Descent of the Demon Master

"So, they failed?"

"Yes, sir."

Cai Kechang disinterestedly stared at his subordinate reporting the news. "They failed… Well, that was to be expected. Still, don't you think they failed a little too quickly? Did they get annihilated as soon as they made landfall?"

"T-that is…" The subordinate faltered, prompting Cai Kechang to furrow his brow.

'This is getting old, isn't it?'

Many events occurred within the territory under the Crimson King's rule. However, Cai Kechang's subordinates rarely, if ever, hesitated or faltered when trying to report those events.

Only the matters involving the Korean Martial Assembly and Kang Jin-Ho induced this kind of hesitation. And this fact was getting on Cai Kechang's nerves quite a bit.

"Look here, fella."

"Sir!"

"The thing you're about to report? We didn't do it, okay? Doesn't matter what those idiots did since it's none of your fault. Understand? That's why please, please! Just give me a quick rundown of what happened. Or is that too much to ask?"

"N-no, sir!"

"Then, continue with the report. Time is wasting."

"Yes, sir!"

Although Cai Kechang didn't raise the volume of his voice, the tone was unmistakably sharp and abrasive. The subordinate was no fool, so he spotted the irritation in his boss's voice and could only bow his head, a flood of cold sweat breaking out on his back.

Unfortunately, Cai Kechang had no idea what happened. He simply thought the Japanese's invasion had gone wrong somewhere, and that was why he reacted this way.

Then again, Cai Kechang would transform into something more ferocious even at the mere mention of Kang Jin-Ho and the Martial Assembly, so his irritation should come as a surprise to no one.

Anyone subjected to Cai Kechang's irritated, nay, murderous glare would naturally shrink back.

Too bad, the subordinate couldn't say any of this out loud. The only thing he could do was resume his report and hope for the best!

"Sir. According to the report, the Japanese expeditionary force traveling en route to Korea on a cruise ship was annihilated."

"Annihilated?"

"...Yes, sir. Completely annihilated."

"I want you to break that 'annihilated' down and explain to me in detail."

"Sir. The expedition's command was wiped out, no survivors. The number of casualties, numerous. Some survivors made it out of the carnage, but… They have all lost their will to fight."

"Hmm? There were survivors?" Cai Kechang frowned deeply. That revelation confused him a bit.

'How's that possible, though?'

His logic said there should not be any survivors. Indeed, wasn't that what it meant to get annihilated?

The Japanese idiots invaded Korea only to get defeated, so they should have been rewarded with death. That was the risk of invading another country, after all.

The expeditionary force setting sail to invade someone getting defeated should lead to everyone in that army dying. Of course, that wouldn't be true every single time, but the battle seemed to have concluded quite quickly, at least that was the impression Cai Kechang got. In that case, defeat should lead to every one of the invaders getting slaughtered mercilessly.

Why? Simple. Where would the invading army find the time to board a ship sailing back home and retreat? Kang Jin-Ho wasn't a moron, so he'd never let the invaders leave with all their heads still attached to their necks. Even if Kang Jin-Ho acted out of character and allowed that, Lee Hyeon-Su would still never let his enemies escape under his watch.

So, to think there were survivors?

"Hey. I want you to start from the beginning. I need more details, so don't leave anything out," said Cai Kechang.

"Sir!"

After the in-depth debriefing session ended, Cai Kechang wordlessly pulled out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket.

'Goddamn it…'

If he could help it, Cai Kechang wanted to quit smoking. But he smoked even more than ever before after Kang Jin-Ho had entered his life!

'I mean, look at me now!'

Smoking seemed the only tonic capable of getting rid of this crappy aftertaste lingering in Cai Kechang's mouth.

Click.

Cai Kechang lit his cigarette up with a lighter, then viciously sucked in the smoke. Thanks to his enhanced lung capacity, the cigarette was burned up in the proverbial blink of an eye.

"Okay, so…" Cai Kechang muttered, gray smoke gushing out of his mouth and nostrils. "Even before the Japanese reached the Korean shore, a handful of Assembly members jumped off a helicopter and landed on deck?"

"...Yes, sir."

"And this small group completely wiped out the Japanese? Did I get that right?"

"Yes, sir."

"...Insane sons of b*tches." Cai Kechang chuckled hollowly.

He wasn't sure who came up with this stunt, but that person couldn't be of the right mind. Without missing dozens of screws in their head, how could anyone even imagine a plan like this?

'However, Kang Jin-Ho and Co. still went ahead with it. And…'

...And they successfully pulled it off, leading to this state of affairs.

If only the Japanese had managed to reach the Korean shore! Things wouldn't have gone sideways this badly. Even if the Japanese were too inept to deal any major damage, they would've still wasted a lot of Koreans' time and resources.

That was Cai Kechang's view on the Japanese's worth. Fools only good for clinging to Kang Jin-Ho's legs and delaying him! Fools whose job was to hinder the growth of the Martial Assembly, even if by only a little bit. But now…!

"Those bastards couldn't even do that and got killed off? Every single one of them?!"

The subordinate panicked slightly. "M-my apologies!"

"Those… Those f*cking useless pieces of trash!"

BANG!

Cai Kechang powerfully kicked his solid-wood desk in anger. The desk shattered into thousands of pieces, and debris flew in all directions.

He shot up to his feet and roared in genuine rage. "The Japs couldn't even delay Kang Jin-Ho for a second?! Even though they sent in so many warriors?! Useless! Utterly useless trash! Even though I warned them not to make light of things!"

The reason for this outcome was clear as day to Cai Kechang. The Japanese obviously had underestimated Kang Jin-Ho.

"Those stinking useless islanders…!"

To Cai Kechang, both the Koreans and the Japanese were enemies. However, that didn't mean all enemies boasted the same class and threat level.

South Korea was no longer the weakling of the past. Kang Jin-Ho's presence ensured that through his sheer power alone.

But the damn Japanese still dared to look down on Kang Jin-Ho!

Even though the Japanese themselves were all trash!

"...Those useless bastards," Cai Kechang growled under his breath.

Japan was still superior to South Korea in some aspects. And that would be the quality of "regular" martial artists. The Japanese should be able to overwhelm the Koreans in military might.

Lower-tiered martial artists from both countries might be on similar levels of strength but higher up the food chain? The Japanese mid- and higher-tiers would absolutely crush their Korean counterparts.

The tactic Japan should have gone with was relentlessly throwing a huge army of those warriors at Kang Jin-Ho. An army consisting of the top elites and leaders of each gumi should have gone over to Korea and tried to stop Kang Jin-Ho by any means possible.

Even then, Cai Kechang wasn't sure Kang Jin-Ho could be eliminated that way. However, doing so would have at least wasted Kang Jin-Ho's time and resources!

"Those… Those utterly useless, trashy, conceited bastards!"

It was obvious to Cai Kechang that the Japanese thought a thousand-plus army of low- to mid-tier warriors was sufficient for this expedition. They probably thought the only addition to South Korea's forces was Kang Jin-Ho and not much else.

'Idiots. You're all a bunch of morons!'

How did they fail to understand Kang Jin-Ho's enormous strength? Despite all the detailed explanations and warnings, they still failed to see the big picture and dumped this nonsense on Cai Kechang's shoulders…?!

Cai Kechang shuddered in pure indignation before plopping down on his chair.

'No, wait.'

Cai Kechang fiercely rubbed his eyes a couple of times, then gritted his teeth.

'This isn't purely the Japanese's mistake. I also failed to predict this outcome.'

Cai Kechang admitted that his calculations had been off. After all, he had been telling himself that the Japanese making landfall would have led to the Koreans wasting their time. But that belief was proven very wrong.

'Dammit!'

Kang Jin-Ho always easily surpassed Cai Kechang's expectations. In the past, it was through sheer unbelievable martial prowess. So, Cai Kechang made plans based on that, but he was still left flabbergasted by Kang Jin-Ho doing something utterly inconceivable this time!

"Just how…" Cai Kechang grimaced. How was he supposed to deal with an opponent like this? "...You. Contact the Japanese."

"Sir!"

"Tell them to… prepare for the second round!"

The subordinate blinked his eyes. "...Sir?"

"We shall support them again. I'm sure the Japs are all mad as hell right now, too. So, tell them we will support their cause again. In return! They must bring me Kang Jin-Ho's head! No matter what!"

"B-but, sir! Japan is in chaos right now. They will need some time to quell the internal unrest first, and then…"

"Don't be an idiot! The best way to calm the unrest in your house is to direct everyone's attention outside! And that is to wage another war! Summon Lee Seong-Hwi, right now! No, wait. I will speak to the leader of the Japanese forces myself! Set up a hotline to him!"

"Y-yes, sir!"

Cai Kechang massaged his forehead.

'How am I supposed to report this to my liege?'

Cai Kechang felt incompetent. Useless!

Every scheme he cooked up had failed, forcing him to feel weak and incompetent like never before in his entire life.

Why did it feel like Kang Jin-Ho's appearance had completely upended Cai Kechang's life? Regardless of his feelings, though, he needed to get a grip and…

The subordinate cautiously raised his voice. "S-sir… Also…"

Cai Kechang looked up and glared at the poor subordinate. "There's more?"

"Yes, sir. I have one more news to report to you."

"...What is it this time?"

"Unfortunately, it also involves South Korea."

Cai Kechang squeezed his eyes shut. Judging from the subordinate's tone while mentioning South Korea, this news could not have been a good one, either!

Didn't he suffer enough already? Yet, he had to suffer even more now?!

"Urgh… Fine. Give me the report."

"Sir! According to our spy, the Master of the Round Table is currently en route to South Korea."

"...Say what now?" Cai Kechang sat up. He doubted his hearing for a second there and had to ask again. "Who did you say was heading to Korea?"

"The one called the Master, sir. The Master of the Round Table."

"…!" Cai Kechang grew stupefied.

The Master? As in the leader of Europe's Round Table?

"...But, why?"

"W-we haven't figured that out yet, sir."

Cai Kechang looked up at the ceiling.

'The… Master, is it?'

Of course, he heard of that title countless times already. He knew that the title of "Master" was given to the head of the Round Table, the organization ruling over Europe's martial societies.

If China and Japan could claim to be the center of the East's martial societies, the USA and Europe should be seen as the Western equivalents. In terms of legitimacy and overall influence, though? Not many would dare argue against the Round Table being the core of the West's martial societies.

So, the Master of such an organization was as big a fish as anyone could hope to be!

A man like that was heading to South Korea? Why would he do that?

'No, wait. Isn't it obvious?'

Indeed, it was exceedingly obvious. The Master wanted to meet Kang Jin-Ho personally.

Although the purpose of this meeting was anyone's guess at this point, even a moron should be able to tell that the Master's actions indicated his desire to have a face-to-face talk with Kang Jin-Ho.

"For now…" Cai Kechang muttered quietly.

He knew he needed to issue some kind of a command to deal with this situation, but finding what to say proved more challenging than he bargained for.

"For now… Yes, that's it. For now, have people monitor the situation as closely as possible. Make sure we don't miss anything, even the most trivial events!"

"I shall obey!" The subordinate bowed, then cautiously sneaked out of the room.

Now left alone in his office, Cai Kechang threw his head back and grimaced. It felt like he was getting a nasty heartburn.

A martial artist suffering from indigestion should be a cause for mockery, but Cai Kechang really was picking up some strange pain coming from his gut. He wasn't imagining it at all!

"Hah…" Cai Kechang groaned, his eyes bloodshot.

'No, this is all wrong.'

Everything felt wrong to him.

For a long time now, Cai Kechang had been weighed by this ominous foreboding. And that was the Koreans becoming the greatest threat to the Crimson King's faction one day.

Everyone under the heavens might mock Cai Kechang for even thinking that way when he still had to contend with the factions belonging to the Azure King and the Dark King.

However, Cai Kechang was convinced. The true enemy of the Crimson King's faction was neither the Azure King nor the Dark King. No, it had to be… Kang Jin-Ho!

But now, that situation was changing even more.

'Have I ever succeeded against them until now?'

Did any of Cai Kechang's schemes and the actions of the Crimson King's faction meant to oppose Kang Jin-Ho… ever prove successful?

'No. Everything has failed. All of them.'

The scars from all those failures ran too deep to be consoled by trivial victories achieved here and there. Cai Kechang wasn't sure when it happened, but all he could think about right now was the Korean Martial Assembly.

Even though he was in the middle of a fierce battle for supremacy against the Azure King's faction!

"...No, we need a countermeasure."

Cai Kechang suddenly jumped up to his feet. This was no longer just a foreboding.

There always were noticeable signs whenever a faction was about to rise to prominence. And Cai Kechang could see one of those signs right now.

The sudden emergence of a new, powerful entity would naturally attract the attention of the already-existing powerhouses. That attention would either be in the form of hostility or getting in touch out of curiosity.

Japan invaded South Korea, while the Crimson King's faction schemed behind the scenes against the Martial Assembly. As for the Round Table… It was directly contacting the Assembly. That could mean only one thing under the current situation.

In terms of momentum and attention, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say South Korea had become the center of the martial world!

Was it possible that Cai Kechang was overreacting?

'I used to think that way. And the result of that is this…!'

His schemes and countermeasures all fell flat on their faces. In that case, what could he do about this developing situation?

In front of Cai Kechang's eyes was the Azure King. Behind him was Kang Jin-Ho, who was clearly getting stronger every day. This suffocating pressure was tightening around Cai Kechang, gradually crushing him. It felt like his innards were tumbling, and his bones were cracking under the pressure.

'I… I need to have an audience with my liege, right away!'

Cai Kechang hurriedly exited his office. He knew the Crimson King should be able to show him the way.

'No, wait.'

If it was the Crimson King, he should be able to "open" the way instead. After all, he was a noble warrior who broke down the boundaries of the old and pioneered new territories. In that case, nothing would be able to stop him!

Cai Kechang urgently rushed toward the Crimson King's audience chamber.