Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 784

‘…Three days?’

‘Yes.’

Wiggins’ gaze was fixed on the tightly shut door. It was a thin iron door that he could break through at any time. But now, that iron door was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere that no one dared to approach.

‘Three days… why?’

‘It seems he’s creating something new.’

‘Creating something new?’

Wiggins rubbed his chin with his one remaining hand.

‘Certainly… the Lord [referring to Kang Jin-ho] is practically a master, so it wouldn’t be impossible for him to create a new martial art. It won’t be easy, though.’

‘Is it difficult?’

‘Difficult, you say… that’s hard to explain.’

Wiggins thought for a while before opening his mouth.

‘Think of it this way. You’re very knowledgeable about music, right?’

‘Yes.’

‘Let’s say you’re a world-renowned expert. Would it be easy for them to create music?’

‘Uh…’

Only then did Lee Hyun-soo realize what was wrong with his question.

‘It’s not about creating a martial art, but about what kind of martial art to create.’

‘Exactly.’

For those who have a deep understanding of music, creating a simple children’s song is easy. Whether that song can truly resonate with children is another matter, but creating music in the form of a children’s song wouldn’t be difficult.

But what if the music to be created is an orchestral concerto that contains everything about oneself?

What if one had to prove their level with that one piece?

It wouldn’t be easy.

This is a problem that goes beyond skill or understanding. The higher the level, the more one demands of oneself. In the end, it’s a matter of how much one compromises.

‘The Lord doesn’t know how to compromise.’

On the surface, he acts like a well-rounded person, but when it comes to making a decision, he never backs down. The only time he backs down is when he admits he doesn’t know something.

But martial arts were Kang Jin-ho’s specialty.

When it comes to martial arts, Kang Jin-ho would not compromise. He would keep honing himself until he created a martial art that satisfied him.

‘It’s subtle.’

Kang Jin-ho entering the creation of a new martial art was welcome news. Kang Jin-ho would surely create a martial art that was a step further than the past. Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to go into seclusion. He could just use a suitable martial art.

Yet, the fact that he was taking his time meant that he was determined to create something.

‘Of course, it’s welcome news, but…’

Even so, he couldn’t shake off a sense of unease.

If Kang Jin-ho, a perfectionist when it comes to martial arts, wouldn’t tolerate even the smallest flaw. As with all creations, setting the direction and building the framework isn’t that difficult. It’s the fine-tuning of details and the catching of flaws that takes a long time.

The degree of completion of a martial art is determined by how persistently one can repeat that process.

‘The Lord must know that.’

If he spends too much time creating a martial art and doesn’t have enough time to master it, it would be better not to create a new martial art at all. It was a race against time.

It was something that had to be done quickly, but one should never be hasty. Haste creates flaws, and flaws in martial arts can have fatal consequences for those who learn them.

It had to be done quickly, but not hastily. Perhaps Kang Jin-ho was struggling with this dilemma right now.

Wiggins clicked his tongue as he looked at the tightly shut door.

‘He’s an amazing person.’

It wasn’t a matter of ability.

If Wiggins had the same abilities as Kang Jin-ho, could he have embarked on creating a new martial art in this situation?

Absolutely not.

If Wiggins were to start creating a new martial art now, he wouldn’t be able to bear the risks he would have to take and would have postponed it. Rationally, that would be the right thing to do.

‘But rationality doesn’t always guarantee success.’

Wiggins knew that now.

Success is always achieved through taking risks that seem insane to others.

Those who achieve success always take extreme risks that seem crazy to others. Ordinary people point fingers and laugh at them.

At one time, Wiggins was also on the side of those who laughed. He thought it was foolish to throw oneself into an uncertain future when there was a path with a guaranteed outcome.

But as he got older, he realized that wasn’t everything.

‘It was just fear.’

The fear of throwing oneself into an uncertain future. The fear of drastically changing the trajectory of one’s life. The fear of aiming for a fortune when one could steadily build a future.

It was just fear.

When one has nothing, one can take on challenges. When one has nothing to lose, there is nothing to lose. But the more one has, the more one hesitates to take on challenges for fear of losing what one has.

What about Kang Jin-ho?

From Wiggins’ point of view, Kang Jin-ho had built up a lot. Although he didn’t seem to think so. It was a matter of perspective.

There were countless ways for Kang Jin-ho to live a comfortable life. If Wiggins were in Kang Jin-ho’s position now, he would have joined hands with the Hong King without hesitation. In exchange for joining their ranks, he would be granted the right to govern the Korean Peninsula.

The Korean Peninsula, allied with the Hong King faction, would become an impregnable fortress that no one could touch. He could live like a king within that fortress. Depending on what Kang Jin-ho did, he could literally become the hidden king of Korea.

But Kang Jin-ho did not choose that path. To be precise, that thought didn’t exist in Kang Jin-ho’s mind.

Even with so much in his hands, Kang Jin-ho was still a challenger. That fact made Wiggins excited.

‘It’s too much for this old body to keep up with.’

Wiggins smiled without realizing it.

That was what he had expected from Kang Jin-ho.

Something that could not be expected from the stagnant Round Table [a reference to a group of powerful individuals]. Bold and aggressive choices that took risks into account. Unfortunately, Wiggins could no longer achieve such things himself. If he could have done it himself, he wouldn’t have entrusted it to Kang Jin-ho.

A man who leads people not with words, but with actions, not with hands, but with his back. That was Kang Jin-ho in Wiggins’ mind.

‘Is he eating properly?’

‘I knocked on the door twice with food, but it didn’t open. I was a bit hesitant to force my way in…’

Lee Hyun-soo looked quite troubled. As someone who wasn’t deeply versed in martial arts, he wouldn’t know how to respond in this situation.

‘Then there’s no choice. Don’t let anyone inside. It would be good to deploy guards as well.’

‘Is that okay?’

‘Why? Do you think the Lord will die if he doesn’t eat for a few days?’

‘It’s not that, but…’

Lee Hyun-soo looked at the closed door with worried eyes.

‘There’s nothing to worry about. Right now, any help would only be a hindrance. This is not an area where we can help.’

‘I suppose so. Understood. Then I’ll set up guards.’

‘Good.’

Lee Hyun-soo, who seemed to have become a bit emotional, regained his cold demeanor. Wiggins nodded as he watched him.

‘That’s how it should be.’

Lee Hyun-soo must not waver. That was the role he was playing. Even if everyone else became emotional, only Lee Hyun-soo had to hold onto reason.

He seemed to be doing quite well, which was satisfying.

‘Life is unpredictable.’

He had spent a long time trying to find a disciple to succeed him. But there was no one who followed his guidance satisfactorily. And yet, who would have known that he would find a disciple in this distant foreign land?

And it was quite interesting that he had found someone to follow at this age. Wiggins smiled as he looked at the tightly shut door.

‘I’m looking forward to it.’

The person creating a martial art inside was none other than Kang Jin-ho.

His martial arts were comparable to the Hong King. And he was confident that his understanding of martial arts was even greater than the Hong King’s. He had already seen Kang Jin-ho’s true abilities in the battle with the Hong King.

What kind of martial art would such a person create?

‘He’s not a child.’

‘Yes?’

‘No, it’s nothing.’

Wiggins waved his hand.

He couldn’t say that his heart was pounding in front of his disciple. He would be called a busybody.

‘It’s a shame he can’t learn demonic arts.’

‘Isn’t it possible for you, Master?’

‘Not for me.’

Wiggins shook his head.

It might be possible for those who based their martial arts on Eastern martial arts, but even if Wiggins learned demonic arts, it wouldn’t create synergy.

‘It’s a shame, but greed invites disaster. Of course, I also have the desire to become stronger. I am a martial artist after all. But the mountain I have to climb is not here.’

Wiggins said calmly and looked at Lee Hyun-soo.

‘Make sure there are no problems.’

‘Yes, Master. But Master, you…’

‘I need to meet with Bang Yi-sa [a character’s name]. I don’t know how long the Lord will be away, so we need to discuss countermeasures. More than anything else, focus on the Lord’s safety.’

‘Yes.’

‘There may be more work to do. There may be times when I can’t go to the children’s classes, so you’ll have to take over that.’

‘Me?’

Lee Hyun-soo said in a daze, and Wiggins asked back as if there was a problem.

‘It’s just a matter of teaching what you’ve learned, is it that difficult?’

‘Exactly as you say?’

‘No, tone it down a bit. Don’t follow the method, just the theory.’

‘It’s a bit unfair…’

‘Quiet, you rascal. Or you can learn like the other kids.’

‘I can’t do that. I’ll take care of it, so don’t worry.’

‘I wish I could believe you.’

Wiggins shook his head and turned to walk down the hallway.

‘At this rate, I’ll be left behind.’

A pleasant competitive spirit was stimulating Wiggins. Kang Jin-ho was getting stronger. People weaken the moment they settle down. But even after achieving this much, Kang Jin-ho never settles down. So he would become stronger.

If Wiggins settled down, those who looked up to him now would surpass him at some point.

‘I can’t let that happen yet.’

It seemed like it was time to start researching again.

Everyone was getting stronger.

Slowly but surely, the General Assembly [likely a reference to a group or organization] was moving forward step by step. Wiggins sensed that the time had come for the last adventure of his life.

‘Tsk. He’s always making me work.’

It felt like Kang Jin-ho was constantly pushing him from behind.

Don’t settle down, become stronger.

The feeling of being whipped was quite pleasant, so it seemed he was already too far gone to escape from Kang Jin-ho.

‘You’ll be punished for making an old man work, Lord.’

Wiggins turned his head and looked at the tightly shut door.

Kang Jin-ho was taking his time to create something. How amazing would the result be? Wiggins walked briskly, filled with pleasant anticipation.

‘This must be the fun of living.’

A satisfied smile spread across Wiggins’ face.