Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 742

Watching Kang Jin-ho approach, the Hong King’s face hardened.

Approaching? Towards him?

A hollow laugh escaped him.

Who was he?

The Hong King. He was the Hong King.

Among the countless martial artists in the world, only three dared to call themselves kings: the Chang King, the Black King, and the Hong King himself.

This didn’t simply mean the Hong King was strong.

It was true that he was among the top three strongest martial artists in the world. However, he wasn’t a king just because he was as strong as the other two kings.

He was, in the truest sense, a king.

He had countless loyal subordinates who would not hesitate to give their lives for him, and he ruled over his own vast territory.

No one in the world dared to deny that he was a hegemon of the world.

And yet, someone was drawing a sword and approaching him?

It was absurd.

Since he had been called the Hong King, no one had dared to challenge him. Occasionally, people like Bator would appear, wanting to test their martial skills against his, but those weren’t life-or-death duels. They were merely expressions of their desire to witness his martial arts.

But the man before him was walking towards him with the intent to take his head.

And he was doing it slowly.

With each step, a bloody footprint was left behind. Blood, still dripping from his hair, continued to fall in droplets.

A blood demon.

The blood demon, his entire body stained with blood, walked towards him as if on a stroll, long swords hanging from both hands.

The Hong King’s heart slowly began to beat.

‘My heart is beating?’

The Hong King calmly assessed his condition.

A moment ago, he had seen Kang Jin-ho’s true nature. That nature had instilled fear in him. So, was this throbbing a result of not yet overcoming that fear?

No.

The Hong King knew exactly what he was feeling. This feeling was also one he hadn’t encountered in a long time. The name of this feeling was competitiveness.

‘Am I acknowledging this demon?’

It wasn’t his head that had decided this. His body was trembling with excitement.

As if he had met a long-lost friend.

The swords hanging from Kang Jin-ho’s hands were covered in black demonic energy. The flowing demonic energy was burning like flames. Both arms seemed to have turned into black flames.

Like the wings of a giant monstrous bird.

The Hong King’s face hardened as he watched the scene.

‘Impressive.’

He had to admit it.

The man’s demonic power was astonishing even to the Hong King. He had always been wary of demonic powers and demons. Their potential was never to be underestimated.

The righteous had always been wary of them.

They taught never to forget that there was a time when the world had fallen into the hands of demons.

The Hong King also believed that teaching was correct.

Even after that long persecution, the fact that they still maintained such power was proof of how tenacious demons were.

However.

‘It wasn’t this much.’

Perhaps those like Chaikechang might look up to the Hong King, who had recognized Kang Jin-ho’s existence beforehand and had been wary of him.

But that wasn’t it.

It was true that the Hong King was wary of Kang Jin-ho. But even the Hong King had never imagined that Kang Jin-ho was such a being.

Look.

At that fiendish appearance.

Just facing him made it feel as if his entire body was being shredded by sharp razor blades.

‘He’s truly a demon king.’

No, they had already called him a demon king.

“Demon Lord. That name is not lacking in the slightest.”

The Hong King rolled up his sleeves.

He already knew. The situation here was no longer relevant. Who lived and who died, who would live and who would die from now on.

Those were now secondary issues. The only problem was the being in front of him. The Demon Lord.

If he could kill him, all the losses he had suffered so far would be nothing. And if he missed him, no matter what gains he made, they would be meaningless. The one who felt the danger of Kang Jin-ho most clearly in this place was none other than the Hong King himself.

Step.

Step.

Kang Jin-ho slowly approached him.

And the Hong King, clenching both fists, simply watched the scene.

Just a simple walk.

But within that walk, the Hong King’s aura and Kang Jin-ho’s aura were colliding head-on.

Soon, the distance between the two narrowed to about 3 meters.

To ordinary people, it might seem like a considerable distance, but for them, this distance was close enough to take each other’s heads at any moment. Kang Jin-ho, having approached within striking distance, quietly looked at the Hong King.

The arrogance in his eyes made the Hong King’s gaze sink.

Had anyone ever looked at him with such eyes?

But strangely, it suited him. This man seemed to have been born to look down on others.

Seeing that appearance…

The Hong King let out a hollow laugh without realizing it.

This was a bad habit. He knew it well. It was definitely not the kind of thing to say in this situation.

Yet, the Hong King couldn’t help but say it.

“Kang Jin-ho.”

Kang Jin-ho didn’t answer, just stared at the Hong King.

“Come to me.”

“You are strong. Unbelievably strong. It’s not just that you’re strong. You have something that even I don’t possess. That power will surely be used for great things.”

The Hong King was dumbfounded even as he spoke.

He was now extending a hand to Kang Jin-ho.

Even though he had been displeased when Chaikechang had argued for it. Even though he knew that the emotional rift was so deep that it could never be easily bridged.

And…

‘He won’t accept it.’

A king is a king because he doesn’t bow. Would the Hong King bow his head to someone stronger than him? Such a thing could never happen. Similarly, Kang Jin-ho would never bow his head to anyone else.

Knowing all of this, the Hong King still tried to persuade him.

Because he was radiant.

Because he was magnificent.

The light emanating from the young martial artist before him made him willing to endure everything he had in reality.

“If you can grow like this, you will surely take the world. But the people of the world need luck. As long as I and the other kings hold the Central Plains [the heartland of China], you will never become a person of the world. Dying here is your destiny. So, come to me.

I will make sure that you will take the world in the future, even if not in this generation.”

The Hong King knew. Such a lukewarm offer would never sway Kang Jin-ho’s heart.

Knowing this, he had no choice but to offer more.

“I will guarantee you the position of second-in-command. I will leave your forces as they are. You will not take orders from anyone but me, and your forces will remain in your hands. I will guarantee you control over the peninsula [Korean peninsula].”

Chaikechang, who was listening to those words from afar, widened his eyes as if they would tear.

‘H-Hong King!’

It was shocking.

Too shocking.

The Hong King had just promised Kang Jin-ho control over Korea in exchange for his allegiance. And he had said that those who followed him could continue to be led by Kang Jin-ho.

In other words, he was acknowledging Kang Jin-ho as he was. If Kang Jin-ho bowed his head to the Hong King just once, he could return to Korea with the Demonic Cult without any harm. And unlike before, he could grow his power without worrying about being invaded by the Hong King.

‘How! How can you say such things!’

Chaikechang looked at the Hong King with disbelief.

Considering the Hong King, who had used any means to kill Kang Jin-ho, this was an impossible event. Moreover, this was not the right move. What if Kang Jin-ho, who had grown his power in the rear, did something? What kind of offer was this?

If Kang Jin-ho accepted that offer, they would have to allow Kang Jin-ho to slowly grow his power behind their backs. Strategically, this was the worst move.

‘Even so, does he want him? Is that man so dazzling?’

Chaikechang also acknowledged Kang Jin-ho.

He was Chaikechang, who had not hesitated to serve him as his superior and bow his head. In terms of potential, Kang Jin-ho’s was beyond his reach.

If there had been a way to get Kang Jin-ho, Chaikechang would not have hesitated to risk his life to petition the Hong King.

But…

‘Is the Hong King evaluating Kang Jin-ho even more highly than I am?’

Enough to give up all of that?

Enough to think that it would be a gain if he could get Kang Jin-ho, even if he had to give up all of that?

It was an incomprehensible thing.

He was filled with shock and confusion, but there was one thought that kept Chaikechang from acting rashly.

He could not measure Kang Jin-ho’s potential.

There was no way to measure the potential of someone greater than himself. The only person who could measure Kang Jin-ho’s potential in this place was the Hong King. If the Hong King thought this offer was reasonable?

‘Is that man so great that he wants to have that despised demon under his command?’

While Chaikechang was in shock, Kang Jin-ho was silently looking at the Hong King.

“Come to me, Kang Jin-ho.”

The Hong King made no further offers.

He didn’t try to persuade him. Such a man didn’t need sweet talk. No matter what kind of flattery he used, he would follow if he wanted to, and he wouldn’t if he didn’t want to.

Kang Jin-ho’s lips slowly parted.

“I thought you said you were going to kill me?”

“If you don’t follow, I will have no choice but to kill you.”

“If I follow?”

“You will become the second-in-command of the Hong King’s faction.”

“That’s different.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

This man was a descendant of the righteous, but he was different from those of the past. If they were the ones of the past, they would never have thought of having a demon under their command. They despised demons more than their mortal enemies.

But it was also a rational thing to do.

In the past, demons and the righteous were the protagonists of a history of killing each other. Naturally, they had no choice but to hate each other. But these people had broken away from that cycle.

If they thought rationally, there was no reason to growl at each other just because of past grudges.

The offer was very appealing.

This was definitely a losing proposition for the Hong King. He was giving everything in exchange for a single bow of the head. If so, Kang Jin-ho could return to Korea, easily revive the Demonic Cult, and solidify the General Assembly.

Until then, he would have to do a few things that the Hong King ordered, but once he had grown his power, he would no longer need to be under the Hong King.

It was very simple. Very.

“What’s your answer?”

Kang Jin-ho curled up the corners of his mouth.

There was no one who wouldn’t accept this foolish offer. If they weren’t severely mentally impaired, if they had even a little bit of sense.

“I just realized something today.”

The Hong King expressed his doubt at Kang Jin-ho’s answer, which was out of the blue.

That was the moment.

Swoosh.

Kang Jin-ho’s Red Dew cut through the air. A sword strike that was neither fast nor slow. A single sword strike that was simply swung into the air.

But Chaikechang’s eyes widened as if they would tear at the sight of that single sword strike.

The fact that he had swung the sword was not important. What was important was the result that the single sword strike had created.

Crimson.

The Hong King’s cheek slightly split open, and crimson blood flowed down his cheek.

Kang Jin-ho’s single sword strike had wounded the Hong King’s body.

“I guess I’m more foolish than I thought. Right?”

As Kang Jin-ho grinned, the Hong King’s face instantly twisted like a demon.

“Youuuuuuuuuuuu!”

At that moment, the Hong King unleashed a storm-like aura.

The earth trembled, and the sea surged.

The world was literally shaking at the Hong King’s rage.

Facing that rage head-on, Kang Jin-ho sneered.

“If you’re done talking, then come at me.”

The negotiation was over.