Descent of the Demon Master

'An injury, is it...?'

The Crimson King slowly touched the area around his shoulder joint. Thanks to his penchant for wearing red robes, there wasn't much of a visible hint of what happened. However, had he been wearing white garments instead, his torso would've been dyed in a pure crimson color by now!

'When was the last time I got injured like this?'

When the Crimson King thought about it, he realized it hadn't been all that long ago. Didn't Kang Jin-Ho cut his cheek open at the start of their battle?

Of course, he wasn't trying to remember a little nick that couldn't even be called an injury. No, he wanted to think back to the last time his flesh was torn open, and... Well, he couldn't remember it.

The Crimson King wordlessly touched his shoulder. Blood was flowing out from a gaping wound. If he hadn't tightened his muscles and used qi to stem the bleeding, a lot more blood would've poured out like a broken fountain.

The Crimson King stared in awe at Kang Jin-Ho.

'This man manages to exceed my expectations every single time.'

He was certain that no one in this place had acknowledged Kang Jin-Ho as much as he did. Even as everyone underestimated the demonic cultivator hailing from the remote outskirts of nowhere, the Crimson King remained vigilant toward Kang Jin-Ho.

Everyone freaked out when Kang Jin-Ho took over South Korea and defeated Vator. But not the Crimson King. He thought it was an inevitable outcome. In that sense, maybe no one in this world understood Kang Jin-Ho better than the Crimson King.

Even then, he could barely hide how stunned he was.

According to his calculations, Kang Jin-Ho shouldn't have been strong enough to withstand that previous attack. Definitely not. The Crimson King had zero doubt about it. Besides, he didn't feel the need to be too strict with his calculations or worry about variables, anyway.

It was obvious who'd win in a fight between a tiger and a hare. Yet, the hare bared its sharp fangs and somehow injured the tiger in the shoulder.

Of course, this injury wasn't serious enough to be fatal. Even so...

The Crimson King pressed down on the wound. The stinging pain forced him to furrow his brow.

“...Yes, humans are meant to get hurt and bleed sometimes,” said the Crimson King. His voice sounded relaxed while leaving his lips. “I've forgotten about it for so long... That I'm also a human being. A human being who will bleed when cut and who will break when hit... Indeed, I am human.”

After seemingly muttering to himself, the Crimson King shifted his gaze and accurately stared at Kang Jin-Ho.

“In that case, what about you?”

Kang Jin-Ho didn't respond.

“Are you a human like us, oh the Demon King?”

While asking that, the Crimson King's eyes scanned Kang Jin-Ho, the man responsible for injuring him.

There he was, one of the demonic cultivators the Crimson King detested so much. Yet the Crimson King couldn't just look at his opponent in contempt. No, this particular demonic cultivator deserved all the awe and respect the Crimson King hadn't offered to anyone in a long time.

Still, there was no getting away from the fact that Kang Jin-Ho looked terrible.

Riiip, tumble...

The flesh on Kang Jin-Ho's hand gripping the Crimson Destiny split apart and fell. Dried blood falling in clumps produced creepily moist noises.

Yes, all the horrifying crust on his skin was from his blood. Kang Jin-Ho... was bleeding! For the first time since his return to the modern era, his entire body was covered in his own blood!

It wasn't just the blood, though. Kang Jin-Ho's condition was truly wretched. His bones were crushed while various parts of his flesh were blown apart. His skin was dark and dead in many places after failing to witness the immense pressure. His joints were separated, causing his limbs to shake around unsteadily.

Kang Jin-Ho tried to say something, but the blood quickly welled up in his throat as if it had been waiting for this chance, and he had to stop.

'This is bad.'

Kang Jin-Ho grimaced. He didn't really care one way or the other about all these injuries to his flesh. After all, he suffered much worse, much more fatal wounds than these in the past, anyway. His real problem was how messed up his innards were, though.

The Crimson King was undoubtedly strong. Fighting for a bit helped Kang Jin-Ho learn this lesson. Rather painfully so, too. And now, he could unequivocally say the Crimson King was a true powerhouse.

Not only was the Crimson King's qi reserve unmatched among everyone Kang Jin-Ho had fought until now, but his ability to control it was also quite extraordinary.

'He's pretty much surpassed Shaolin in that aspect.'

Abbot Hui Ren of Shaolin was renowned throughout the world for his martial might and the heaviness of his attacks. However, even he would have lost against the Crimson King. Based on this evidence alone, martial arts seemed to have improved significantly over the centuries.

Even if martial arts were not as widely spread as before, a privileged few did inherit them. The result of this line of inheritance was standing right before Kang Jin-Ho's eyes.

The sight of the Crimson King clad in a crimson robe, all of his hair standing on its ends, evoked the image of a heavenly deity descending from the heavenly realm.

Simply put... the Crimson King was strong. Even stronger than Kang Jin-Ho, too!

'How long has it been?'

Kang Jin-Ho blinked a few times after blood trickled past his eyebrows, but his gaze never left the Crimson King once.

How long had it been since Kang Jin-Ho last encountered an expert stronger than him? This situation felt so strange to him.

Was the Crimson King stronger than Kang Jin-Ho? Yes, he was. However, did that mean the Crimson King was stronger than Kang Jin-Ho? No, it didn't.

There was no doubt that the Crimson King was a powerhouse. He was strong enough to leave Kang Jin-Ho awestruck again and again. The Crimson King's qi reserve was as vast as an ocean while his spirit soared to the heavens above.

However, the realm the Crimson King stood on was merely another stage Kang Jin-Ho had climbed past during his second life. If it had been Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor and not Kang Jin-Ho, the Crimson King's severed head would be floating aimlessly on the ocean by now!

The current Kang Jin-Ho couldn't do that, though. Back then, he trampled the world with his near-limitless demonic qi reserve and his unrivaled cultivation realm. But now? His life was being threatened by an expert who was nowhere near the level of his past self. This contradiction sent an unsettling shockwave in Kang Jin-Ho's mind.

Kang Jin-Ho closed his eyes briefly. He knew this moment would come one day. And that moment was when the knowledge of cultivation stored in his brain clashed against what his body currently possessed to create this disjointed feeling!

When he had to go crazy to slaughter a group of enemies that he could have killed with a flick of his fingers in the past... When he gasped for air at the injury inflicted on him by an enemy he could have destroyed with a glare in his prime... The overriding thought in Kang Jin-Ho's mind during those moments was to become stronger as soon as possible.

Even then, he still ended up in this situation. The end of the line his always-lacking time had guided him to was this place.

“You asked me if I'm human?” Kang Jin-Ho chuckled helplessly. “I might not be one.”

Kang Jin-Ho wished to be human but wasn't sure if he qualified as one. Most people never got to live through three lifetimes, after all.

Kang Jin-Ho stopped chuckling and stared intensely at the Crimson King. His eyes were filled with confusion.

The Crimson King was weaker than Kang Jin-Ho but also stronger. There could be only one reason for this nonsensical contradiction, and that would be... Kang Jin-Ho might be one person, but he was actually two people. Despite being two, he was still one person.

What kind of emotion was he supposed to feel here? As a powerhouse, should Kang Jin-Ho be impressed by the Crimson King's attainment? Or act like a weaker man and be awed by the Crimson King's power?

When his thoughts reached that far, another chuckle leaked out of Kang Jin-Ho's mouth.

'I feel like an idiot.'

Kang Jin-Ho believed he was no longer Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor. And he told himself he'd not live like Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor, too. The past was past, and he should let the stream continue to flow...

...So that the remaining person would be Kang Jin-Ho, not Crimson Demon.

Even though he could've gotten stronger much faster, Kang Jin-Ho still discarded the Crimson Demon persona. And then, he tried to stand tall as Kang Jin-Ho.

How pathetic was this, though? Even though he confidently told himself that Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor was no more, Kang Jin-Ho still hadn't discarded the aloof air of the strong he acquired during those days.

Despite being a weakling now, he behaved like an apex predator. Despite being a deer destined to be devoured by wild dogs, Kang Jin-Ho still saw himself as a tiger and believed mere wild dogs couldn't touch a hair on him.

Since that was the case, how could he not see himself as a pathetic fool?

The Crimson King's brows twitched a little when Kang Jin-Ho suddenly began chuckling softly. “Not sure if you're human...? That means you might be human, then? Because, words can still get through to humans.”

Kang Jin-Ho muttered back in mild surprise while wiping the blood off his face. “You still want to talk after coming this far?”

“Of course,” the Crimson King tutted. “Opposing generals in a war zone still communicate with each other. Why would we stop talking just because we punched each other around a bit?”

Kang Jin-Ho didn't reply to that since he saw no need. The finishing line he was looking at was different from the Crimson King's idea of one, after all.

“Kang Jin-Ho, I'm not the type to make the same offer twice. Even so, I'm prepared to break this rule of mine.”

“No need to...”

Before Kang Jin-Ho could say something, the Crimson King cut him off. “Come under my wings, oh the demon emperor.”

Kang Jin-Ho frowned slightly at how firm the Crimson King sounded. “I am not...”

“No, you shall listen first!” The Crimson King loudly roared.

He was a king! And a king was supposed to reign over all beings. The power contained in the Crimson King's voice even forced the one-and-only Kang Jin-Ho to falter a little.

“Kang Jin-Ho, why do you fight?”

Kang Jin-Ho didn't bother to reply as he saw no need again. Even then, the Crimson King didn't give up.

“All battles start for a reason. You fight like a man possessed by an evil demon, but your reason for taking up arms is not for devilish purposes. You don't have a reason to fight me, do you? If you wanted to save yourself, you could've jumped into the ocean and swam away. You might not be able to win against me, but your strength would have allowed you to escape from my grasp. Even then, you still fight... Because you wish to protect!”

“...”

The Crimson King spread his arms wide as if he wanted to embrace the Earth. “Let me protect it, then. Come under my wings, Kang Jin-Ho, and I shall guarantee... everything! Whether it's your power base, your wealth, your families and friends or even your honor! Whatever it is, I shall permit it. You will get to protect while I acquire what I need! Now, can you deny how logical and fair this trade is!”

The Crimson King's loud roar reverberated throughout the world and dug into Kang Jin-Ho's hearing.

“Come! Come under my wings, Kang Jin-Ho! If not, your story will end here. I'm sure you've already realized that I'm stronger than you! Neither your limitless martial prowess nor killing intent can bring me down. Do not end your story with a meaningless dog's death, Kang Jin-Ho! Just this once. Bow your head to me once... And the world can be yours! Do not kill yourself in this nameless place!”

What were the qualifications of a king? One's martial prowess? His vast faction and influence? If not... Citizens he could rule? Kang Jin-Ho had no idea. However, at least in this very moment, he was sure of one thing.

He might not know anything about the qualifications of a king, but he now understood what qualities a king required. The way Kang Jin-Ho saw it, a king should have... A gift of gab.

This gift wasn't something like using flowery words to persuade their enemies. No, it was more about breaking down the walls they had built up through your earnestness and passion.

Kang Jin-Ho couldn't sense a shred of doubt in the Crimson King's speech. It didn't matter whether the Crimson King was telling the truth or not as no one would suspect him of duplicity from how passionate he sounded just then.

The Crimson King was being genuine here. Even a blind man could see that. There was not a single hint of deception or trickery in the way he spoke. That was why Kang Jin-Ho had no choice but to chuckle helplessly.

“So, you say I can have everything?”

The Crimson King weightily nodded. “That's right.”

“And all I have to do is bow my head once?”

“Yes. That will be enough.”

“I see. Quite a profitable trade for me, then.”

“Yes, it is. Even if you value your pride above all else, even if you place an untold premium on humbling yourself... This trade is more than fair for you. I'm sure you've realized the truth by now.”

“Yes, I sure did,” Kang Jin-Ho continued to chuckle. A fair and profitable trade, was it...? “Allow me to clear something up for you, though.”

The Crimson King's brows quivered a little when Kang Jin-Ho continued to chuckle strangely.

“You see... A trade that one-sided is nothing but an illusion.”

“...!”

No such thing as a free lunch existed in this world. Everything came at a cost, and you'd be forced to pay it sooner or later.

Kang Jin-Ho wiped his face again. Once the blood blocking his nose and hindering his vision was gone, he felt a bit better than before. He bared his fangs again in a toothy smirk.

The Crimson King suddenly sensed this inexplicable chill. “Why are you smiling, Kang Jin-Ho?”

“Because... It's funny.”

“Are you laughing at me?”

“No,” Kang Jin-Ho firmly shook his head. “I'm finding this situation funny, that's all. Let me clarify that. I was thinking about how other people would laugh their heads off after listening to your offer.”

The Crimson King frowned after failing to understand what Kang Jin-Ho was saying. Where was he going with this?

“You told me not to die a meaningless dog's death, didn't you?” Kang Jin-Ho asked as his smirk deepened.

Yes, he had to laugh. How hard would Azure Demon have guffawed if he was here to listen to that offer?

The Crimson King had no idea. No one did. Everyone who did was dead by now, after all!

Even the ones betting everything on Kang Jin-Ho's legend and thirsted after the return of Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor responsible for kickstarting the era of demonic... They all had no idea!

The 'Kang Jin-Ho' they knew was the version of Kang Jin-Ho after he had achieved everything he set out to do. Before he could reach that point, though, he was constantly fighting for his survival. During those hellish days of constant struggle, when would he have ever fought against a weaker opponent? Almost never!

You didn't win because you were stronger. No, you were strong... because you survived and won!

Soon, the Crimson King would learn this unforgiving lesson, too!

“I advise you to get flabbergasted now,” said Kang Jin-Ho while renewing his grip on the Crimson Destiny. “Because you won't have the time to get surprised anymore.”