“…Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Wiggins smiled lightly and left the conference room, closing the door behind him.

‘He’s a peculiar man.’

He always felt that Bang Jin-hoon was a person he was always concerned about.

He was a completely different type from him.

He wasn’t as quick with calculations, nor did he act based on rational judgment. He was impulsive, and he made enemies by voicing unnecessary complaints.

He was unreliable for big tasks, and the details were always missing from the tasks he was given. He was sloppy and emotional, and he always caused headaches with unexpected variables.

Yet, strangely, he wasn’t unlikeable.

Rather, Bang Jin-hoon was always surrounded by people. He wasn’t helpful in normal times, but he was always in the most needed place during a crisis, and he somehow managed to solve things that everyone thought were impossible.

‘That’s why I have expectations.’

Sometimes, Bang Jin-hoon’s existence was uncomfortable, and sometimes his personality was annoying, but Wiggins also found himself working hard to help him.

Perhaps this was what people called charisma.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

To what he would create.

“Hoo.”

Left alone, Bang Jin-hoon sighed as he looked at the mountain of manuals.

Wiggins’s words were difficult, but he could understand one thing clearly.

‘I can’t do it if I just do it because I’m told to.’

He had actually done something similar before. When he created the Assembly’s unique martial arts in the past. But what was different now from then was probably his mindset.

“How can I be motivated when I’ve already half given up?”

But this was too vague for Bang Jin-hoon.

A martial art for him, a martial art just for him.

When he thought about it, he had hardly ever done anything for himself.

The reason he opposed Lee Joong-gul was because he thought his methods were destroying the Assembly, and the reason he created new martial arts was because he thought he couldn’t leave the Assembly as it was, being eroded by outsiders and demonic arts. But a martial art for him?

“In the first place…”

What was a martial art for Bang Jin-hoon?

Could there really be a martial art that only Bang Jin-hoon could master?

As he had told Wiggins, he wasn’t a martial artist with any particular characteristics. He wasn’t proficient in magic like Wiggins, nor was he born with divine power like Bator. He wasn’t as experienced as Jang Min.

Could there really be a martial art prepared for someone like him?

Thud.

Bang Jin-hoon sat down on the spot and crossed his arms.

Anyway, he knew one thing.

If he couldn’t solve this clue, he couldn’t move forward. As Wiggins had said, he had to figure out what he wanted to create first.

‘I won’t move before that.’

Even if he died of exhaustion here.

Bang Jin-hoon stared intently at the mountain of manuals piled up in front of him.

At the same time, the chaos that had been raging inside him slowly began to subside.

The wind that had been blowing calmed down, and the waves that had been crashing receded. Soon, his inner self became as calm as a lake.

“Martial arts, martial arts…”

The sun that had been in the middle of the sky went over the western mountains….