Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 984

‘This is surprisingly easy?’

Lee Hyun-soo narrowed his eyes, observing the situation. However, he hadn’t needed to use his demonic flames. Bator and Jang Min were overwhelming their enemies, almost to the point of it being a one-sided affair.

And Bang Jin-hoon’s side wasn’t being pushed back significantly either.

Bang Jin-hoon was also displaying power befitting his position as a director of the General Assembly, and those who followed him, though still lacking, were holding their own.

However, what stood out more than Bang Jin-hoon’s group were, surprisingly, the Chevaliers [French for ‘Knights’].

‘They’re strong.’

The Chevaliers, facing the onrushing knight order, were showing a level of skill a step above them. While their individual strength wasn’t significantly greater than Bang Jin-hoon’s, they were displaying a form that truly deserved the name ‘knight order.’

They were stronger as a pair than as individuals, and stronger as a trio than as a pair.

They weren’t fighting as individual knights, but as a true knight order, with the many knights moving organically, like a single living entity.

The French Chevaliers weren’t likely to be exceptionally stronger than other countries’ knight orders.

‘They’ve also been training.’

While other knight orders had to handle various missions and their own duties, the General Assembly’s Chevaliers focused solely on their martial arts. They even theoretically established their martial arts by teaching the General Assembly’s martial artists.

There’s a saying that you learn by teaching.

To teach someone, you must first solidify your own understanding. The process of establishing a concept, which was previously vague, into a theory requires considerable effort.

It would be stranger if they hadn’t become stronger after going through such a process. And the Chevaliers, who had to rely solely on each other in a distant foreign land, were displaying a level of unity that was incomparable to before.

The General Assembly’s environment, the endless exposure to new martial arts, and the will to escape this situation someday.

All of these things made the Chevaliers stronger.

‘The Knights are also better than I thought… no, that’s not right.’

Lee Hyun-soo shook his head.

It was clear that the Knights were not up to Wiggins’ level. Wiggins was definitely an exceptional individual among the Knights. But even if the Knights had only half of Wiggins’ power, they would still be a force that the General Assembly couldn’t handle.

Kang Jin-ho, who had unilaterally massacred such Knights, was unbelievably strong.

‘So, what happens now?’ Lee Hyun-soo swallowed hard, looking towards Kang Jin-ho.

Half of them were dead.

And the remaining half were facing Kang Jin-ho, disarmed. They could no longer stop Kang Jin-ho. If there was a variable, it was only one thing.

Lee Hyun-soo’s gaze turned to the stairs leading below. If Wiggins’ words were accurate, something would soon be coming up from below.

And they would be incredibly…

“Why aren’t you fighting?”

“Hmm?”

Lee Hyun-soo turned his head at Lee Myung-hwan’s words.

“I mean, the Master. It seems like the remaining ones could just be dealt with.”

« o »

Lee Hyun-soo’s gaze returned to Kang Jin-ho. He saw Kang Jin-ho standing with his sword hanging down.

‘Indeed.’

If it were the old Kang Jin-ho, those Knights wouldn’t have survived. But the current Kang Jin-ho was somewhat different. Kang Jin-ho’s unique aura and charisma were still there, but the rough and urgent feeling that was always present when Kang Jin-ho fought had diminished significantly.

“He must have a plan.”

Both of their gazes followed Kang Jin-ho.

Knight Besley opened his eyes.

‘Am I alive?’

The moment that demon kicked him flashed in his mind. He thought he would surely be dead, but surprisingly, he was alive.

As he groaned, other Knights helped him up.

‘Why are they alive?’

It was incomprehensible.

It was impossible to stop Kang Jin-ho. The difference in power was too great. The balance had already been broken before he fell. It wouldn’t have taken even five minutes for them all to die.

But there were still five Knights left. Compared to the number of Knights who were ‘alive’ when they first arrived, it was half the number, but the fact that they were alive was what mattered.

“Are you alright?”

“…I seem to be alive.”

“That’s a relief.”

Knight Besley frowned as he looked at the others who were speaking so calmly.

There were many things he wanted to ask, but this wasn’t the time. His gaze turned to Kang Jin-ho.

Kang Jin-ho was standing just 5 meters away.

5 meters.

For ordinary people, it was a safe distance, but for martial artists like them, 5 meters was no different from standing shoulder to shoulder. A distance where one could have their neck severed with a mere thought.

It felt like sitting right next to a house-sized lion.

So.

Was that lion full now?

Having already devoured enough of their comrades, did it no longer want to devour them?

Knight Besley gritted his teeth.

“Why!”

Kang Jin-ho’s gaze shifted at his voice, which had burst out louder than he expected. Kang Jin-ho, who had been looking at the ceiling, met his gaze.

Besley unconsciously closed his mouth.

‘Is that the demon from earlier?’

Kang Jin-ho, who was no longer emitting a dark aura, looked like an ordinary person.

Of course, if they had faced Kang Jin-ho in that state normally, the impression would have been completely different. They would have trembled at the subtle aura of intimidation he exuded. But everything in the world is relative.

Compared to Kang Jin-ho, who had been rampaging like a demon just moments ago, the current Kang Jin-ho looked almost innocent.

“…Why aren’t you killing us?”

A suppressed question slipped out.

Then, Kang Jin-ho slightly frowned.

“Speak in English.”

Knight Besley was slightly flustered and composed his voice. What a disgrace in this serious situation.

“Why aren’t you killing us?” Kang Jin-ho nodded as if he understood when he spoke in English again.

“Do you want to die?”

“…If so?”

“It’s not a difficult thing.”

There was no threat in Kang Jin-ho’s voice.

It was the tone of someone who could handle a trivial task as if it were nothing, like moving an object.

And that tone was incredibly chilling.

It felt like Kang Jin-ho really thought that way. For Kang Jin-ho, killing the remaining Knights was literally nothing.

Something he could do at any moment if he wanted to.

So, there was no need to dwell on it.

Besley gritted his teeth.

“Are you mocking us now?”

“Mocking?”

“A knight does not receive pity. Rather, honorably!”

“Then die.”

Kang Jin-ho said indifferently.

“If honor is so important and you feel so disgraced, you don’t need to borrow someone else’s hand. You can just cut your own throat.”

“You don’t understand.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Whether I kill you or not is entirely my right.”

Besley’s eyes trembled.

“If you fight with your life on the line and lose, you must accept everything. Whether I kill you or not is my decision. You have no right to demand anything. You must accept any injustice. That is the only principle that those who stand on the battlefield must uphold.”

His teeth clenched involuntarily.

There was nothing to refute.

None of Kang Jin-ho’s words were wrong.

“There’s nothing more pathetic than seeking honor after defeat. True honor is not being defeated. If you don’t like that, then die. If you believe that will protect your honor.”

He clenched his fist.

He was trembling with terrible humiliation.

“Can I ask you just one thing?”

“At least tell us why you’re not killing us.”

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

They were clinging to such useless things. He didn’t know if it was the difference between the West and the East, or between the modern era and the Central Plains [a historical region in China, often used to refer to the heartland of Chinese civilization].

“There’s no particular reason.”

“If I had to find a reason, let’s just say I’ve lost interest.”

It was a reason that couldn’t be a reason.

Knight Besley was trembling with utter humiliation, but Kang Jin-ho also had no way to explain it any further. Even Kang Jin-ho didn’t understand why he wasn’t killing them.

Of course, there was a reason.

The Round Table would not disappear. Their goal was not to destroy the Round Table, but to change the owner of the Round Table. And to exert influence over that Round Table.

Kang Jin-ho questioned whether that process was necessary, but since Wiggins wanted it, he would just do as he wished.

To do that, it wasn’t right to kill everyone. Even though new Knights would be selected, other Knights’ cooperation was needed to replace Wiggins, who couldn’t focus solely on the Round Table.

So, they had to be witnesses.

Witnesses who would tell how strong Kang Jin-ho was, and how terrible it was to oppose the General Assembly. And collaborators.

However…

‘That’s not the whole reason, is it.’

It could be one of the reasons, but it couldn’t be the whole reason. If it were the Kang Jin-ho of the past, he wouldn’t have spared those who had pointed their swords at him, even if there were such circumstances.

It was more like.

‘I just want to do it’ was the right answer.

He didn’t particularly feel like killing them. It was ridiculous to kill people to uphold a principle when he didn’t want to kill them. After all, that principle was just something he had decided on as he pleased.

“There’s no need to worry so much.”

Kang Jin-ho said nonchalantly.

“It’s not like I’ve decided not to kill you yet. If I change my mind, I’ll kill you.”

Knight Besley sighed deeply.

As a Knight of the Round Table, entrusting his life entirely to the enemy and waiting for their decision was the ultimate humiliation.

“Who knows, there might be a way to survive.”

Kang Jin-ho’s gaze shifted to the side.

Following his gaze, Knight Besley’s eyes widened as if they would tear.

‘The temple has opened?’

The Knight’s temple, which was passed down like a legend, was wide open.

That meant that Knight Levo had gone to awaken the Elder Knights.

It was such an old legend that they had doubted whether the Elder Knights even existed. But now, the legend had appeared before his eyes.

And at that moment.

A strange noise began to reach Knight Besley’s ears, who hadn’t yet grasped the situation.

Clank, clank.

A strange metallic sound.

Knight Besley knew what this sound was.

Heavy armor.

The sound of old, worn heavy armor rubbing against each other.

The sound that came from his body when he wore the ceremonial armor to perform the Round Table’s rituals.

Slightly duller, slightly sharper.

‘That means…’

Someone wearing heavy armor was coming up from below. And there were several of them!

Knight Besley swallowed hard.

And finally, the scene entered his eyes. Through the stairs leading through the wide-open Round Table, knights wearing antique armor slowly walked up.

It was the moment when legend became reality.