Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 2011

KWA-AAAAAAAH!

The surging flames melted the ceiling. The concrete, instantly incinerated, glowed red and dripped down to the floor.

A terrifying display of firepower.

Even the Twelve Flying Blades, who were watching, were so surprised that they rose from their seats.

“That…”

“…Impressive.”

Awe filled their eyes.

In this place, no one would be surprised even if someone crushed a mountain with their fist. But they couldn’t help but be amazed that a person could emit such flames.

“Was magic this powerful?”

While everyone else was expressing their astonishment, only two people showed no change in expression.

One was, of course, the Black King, and the other was Baek Yeonhong.

“Hong.”

Baek Yeonhong’s gaze shifted past the Master to Wiggins, who was behind him.

He had already faced Wiggins once and confirmed that their martial arts had different strengths. So, there was nothing to be surprised about.

KWAAAAAAH!

Perhaps it was difficult to maintain that terrifying firepower for long, as the surging flames disappeared like an illusion. Everyone’s gaze turned to the floor. Where the melted concrete was flowing like mud, the Phantasmist slowly unfolded his crouched body.

There were no significant injuries visible.

He looked as clean as if he hadn’t been in the middle of that terrifying fire.

However, the Twelve Flying Blades could tell. The Phantasmist’s face was paler than usual.

‘He’s suffered internal injuries.’

The Master’s blade had definitely reached the Phantasmist just now.

The Phantasmist looked at the floor with his milky eyes. The light that had been shining brightly from the floor faded, and the melted concrete covered the spot unevenly.

What filled his eyes was perhaps anger, perhaps hatred.

But the emotion that occupied the largest part was admiration.

“…Did he form a seal while using his clones? And on the floor, too?”

“We call it casting.” The Phantasmist slowly shook his head. He was strong.

Even though he had blocked it with all his might, it was such a powerful blow that his insides were twisted. But what truly impressed the Phantasmist was not that strength. It was the meticulous planning and application that created that strength.

He had never encountered this type of martial artist in his life. It was always his role to counter opponents who pressed with force using skill and strategy.

But at this moment, wasn’t that Master clearly showing a more skillful side than him?

‘So, this is how those who faced me felt.’

Normally, it would be something quite moving, but the pain he felt throughout his body was enough to take away his emotions.

The Phantasmist’s eyes grew heavy.

‘But…’

Three talismans were already in his fingertips.

“I can’t just keep getting hit like this; it won’t do for my reputation.”

“I didn’t think you were the type to care about reputation.”

“Of course, I am.”

The Phantasmist smiled wryly.

“With so many spectators, I can’t help but think about the prestige of my faction.”

“We’re both in a difficult position.”

The Phantasmist’s fingertips moved slowly.

The Master’s eyes intensely watched those fingertips. In typical martial arts battles, the basic principle is not to give each other an opening to attack, but their battle was different.

They didn’t know what tricks each other was hiding, so rushing into an attack could lead to disaster. Just like the Master had done a moment ago, they had to create a perfect opportunity.

“Hah!”

With a short shout, talismans were launched from the Phantasmist’s fingertips. The talismans that soared into the air seemed to spin, and then they shot out in a straight line, forming a fierce whirlwind.

“A move I’ve already seen.”

The Master’s body disappeared from the spot as if it had been extinguished, and then reappeared in another place. The whirlwind that flew past cut through the spot where the Master had been, in vain.

‘That…’

Baek Yeonhong narrowed his eyes.

When he faced Wiggins, that was the most difficult thing. Martial artists could also show similar movements. But that was just accelerating to transcend the limits of the eyes; it wasn’t really disappearing and reappearing.

But he didn’t know what principle that technique used, but it really moved a human body instantaneously.

No, rather than moving, it was teleportation.

‘That’s almost absolute defense.’ Baek Yeonhong had the speed and stamina to endlessly chase after the person who changed position, so he could somehow neutralize it, but it would be difficult to expect that from the Phantasmist.

And at a glance, the movements of that Master were superior to Wiggins.

‘Can he keep up?’

At that moment, as if to dispel that concern, the Phantasmist scattered talismans in all directions.

The moment dozens of talismans soared into the air, they began to burn, and soon each one turned into a flame the size of a person and began to shoot out.

WHOOOOOSH!

A rain of burning flames flew towards the Master.

‘A meteor shower?’

No.

It had a form similar to magic, but it was different from magic. The flying fireballs were shaking back and forth. As if each one had a will of its own.

‘Is that what they call will-o’-the-wisps?’

It was more like ghosts rushing in than flames. It was like vengeful spirits, filled with resentment, trying to drag the Master to hell.

‘He’s quick to understand.’

The Master’s lips twisted.

This attack was flying in, almost completely covering the front. To avoid this attack with Blink, he had no choice but to move forward. But the new talismans in the Phantasmist’s hand were bothering him.

WHOOOOOM!

The Master’s rune sword emitted light.

“It’s enough to block.”

The milky white energy emitted from his sword surrounded the Master’s entire body in a semi-circle.

And as soon as that barrier was completed, the flames that flew in collided with the Master’s shield one after another, causing explosions.

KWAANG! KWA-AAANG! KWA-AAANG!

The power of each blast was not as great as what the Master had shown. But the fireballs were never just one. The flames poured down like a bombardment. Each time an explosion occurred, the shield surrounding the Master rippled like a soap bubble hit by a strong wind.

“Hmm!”

But the Phantasmist didn’t seem satisfied with just that.

He scattered the dozens of talismans he had grabbed into the air again. The talismans that soared into the air flew fiercely above the Master’s head, swirling as if writing words in the air.

Then, the flames that were flying in swirled as if they were being sucked upwards towards the talismans, and then they began to gather in one place.

And then!

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A sound that was like the roar of a beast and the wail of a ghost echoed out, and then a huge demon mask appeared in the air.

A demon mask made of flames.

The demon mask, which looked like the form of an evil spirit or a roaring tiger, descended with terrifying speed and bit at the Master.

KWAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAANG!

A terrifying storm of flames raged inside the hangar.

“Aaaah!”

Bang Jin-hoon screamed and fell backward.

‘What is this?’

It was an attack he had never seen in his life.

It had the form of flames, but unlike the attack the Master had shown earlier, he didn’t feel the heat. Instead, it felt like an energy that was incomparable to that was hitting him.

‘Is there such a martial art?’

He was now quite familiar with magic. So, he was confident that he wouldn’t be surprised no matter what those damned magicians did.

But this attack was different. This wasn’t magic, was it?

He had heard that there were people called sorcerers in the world, but he thought they were just throwing a few talismans, but he never imagined that there would be a sorcerer who had reached this level.

“Kuh!”

Bang Jin-hoon, who had grabbed the floor, raised his head sharply.

‘Where’s the Master?’

There was no way that old man, who didn’t have much time left to live, would be unharmed after being hit by such an attack.

Bang Jin-hoon saw the storm of flames subsiding. Following that, what he saw was the Master, who had lost his shield and was sitting slumped on the floor, which was now dented.

“Ma, Mas…”

Before Bang Jin-hoon could say anything, a groan escaped from Wiggins’s mouth first.

An exchange of blows.

But unlike the Phantasmist, who easily shook it off, the impact the Master received seemed considerable.

“Cough!”

Red blood flowed from the Master’s mouth.

The Master, who had covered his mouth with one hand, convulsed briefly.

‘What kind of power is that…’

It was an impact that felt like his whole body was being torn to shreds.

‘If I hadn’t reversed the shield at the last moment to reduce the power, I would have died in one blow.’

Thanks to that, he had saved his life, but he couldn’t help but realize it deeply. The other man’s skill was far above his own.

“Hah…”

The Master smiled wryly.

‘Come to think of it, it’s ironic.’

He had lived his whole life without meeting anyone who could be called a rival. Of course, there were those who competed with him, but he had never thought that they would be able to stop him.

But now, in his old age, he was meeting one strong person after another. Wasn’t it funny?

“The gap is clear.”

The Master slowly raised his head.

He saw the Phantasmist slowly walking towards him.

“From the start, you have no reason to risk your life in this fight. Isn’t this enough?”

“Reason…”

The Master got up. His legs were trembling, and his joints were creaking, but he couldn’t help but stand up. To sit down in front of an enemy was to admit defeat.

The rune sword, which he used as a cane, pierced the floor.

“…There is a reason.”

Clack.

The Master, who had drawn his rune sword, smirked with one eye closed.

“Do you know what?”

“What are you talking about?”

“A frog in a well has nothing to fear.”

“It’s only when it goes out of the well that it realizes it’s just a frog. Is that an Eastern proverb?”

“It’s called ‘Jing Di Zhi Wa’ [井底之蛙 – a Chinese idiom meaning a frog in a well, used to describe someone with a narrow view of the world].”

“That’s right. Yes.”

The Master adjusted his grip on the rune sword and straightened his back.

“A frog in a well is foolish. Isn’t that right?”

“…What are you trying to say?”

“I’m asking you.”

The Master bared his teeth.

“If I know that I was a frog in a well, what will I do from then on?”

The Phantasmist looked at the Master with a stern face.

“Will I be scared and go back into the well!”

THUD!

The Master stomped on the floor. Blue mana flowed from his body like a heat haze.

“Or will I desperately try to survive outside the well, where eagles fly and wildcats run!”

“Heh heh heh heh.”

The Master’s eyes glanced at the camera. Everyone was probably watching him now.

“I have confined countless people in the well until now. Thanks to that, they are just being toyed with by the snakes that have jumped into the well. It’s all my fault.

But that’s why…”

The Master spat out the words.

“Even if I’m a frog, I have a duty to show that I can’t live without fighting the snakes.”

Madness filled the Master’s eyes.

“Even if it costs me my life!”

The Phantasmist nodded.

“I can’t understand the logic, but I can understand the will.”

Three talismans were in his hand again.

“Come. I will give you a final act worthy of that will.”

The Master chuckled and gripped his sword.

“I’m the one who decides the ending. Not you.”

The Master’s sword began to emit a dazzling light.