Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 611

Jeong Yun-seong, horrified, thrust his sword forward.

“Hiiiik!”

He had thought he could handle them.

He believed the difference wouldn’t be significant. Perhaps, he even thought he could overwhelm them.

It was a natural assumption.

The individuals Kang Jin-ho had chosen were mostly in their late twenties to early thirties. However, those currently protecting Go Seong-hyeon were mostly over forty.

A decade’s difference.

For a martial artist, it was a gap that was nearly impossible to close.

For ordinary people, those over forty were already past their prime. If they were athletes, they would have to retire, and if they were martial artists, they would have long since yielded their throne to younger fighters.

But martial artists were different.

Fundamentally, martial artists aged slower. And while ordinary people fought with physical strength, they had a superior substitute: inner energy [a form of spiritual or life force used in martial arts].

While an aging martial artist lost speed and power, an aging martial artist gained inner energy proportional to their years of training. The difference in inner energy created a difference in power.

Thus, in the world of martial artists, age was a symbol of strength.

That’s what he believed.

Until just a moment ago.

“Kaaahhh!”

It was impossible to understand what they were babbling.

And perhaps there was no meaning to it at all.

It was merely a sound, like a beast, unable to contain its emotions.

Demons.

There were demons before his eyes.

How many of the martial artists in the Assembly understood what demons were?

He didn’t know.

There was no way they could know. They had hardly ever faced demons. Back when the Assembly had not yet exerted its influence over the dark world, they had only faced those who had picked up trash-like demonic arts [inferior or poorly practiced demonic techniques].

Even those who learned demonic arts from Kang Jin-ho probably didn’t fully understand what demonic arts were.

So, how could Jeong Yun-seong know about demons? He probably just thought they were martial artists who had lost their minds.

But it wasn’t that.

They weren’t like that. They were…

‘Beasts.’

Yes, that was the perfect word.

How else could he describe those who charged forward, spewing black demonic energy? If he had to find another word, it would be fiends.

He understood why his ancestors had been so wary of demons. Why they had reacted as if they had a neurosis at the mere mention of the word.

If these beings roamed the world, the world would soon be destroyed.

The sight of demons charging in groups was reminiscent of the zombie hordes he had seen in movies. They had lost their reason, and they only charged and charged with the intent to kill.

The problem was, these guys weren’t as weak as zombies.

Crack!

“Kuaaaaaaak!”

A terrible scream erupted from Jeong Yun-seong’s mouth. A demon’s right hand struck his arm. His bones shattered.

“Hehehe!”

A chilling laugh was heard.

If he had heard such a laugh elsewhere, he would have scoffed at it.

He would have said they were suffering from a case of middle school syndrome [a term used to describe immature or attention-seeking behavior].

But now, Jeong Yun-seong could neither laugh nor curse. Who could laugh when faced with a monster with bloodshot eyes, charging at them with a smile?

His knees buckled, and his heart constricted.

“Damn it!”

Anger surged at his own fear.

Why was he afraid? They were still people. Wasn’t the reason he had learned martial arts to fight bravely in such moments?

Jeong Yun-seong tightened his grip on his sword.

‘I’m being pushed back.’

No, it wasn’t just being pushed back. The surroundings were already devastated. The demons, who had charged up the mountain, attacked them like a pack of wolves hunting in a group.

And this was the result.

Jeong Yun-seong was actually holding up relatively well. Others had not been able to endure like him.

“Uwaaaah!”

“Ah, aaaaak! Aak!”

Screams of agony erupted from all around.

‘How can this be happening!’

He knew.

He recognized them.

The person he was fighting was someone he had seen before. But he had never once thought that the person before him would be his opponent.

Ten years, it had been ten years.

The age difference between Jeong Yun-seong and this person was at least ten years.

For a martial artist, ten years was enormous. The body stopped growing, but inner energy did not. So, a ten-year difference was like the difference between an elementary school student and an adult man.

Could you imagine an adult man losing to an elementary school student?

No matter how talented they were, it was an insurmountable gap. But that common sense was now being shattered without a trace.

Clang!

The sword that had blocked the enemy’s attack trembled. It was a miracle that the hand holding the sword wasn’t crushed. His protective gear was already torn, and blood was flowing, but he had to be grateful that it ended with just this.

‘I’m being pushed back.’

He was being pushed back in terms of inner energy as well. How could they overcome a ten-year difference in inner energy so easily?

Of course, this damned demon’s inner strength didn’t overwhelmingly surpass his own.

It was just a little better. But…

‘Damn it, how long has it been since they started training…’

Considering when they had started learning demonic arts, this was something that shouldn’t be possible. Moreover, even the only advantage he could have was gone.

“Kuh!”

The demon, having cleanly evaded the hastily thrust sword, wore a sinister smile.

‘They said they had no reason!’

The elders had said that demons were beings without reason, who only charged forward. If you tried to meet their strength head-on, it would be difficult, but if you lured them out and stabbed them from the side, it would be very easy to deal with them.

But that wasn’t the case.

This guy was ferocious, but he was not without reason.

As proof, this guy was dodging all of his attacks. He wasn’t just dodging what was flying at him, but he was reacting in advance when Jeong Yun-seong showed signs of attacking.

‘Damn it, what am I supposed to do!’

There were no weaknesses.

At least, at his level, he couldn’t find this demon’s weakness.

Then, the madman opened his mouth.

“More…”

Jeong Yun-seong, startled, looked at the demon.

“A little more! This isn’t enough! More!”

‘What is this crazy bastard babbling about!’

“Try to attack more fiercely!”

In that instant, strength surged into Jeong Yun-seong’s body.

“I’ll kill you!”

“Hehe. Yes, that’s it!”

Jeong Yun-seong’s sword, filled with rage, slashed at the demon’s head.

Clang! Clang!

But the demon’s hand, as if made of steel, easily blocked Jeong Yun-seong’s sword. The sword and hand collided, and Jeong Yun-seong’s hand, which was holding the sword, was being torn apart even more.

The pain in his hand was so intense that he could barely open his eyes.

Demons.

This was a demon.

One who had bloodshot eyes and emitted black demonic energy.

‘Kang Jin-ho.’

This was how Kang Jin-ho had looked in the past.

Of course, it was embarrassing to even compare the levels, but the basic form was the same.

If these guys got stronger, would they become like Kang Jin-ho?

If so, then their strength could be understood.

If their final destination was Kang Jin-ho’s level, then their current strength was nothing to be proud of. They still had a long way to go.

‘So, this is what it means to have a different goal.’

He realized it too late.

And to dare to think about other things in front of a demon was a foolish act.

“Kruk!”

The demon suddenly charged and swung his hand. Demonic energy gathered at his fingertips, creating a massive hand shape, like that of a monster.

Realizing his mistake, Jeong Yun-seong hurriedly raised his sword to block the demon’s attack.

Clang!

But unlike before, a clear metallic sound rang out. The demon’s hand had cut Jeong Yun-seong’s sword in half.

“Huh!”

Jeong Yun-seong, horrified, tried to swing the remaining half of his sword, but his movements were already too late.

Thwack!

The demon’s fist slammed into his face.

One blow.

That one blow was enough. Jeong Yun-seong’s body crashed to the ground. He had long since lost consciousness. But the demon, as if not satisfied with this, climbed on top of Jeong Yun-seong.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

He struck down.

He struck down again and again on his fallen opponent. Blood foam flowed from his mouth, and his eyes were filled with madness.

“Die! Die! Die!”

He struck down again and again.

As if he would crush his face completely.

“Kruk, krrrk.”

Reason flew away.

The reason he had barely been holding onto was being engulfed by madness. Only the instinct to kill everything in front of him consumed him.

At that moment…

Boom!

With a massive explosion, the demon’s body was flung away like a cannonball.

“Kueeeuk!”

The demon clutched his side and rolled on the ground. The pain was too great. An unimaginable, enormous pain.

“Which bastard did this!”

The demon, giving himself over to intense rage, jumped up. His body twitched.

The reason that had flown away returned in an instant.

It couldn’t be helped.

The person before him was not someone he could dare to be angry at. He was the master of the demons, and he was his master.

“Lee Myung-hwan.”

A low voice escaped from Kang Jin-ho’s mouth. Lee Myung-hwan trembled and then fell to the ground, burying his head in the dirt.

Like a beast tucking its tail before a stronger beast, an overwhelming demonic energy that could not be compared forced him into submission.

“What should be done when someone who cannot wield a sword swings one?”

“…It must be taken away.”

“Don’t get devoured.”

“Yes!”

Kang Jin-ho turned his body.

Then, Lee Myung-hwan raised his head.

In that short moment, his face was drenched in cold sweat.

‘What was I doing?’

When he turned his head, he saw Jeong Yun-seong, collapsed with a mangled face. Fortunately, he was still breathing. He was alive because he had lost his reason. If he had struck with proper demonic energy, he would have died instantly.

He could have killed someone.

Lee Myung-hwan was not someone who hesitated to kill. But he never intended to become a murderer who killed people without even knowing it.

Boom!

Boom!

Explosions erupted from all around.

But those weren’t the sounds of battle. It was the sound of Kang Jin-ho kicking away the demons who had lost their reason. Those who had been kicked away by Kang Jin-ho regained their reason and buried their heads in the ground.

“R-run away!”

“Hiiiik!”

Taking advantage of the moment when the demons were stiffened by the demonic energy that Kang Jin-ho emitted, a desperate escape began.

“Kuh!”

“Don’t chase them.”

Kang Jin-ho’s voice seized the demons’ feet as they instinctively tried to chase after those who were running away.

“I do not fight those who have no will to fight.”

“…”

They couldn’t accept it. But they couldn’t resist it either. The moment the demons controlled their two emotions, a slightly excited voice was heard.

“Then, what about me?”

Go Seong-hyeon.

He drew his sword and approached Kang Jin-ho.