Descent of the Demon Master

‘Was that an earthquake? No, it can’t be.’

Lee Hyeon-Su quickly figured out that this tremor differed from an actual earthquake despite all the rumbling echoing within the hall.

Rather than the earth below rocking, it was more like…

‘Some things are moving!’

...Unidentified individuals were rushing toward this hall. And there seemed to be a large number of them, too!

“My lord!” Wiggins urgently cried out. “We need to block off the exits!”

“Exits?” Kang Jin-Ho's gaze chased after Wiggins', and he finally noticed that there was more than one entrance to this spacious dome-shaped hall.

‘Three more, huh?’

Two on either side, plus one more on the opposite side from the one Kang Jin-Ho used to come inside.

Kang Jin-Ho frowned slightly just then. Enemy forces? If the Round Table had more combatants at its disposal, why hadn't they been deployed already?

Wiggins seemed to have noticed Kang Jin-Ho's puzzlement as he quickly explained the situation. “As long as the Master's position is vacant, no Knight from another nation is allowed to deploy their private forces within the HQ! But now, all the combatants those Knights brought with them will join the fight!”

Kang Jin-Ho nodded and turned his head. “Vator!”

“Yes, I’m here, master!”

“Lead your subordinates and block the exit up ahead.”

“I shall obey!” Vator immediately rushed toward the exit on the far side as if to indicate that he, too, realized the severity of this situation. Gong Yeong-Gil and the rest hurriedly chased after the big man.

Kang Jin-Ho turned his head to the other side. “Chang Min!”

“My liege! This servant is prepared for your command!”

“You take the left exit!”

“I shall obey!” Chang Min bowed before rushing over to the left exit and taking over the area. Demonic cultivators quickly surrounded the exit.

Kang Jin-Ho finally turned his attention over to the rest. “Bang Jin-Hun!”

“Yes, sir!”

“You take the right exit! Go with the Chevaliers!”

“Understood!” Bang Jin-Hun acted right away, and the Martial Assembly's elites followed him closely behind.

Vincent heard the translation and nodded in agreement but did not move right away. As a matter of fact, his glare was fixed on Knight Leveaux and Leveaux alone!

“Knight Leveaux!” Vincent loudly roared, his vocal cords threatening to tear in the process. “Why did you do it, sir! Why…”

Before Vincent could finish his question, however, Knight Leveaux cut him off unceremoniously. “A damn traitor like you dares to crawl back into the Round Table?!”

“A… A traitor?!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk…!” Leveaux tutted away. “This is why humans cannot be trusted. Even though I've nurtured you and given you a home, you're already wagging your tail at a new master?”

“How!? How could you say that to us?! How…”

“That’s enough!” Leveaux sternly cut Vincent off again. That was because he knew that whatever Vincent blurted out now would not help his case.

‘You stupid oaf!’

If only Vincent had waited patiently in Korea! Once the situation in the Round Table had been stabilized, Leveaux would’ve made bringing the Chevaliers home his next priority.

After all, becoming the new Master didn't mean Leveaux no longer needed personal troops. Bringing Vincent and his crew back home would've only increased the Chevaliers' firepower by one additional division, but it was always better to have more pawns to fight for one's cause.

However, that moron did something truly foolish by siding with the traitor, Wiggins, and invading the Round Table! It was easy enough to guess how other Knights would view this development. Such a blunder would leave a potentially fatal crack in Vincent's position!

“The Round Table does not tolerate or accept traitors in its ranks, Vincent!”

Vincent desperately cried out, “Traitor?! How can I be a traitor?! Sir! Did you really label us traitors?! How!”

“Then! Explain why you've sided with the traitor!”

“...Knight Leveaux, you!” Vincent’s voice grew hoarse enough to spit blood.

However, Leveaux's odious smirk remained unflinching. “I'll make it simple for you, then. If you feel wronged by this accusation, prove to us that you are not a traitor!”

“...How?”

“It’s easy. Kill Wiggins. Right now!”

Vincent’s eyes powerfully quaked just then.

Leveaux continued to drive the nail. “If you really had no choice but to come here, prove it to us! I hereby order you and your knight order as the Master of the Round Table and the former representative Knight of France, as well as the proxy of yet-to-be-named representative Knight! If you still wish to follow the will of the Round Table and France… Prove your innocence by slaughtering all the intruders!”

The first person to react to Leveaux's declaration was not Vincent but Wiggins instead.

“Huh…”

He couldn’t help but chuckle hollowly just then.

‘You sly, snake-like bastard…’

That declaration perfectly demonstrated how cunning and ruthless Leveaux really was. With everyone here bearing witness to his declaration, Leveaux stood to lose nothing now.

Had Vincent rejected Leveaux's “offer” and sided with the Assembly, he and the rest would forever be branded as traitors to the Round Table. However, Vincent returning to Leveaux's fold would only help the latter restore his lost face. Not only that, but he'd be recruiting a useful combat force in this urgent situation, too!

Either way, he stood to gain something. This occasion was supposed to be Vincent taking Leveaux to task for abandoning his own men, but that cunning bastard had flipped the script on its head and turned the situation into Vincent proving his so-called innocence instead!

This was perhaps a good demonstration of the advantages of holding a higher ground.

“You…!” Vincent loudly gritted his teeth, indicating that he also understood the desperate situation he was now in.

“Vincent…” Wiggins grimaced and called out to Vincent in a sympathetic voice. Unfortunately, now wasn't the time to console the poor man. Even as they chatted like this, armies from other nations were rushing toward this hall to obey their new Master!

“Yi Myeong-Hwan,” Kang Jin-Ho calmly called out to the unofficial leader of the Demon Flames.

“Yes, sir!”

“Go and assist Bang Jin-Hun.”

“Understood!” Yi Myeong-Hwan nodded, then led the Demon Flames to rush toward Bang Jin-Hun’s position.

Kang Jin-Ho watched that scene for a second or two before glancing in Vincent’s direction next. “Now, choose.”

“But, sir. I…”

“It ultimately doesn't matter what you choose, Vincent. But there is no time to waste like this.”

Vincent subtly chewed on his lips. Without a doubt, Leveaux was his superior officer. But it was also undeniably true that that man threw Vincent and others away. Not only that, but he even went to great lengths to turn a blind eye to their situation, too.

Kang Jin-Ho was supposed to be the Chevaliers’ enemy. However, the Chevaliers could only survive in Korea because Kang Jin-Ho brought them under his wings and protected them. Rather ironically, that man not only spared the lives of those who wanted to kill him, but he even supported them financially, too.

In that case, who should Vincent and Co. choose to follow?

Vincent quickly made up his mind. “...Assembly Master, sir. We can’t simply abandon our mother nation.”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded. “No, I understand that.”

“That is why we… We won’t fight against Knight Leveaux. However…!” Vincent gritted his teeth again. “I will ensure that not even an ant will pass through the right exit, sir! We will risk our lives to block it, even if every single one of us dies tonight!”

“…”

“Well, then.” Vincent courteously bowed toward Kang Jin-Ho, then turned his attention to the rest of his men. “Listen, all of you. It’s not a problem if you choose not to follow me.”

His determined voice registered clearly in the hearing of the Chevaliers lining up behind him.

“Anyone wishing to serve Knight Leveaux, hurry and go stand over there. However, do know that I will not serve someone like him. I value the generosity and kindness shown our way much higher than my home. Besides…” Vincent grunted, then shot a sharp glare at Leveaux. “Following that man is not an act of a patriot. That is my belief. A twisted, corrupted leader is bound to lead his nation to ruination. Now, it’s time for you to decide.”

No one among the Chevaliers moved. No, they simply stared straight into Vincent’s eyes, their expressions unwavering.

Vice Captain Mathieu, who had been silently observing the unfolding situation, finally broke his silence. “Captain! We obey your command, not Knight Leveaux's!”

“Yes, sir! That’s right!”

These Chevaliers might have made a different choice in the past. Even if Vincent was their captain, the one the Chevaliers must serve was clearly France’s Knight, after all!

However, spending so much time in each other's company in South Korea meant their bond had become so much greater than their loyalty toward the Knight.

Korea was a strange foreign land where they knew no one. A country that was basically an enemy territory, no less! Worse still, they were thrown away by their own country, leaving only themselves and each other to rely on. So, for them to choose to betray that bond now?

Such a thing was unthinkable.

If they couldn't decide between the mother nation that had thrown them away or the enemy nation that had embraced them… They should respect their captain's decision instead. That was the collective conclusion they had arrived at.

Vincent nodded and addressed Kang Jin-Ho next. “Sir, we’ll defend the right exit!”

Kang Jin-Ho nodded coolly. “Thanks. I’ll leave it to you.”

Without saying anything, Vincent grinned like a man. Once upon a time, he headed to South Korea to kill Kang Jin-Ho. But now? Here he was, risking his life to protect Kang Jin-Ho!

‘What an irony this is.’

Although his emotions were complicated, to say the least, this was still the best choice Vincent could make.

Even if Knight Leveaux was guilty of abandoning his own men, Vincent couldn't take the life of his superior officer, who also happened to be France's representative Knight in the Round Table.

The only thing he could do was…

‘Let's turn everything back to how it was!'

...Believe in Kang Jin-Ho to get the job done.

With Vincent leading the way, Chevaliers rushed toward the exit on the right side. Kang Jin-Ho confirmed that sight, then glanced behind him next. “Lee Hyeon-Su.”

“Yes, Assembly Master.”

“Pull the Demon Flames back and distribute them where they are needed.”

“Understood!”

“Make sure none of the exits are breached.”

“I will!” Lee Hyeon-Su nodded affirmatively as a single strand of cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

No one knew what kind of combat force would try to rush through each of the exits. Lee Hyeon-Su's job from now on would be to stay on his toes and deploy combatants when the situation requires it. And do so as perfectly as possible, too!

He was now faced with the task of utilizing his specialty on a battlefield he shouldn't even be a part of!

Lee Hyeon-Su licked his lips while stepping back.

Once the distribution of the forces was complete, Kang Jin-Ho glanced at Wiggins before casually shrugging away. “Alright, now…”

“Yes, my lord.”

“What else?”

Wiggins scratched his head. “Before our allies suffer too many losses…”

The look in Wiggins’ eyes suddenly changed as he glared at the Knights, who were already on their feet and leisurely staring back at him.

“...We must deal with them.”

“I see,” Kang Jin-Ho pursed his lips a little. “Before that, I want to clear something up with you.”

“My lord?”

“What will happen if all those people die?”

“I… don’t quite follow?”

“Judging from this situation, it seems you can't select a new Master if the majority of Knights are dead. Am I wrong? In that case, if I kill all the Knights over there, it will become impossible to choose a new Master. Then, who will be in charge of the Round Table?”

“Oh, that. There is no need to worry, my lord. There is a measure to ensure there will always be a Knight, after all. In case a serving Knight dies for some reason, the country that the individual represents will elect a replacement right away, you see?”

“Hmm…”

“It's just that…” Wiggins smirked weirdly. “In an unlikely situation where the number of Knights falls below a certain threshold, which will hinder the Round Table's operations, the former representative Knights and Master are allowed to stay as temporary guardians until new Knights are elected by their respective nations.”

“Oh?”

“Of course, that is if those former Knights are still alive, my lord. Thankfully, the Master and I are still breathing and kicking, so there's that.”

Kang Jin-Ho coolly nodded. He liked it when things were kept simple like this!

“So, in conclusion…” Kang Jin-Ho quietly muttered while unsheathing the Crimson Destiny and Azuremourne. “Everything will be dealt with by killing them all.”

“...Yes, the situation has turned out that way.”

“Nice and simple, then,” Kang Jin-Ho bared his fangs in a ferocious smirk.

On his way here, Kang Jin-Ho did his best to respect Wiggins' opinion and position. Which would've been unthinkable to the past Kang Jin-Ho.

He wouldn't have cared about anything once the battle started. After all, he'd never be merciful toward his enemies. That was his ironclad rule.

However, sticking to that way of doing things wouldn’t work anymore.

Kang Jin-Ho could not blindly charge at enemies like how he used to do during his days as the demon cult's leader. Because he now had people to look after. And he now had people to rely on, too.

As such, he needed to learn to temper his stubbornness at times.

However, right this moment…! All restrictions binding Kang Jin-Ho came undone.

Squeeze…!

Kang Jin-Ho’s hand gripping the Crimson Destiny’s hilt squeezed tightly.

He wanted to scream in delight at this sense of liberation. All the mental things suppressing him blew apart in an instant, and demonic qi began racing madly throughout his entire body.

“Wiggins…”

“My lord?”

“Step back. Way back.”

“...I beg your pardon?”

“Don’t try to assist me unnecessarily and stand somewhere far back. Don’t stay near me, okay?”

“…!”

“If you do, I might accidentally kill you, too.”

After leaving those soul-chilling words behind, Kang Jin-Ho began striding forward. Even before he took his second step, burning demonic qi burst out to envelop his entire figure!

This was the moment of the demon emperor descending on Europe!

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