Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1948

Gong-ryeong’s gaze turned backward.

It was unthinkable to turn one’s gaze away while facing Kang Jin-ho. Taking one’s eyes off a hungry beast was akin to accepting the sharp fangs sinking into one’s neck.

Yet, Gong-ryeong turned his gaze.

There were two reasons.

One was that he couldn’t bear not to see with his own eyes the spectacle that Kang Jin-ho had created with a single blow.

The other was the certainty that even if he turned his head, Kang Jin-ho wouldn’t bite his neck.

A cat doesn’t immediately kill the mouse in its grasp.

Gong-ryeong, seeing the massive hole punched through the middle of the mountain, unconsciously clenched his fist.

The sight itself wasn’t that impressive.

He wasn’t the type focused on destructive power, so he couldn’t create such a scene with a single blow. However, he knew more than ten people who could create such a scene.

Right here, the Freak, the Blood King, and even Bator might be able to shake a mountain range with a single blow.

But the problem was that the scene wasn’t created by the energy Kang Jin-ho had unleashed. What had created that unbelievable sight was the Blood King’s body, which had been sent flying by his attack.

‘How…?’

Unbelievable destructive power.

It felt as if the common knowledge he had about martial arts had instantly collapsed.

Gong-ryeong, staring blankly at the carnage Kang Jin-ho had created, turned his gaze back to Kang Jin-ho.

He was lightly brushing his hand across his face.

A streak of blood.

A very thin red line had formed across his face, and drops of blood were trickling down that line.

A wound that could barely be called a scratch.

To think that such a pathetic wound was the price for piercing through the wires that Gong-ryeong had painstakingly set up, it was enough to make him chuckle in disbelief.

Kang Jin-ho flicked the drop of blood flowing down his face with his index finger and quietly licked it.

A seemingly insignificant action.

But the fact that the action felt so eerie was something only that Demon Lord could achieve.

‘He pierced through it? With his bare body?’

The scratch on his face.

No. The wound, which had already healed without a trace, clearly showed that the monster had pierced through the wires he had deployed with all his might and the blood energy that the Blood King had unleashed with all his strength, using only his body.

He had cut through his wires, sharper than anything in the world, with a body made of flesh and blood. This was truly a terrifyingly amazing feat.

But what truly made Gong-ryeong shudder was not the result but the process.

Think about it.

No matter how perfect the calculation, could one charge towards a wire that could split the entire body in an instant?

Even if one was certain that the wire wouldn’t cut through their body, could one ignore the one in a thousand, one in ten thousand chance?

‘I can’t do it.’

What truly terrified him was the unbelievable decisiveness of carrying out the judgment made in that short time without hesitation.

A perfect conviction in his own martial arts, and the steadfast belief that his calculations would never be wrong.

It felt like an electric current was running down his spine.

That was the complete form of martial arts that they had been pursuing their entire lives.

Regardless of their position as enemies, this single blow was enough to inspire awe in Gong-ryeong.

Koo-roong!

What brought Gong-ryeong back to his senses was the noise emanating from the deeply drilled tunnel.

Koo-roong! Kwa-roo-roong!

Red smoke began to flow out of the black tunnel that Kang Jin-ho had created.

The sight was enough to make the deep tunnel in the middle of the mountain look like an abyss leading to hell.

And from that abyss, a person staggered out.

“Kuhh…”

The Blood King.

The one who emerged from the thick red mist was, of course, the Blood King.

Sway.

His upper body swayed greatly. The Blood King, who was teetering as if he would fall to the ground at any moment, managed to regain his balance and pull his upper body up.

“This…”

His appearance was beyond description, except to say it was miserable.

Due to the impact, all the bandages were torn off, revealing his face, which had been hidden by bandages, in broad daylight.

Not a single strand of hair was visible, and his eye sockets were hollow like a skeleton. In the place where his nose used to be, there were only two holes.

No one would think of a human being when looking at this appearance.

It was as if a mummy was walking alive.

But what caught Gong-ryeong’s attention was not his appearance but the Blood King’s empty lower jaw.

Whether his jaw had been shattered or completely blown away, nothing was visible below his upper jaw. Even his upper jaw was crushed down to below his nose, oozing a dark red, pus-like blood.

“Uooo…”

A sight that was frightening to see even in a dream.

The Blood King’s hand, as dry as an old tree, groped at the empty jaw area.

“Krrk.”

It seemed he wanted to say something.

But no matter how great one was, there was no way to speak without a lower jaw. Only a phlegm-filled sound echoed hollowly.

A fierce light flickered in the Blood King’s eyes.

A murderous intent, so blue it was almost purple, gushed out in torrents. A terrible hatred and resentment. If one could kill a person with a look, he would have killed not just dozens but hundreds.

But Kang Jin-ho, receiving that gaze, merely smirked.

“Such theatrics.”

Just as those Jiangshi [a type of reanimated corpse in Chinese folklore] regenerated, the Blood King’s wounds would also regenerate.

The energy flowing from the Jiangshi and the energy flowing from the Blood King were similar. That meant that what the Jiangshi could do, the Blood King could also do.

Perhaps his regeneration and physical strength would be incomparable.

And as expected.

Kududuk! Kududuk!

White teeth popped out through the Blood King’s upper gums. And the cleanly cut surface swelled up, and then, red flesh began to fill the missing jaw area.

“Not even a lizard.”

Kang Jin-ho laughed in disbelief at the sight.

Having lived two lives and fought countless battles, he had faced many opponents. Among them were many who used bizarre martial arts that defied common sense, but he could say with certainty that he had never faced such a monster.

He wasn’t a monster because he was strong. He was a monster because he was bizarre.

‘I can see why the Blood Cult was so powerful.’

Even modern people with knowledge of science would find this sight unbelievable. So, how would people of the past think when they saw such a sight?

They would think they had seen the reincarnation of a god. Of course, considering his hideous appearance, he would have been considered a kind of evil god.

“Kuhaaaaat!”

The Blood King exhaled violently.

Red blood dripped from his newly grown lower jaw. But no matter how high he had reached in martial arts, perfect regeneration was impossible. The newly grown jaw was more twisted than before, and his teeth were also tangled and messy.

“This…”

The Blood King, with bloodshot eyes, grabbed his jaw, where red muscles were exposed without skin.

“You bastard…”

The Blood King trembled, unable to control his anger.

But even so, the Blood King couldn’t recklessly rush at Kang Jin-ho.

The sensation of the blow that had blown away his jaw remained vivid. A pain he had never felt in this life, nor in his previous life.

It was an impact that could have blown his head off.

“Damn it…”

It was the first time he had ever hated someone so much.

But unlike his mind, his body remembered the previous blow all too clearly.

It wasn’t just because of the pain.

The instinct for survival, which every living being must have, screamed. It was an emotion closer to the root than the fear of death.

As the Blood King had never been in the position of the prey, it was inevitable that he would have difficulty accepting this situation.

But that was the way of the world.

Even a wolf that threatens and manipulates a flock of sheep is nothing more than a plaything in front of a lion. The Blood King, who had encountered a stronger predator, was trembling with a fear he had never experienced before.

“…Get a grip, Blood King.”

“Shut your mouth.”

“You’ll die if you get agitated.”

Gong-ryeong’s cold voice brought a light of reason back to the Blood King’s eyes.

“Hoo.”

The Blood King took a short breath.

Of course, he knew.

The enemy before him was a formidable foe they had never faced before. If they couldn’t maintain perfect composure, all that would remain was a miserable death.

To survive, they had to control even their anger.

“Hoo-oo-ook.”

The Blood King’s eyes calmed as he took a deep breath.

He gritted his teeth as if he had made a decision.

“…To survive, but I never thought I’d go this far.”

It was at that moment.

The Blood King’s body, as dry as a withered tree, began to turn black.

“Hmm?”

Kang Jin-ho watched the scene with interest.

The brownish body turned as black as coal. Just like the Jiangshi he had knocked down earlier.

“Aaaah! Aaaah! Aaaah!”

The Blood King grabbed his body and screamed. The way he was twisting and convulsing seemed to indicate how much pain the Blood King was enduring.

Finally, the Blood King’s entire body turned completely black.

“Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!”

Cracks like spiderwebs appeared all over the Blood King’s body, even his teeth turned black. As if a clay sculpture was drying and cracking, red blood began to flow out from the cracks that were gradually widening.

“You’re doing something interesting.”

Kang Jin-ho twisted his lips as he watched the scene.

He thought the energy was similar, but he never imagined he would turn his own body into a Jiangshi.

It was something that an ordinary person could never even imagine.

“You… you bastard…”

The Blood King’s two eyes, the only white parts left on his blackened body, turned red.

“Oooooooo!”

Bang!

The Blood King kicked off the ground and flew towards Kang Jin-ho’s front. Kang Jin-ho didn’t back down and met the Blood King’s swinging hand with his wrist.

And at that moment.

Bang!

With a short explosion, Kang Jin-ho’s arm was unable to withstand the Blood King’s attack and was thrown backward.

Kang Jin-ho’s pupils dilated, and at the same time, the Blood King’s fist struck Kang Jin-ho’s face in the empty space.

Kwaang!

The Blood King’s fist struck Kang Jin-ho’s face. But the Blood King’s movements also stopped at the same time. Kang Jin-ho’s fist was already embedded in his empty side.

“This!”

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The blackened hands struck Kang Jin-ho’s entire body in rapid succession.

But Kang Jin-ho didn’t back down even a single step and continued to strike the Blood King.

The barrage of attacks, disregarding defense, poured down like a rainstorm to destroy each other’s bodies. The impact of bodies and fists colliding created a whirlwind and began to shake the ground.

Kwaang!

The impact that shook his head made the Blood King’s head snap back.

“Eek!”

The Blood King, grinding his twisted teeth, turned his head back and saw it.

Kang Jin-ho.

He was smiling broadly as he rushed towards him. A twisted smile. The moment he saw the blood-soaked teeth revealed through that smile, the Blood King’s blood began to cool, and cool again.