Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 518

It was a moment of realization.

He understood the source of his fatigue.

Perhaps, the person who knew the least about himself was Kang Jin-ho.

As he became aware that he could break free from the complicated situation and engage in a fight, his mind cleared, and his heart began to race.

A low sigh escaped Kang Jin-ho’s lips.

It was filled not with disappointment or relief, but with an undeniable joy.

— When are you going to stop deceiving yourself?

It echoed.

As always, his voice.

A voice that was his own, yet not his own.

That voice would subtly appear whenever this happened and speak to him.

He no longer consciously tried to separate it, but once divided, the consciousness did not easily merge back into one. Whenever he tried to integrate his consciousness, the one who had subtly hidden within him would raise his head as if amused.

— You are a demon. You haven’t forgotten, have you?

‘I had forgotten.’

No, he had tried to forget.

But in times like these, he always became aware.

The life he had shown was not enough to satisfy him.

Although he said otherwise, he always craved blood.

Whether it was because his body was filled with demonic energy, or if it was his true nature, he didn’t know, but he always craved blood.

It was ridiculous.

Kang Jin-ho, who created a foundation for the children and taught martial arts for the Assembly, and Kang Jin-ho, who trembled with bloodlust, were both Kang Jin-ho.

“I… I delivered his message clearly.”

Jang Da-jing stammered, without realizing it.

His mind was filled with one thought.

He wanted to get out of here.

He felt like turning around and running away with all his might. The reason he didn’t was not because of a sense of duty towards his work. It was because he knew that you should never show your back when facing a beast.

He was dominated by the fear that if he turned his back, that beast would pounce on him and sink its fangs into the back of his neck.

‘Can a person’s temperament change so drastically in an instant?’

He was an observer of Kang Jin-ho.

Most of the reason he stayed in Korea was to monitor Kang Jin-ho, and he knew very well how many things Kang Jin-ho had done so far.

There wouldn’t be many people throughout the entire continent who rated Kang Jin-ho as highly as he did. He had seen it with his own eyes and felt it himself. How could he underestimate Kang Jin-ho?

But now, he had learned something new.

‘It was all a misunderstanding.’

He didn’t know anything about Kang Jin-ho.

There was a huge difference between just watching from the sidelines and standing in front of this man, a difference that words could not express. He would never know unless he was exposed to this terrifying feeling.

Only then did Jang Da-jing feel that some of his questions were being answered.

Kang Jin-ho’s control was loose.

It made him wonder if he was really controlling the Assembly. He didn’t hold any position within the Assembly, nor was he physically suppressing it.

If Bang Jin-hoon and others gathered their forces and tried to drive Kang Jin-ho out, they could easily do so. No matter how strong Kang Jin-ho was, he couldn’t fight against the entire Assembly.

That’s why he was frustrated.

Kang Jin-ho didn’t seem to realize that he was in danger. If he were in Kang Jin-ho’s position, he would have established a firm power and position to keep the Assembly under his thumb.

But that wasn’t the case.

‘He didn’t need to.’

Most of those who could be considered the core of the Assembly had once been in opposition to Kang Jin-ho. They probably knew his true nature even better than he did.

That’s why they wouldn’t dare to rebel.

Kang Jin-ho slowly approached him.

Jang Da-jing desperately tried to think of what he could say to get out of this situation.

Kang Jin-ho reached out and grabbed Jang Da-jing’s neck. He could feel the throbbing of the muscles, as if he were about to break his neck right away.

“I heard the message. But…”

Kang Jin-ho smiled calmly.

“There’s one thing I don’t understand.”

Cold sweat began to form on Jang Da-jing’s forehead.

Nothing had started yet. Yet, his body was as stiff as a condemned prisoner being dragged to the execution ground.

He had no idea what Kang Jin-ho was about to say. But he knew that whatever came out of his mouth, it wouldn’t be good for him.

“I’ve heard everything I needed to hear, and you’re my enemy, right? Then…”

Kang Jin-ho growled, low and deep.

“Why should I let you live?”

Jang Da-jing’s face was filled with despair.

He had never expected this kind of reaction. It wasn’t him who had pointed a knife at Kang Jin-ho, but Bator. He thought Kang Jin-ho would naturally recognize Bator as the enemy.

But Kang Jin-ho was not the martial artist he thought he was.

He was more like a beast. Generally, martial artists who have reached a certain level look down on those who are not their equals. They don’t even try to find a reason to kill them.

However, Kang Jin-ho was different from those martial artists.

It didn’t matter.

As long as he could tear apart the opponent in front of him.

Jang Da-jing’s mind went blank, exposed to a ferocity he had never seen before.

‘I’m going to die.’

Watching Kang Jin-ho slowly lick his lips, the word ‘death’ suddenly felt real.

Because it was obvious.

Kang Jin-ho wasn’t looking for a reason to kill him. He was looking for a reason not to kill him. He was desperately holding back the urge to kill him right away.

Realizing that, his whole body trembled.

‘I have to think.’

He had to find something. A reason why Kang Jin-ho shouldn’t kill him. But his mind, already pale, couldn’t move as smoothly as usual. It was like a rusty clockwork mechanism, creaking and stuttering.

“S-save…”

“Isn’t it interesting?”

Kang Jin-ho grinned, revealing his teeth.

“Your goal is to kill me, right? Your goal is to somehow lure me out and kill me. And yet, you expect to return alive. It’s ridiculous.”

Kang Jin-ho pulled Jang Da-jing closer.

“Did you think you could just stand back and watch? Did you believe you were safe? Then you need to know. That you were wrong.”

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes began to turn red.

Jang Da-jing frantically scratched at Kang Jin-ho’s arm, which was gripping his neck. But Kang Jin-ho’s hand didn’t budge.

His brain wasn’t getting enough oxygen. He couldn’t think anymore.

The words that came out after a desperate struggle were as obvious as they could be.

“P-place… P-place.”

But those words caught Kang Jin-ho’s interest.

“Hmm?”

Kang Jin-ho released his grip on Jang Da-jing’s neck.

Thud.

Jang Da-jing, who had fallen to the floor, gasped for air. As if trying to catch his breath all at once, a sound like a large hydraulic pump turning came from his throat.

“Cough! Cough!”

Kang Jin-ho stared at Jang Da-jing, who was gasping for air, with cold eyes.

“The place! And the time!”

Jang Da-jing shouted as soon as he regained his senses, as if he hadn’t forgotten what situation he was in.

“The place?”

“Bator-nim said he would arrange the best place. A place where we can focus only on each other without any interference!”

Jang Da-jing’s words were almost a scream.

At the same time, it was a plea. His fate depended on these words.

Kang Jin-ho looked at Jang Da-jing without saying anything.

The weight of his gaze crushed Jang Da-jing.

“Interesting.”

Kang Jin-ho grinned, revealing his teeth.

It was a strange feeling.

It was the first time something like this had happened since he had crossed over to this world. There had been those who had targeted him, and those who had been strangely caught up in events and had opposed him.

But it was the first time someone had challenged him head-on like this.

It was quite common in the past, but experiencing this again after a long time gave him a strange feeling.

The feeling that the battle itself was the goal, not the result.

That feeling was stimulating Kang Jin-ho.

And that man named Bator.

“He’s the one I saw at the baseball field, right?”

“Yes, he is.”

Jang Da-jing nodded, as if Kang Jin-ho would naturally know.

The strong recognize the strong.

Just as Bator had felt a strong presence from Kang Jin-ho, Kang Jin-ho would have felt the same from Bator. Kang Jin-ho’s reaction at the time proved it.

“I will tell you the place and time. I will make sure that no one interferes. So…”

“Spare your life?”

“Yes.”

Jang Da-jing threw away his pride and everything else. Surviving was the priority now.

“Are you trying to make a deal?”

“How could I?”

Jang Da-jing bowed his head to the floor.

“Mercy.”

Kang Jin-ho stared at Jang Da-jing, who was prostrate on the floor, and nodded.

“That information is worth more than your life. Give it and get out of here.”

“Thank you.”

Jang Da-jing’s forehead was swollen and red when he raised his head. But Jang Da-jing didn’t feel humiliated at all.

The place where he was born and raised was different from here.

In China and the Central Plains, no one would criticize a strong person for killing the weak for fun.

When it came to surviving the whims of the strong, pride was just a hindrance.

Jang Da-jing whispered to Kang Jin-ho.

After telling him the place and time, Jang Da-jing swallowed hard.

“Then…”

Kang Jin-ho nodded slightly, and Jang Da-jing quickly left the spot. It was as if he was afraid that Kang Jin-ho might change his mind if he lingered any longer.

Kang Jin-ho, who had been watching Jang Da-jing disappear into the distance, opened his mouth quietly.

“Come out.”

There was no answer.

After waiting for a moment, Kang Jin-ho growled.

“It would be better to come out before I tear your necks off.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the space in one of the alleys began to distort.

A sight he had never seen before.

But Kang Jin-ho was not flustered at all and glared at the spot. The distorted space seemed to stretch out, and then an old gentleman and a familiar-looking woman appeared.

“…We didn’t mean to deceive you. We just…”

Elena.

She stammered an excuse, but Kang Jin-ho’s gaze was not directed at her. From the moment they appeared, Kang Jin-ho’s gaze was fixed on the old gentleman.

The old gentleman, who raised his hand to stop Elena from speaking, opened his mouth quietly.

“It’s the first time we’ve met. I am Wiggins.”

It was the moment when Knight Wiggins finally revealed himself before Kang Jin-ho.