Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 2032

Weak.

It felt like something caught, or maybe nothing touched at all.

Was it too shallow?

Or was it enough?

I don’t know.

His fingertips no longer had any sensation. He couldn’t even feel the texture of the spear he had held his entire life.

His eyes were already blind, and his ears could barely hear. Now, even his sense of touch was gone, and even pain was fading.

The Divine Spear chuckled softly.

How ridiculous.

How could it not be ridiculous?

He had scraped together everything he had for one strike, yet he couldn’t even confirm the result of that strike.

Creak.

The Divine Spear twisted his spear and stabbed it into the ground, his knees hitting the floor. Staggering like a drunkard, he desperately gripped the spear fixed in the ground to support himself.

It just felt like he had to do that.

The result would be one of two things.

Either the Crimson Monarch would be lying on the ground, dead, or he would be standing tall on his two legs, looking down at him kneeling.

Either way, it didn’t matter.

If he was lying on the ground in front of him, it wouldn’t look good either way.

Whether it was a miserable defeat or a miraculous victory.

He had a duty to complete this final act to the best of his ability.

His senses were fading further and further. His consciousness was becoming so blurred that it was hard to hold on to.

And at that moment.

A voice, faintly reaching his remaining eardrum, told him the result of his final, all-in strike.

“…you.”

He couldn’t understand exactly what was being said, but…

The moment he understood who the voice belonged to, the last remaining strength drained from the Divine Spear’s body.

‘Failure…’

It wasn’t that regrettable.

He hadn’t seen properly, hadn’t felt properly, he had just swung. Even if it had hit properly, the Divine Spear knew that it would have been just a matter of luck.

Just as he couldn’t be happy about a victory won by luck, there was no reason to be greatly saddened by a defeat caused by bad luck.

It was just a little disappointing.

Yes. It was just a little disappointing.

“…ask.”

Then, the Crimson Monarch’s voice, like a whisper, reached his ear.

The Divine Spear forced his fading consciousness to focus.

“Did the cause you spoke of exist in that strike?”

Hearing those words, the Divine Spear almost burst out laughing. No, if his body had been in any better condition, he would have definitely roared with laughter.

Was it because the Crimson Monarch’s question was absurd?

No, it wasn’t.

It was because, at that moment, he realized it himself. At least while he was fighting the Crimson Monarch, not a single thought of the future of the Martial World [a world where martial arts are highly developed] or the Black King’s grand plan had existed in his mind.

The Divine Spear twisted his almost unmoving mouth and laughed.

“There was no… such thing.”

He kept laughing even as he spoke.

It was ridiculous.

He had dedicated his entire life to the Black King’s cause. He had sympathized with his cause, and he had agreed with the Black King’s words that there must be a reason for the second life they had been given.

That was why he was willing to sacrifice even his life for the cause. That was why he had become the Black King’s most ardent right-hand man.

He had vowed and vowed again that he would realize the Black King’s cause, even if it meant abandoning himself.

But…

‘It’s ridiculous, really.’

In the final moment, there was no cause or anything in his mind. There was only the pride of a martial artist who didn’t want to lose.

More than pride, it was stubbornness. That petty stubbornness was the driving force that moved him.

“Kekeke…”

—I—I

•

But strangely, he felt rather relieved.

‘That’s enough.’

He had neither achieved his cause nor won. But… at least he had done his best.

That was enough reason for a martial artist to smile when he died.

Then, the Crimson Monarch’s low voice faintly reached his ear.

“So it was like that…”

He couldn’t hear well, but it seemed like the Crimson Monarch was also smiling.

“…It’s frustrating, yet not frustrating. It’s not frustrating to be defeated by a martial artist rather than a politician… but it’s frustrating that there’s no chance for revenge.”

He couldn’t hear what was being said. No, he heard it, but the words didn’t sink into his head. His head wasn’t working well. Was it because he had lost too much blood?

But…

The next words from the Crimson Monarch’s mouth were clearly heard even by the Divine Spear.

“You won.”

The Divine Spear’s head instinctively lifted.

He had no strength, so it ended with a mere twitch, but the words that had pierced his ears clearly stirred the Divine Spear.

‘What…’

Thud.

At that moment, he felt a slight vibration in his body.

He could tell.

He could tell without seeing it. This sound, and this vibration… it was what the god-like Crimson Monarch had made as he fell.

“Uh…”

It was a sigh, and at the same time, it was bewilderment, and perhaps even a cry.

In reality, it was a sound that even the Divine Spear couldn’t explain, a sound that his body had just let out on its own.

The Divine Spear, who had slightly opened his mouth as if to say something, bit his lip tightly. He convulsed briefly and lowered his head as if enduring something.

‘It reached…’

His spear had reached.

He knew.

This was just luck, just a fluke. An area of heavenly luck where the same result could not be achieved even if the same situation was repeated.

It wasn’t a match worthy of being called a victory.

What if his eyes hadn’t gone blind? What if all his senses hadn’t been damaged?

Even if he had been severely injured, he would have declared defeat to the Crimson Monarch, who was standing on his own two feet. He couldn’t declare defeat because his injuries were greater.

A victory gained because of weakness.

Yes, this couldn’t be called a victory. But…

‘That’s enough.’

Even so, there was something he wanted to gain. Wouldn’t it be okay to give a fluke to someone who had given everything?

“Hh…”

The Divine Spear let go of his spear and collapsed on the spot.

He felt like his body was falling down and down. But before he could get used to that familiar sensation, he felt a faint sensation of something supporting his body.

‘The Black King?’

Or…

The voice that flowed from the mouth of the one who had embraced him pierced the Divine Spear’s ears.

“You idiot…”

The corners of the Divine Spear’s mouth twisted.

His lips drew a smile that was more pleasant than ever.

“…Yeon…Hong.”

Baek Yeonhong.

He had rushed over and caught the collapsing Divine Spear.

This was also ridiculous.

If he had to choose one person who wouldn’t bat an eye even if he died here, the Divine Spear would not hesitate to choose Baek Yeonhong. No, the relationship between him and Baek Yeonhong was hard to explain with such words. Baek Yeonhong might be the kind of bastard who would applaud if he died.

And yet…

Ridiculously, the first person to rush to him as he collapsed was Baek Yeonhong.

The Divine Spear squeezed out his strength and spoke.

“…no…”

“What?”

“Arm… also…”

“…useless…”

“…idiot…”

What the Divine Spear had expected was for Baek Yeonhong to retort with ‘You crazy bastard.’ But Baek Yeonhong, who would normally have called him a crazy bastard and even berated him with all sorts of sarcasm, now just gripped his shoulder tightly without any reply.

The Divine Spear, knowing what that meant, let out a hollow laugh.

“…time…”

“I know.”

His body swayed slightly.

The moment that swaying stopped, the Divine Spear drew out his last remaining strength. He could guess who was in front of him now.

“…Black King…”

The Black King’s voice faded.

Perhaps the Black King had tried to put the phrase ‘Don’t speak’ into his voice. But he would have soon realized that it was just a way of telling him to die without even leaving a last word.

The corners of the Divine Spear’s mouth drew a faint smile.

Has he ever seen the Black King swallow his words before? No, he couldn’t remember at all. And that wasn’t just because his consciousness was fading.

The fact that his death, his inevitable death, was shaking even that iron man made the Divine Spear a little proud. Even if he couldn’t leave his name in the world, it meant that his name would remain in the mind of the greatest person he knew.

“…I… completed… the mission…”

“Yes.”

“And… that…”

His voice no longer came out.

The Divine Spear, who had been trying to squeeze out his voice, finally closed his mouth.

There were so many things he wanted to say.

He wanted to ask him to fulfill his will, and he also wanted to apologize for fighting with the stubbornness of a martial artist, not as a subordinate of the Black King, in the final moment.

But…

‘It wouldn’t mean anything.’

He already knew everything. Because the Black King was that kind of person.

As if knowing the Divine Spear’s heart, a soft voice flowed from the Black King’s mouth.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“And… thank you.”

The corners of the Divine Spear’s mouth twitched, drawing a faint smile.

At the same time, his consciousness began to sink into a deep, deep place.

‘It’s a shame.’

The end of life was always like this.

And this time, it was probably the real end. It was always a shame, and there were always regrets, but…

‘It’s okay.’

At least, there were no regrets in this life. With that…

Yes. That was enough.

Baek Yeonhong silently looked down at the limp Divine Spear.

Looking at his face, which had stopped breathing with a smile, he felt a surge of anger for no reason.

“…That’s why I hate this guy.”

He had made a big show of everything, and then he had left the burden to the others and died happily.

How could he not hate him?

Baek Yeonhong sighed and stared at the Divine Spear before lifting his head. He saw the Black King sitting in his chair.

A face that was no different from usual.

The same expression as usual.

But it was different.

Baek Yeonhong didn’t bother trying to find out what was different. There was no need to.

He had just realized one thing.

That the person sitting in front of him was just a human being.

Even if he had a mind that shook the world, even if he had the power to break the world, he was just a person who was hurt and in pain.

“For the first time…”

At that moment, the Black King opened his mouth.

“I regret accepting this match.”

The corners of Baek Yeonhong’s mouth twitched.

“That’s not something a dead man would like to hear.”

“I suppose not.”

The Black King muttered lowly, looking at the face of the dead Divine Spear.

“But… I suppose he would understand this much of a grumble.”

“…He would.”

The Black King closed his eyes slightly.

The Black King’s face, which had closed and opened his eyes for a very short time, regained its original color.

“Continue.”

“Yes.”

Baek Yeonhong picked up the Divine Spear and headed towards the back of the Black King.

He was going to let the Divine Spear rest now. The front of the Black King was not a suitable place for him to rest.

Baek Yeonhong, who had taken a few steps, stopped in his tracks. Then, without realizing it, he turned his head and looked at the Black King’s back.

For the first time…

That huge back looked a little smaller.

For the first time.