Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 20

Lunchtime.

As Kang Jin-ho was resting in the classroom after finishing his meal, he heard a commotion.

“Hey, you little punk. Are you crazy?”

“No.”

“Then why did you bump my shoulder?”

“No, I just…”

“You just bump into people’s shoulders? Wow, this guy is driving me nuts.”

“Didn’t you say to the principal that you weren’t being bullied by Choi Young-soo?”

“So, this isn’t bullying? Is that what you’re saying?”

Park Yu-min hung his head low.

“Answer me, you little punk. Is this bullying? Huh? No, we’re just playing around. I played well with Choi Young-soo, so let’s play a little, you little punk!”

‘Jung In-gyu?’

The one yelling at Park Yu-min was Jung In-gyu. Jung In-gyu, who was pointing and getting angry, couldn’t control his temper and started kicking Park Yu-min’s legs.

Kang Jin-ho frowned.

Kang Jin-ho got up from his seat and walked to the back of the classroom.

Then, he stopped Jung In-gyu, who was yelling at Park Yu-min.

“Stop it.”

Jung In-gyu looked at Kang Jin-ho, his face contorted with frustration.

“No, aren’t you angry? This punk sided with Choi Young-soo, didn’t he?”

“I said stop it.”

“Ah, seriously.”

Jung In-gyu looked back and forth between Park Yu-min and Kang Jin-ho, then sneered, his face full of annoyance.

“You have a good heart. Do you want to help him? I just…”

Kang Jin-ho stared at Jung In-gyu for a moment, then spoke.

“Do you want to feel good too?”

“……”

Jung In-gyu’s mouth twitched a few times, but he couldn’t say anything in the end.

After staring silently for a while, Jung In-gyu sighed deeply when Kang Jin-ho nodded and returned to his seat.

Even then, he didn’t forget to glare at Park Yu-min once.

“Ugh.”

Jung In-gyu, who sat down, scratched his head roughly.

He understood what Kang Jin-ho’s words meant.

By defeating Choi Young-soo, the power dynamic of the school had shifted to Kang Jin-ho.

As a result, Jung In-gyu, who was close to Kang Jin-ho, was naturally able to flex his muscles.

Other kids also seemed to feel uncomfortable around Jung In-gyu, who was now associated with Kang Jin-ho.

And Jung In-gyu was subtly enjoying that attention.

Kang Jin-ho’s words had accurately pinpointed that aspect of Jung In-gyu.

Jung In-gyu, who felt embarrassed for a moment at Kang Jin-ho’s words that had pierced his own hidden feelings, retreated without saying anything.

Kang Jin-ho had no intention of criticizing Jung In-gyu.

People’s actions are all similar. Anyone in this situation would have acted similarly to Jung In-gyu.

Kang Jin-ho just didn’t like it, so he stopped him.

Park Yu-min glanced at Kang Jin-ho.

However, Kang Jin-ho didn’t say anything and returned to his seat.

Park Yu-min sighed deeply and left the classroom.

“Hmm…”

Kang Jin-ho, who felt strangely stuffy, also went outside to get some fresh air.

As Kang Jin-ho walked down the hallway, he noticed something strange. He could feel the gazes of the kids whispering about him.

‘Am I being targeted?’

It was understandable since he had used violence. The modern world was different from the Central Plains [a historical region in China] where he had lived. He had now accepted that this place was also a world ruled by power, but still, the modern world was a world ruled by power and wealth rather than violence.

Since he had used violence in such a place, he had to endure the stinging gazes.

However, one strange thing was that Kang Jin-ho, who was incredibly good at sensing hostility or malice, couldn’t feel any particular hostility from their gazes.

‘What is it?’

“Hey, Kang Jin-ho!”

Kang Jin-ho turned his head at the sound of someone calling him.

Han Se-yeon was approaching him.

“You came to school?”

“Yeah…”

“I heard you beat up Choi Young-soo?”

Kang Jin-ho nodded obediently.

It was the truth. There was no need to deny a fact that everyone knew.

“That’s what happened.”

“I heard he was hospitalized? How badly did you beat him? You savage!”

“He’s faking it.”

Han Se-yeon looked Kang Jin-ho up and down as if she was seeing him in a new light.

“You don’t look like you’d be good at fighting.”

“Choi Young-soo is just weak.”

“Hmm, I thought you were just nice, but you have a temper. But I don’t like guys who use violence. You’re a minus for me.”

“…So what?”

Han Se-yeon stared at Kang Jin-ho for a moment, then tilted her head again.

She was happy to say hello, but something felt different.

Han Se-yeon, who had been looking at Kang Jin-ho up and down for a while, said in surprise.

“You’ve gotten taller?”

“Have I?”

“Your shoulders also seem a bit broader.”

“…It must be your imagination.”

“Is that so? Your impression seems a bit different?”

Han Se-yeon’s eyes were surprisingly sharp.

The day he decided to create his dantian [an energy center in the body, according to traditional Chinese medicine], Kang Jin-ho had immediately considered whether to attempt a complete transformation.

However, since there were so many potential problems if his appearance changed due to the transformation in the current world, he decided to postpone the transformation and gradually change his body.

It was a more difficult process than a complete transformation, but for Kang Jin-ho, who had reached the pinnacle of the martial world as the Heavenly Demon Lord, it was just a matter of whether to try or not.

From that day until now, Kang Jin-ho had been subtly changing every part of his body, from the inside to the outside.

And Han Se-yeon had noticed the subtle changes that even his family hadn’t noticed.

‘Or maybe it was easier to notice because she saw the changes over the past four days all at once.’

Either way, it was clear that Han Se-yeon’s observation skills were above average.

“I don’t know if it’s my imagination, but you look much more reliable than before? And your face looks handsome too.”

“It’s your imagination.”

“If it’s your imagination, that’s a big problem.”

“Why?”

“Because if someone looks handsome because of your imagination, it means you like them.”

Does it work like that?

“Then let’s just say I’ve become handsome.”

“You’re funny?”

Han Se-yeon covered her mouth and laughed, then suddenly looked around with a slightly embarrassed face. Then, she quietly approached Kang Jin-ho and spoke.

“Ah, I overdid it. Let’s talk again later.”

“Why?”

“Because there are eyes that don’t like seeing me with you. And quite a few of them.”

“What are you talking about?”

“What am I talking about? Kang Jin-ho, who was out of people’s interest, has now started to become someone who provokes jealousy.”

“……”

Kang Jin-ho frowned.

What had he done to cause such a change?

“It’s funny, but that’s how women are. They like men who are trending. Besides, you…”

Han Se-yeon smiled brightly.

“Looking at you like this, your mask seems okay too.”

Kang Jin-ho sighed.

“Ah, I can feel the killing intent. I’ll leave before I lose my life!”

Han Se-yeon whispered directly into Kang Jin-ho’s ear.

“Don’t forget our promise to go to the karaoke together.”

“I won’t.”

Han Se-yeon waved her hand and walked away with quick steps.

Kang Jin-ho, who had been watching Han Se-yeon, shook his head and muttered.

“What nonsense.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

He couldn’t understand what Han Se-yeon was talking about.

What had he done to cause such a change?

Kang Jin-ho glanced at the classroom through the window.

“Hey! Kang Jin-ho came to school!”

“Is his suspension over?”

“Yeah. Honestly, a one-week suspension is too harsh, isn’t it?”

A girl with braided hair shouted excitedly.

“Honestly, it’s true that Choi Young-soo was bullying Park Yu-min. Kang Jin-ho saw that and stepped in.”

“That’s true.”

“But why a one-week suspension? When Choi Young-soo beat up a kid and sent him to the hospital before, he didn’t even get community service.”

“Should we report it?”

“What are you talking about?”

“If we report this to a whistleblower program, wouldn’t they come to investigate? How about we make them go bankrupt?”

“Hey, what about our school’s image?”

“Who cares? Do we have to think about the school’s image?”

“That’s true, and Kang Jin-ho is kind of cool. I didn’t think he would be, but when did he become so manly?”

“I heard Choi Young-soo couldn’t do anything and was taken to the hospital.”

“Looking at him these days, he seems kind of handsome.”

“No, that’s just your imagination. Kang Jin-ho isn’t handsome.”

“No, he is. Ah, he’s going over there. Take a look.”

“Huh?”

“Isn’t he okay?”

“He really is? He’s so charming.”

Kang Jin-ho, who had heard all the conversations with his heightened hearing, covered his face.

The modern world was full of things he couldn’t understand.

“Let’s go to the PC cafe [internet cafe]!”

Jung In-gyu quickly recovered his original self. He had been sulking for a while, but as expected of someone at a young age with quick emotional changes, he was back to his old self.

“Not today.”

“Just say you’re not confident, man. I won’t bet. Do you think I’d ask you to play a game to steal your money?”

Kang Jin-ho snorted.

“I’ll play you tomorrow.”

“Oh, you’ve been practicing?”

Kang Jin-ho smiled lightly and got on his bicycle.

“Then I’m off.”

Kang Jin-ho rode his bicycle out of the school gate.

Whoosh.

But something was unusual.

Behind Kang Jin-ho’s bicycle, which was crossing the schoolyard, a cloud of dust was being kicked up.

Jung In-gyu watched the scene and slowly opened his mouth.

“What kind of bicycle is that?”

Lee Dae-ho agreed with Jung In-gyu.

“At that level, you could believe it’s a motorcycle.”

“That guy… he’s been a bit strange lately, really.”

Jung In-gyu shook his head as he watched Kang Jin-ho’s receding figure.

Kang Jin-ho rode his bicycle with the feeling of taking a light stroll. It wasn’t bad to go straight home, but since he was on his bicycle, he thought he would take a light tour around the neighborhood.

Whoosh!

It was an excessive speed for a light tour around the neighborhood, but unlike what it looked like from the outside, Kang Jin-ho was leisurely enjoying the passing scenery.

An ordinary person might not be able to handle the speed of the bicycle, but that was impossible for Kang Jin-ho.

‘This is fun.’

He wanted to go far away, but if he got lost, it would be a big problem, so he mainly went around places he knew.

At that moment, a small child suddenly jumped out right in front of Kang Jin-ho’s bicycle.

“Eek!”

The child’s mother screamed at the sight.

“Hup!”

Kang Jin-ho lifted the bicycle into the air.

The bicycle jumped about a meter above the child’s head, then lightly landed on the ground after passing over the child.

“I’m sorry.”

Although the child had suddenly jumped out, he apologized first.

The child’s mother barely listened to Kang Jin-ho’s words, checked on her child first, and only after the child was okay did she look at Kang Jin-ho and apologize back.

“Then.”

As Kang Jin-ho rode his bicycle away, the people who had seen the scene stared blankly at the sight.

“Is that a trick bicycle?”

“Even if it’s a trick bicycle, there’s no ramp?”

And so, Kang Jin-ho rode his bicycle without knowing what he was doing.

“It’s refreshing.”

The wind felt a bit refreshing as he rode his bicycle. It was a wind that could never be felt in this place where buildings were densely packed.

At that moment, Kang Jin-ho’s eyes narrowed slightly.

A familiar figure was coming into view in the distance.

A student wearing a school uniform, walking with a limp.

“Hmm…”

It seemed he had come around the school again.

Kang Jin-ho slowly rode his bicycle and stopped in front of the student.

“…Huh?”

The child, who saw Kang Jin-ho, looked at him with a slightly surprised face.

“H-hello.”

Kang Jin-ho stared at the child for a moment, then spoke.

“Are you going home?”

“Yeah.”

The child was Park Yu-min.