Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 822

‘But, this isn’t exactly…’

The situation wasn’t great.

Kang Jin-ho, with a slightly hardened expression, calmly assessed his situation.

It was perfect.

The newly reorganized dantian [energy center in the body] was fulfilling his desires 120%. The enlightenment he had gained while observing the world had broadened the energy he could absorb. If he had previously absorbed 10 units of energy, now 100 units were surging in.

In the past, he wouldn’t have been able to handle the incoming energy, and his qi [life force or vital energy] would have backflowed.

However, his expanded and perfected dantian was effortlessly accepting the energy.

That was good news.

The fact that the amount of energy he could absorb had increased meant that the amount of energy he could accumulate had also increased.

In the past, it would have taken him decades to regain his former internal energy, but at his current pace, he could drastically shorten that time.

And the emission of energy was also being done perfectly at the same time as absorption.

This meant that Kang Jin-ho could now absorb qi even while fighting. His combat endurance would be significantly different.

It would be impossible to fight while maintaining perfection at all times, as the internal energy he consumed was significantly more than what he absorbed, but he could at least dedicate more than half the time to combat.

All of this was good news.

Except for one problem….

‘The problem is now.’

Kang Jin-ho glanced down. Through the pouring water, he could see his body.

It was tattered.

His body had been severely damaged in the process of creating a new dantian. Just enduring the pouring water pressure was damaging his body, and while filling his body with energy and reorganizing his dantian, he had been beaten to a pulp.

Of course, this damage could be healed with time. The problem was that Kang Jin-ho didn’t have time right now.

Even if he could use his energy to straighten his broken leg, he couldn’t restore the collapsed platform. He was using energy to keep himself from being pushed back in the air, but at this rate, his internal energy would be depleted in an instant.

The torn and ruptured flesh wasn’t getting any worse, but it was rapidly depleting his stamina and internal energy.

In the end, his fuel tank had increased, but his output had also increased, resulting in higher consumption. It was good for Kang Jin-ho personally, but it didn’t solve the current crisis. Rather, it had reduced his time even further.

‘What should I do?’

His physical limit was three minutes from now.

He couldn’t hold out any longer than that.

Kang Jin-ho raised his head and looked at the water tank.

The water level in the tank was still not visible. Even though a lot of water had drained, there was still much more water in the tank. The moment Kang Jin-ho lost his strength, this water would rush in and sweep away everyone in the building.

Kang Jin-ho quietly listened.

Even amidst the deafening noise, he could clearly hear the voices of people shouting and the desperate cries of despair.

Not everyone had escaped yet.

If Kang Jin-ho gave up now, what would happen to those people?

They would die.

The more densely packed they were, the more dangerous it became. Imagine suddenly being flooded with water in a crowded subway where you couldn’t even stretch out your arm. When there’s space, you can try to find a way, but in such a situation, people’s presence becomes an obstacle.

They would drown or be crushed without being able to do anything.

Kang Jin-ho narrowed his brow.

He couldn’t think of a solution. All he could do was hold out as long as possible.

And after that?

‘Let’s not think about it.’

He needed to focus on the task at hand.

Kang Jin-ho slightly reduced the energy being emitted from his hands and moved his feet closer to the tank, avoiding the collapsed platform.

‘It’s weak.’

If the tank had been a little stronger, if it had withstood the water pressure to some extent, there wouldn’t have been a need to reinforce it with qi. Feeling a renewed sense of anger towards the person who made the tank, Kang Jin-ho clung to the tank like a frog.

It looked a bit unsightly, but this wasn’t the time to worry about that. He had to hold back this water for even one more second.

As he pressed his body close, the amount of water pouring down noticeably decreased. But he was already submerged up to his chest.

‘Focus.’

He wouldn’t think about anything else. He would hold it back. He would only focus on holding back the water in front of him. He would concentrate on perfectly maintaining the current situation by controlling his energy.

Time passed.

His body was losing its warmth.

When he no longer had even the minimum strength to maintain his body temperature, Kang Jin-ho opened his eyes.

‘What should I do?’

There were definitely people who hadn’t escaped yet. And there were quite a few of them.

And he was going to give up here?

No way.

But there was no solution. Kang Jin-ho no longer had any strength left.

Even Kang Jin-ho, who had held back the mighty Hong Wang, had things he could do and things he couldn’t. Holding back the pouring water wasn’t just about being strong.

Swoosh!

The water pressure intensified.

No, it wasn’t that the water pressure had intensified, but that his strength was waning, making the water pressure feel stronger. His raised arms trembled, and his legs shook.

He had reached his limit. He couldn’t hold it back any longer. At most, a few seconds. After those few seconds, Kang Jin-ho would also be swept away by the water pressure.

Should he save the minimum strength to survive in that water pressure, or should he use even that strength to save even one more person?

The choice was obvious. Kang Jin-ho had to survive.

But putting that into action wasn’t easy. The sensation of the water touching his hands felt like the rope of a guillotine around the necks of innocent people.

The moment he let go of this hand, people would die as if their heads were being cut off.

Kang Jin-ho gritted his teeth. His confused mind cleared.

First, he had to survive….

“You look like you’re having a very hard time?”

At that moment, Kang Jin-ho turned his head sharply at the familiar voice that reached his ears.

No one could hold this back, no matter who came. Absolutely not unless they had the same strength as Kang Jin-ho. Even if Bator came, it would only extend the time slightly.

But Kang Jin-ho couldn’t help but smile when he turned his head and saw the face of the person standing behind him.

There was.

Only one person.

The person who could solve this situation.

The ceiling was collapsing.

Jo Gyu-min stared blankly at the scene. He couldn’t resist. It wasn’t a situation where he could resist. Even if his movements weren’t restricted and his body was in perfect condition, he wouldn’t have dared to resist.

What could he do when the ceiling was collapsing?

There was only one thing he could do.

“Duck!”

He covered his head with both hands and lowered his head as much as possible.

Then, without even having time to think, he felt a heavy pain on his head and the hands covering it.

Thud! Thud! Crash!

Jo Gyu-min couldn’t come to his senses with the sounds that rang in his ears and the sensation of something hitting his head.

But what Jo Gyu-min felt in the midst of it wasn’t despair, but hope.

He felt pain.

That was actually a good thing. If the ceiling had collapsed properly, he would have died or lost consciousness the moment he was hit in the head. Even this terrible pain was hope.

“Ugh.”

He barely managed to raise his head again, and he could see something black in the dark vision.

‘Materials?’

The ceiling hadn’t collapsed. It seemed that the materials, like marble, that were attached to the concrete had fallen. That alone was dangerous enough, but it was a hundred times better than the ceiling collapsing.

It was better to have his head cut and burst than to die.

As he understood the situation, Jo Gyu-min quickly turned his head.

“Anyone hurt? Is anyone hurt?” He had to check if the children were safe.

“We’re okay!”

“Everyone’s okay!”

Fortunately, no one seemed to be hurt. Or, to be precise, there were people who were hurt, but no one seemed to be seriously hurt.

That’s what he decided to think.

Even if there was someone who was seriously hurt, they wouldn’t say anything. That’s how these children were. They would suffer alone rather than be a hindrance.

‘Damn it.’

Even knowing that, there was nothing Jo Gyu-min could do. The wall of people in front of him was no longer penetrable. People in a panic were pulling at the children and trying to climb on them.

Just pushing them away and hitting them was enough to drive him crazy.

“Get out of the way, you bastards! I have to live! I’m not going to die here!”

“Don’t pull me! Before I kill you! Get out! Get out!”

“Mom! Mom!”

It was chaos.

The incoming water was a problem, but the situation of the lights going out and things falling from above was pushing people to their limits.

And Jo Gyu-min was no different.

“Don’t push! Don’t push!”

He hit and pushed away the person pulling his shoulder.

Calmness?

He had given that to the dogs a long time ago. Only the thought of protecting and safeguarding these children was dominating Jo Gyu-min’s mind.

‘It wasn’t right to press the fire hydrant.’

If he had known that things would turn out like this, he would have taken the children out first. It wouldn’t have been too late to press the fire hydrant after everyone was out.

Kang Jin-ho would have wanted Jo Gyu-min to do that. But what kind of stubbornness had led him to do this?

In the end, the water had leaked out and moved the people. But because he had sped things up by a few seconds, the children could die. Jo Gyu-min’s eyes were bloodshot as he realized that fact.

He had to save them.

If the children died because of his choice, Jo Gyu-min wouldn’t be able to close his eyes even in death. He absolutely had to save the children and get them out.

But how?

How could he get the children out through that blocked gap?

That’s when it happened.

“Wa, water! Water! Water! Behind there! Water!”

Jo Gyu-min, hearing the desperate voice, turned his head sharply. His eyes, now accustomed to the darkness, accurately captured even the scenes he didn’t want to see.

A large wave was approaching over the water that had already reached his waist.

Not fast, but slowly and steadily. And that made it look even more terrifying.

Jo Gyu-min’s body trembled.

“Aaaah! Save me!”

“D-do something! The water! The water!”

The water that had reached his waist quickly rose to his chest. Jo Gyu-min first reached out and picked up a small child. If he let go of the children here, they would drown.

“I….”

He didn’t want to think about it.

But his mind was betraying his will and finishing the calculations.

There was no way out now. The water would continue to rush in, and this place would soon be filled with water up to their heads. Then everyone would die.

Jo Gyu-min, his face distorted like a demon, shouted without realizing it.

“What principles! You bastard! If I get out of here, I’ll tear your mouth apart! Lee Hyun-soo, you bastard!”

That’s when it happened.

A loud vibration echoed, and the water surged. At the same time, the building began to shake.

‘Is it collapsing?’

Jo Gyu-min raised his head with a desperate look.

‘Ah, no.’

Once again.

Crash!

A huge explosion, as if the building was collapsing, swept through the hall.