Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 365

“What the hell are you talking about?” Jo Gyu-min’s face was deathly pale. It wasn’t hard to understand. Even Bang Jin-hoon, who thought he had seen a lot of death, was feeling nauseous at the sight Kang Jin-ho was creating. How much worse would it be for Jo Gyu-min? He wanted to praise him just for not turning his head and running away. But Jo Gyu-min wasn’t just not running away; he was calmly observing the situation. His composed eyes proved that fact. “He’s not someone who likes inefficient actions.” “…That’s true.” “But if he’s doing this, there must be a reason. If he was planning to completely crush them, he would have told us to charge in when their momentum broke. If he told us to watch until the end, there must be a reason.” “Ugh…” Bang Jin-hoon let out a groan. Jo Gyu-min was right. Looking back, Kang Jin-ho wasn’t the type to explain things in detail, but he was the type to clearly explain what needed to be done. He wasn’t the type to do crazy things like, ‘Look at my eyes and figure it out yourself.’ “Then why is he doing that?” “Can’t you tell by looking?” “Huh?” Jo Gyu-min pointed with his finger at the martial artists of the Yeongnam Association on the opposite side of Kang Jin-ho. “Look.” Bang Jin-hoon narrowed his eyes and looked at them. ‘Ah…’ Only then could Bang Jin-hoon understand. Even Bang Jin-hoon and the others, who were watching Kang Jin-ho fight from afar, were feeling fear. How much more terrified would those who were watching Kang Jin-ho rampage right in front of them be? The Yeongnam Association guys seemed to have lost their minds. Some were trying to run away, some were trying to fight back, and some were just sitting there, completely out of it, creating a scene that was like a living hell. It was like a city center being bombarded during a war. “…They seemed to have some fight in them a little while ago.” After Kang Jin-ho provoked them, there was a large-scale attempt to rush at Kang Jin-ho. But after the leaders were literally cut into sixteen pieces, even that momentum was broken. In the end, all they could do was pray that the wolf rushing at them would kill them nicely, or put up a meaningless resistance with their dull horns. “This is insane.” It was absurd. Kang Jin-ho was literally walking into the Yeongnam Association’s front gate alone and taking down the Yeongnam Association by himself. The Yeongnam Association, which was said to be the largest martial arts force in Korea. “…This is insane!” Bang Jin-hoon’s shout towards the sky was expressing the feelings of those watching. “Gurgle.” Blood filled the throat of a man whose throat had been cut. Behind the man who was clutching his neck and falling backward, the figures of terrified martial artists were revealed. “Ah…” “Heeeeeek!” The sight of Kang Jin-ho, covered in blood and smiling as he approached them, was so terrifying that it was like something out of a nightmare. “Hoo.” Kang Jin-ho took a low breath. Drip, drip. The blood that had gathered in his hair dripped onto the floor. He looked up at the sky and saw a white moon in the middle of a sky full of stars. “Hoo…” Kang Jin-ho took another deep breath and turned his head to look at the martial artists. They were completely terrified. The way they looked at him, as if he was not a human, was triggering a familiar nostalgia. The hostility in their eyes had disappeared. And no one dared to make eye contact with him. ‘It’s been a while.’ Kang Jin-ho felt a slight regret. The voice in his heart kept talking to him. It was telling him that he could still rampage a little more. ‘Shut up!’ But Kang Jin-ho suppressed the voice. He was already a murderer. He had been a murderer since the beginning, he was a murderer now, and he would be a murderer in the future. But even if he was a murderer, he wouldn’t be consumed by blood. The moment he became obsessed with killing people without a purpose, he would lose his past self and fall into a simple demon. “…Next.” As soon as Kang Jin-ho spoke, the martial artists in front of him sat down on the floor and began to crawl away from him. Tears and snot were all over their faces, but in the face of the fear of death, such things seemed meaningless. “Next.” Kang Jin-ho quietly said again in that spot. Then he raised his head. “Who’s next to die?” No one could answer. ‘Still the same.’ The corners of Kang Jin-ho’s mouth curled up. This was a method that Kang Jin-ho had often used in the past. This method was very efficient. It was easy to crush an opponent with force. If the Demonic Cult [a powerful and feared martial arts sect], which could be said to be the strongest single force, attacked, no one could help but surrender. Those who knew the Demonic Cult’s brutality and tenacity would raise a white flag and beg for mercy just for being on their bad side. But that was it. The subjugation created by the strength of a force always looked for a weakness in that force. The sects that were subjugated in that way always looked for an opportunity to escape the influence of the Demonic Cult, and they always worked hard to stab them in the back. Keeping those who had not sincerely surrendered under your control was not much different from swallowing poison. But this method was different. If forces clash, people start to calculate. They worry about whether they can win or not, and they try to find a way to reduce the damage. But what if the opponent is not a force? Then they surrender with emotion, not reason. Those who saw Kang Jin-ho rampage today would never be able to rebel against Kang Jin-ho again. Just like those who saw the madness of the former Heavenly Demon Lord [the leader of the Demonic Cult]. That was why Cheongma [a powerful martial artist] had to gather all the absolute masters in the world, not the cult members or the martial artists of the hostile forces, to strike him down. Unlike Kang Jin-ho, who was indifferent to the cult, the cult members were so afraid of Kang Jin-ho that he, who had seized all the power of the cult, could not give the order to strike Kang Jin-ho. They would also walk the same path now. And this method was a way to reduce sacrifices. If Kang Jin-ho had moved the General Assembly [a gathering of martial arts clans] and started a war, at least ten times the number of people he had killed now would have lost their lives. He wasn’t trying to save people’s lives from a humanitarian point of view, but if he was going to use his power anyway, it was better to use it in a way that didn’t waste it. “Choose.” Kang Jin-ho began to drive the wedge. “Die…” Whoosh! Blood spurted from the tip of the Red Dew [Kang Jin-ho’s sword], which was swung into the air. The Red Dew, which had regained its pure white blade with a single swing, emitted a cold light as it received the moonlight. “Or surrender.” Silence. A silence so profound that even the sound of swallowing could be heard clearly descended upon the training ground. As if the screams and groans of the past had been a lie, the sound of crickets chirping could be heard faintly from somewhere. “If you want to die, resist. I’m not merciful enough to save those who want to die.” Everyone’s eyes followed Kang Jin-ho. “But if you surrender, I’ll spare your lives.” Complex calculations? Analysis of the situation? There was none of that. The moment Kang Jin-ho finished speaking, everyone here knew what they had to do. “If you surrender, drop your weapons and kneel on the spot. Those who don’t will remain standing. You’ll end up the same way in the end.” The same way? That was right. Those who stood would be cut by the sword and roll on the floor. Sssssssss. A sound like a swarm of bees began to emanate from Kang Jin-ho’s body. ‘W-what is it?’ The dark red energy that emanated from his body enveloped Kang Jin-ho. From the tips of his toes to the top of his head, it was as if dark red smoke had swallowed his body. Only his two eyes were shining with a clear crimson light from Kang Jin-ho’s body, which was dyed black all over. “I’ll count to three.” Kang Jin-ho’s voice became a little rougher. The bodies of those who heard his eerie and low voice, as if it had come from the depths of hell, began to tremble. They could tell. What would happen to those who did not follow his words. They would probably be forced to crawl on the floor. With their bodies cut in half. “Three.” Thud! Thud! The sound of weapons dropping to the floor rang out like the sound of rain. Thump! Thump! The sound of people collapsing powerlessly to the floor echoed from all over. Even though he had only said the word three, more than half of them were lying on the floor like corpses. Even the faces of those who were still standing began to show panic. “Two.” Those who understood the situation were horrified and fell to the floor. “One.” When he counted the last number, no one was holding their head up. The fear of death and the pressure that Kang Jin-ho was emitting made their choice too easy. Kang Jin-ho quietly turned his head and opened his mouth. “You trash…” Goosebumps rose on the backs of those who had their heads buried in the floor. There was a clear regret in his voice. Even after killing so many martial artists, that demon was still craving blood. He was angry that there were no more people resisting, so he couldn’t kill them. That fact was so terrible and frightening. Kang Jin-ho stuck the Red Dew and Blue Dew [another of Kang Jin-ho’s swords] into the floor and took a deep breath. Then he turned his head and looked at Bang Jin-hoon. “Bang Jin-hoon.” Bang Jin-hoon, who had been staring blankly at Kang Jin-ho for a moment without answering, was startled and shouted. “Yes! Yes!” “Collect the weapons, subdue them, and gather them in one place.” “Understood.” “…If there’s anyone who resists, kill them.” “Yes!” Bang Jin-hoon answered, bending his waist at a ninety-degree angle. Kang Jin-ho, who had been staring at Bang Jin-hoon quietly, pulled out the Red Dew and Blue Dew that he had stuck into the floor and pushed them into their scabbards. Shhhhk. Shhhhk. Those who heard the sound of the swords entering their scabbards let out a sigh of relief. Among them, there were those who were shedding tears of relief that they were now alive. ‘It’s over.’ Bang Jin-hoon could tell one thing as he watched the scene. They can’t resist. They would never be able to breathe in front of Kang Jin-ho for the rest of their lives. That was how much the image Kang Jin-ho had shown today had been branded into them. ‘It’s the same for us, though.’ It wasn’t just the Yeongnam Association who had seen Kang Jin-ho rampage. The martial artists of the General Assembly had also watched his actions clearly. Bang Jin-hoon gritted his teeth. ‘After today, neither of the two forces will be able to resist that man.’ Kang Jin-ho had put the two largest martial arts forces in Korea under his feet in a way that no one else could have done, and so easily. Crushing them with his dirty feet. But Bang Jin-hoon didn’t know. That this was the end for him, but it wasn’t the end for Kang Jin-ho. “Where is Kim Seok-il?” The hungry wolf, who had not yet filled his belly, revealed his sharp teeth towards his next prey.