Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 454

“Kang Jin-ho?”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t he drop out?”

“Yes. So, I’m asking what he was like during his school days.”

“Hey, are you mixed race? Your Korean is amazing.”

“……Could you please answer my question first?”

“If I answer well, will you give me your phone number? Because I can do really well then.”

‘Should I kill him?’

Elena hid the throbbing vein on her forehead with her hair, smiling brightly.

“I’ll think about it if you answer well.”

“Yes! Then I’ll do my best. But… you asked about Kang Jin-ho, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Come to think of it, there’s not much to say about Kang Jin-ho…”

“He drove a really expensive car. And he was super handsome.”

“He was incredibly popular.”

A friend next to her chimed in.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s because of Seyon that other kids couldn’t approach him, but he was really popular. A handsome guy with lots of money, and he was good at studying too. Wow, every time I saw him, I felt so defeated… I couldn’t even get a girl’s phone number properly, and even if I did, they’d block me on Kakao [a popular Korean messaging app], but girls would just flock to Kang Jin-ho even if he did nothing.”

“Enough about your dark past, just tell me about Kang Jin-ho.”

“Okay. Well, there wasn’t much else. After class, he was always in a hurry to go home, and during breaks, he’d go to the PC room [internet cafe] or the library with his friends. There were a lot of people who wanted to get close to Jin-ho, but it was like….”

“He had an unapproachable vibe.”

“Yeah, he had that. Actually, just looking at his face, he had charisma. So, it was a bit like that.”

“What about his personality?”

At Elena’s question, the two seemed to ponder before answering.

“He was nice, right?”

“Yeah, I think so. Usually, if you have that kind of background, you’d be going crazy, but he never caused any trouble. That’s something most people can’t do.”

“I think he was nice.”

“Nice?”

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“No, it’s nothing. Then.”

“What about the phone number?”

“I don’t have a phone.”

“……Just say you don’t want to. I just wasted a perfectly good phone.”

A dejected voice came from behind Elena as she turned to leave.

“Jin-ho?”

“Yes.”

“He’s a saint, a saint.”

“What do you mean by ‘saint’?”

“Like a Buddha, I guess?”

“Gautama Siddhartha?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

Elena, who had been asking around about Kang Jin-ho’s high school classmates, stared at the man in front of her, dumbfounded.

“Are you saying he has a good personality, or that he’s easygoing?”

“Both.”

The man shrugged and said,

“He has a good personality, but he’s also easygoing. Actually, his best friend is a guy named Park Yu-min, do you know him?”

“Yes, I know him.”

“Now that Park Yu-min is a pro gamer, he’s famous and has a great style, but when he was in school, Park Yu-min was, how should I put it… a total loser? I feel a bit uncomfortable digging up the past of someone who’s doing well now, but anyway, he was that type. You know, the kind of guy who makes you feel frustrated just by being next to him.”

“Yes. I know what you mean.”

“But Jin-ho would hang out with that loser, buy him food, and play with him… Wow, that was really something. Actually, Jin-ho was considered to be in a different class among the kids, so the popular and well-off kids tried really hard to hang out with him… But he didn’t give them any attention, and he’d go to PC rooms with Park Yu-min… That’s something not just anyone can do.”

“Yeah.”

“Considering that, he’s really nice. Usually, people try to hang out with people who are on their level. Even if they’re childhood friends, a super popular kid and a total loser would usually drift apart, but even though Park Yu-min was so frustrating, he never said a bad word and always went along with him. That’s why I say he’s a saint.”

Elena nodded without realizing it.

“But with that kind of personality, wouldn’t there be a lot of people bothering him?”

“No. Not at all.”

The man cut her off.

“He’s really nice, but there were also rumors that he was terrifying when he got angry. There was an incident too. But actually, it wasn’t just because of the rumors… everyone kind of felt it. That he’s the type who’s impossible to deal with when he reaches his limit. Something like that?”

“Right. So, was there ever a moment when he reached that limit?”

“Not really, I don’t think so?”

“So, um, he was like a bomb without a fuse. The safety mechanism was so strong that even if you tried to detonate it, it wouldn’t explode, but the packaging was so soft and fluffy that it was nice to hug and roll around with, right?”

“……I understand.”

“I don’t know why you want to hear about Jin-ho… but he’s a good guy. Everyone acknowledges that.”

“Yes.”

Elena nodded absentmindedly.

‘He’s thorough, really.’

She had disguised herself in countless identities in numerous countries to understand the instructions of the Round Table. She was confident in her ability to hide herself, but seeing Kang Jin-ho made her realize that she was nothing.

Could someone hide themselves so thoroughly from those around them?

And not just for a short period, but for a long time?

If he had been hiding himself to this extent, then it must be his true nature. If a person with the nature of a murderer had done volunteer work for decades, treated those around him well, and then suddenly died while waiting for an opportunity to kill, should he be considered evil or good?

It was clear that Kang Jin-ho was nurturing a monster within him, but as long as that monster didn’t reveal itself, he should be considered a good person.

‘A good person?’

Elena chuckled without realizing it.

A good person, a good person….

Does that mean he’s a nice person?

‘That’s ridiculous.’

If he’s a good person, then who in the world isn’t?

Anyone who had seen his true nature right in front of them would agree with Elena’s opinion.

‘The problem is that there aren’t many people like that.’

Elena sighed deeply.

She needed someone who could understand her.

‘Crazy bastard.’

Lee Myung-hwan’s body began to tremble uncontrollably.

‘He’s crazy. This bastard is crazy!’

Admiration?

If he could, Lee Myung-hwan would turn back time and shred his own mouth for saying he wanted to be like Kang Jin-ho.

The Kang Jin-ho he knew was not the real Kang Jin-ho.

The sight of Kang Jin-ho slicing people like pieces of meat was terrifying, but that didn’t even begin to describe this man.

Lee Myung-hwan could finally understand.

The true fear of this man.

Just having his face held, he couldn’t even move a finger. Who knew that being completely dominated physically could be so terrifying?

Not being able to resist even though someone full of hostility was right in front of him was an experience he had never had before.

How could he describe that fear?

Lee Myung-hwan would rather Kang Jin-ho do something quickly. Even if it meant strangling his neck. Because just trembling like this, not knowing what would happen, was a hundred times harder.

“Death is something….”

A voice was heard.

A voice completely different from usual. The low, resonant bass was gnawing at his heart. With each word, his heart felt like it was shrinking.

It was a voice that was impossible to imagine coming from the usually laid-back Kang Jin-ho. It was like a demon squeezing him and making the sound.

“You can’t experience it.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled quietly.

Humans cannot experience death. The moment they experience death, they are no longer human. Unless they are an exception like Kang Jin-ho.

“So, strangely, people aren’t very afraid of death. Even though death is the end of everything. Why is that?”

Kang Jin-ho’s voice was clearly audible to Lee Myung-hwan. But for some reason, it was hard to understand what he was saying.

Whether it was because he was in a panic, or because Kang Jin-ho’s words were difficult, Lee Myung-hwan couldn’t tell.

“Did you say you weren’t afraid of death?”

What was he asking when his mouth was covered?

A question that didn’t expect an answer was as empty as a scream in the void.

“Then it’s okay to lose a little bit of your body. Death is losing everything, but the body isn’t everything. Do you understand?”

“Ugh……”

Lee Myung-hwan began to struggle.

No, struggling was just his thought, and in reality, his body only showed a slight tremor. But Lee Myung-hwan was twisting his body with all his might.

Now he understood.

What Kang Jin-ho was about to do. Completely.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand.”

Kang Jin-ho’s hand, which was holding Lee Myung-hwan’s finger, began to exert force. Very slowly, not in a hurry at all, but with absolute certainty.

Crack.

A clear sound of bones breaking.

It was too surreal to think that the sound came from his own hand. But Lee Myung-hwan soon had to admit that the sound came from his hand.

Because unbearable pain began to surge from his fingertips.

Crack.

Crack.

But Kang Jin-ho didn’t seem to care at all about what Lee Myung-hwan was feeling. He was just breaking Lee Myung-hwan’s fingers one by one. Mechanically, without any emotion.

“Does it hurt?”

“Hehehehe.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled softly. As if he was enjoying this situation immensely.

“Do you understand pain?”

Kang Jin-ho’s hand slowly moved upwards. The moment Lee Myung-hwan felt Kang Jin-ho’s hand gripping his arm, his body began to tremble. As if he was having a seizure.

“Someone said that pain is a warning from the body, a warning to get out of this situation quickly because you might die if you stay.”

A chuckle.

Lee Myung-hwan realized.

This guy was laughing right now.

He was breaking people’s bones and torturing them while laughing innocently.

Becoming like Kang Jin-ho was impossible from the start. No matter how strong he became, he could never do such a thing. This was something only a madman could do.

What in the world was more terrifying than a madman with power?

“So, if you’re prepared for death, that means you’re also going to ignore the pain. Isn’t that right?”

“Ugh……”

Kang Jin-ho’s hand, which was holding Lee Myung-hwan’s face, began to tighten even more. It felt like the bones in his face would be crushed to pieces.

The saliva flowing from Lee Myung-hwan’s mouth and the tears from his eyes soaked Kang Jin-ho’s hand.

“So, I want to find out.”

It was heard in his ear.

The demon’s laughter.

“How prepared you are for death. Don’t worry. You’ll never die, never.”

The moment he realized that those words meant he couldn’t escape this situation even by dying, with a crack, Lee Myung-hwan’s arm was broken.

“Kkkkkkk!”

Kang Jin-ho smiled as he watched Lee Myung-hwan let out a twisted groan.

Like a demon.

Like a demon who had found its prey.