Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 2040

The Black King stared at Dogwi with an unreadable expression.

However, Dogwi simply knelt before the Black King, his face blank. Perhaps even begging for the Black King’s mercy was too much for him right now.

He had already given his all.

The Black King, who had been silently observing Dogwi, closed his mouth, stopping himself from asking a question. It wasn’t as if he would receive a proper answer anyway.

He didn’t particularly feel like blaming him.

He felt an unbearable rage towards those who had underestimated the match and made mistakes, but Dogwi had approached this match with the utmost seriousness. Perhaps more seriously than anyone before him.

But…

‘It’s also true that he threw away a match he could have easily won if he had been a little more cunning.’

If he had kept his distance and dragged it into a long game, Dogwi would have been the victor. Was it a sin, or not, that he insisted on cutting down his opponent to win?

As the Black King struggled to find an answer, Baek Yeonhong’s voice reached his ears.

“He’s a fool, just push him aside.”

The Black King turned his head towards Baek Yeonhong with a stiff face. He shrugged his shoulders and opened his mouth.

“Anyway, it’s three against three now. If that guy and I win consecutively, it’s all over. Is there really a need to kill a guy who can’t even support his own body and is gasping for breath?”

The Black King’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“That’s not like you. Is that mercy for the loser?”

“Of course not.”

Baek Yeonhong looked at Dogwi with a strange expression.

“The loser doesn’t need any sympathy. Especially a fool who chose to lose even though he had a way to win.”

“Then?”

“But…”

Baek Yeonhong made a face as if he couldn’t quite organize his thoughts, then sighed lowly.

“Not everyone in the world is smart, right?”

“Sometimes, you need guys like that. Foolish, but… not just foolish.”

In fact, Baek Yeonhong himself had difficulty finding the exact reason why he was defending Dogwi. What was certain was that watching Dogwi’s fight had made his blood boil.

“I understand one thing.”

“What is it?”

“Both the Black King and I are warriors after all.”

Upon hearing those words, the Black King looked at Baek Yeonhong with a puzzled expression. Then, Baek Yeonhong opened his mouth with a smirk.

“No matter how much we pursue the greater good, our essence is that of warriors. So, can’t we judge a fight where a warrior put everything on the line based solely on the result?”

“If we were soldiers, it would be right to take his head. But we are warriors.”

A low voice escaped from the Black King’s lips.

“Warriors…”

It wasn’t a sound he particularly agreed with.

Individual inclinations are an element that cannot be ignored. But in the face of true justice, an individual is just too small.

You can always find your ego after achieving your goal.

‘If you take into account every single one of those trivial things, the goal will eventually become blurred.’

It was just then, when the Black King had made up his mind.

Thud.

Dogwi, who had been holding on and holding on, finally lost consciousness and collapsed on the spot. The Black King, looking at Dogwi who had fallen forward, let out a hollow laugh.

“What will you do? If it’s now, he’ll go peacefully even if you cut off his head…”

The Black King answered with an annoyed face.

“Punishment is only meaningful if the one receiving it is aware of it.”

Killing him without him even knowing he was being punished was not the Black King’s way.

And, fortunately or unfortunately, there was no way for even the current Black King to wake up Dogwi, who was completely exhausted. The moment he tried to make him regain consciousness, he would die.

“…Drag him away and treat him. I’ll ask about his sins after he wakes up.”

“You can’t be cruel after all.” Baek Yeonhong’s giggling laughter was grating. But the Black King ignored the laughter and looked at the other side with sunken eyes.

‘Unexpected.’

There were several things he wanted to achieve through this match, but the two most important were:

First, to make those watching this match clearly understand what a warrior is.

Sometimes, goodwill and norms can be elements that maintain peace, but the most perfect driving force for peace, in the Black King’s opinion, is fear.

For ordinary people, watching this match might incite hostility towards warriors, but that wasn’t a very important factor for the Black King.

He was someone who didn’t believe the lie that ordinary citizens were the masters of the world. This match was a warning to the true masters of the world who were watching this place.

That had certainly been achieved.

Perhaps even more perfectly than the Black King’s initial plan. A one-sided victory has its limits. A match that went beyond expectations and was fought on equal terms would have made them perfectly aware of what a warrior is.

The difference between a report written in text and a scene witnessed with one’s own eyes is clear enough that it doesn’t need to be explained.

But that didn’t mean he was happy with the current result.

His goal wasn’t to win this match. His goal was to use the representation of the warrior world that would be given after this match to perfectly lead the warriors.

To do that, he needed to show a more overwhelming power. An overwhelming gap that would make even other warriors not dare to oppose them.

“Gongryeong.”

“Yes, Black King.”

“The games are over.”

“Defeat will no longer be tolerated.”

Gongryeong nodded silently.

Gongryeong, who had turned around, walked plainly towards the center.

“What’s his condition?”

“Critical.”

It wasn’t an unusual statement.

No, it was rather a natural statement. If a person with half their neck cut off wasn’t in critical condition, that would be more strange. In fact, if he were an ordinary warrior… no, even if he were a superhuman, it would be normal to die after receiving such an injury.

Nevertheless, the reason why these words sounded so awkward was because the person in that critical condition was none other than Bator.

“It’s not getting worse, but… he’s someone who would have already started recovering normally, but there’s no sign of improvement.”

“Are, are you saying he might die?”

“D, Director!”

When Wiggins hesitated to answer, Bang Jin-hoon’s face hardened.

“I hope the worst-case scenario doesn’t happen, but… he’s used up more energy than I thought. It seems like he’s pulled out every last drop, literally.”

Those words seemed to speak volumes about how brutal this battle was.

Indeed.

It was a battle that made the onlookers feel like they were losing their minds. So, how much damage would those who directly experienced the match have taken?

“That dullard.”

Jang Min clicked his tongue as he looked at Bator.

“Leave him alone. He’s not so delicate that he’ll die from using up his strength.”

“B, Elder Jang, what are you saying?”

“Don’t worry. He won’t die.”

Jang Min looked at Bator with a nonchalant face.

“I’ve seen quite a few cases like this, and the ones who survive have one thing in common.”

“A commonality?”

“They have a strong attachment to life.”

“He wouldn’t die after being given a chance to live by someone who could have killed him with a flick of a finger. He’s the type who would somehow survive even if he had to smack the King of the Underworld in the head.”

“W, well, that’s true, but…”

Jang Min quietly looked at the fallen Bator.

Then, he shook his head as if there was nothing he could do.

He had thought he was just talk, but Bator had clearly surpassed his limits today. If he regained consciousness, he would probably become even stronger than before.

Watching someone grow is a joyful thing.

However…

“Demon Lord.”

Jang Min turned his body to face Kang Jin-ho, then slowly knelt on the spot.

“Oh, great master of the demonic path, this humble one dares to wish to become the Demon Lord’s sword. Command me. I will make those who dared to oppose the Demon Lord pay a fitting and complete price.”

Kang Jin-ho silently stared at Jang Min.

After staring at Jang Min for a long time, Kang Jin-ho slowly opened his mouth.

“Jang Min.”

“Yes, Demon Lord.”

“Forget about the cult.”

“You’ve lived your whole life for the cult. It’s time to let it go.”

“How can this subordinate…”

“It’s not bad to live for yourself for once.”

Jang Min raised his head and looked at Kang Jin-ho.

A strange smile appeared on Jang Min’s lips as he stared at Kang Jin-ho with a blank face.

“If the Demon Lord commands it, I will do so.”

“It’s not an order. It’s a suggestion.”

“Then I will think about it.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head as if he couldn’t help it.

“Win and come back.”

“I will obey your command.”

Jang Min slowly rose to his feet. Then, he walks towards the center.

The Great Elder of the Demonic Cult.

And Kang Jin-ho’s most faithful servant.

Lee Hyun-soo, who was watching his back, realized something anew.

A being who was incredibly reliable and at the same time sometimes baffled them.

Someone who made them feel both familiarity and strangeness because they had lived in such different times.

There was no word that revealed the person named Jang Min in any expression that modified such Jang Min.

‘If you take away the Demonic Cult and the Lord from Elder Jang, what would be left?’

It’s not that he’s denying the life he’s lived.

But something…

‘I don’t have the confidence to live like that.’

Lee Hyun-soo, too, had come to value Kang Jin-ho and the General Assembly more than his own safety at some point. That was an undeniable fact. He hoped it wouldn’t happen, but if there ever came a moment when he had to choose between him and the General Assembly, he might not be able to choose himself as easily as he had in the past.

But…

‘Can I keep doing that?’

Ten years pass, twenty years pass, a hundred years pass, two hundred years pass…

Even after Kang Jin-ho had hidden his figure, and those who had breathed, sweated, rejoiced, and grieved together in the General Assembly had all returned to the earth… could he still live valuing the General Assembly as he did now?

Lee Hyun-soo shook his head.

He didn’t have the confidence to do that. No, no one but him could do that.

There was only one person in the world, Jang Min, who had lived such a life. Lee Hyun-soo couldn’t even imagine what the driving force behind it was.

However…

‘I want to see it once.’

When that old man, who didn’t seem like an old man, completely threw off the shackles that bound him, what would he look like?

Step, step.

The one who had never once pushed away the weight given to him finally stopped his feet and looked at the enemy of the cult.

“I am…”

The moment Gongryeong was about to open his mouth, Jang Min’s voice, which seemed to have come from hell, shut his mouth.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, you dog of a traitor.”

“I will tear you to pieces and make you pay the price for daring to show your teeth to the Demon Lord.”