Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 2035

It’s as if the phrase ‘head boiling with anger’ was created for moments like this. Even amidst the rage that felt like it could blow his head off, the Blade Demon struggled to maintain a sliver of reason.

‘What kind of body is that…’

He already knew that his opponent had reached an unparalleled level in external martial arts. He was, after all, someone who had lived under the name of the Black King for a long time. It was common to hear rumors about Bator, who roamed the Central Plains [a region in China, often used in martial arts stories].

However…

‘I never imagined it would be this much.’

This was the first time he had experienced his sword, swung with intent, failing to cut through an opponent’s flesh. This was true even in his life, which was several times longer than others.

Flesh that touches a blade is cut. That was an absolute truth for all who had mastered martial arts. Of course, it was common to strengthen the body with inner force [internal energy cultivated through martial arts] and to stop what should be cut from being cut.

However, it was beyond his common sense that a sword swung with intent could only inflict damage that merely grazed the surface of his opponent.

The reason he had been hit by an attack that he could normally have easily avoided, and had disgraced himself, was because he was momentarily flustered by this absurd situation.

“Hoo.”

The Blade Demon, having taken a short breath, glared at Bator with eyes as sharp as blades.

“Indeed… I seem to have underestimated you a little.”

“Are you saying you’ll face me properly now? You’re spouting lines like a third-rate villain. And you’re supposed to be one of the Twelve Flying Blades [a group of elite fighters].”

The Blade Demon bit his lip without realizing it.

That big oaf had a knack for saying things that twisted people’s insides.

However, he didn’t lose his reason because of it.

In the end, this match would be decided by whether he could cut through Bator’s body. If his sword, as a swordsman, couldn’t cut Bator’s body, he would have no way to deal with Bator.

This was an issue that had nothing to do with the level of martial arts.

No matter how much more inner force he had than Bator, how much faster he was, or how much sharper a sword aura he could unleash.

‘If the attack doesn’t work, it’s meaningless.’

And at that moment, Bator was thinking the same thing.

‘There’s no way.’

It was impossible to deal with the Blade Demon with speed or skill. With ordinary methods, he wouldn’t even be able to graze the Blade Demon’s clothes.

However…

‘This isn’t a sparring match.’

In the end, all he could rely on was his body. If his body could withstand the other’s sword, an opportunity would surely come.

Having made their decisions, the two slowly closed the distance between them.

“That’s peculiar.”

Lee Hyun-soo turned his head at the words that came from Kang Jin-ho’s mouth.

“…What do you mean?”

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho pondered slightly. He was thinking about how to explain it to Lee Hyun-soo more easily.

“There’s Jang Min, and there’s Hong Wang.”

“Huh? What’s with that random combination?”

“Who’s stronger between the two?”

“Uh…”

Lee Hyun-soo frowned. If it had been a little while ago, he would have said Hong Wang without a second thought. But now, it wasn’t easy to answer.

First of all, Jang Min had broken through a long-standing wall and entered the realm of the superhuman, and more than anything, the sight of Hong Wang being defeated by Shin Chang was firmly etched in his mind.

Lee Hyun-soo, having done some mental calculations, was about to say that even so, he would bet on Hong Wang.

“It’s enough to make you think about it.”

“…Yes, it is.”

“Then, if the two of them were to face an army? Who would be more useful?”

“An army?”

The calculation came out surprisingly quickly.

“Hong Wang. Overwhelmingly so.”

“I guess so.”

This was something that didn’t need much thought. If Jang Min was a perfect enhanced soldier, Hong Wang was a weapon of mass destruction. No matter how perfect an individual weapon was, the destructive power of cannons firing from afar was obviously higher.

“Hong Wang is several times more useful than Jang Min when facing an army.”

“Yes.”

“But that doesn’t mean Hong Wang is several times stronger than Jang Min. You’d have to fight to know who would win.”

“Their fields are different.”

“That’s right. But…”

Kang Jin-ho slightly curled up the corners of his mouth.

“That’s not just applicable to different fields.”

“…Huh?”

Kang Jin-ho’s gaze turned towards the Blade Demon.

“There are many classifications of swordsmanship. Some pursue the way of the tyrant, breaking things with force, some pursue the way of the swift, overwhelming with speed, and sometimes there are those who try to use the illusory sword to confuse their opponents.”

“Yes.”

“But what is that…” Kang Jin-ho wore a strange smile.

“It’s a sword that has pursued only ‘cutting’ to the extreme.”

“Cutting?”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“In a way, it’s the closest to the essence of the sword. A sword is just a weapon for cutting, after all.”

Lee Hyun-soo nodded.

“But… the opponent just happens to be the toughest guy in the world. I don’t know what to call this.”

Kang Jin-ho laughed as if he was dumbfounded.

“Is it a bad match? Is Bator-nim at an advantage?”

“It’s not like that.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

“If Bator had fought that Jang Wang guy from before, he wouldn’t have been able to do anything from start to finish.”

“Huh? Director Bang won, though?”

“Picture it in your head.”

At those words, Lee Hyun-soo frowned. If Jang Wang kept firing his energy from a distance, Bator would have no choice but to endure it with his whole body and advance. Bator couldn’t skillfully deflect the opponent’s attacks like Bang Jin-hoon.

But even if his body could endure it, the impact would continue to accumulate inside.

“I understand what you mean. He’d just flail around and collapse.”

“Right. That’s what a natural enemy is. But…”

Kang Jin-ho pointed his chin at the Blade Demon.

“That guy’s sword is sharp, but it only leaves wounds on the flesh. In other words…”

“If he endures, he wins?”

“‘If he blocks it, he wins’ would be more accurate. But it’s the same the other way around. If he can cut, that’s the end of it.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled as he watched the two approaching each other.

This was quite a peculiar situation.

It might sound like a common situation if you just heard about it, but surprisingly, there are hardly any martial artists who have developed only one ability to such an extreme degree.

And there are hardly any who have reached the realm of the superhuman by digging into just one thing to the point of death.

‘And out of those rare individuals, the ones at the most extreme ends just happen to be fighting here!—’

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes were fixed on Bator’s broad back.

Bator’s hand brushed against his side.

Blood, already slightly dried and sticky, was smeared on his fingertips.

He had already experienced defeat several times. To Hong Wang, to Kang Jin-ho, and, to be honest, to Chang Wang as well, and he was unilaterally crushed by Baek Yeon-hong.

A bitter smile formed on Bator’s face.

It was a ridiculous thing.

For a martial artist, the body is merely a means to achieve victory. The reason Bator first started using his body was simply to defeat his opponents more easily.

But absurdly, Bator was now feeling more humiliated by the fact that his body was being injured than by defeat itself.

‘I know it’s crazy.’

But this was something he couldn’t help. He had accumulated all his efforts and martial arts in his body. This body wasn’t just his physical form, it was his pride and everything.

And perhaps…

Bator’s eyes sank.

Perhaps, in his entire life, there would never be another time when he would fight with everything on the line like this. No, even if he could fight again in a battle where there was no future if he lost, he might never again have a match where he faced someone who had reached such a high level and decided the outcome with his life.

And in that situation, someone like that was standing in front of him.

And it was as if fate was shouting at him. To prove that the path he was taking was not wrong, that everything he had done so far was not in vain.

Crack.

Bator, clenching his fist with all his might, slowly drew up his inner force. The circulating inner energy merged with the dormant demonic energy and surged through his body.

While demonic energy was an extreme measure to increase destructive power for others, for Bator, demonic energy was merely a means to further strengthen his body.

A sensation as if every single cell in his body was pulsating.

In that sensation, Bator’s feet became faster and faster.

Bang!

Finally, he kicked off the floor as if to break it and shot straight towards the Blade Demon.

Snap.

The wrist bent, the muscles stretched taut, and the explosively circulating inner energy pushed the hardness of his forearm to its limit.

And at that moment.

The Blade Demon, facing him, raised his sword.

His sword was covered in a red aura. Then, the Blade Demon also rushed towards Bator.

A different method from the previous one, which was based on releasing energy.

The Blade Demon, having sensed that he could never cut through Bator’s body by simply slashing, had decided to face Bator head-on and cut him directly with his sword.

And that was naturally a double-edged sword.

The power emanating from Bator’s body was enormous. He could crush the body of a superhuman trained with mere physical strength like tofu.

Within the range of Bator’s fist, the wind pressure alone would suck in the body, and the aftereffects of his swings would tear the skin. To jump into that space with one’s own feet was not something that could be done with ordinary courage.

The pride of one who had walked only one path.

He believed that a victory where he couldn’t cut was meaningless, so he risked his life and rushed towards his opponent.

Just as Bator had bet everything on his body, the Blade Demon was also someone who had bet everything on the single sword in his hand.

“Oooooooo!”

Bator’s swinging arm was more like a cannon made of metal than a fist. Even a graze would crush his body. But the Blade Demon, without the slightest hesitation, dodged the flying fist by a hair’s breadth and plunged into Bator’s chest.

Then, in one swift motion, he unleashed a single strike that cut across the center of Bator’s broad chest.

Kagagagak!

The Blade Demon’s sword tore through Bator’s chest.

Even that incredibly sharp strike couldn’t cleanly cut through Bator’s body. It was like cutting through a tough cloth with a dull knife, tearing, bouncing off, and then digging in again to tear.

Red blood gushed out from the torn wounds, but the Blade Demon’s eyes were filled with tension instead of satisfaction.

“You bastard!”

Bator’s large hand came crashing down on his head. The Blade Demon, hastily rotating his body to dodge to the side, used the rotational force to slash at Bator once more.

Kagagagak!

But this time as well, his sword failed to cut through Bator decisively.

‘This!’

Demonic energy flared in the Blade Demon’s eyes. And from Bator’s eyes, a fierce light was emitted.

“You damn bastard!”

“Haaaaaaaah!”

A distance where they could touch each other if they reached out.

In a distance that was no different from being in contact for a martial artist, a fierce battle where not a single mistake was allowed continued.