Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 896

Gurgle.

Rough breaths escaped Kang Jin-ho’s throat. Having completely surrendered to the demonic energy, his bloodshot eyes stared at the lifeless Dark Moon Squad member before he lifted his head.

Twitch.

Those who met his gaze trembled.

“…I can’t understand it.”

A rough voice, like scraping metal, emerged. The voice, as if coming from the depths of his stomach, sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it.

“Is this all you’ve got?”

Thud.

Kang Jin-ho took a step forward. The blood pooled on the floor splashed up with his movement.

“And yet, what gave you the audacity to try and kill me?”

Kang Jin-ho was genuinely unable to comprehend it.

He had heard it countless times.

The Japanese martial arts world was said to be superior to that of Korea. However, Kang Jin-ho couldn’t feel that at all right now.

He couldn’t understand how they dared to invade Korea with such a pathetic level of skill.

“There are many ways to die.”

Thud.

Another step.

With each step Kang Jin-ho took, the atmosphere intensified. The demonic energy emanating from his body soared into the sky.

“But strangely, there are always those who desperately want to die by my hand.”

Thud, thud.

His steps were not fast at all.

It was a leisurely pace, as if he were taking a stroll. That very pace put even more pressure on those facing him.

“Like you guys.”

Kang Jin-ho reached out his hand.

Whoosh.

At that moment, one of the onlookers was lifted into the air and sucked into Kang Jin-ho’s grasp.

“Ugh, ugh! Aaaah!”

His face was instantly contorted with terror.

He hadn’t done anything, yet his body was floating up and being pulled in.

Who could remain calm in such a situation?

A scream, as if his throat would tear, burst out. But even that scream didn’t last long.

Thump.

Kang Jin-ho grabbed the face of the Dark Moon Squad member who had flown towards him.

Crack, crack.

His fingers dug into the man’s face.

“Guh! Guuuh!”

Instinctively, he grabbed Kang Jin-ho’s arm and struggled, but it was futile. Rather, the demonic flames that bloomed on his arm crushed his hand.

Kang Jin-ho stared at the Dark Moon Squad member in his grasp.

It was pointless.

Crack.

The Dark Moon Squad member’s neck snapped, and he slumped.

Kang Jin-ho, having taken a life as if swatting a bug, released his hand.

Thud.

The corpse fell into the pool of blood, creating a grotesque sound.

Kang Jin-ho looked at the dead Dark Moon Squad member before raising his head.

“How tiresome.”

A chilling voice.

Kang Jin-ho’s murderous gaze swept over everyone.

“Are you going to keep standing there like that?”

What was he talking about?

“Well, that’s not a bad idea either. If you’re going to die one by one like that, there’s no reason for me to stop you. But if I were you, I’d try something before dying, wouldn’t I?”

Kang Jin-ho gestured with his chin towards the sea.

“Or there might be another way. I’m the kind of person who likes to keep my word. I’ll say it again.”

Kang Jin-ho continued calmly.

“Jump. If you get off this ship, I won’t chase you.”

Kang Jin-ho’s words ended, but no one moved.

Kang Jin-ho watched the scene before slowly raising his head to look at the sky.

A sky full of stars.

A sky full of stars, completely different from what one would see in the city, was visible. Yes, just like the one he saw in the Central Plains [a region in China known for its martial arts traditions].

‘It hasn’t changed.’

People were no different now than they were before.

It was the same in the past.

Kang Jin-ho was not one to leave his enemies alive, but he didn’t chase down every single person who ran away.

After killing all those who charged at him, he would either leave those who fled alone or have his subordinates pursue them.

And even back then, there were people like this.

Those who didn’t run away even when defeat was certain. Those who didn’t back down even in the face of the absolute certainty of death.

Kang Jin-ho liked such people.

But on the other hand, he also thought they were foolish.

What were they fighting for?

All of humanity’s goals ultimately had to be directed towards themselves. Kang Jin-ho did not fight for others. The others that Kang Jin-ho sought to protect were those he couldn’t live without.

Everything he did was to protect his world. Accepting the Demonic Cult [a fictional organization with a focus on martial arts and power] and growing the Assembly was also to solidify his world, so that his people would not be tormented by external organizations.

It was the same in the Central Plains.

The reason he risked everything to become stronger was solely to survive.

The reason he made the Demonic Cult strong was also for that reason alone. All of it was only for Kang Jin-ho himself.

It wasn’t that he had affection for the Demonic Cult that he grew it. It was more like he developed affection for it as he grew it for a purpose.

But these people were not like that.

What were they blocking his path for?

Even if they couldn’t kill Kang Jin-ho here, nothing would happen immediately. Even if that were the case, it would be much more beneficial to survive and plan for the future than to throw away their lives here.

Yet, they were not backing down.

Even though their eyes were clearly filled with fear.

Even though they were certain that they couldn’t handle Kang Jin-ho.

A dog’s death.

It was just a dog’s death.

Did he pity them?

Absolutely not.

It was just laughable.

Ultimately, one’s life was one’s own choice. That’s how life was. For whatever reason, one had to take responsibility for their own choices.

They clearly had a chance.

But they had thrown that chance away themselves. So what reason was there for pity?

It was an incomprehensible thing.

Humans were all different.

That small pride of not backing down in front of an enemy, which was nothing to Kang Jin-ho, might be incredibly important to them.

If that was the case, then he should help them protect that pride.

Mercifully.

Kang Jin-ho pulled out the Red Tear he had put away. The demonic flames that had been lingering at his fingertips instantly engulfed the Red Tear. The Red Tear, now in the shape of a burning sword, pointed at the enemy.

“Come.”

“If you have chosen death yourselves, I will let you keep it until the end. Come.”

Kazeichi clenched his teeth.

They had no other choice now.

The last chance, as Kang Jin-ho had said, had disappeared. If that was the case, then only one path remained.

“Charge!”

The Dark Moon Squad members, emitting a blue aura, soared into the air all at once.

Like shooting stars falling on the dark night sea.

***

***

***

“Were you here?”

Lee Sung-hwi turned his head at the voice calling him.

“Kim Seok-il?”

“You look surprised.”

Lee Sung-hwi looked at Kim Seok-il, who had a subtle smile on his face.

This guy was eerie.

Kim Seok-il had always had that side to him in the past. But what was Kim Seok-il like now…

It was as if he had gathered all the evil in the world.

Now, all that was left for him was hatred for Kang Jin-ho. Only that one fact was fueling his life.

‘I’m not one to talk.’

Lee Sung-hwi smiled bitterly.

They didn’t welcome each other. They knew too well that they needed each other, yet they were extremely reluctant to face each other.

It was because they saw their own reflection in each other.

They saw their own selves, living only on hatred for Kang Jin-ho, with nothing else left.

That was a terrible thing.

Lee Sung-hwi bit his lip slightly.

Looking at Kim Seok-il made him feel like his insides were being cut out with a knife. What difference would others see between Kim Seok-il and Lee Sung-hwi?

“Kang Jin-ho must be rampaging, yet you managed to find me.”

“That’s what I want to say.”

Lee Sung-hwi spoke as if grinding his teeth.

“What are you doing here? You’re the one who wants to kill Kang Jin-ho the most. Why aren’t you on the deck?”

“You’re stating the obvious. Before that…”

Kim Seok-il chuckled.

“Can you give me a cigarette?”

“I don’t smoke.”

“It’s in my front pocket. Damn it, I can’t even smoke a cigarette without someone’s help.”

Lee Sung-hwi looked at Kim Seok-il with slightly calmer eyes.

“…Don’t look at me like that, Lee Sung-hwi. You have no right to pity me.”

“I’m not pitying you.”

“…Then?”

Lee Sung-hwi sighed and approached Kim Seok-il. Then, he took out a cigarette from his front pocket and put it in his mouth.

Click.

Lee Sung-hwi, having lit the cigarette, stepped back.

“I just thought you were better than me.”

“Are you mocking me right now?”

“No. I mean it sincerely. You have nothing left but hatred for Kang Jin-ho. So there’s no reason for you to waver. You only have to look at that one thing.”

“Hoo…”

Kim Seok-il, having exhaled a long stream of smoke, glared at Lee Sung-hwi with cold eyes.

“You sound like you’re regretting it.”

“That’s not it.”

Lee Sung-hwi shook his head firmly. But that firmness didn’t last long.

“…No, maybe I am regretting it.”

“Hmm?”

“Yeah, maybe I’m regretting it. I shouldn’t have come this far. I just hated Kang Jin-ho. So I wanted to kill him. That was it. I didn’t intend to make such a big deal out of it.”

“The moment you climbed onto the back of a running tiger, you had no choice.”

“I guess so.”

Lee Sung-hwi smiled bitterly.

“So… why did you come here?” Lee Sung-hwi shook his head as if to shake off all the fragments of emotion and spoke. Kim Seok-il chuckled at those words.

“Do you even need to ask?”

“It was obvious from the start. Did you think those guys could stop Kang Jin-ho?”

“You’re talking like you regret it. You, who didn’t even handle things properly.”

Kim Seok-il openly mocked Lee Sung-hwi.

Like water mixed with water, like alcohol mixed with alcohol.

He hated, but he couldn’t even burn himself properly with hatred. With that kind of mindset, there was no way he could defeat Kang Jin-ho.

A traitor?

What a joke.

To fight a devil, one had to become a devil themselves. What could a guy who was tormented by such trivial affiliations as a nation or a race do?

“Those guys can’t stop Kang Jin-ho even if they die. You knew that too, didn’t you?”

Lee Sung-hwi didn’t answer.

“This is a spark. It will be a spark to burn everything. It’s fine if Kang Jin-ho dies from this, and it’s fine if he doesn’t. In fact, the probability of him dying is almost zero. But it’s okay.”

Kim Seok-il grinned.

“There are over a thousand Japanese bastards on this ship. If all those Japs are annihilated, will the mainland be safe? They’ll have to kill Kang Jin-ho by any means necessary to avoid responsibility. Not like the half-hearted attacks they’re doing now. They’ll try to kill Kang Jin-ho with everything they’ve got.”

Kim Seok-il pointed his chin at the floor.

“Just by making a small hole here.”

Lee Sung-hwi’s whole body broke out in goosebumps.