Descent of the Demon Master-Chapter 1128. Approaching (3)

“If you were in my shoes, what would you have done? Choose annihilation just so that you can hold on to your worthless pride? Or protect the Round Table, even if it means you must swallow your pride and act like someone's pet dog?”

“...”

The Master narrowed his eyes. “I already told you this, didn’t I? That we’re bees? No, not bees, but hornets. We might not pose any danger to Kang Jin-Ho, but we can certainly be a dangerous entity to the people around him. To his eyes, we must’ve looked like hornets targeting his precious daughter.”

Besley couldn’t help but chuckle helplessly at that analogy. Hornets buzzing around Kang Jin-Ho’s daughter, was it...?

He was dismayed by the fact that the once-mighty Round Table was no more threatening than a hornet’s nest to some people.

The Master continued to speak in the meantime. “Yes, I understand that you’re displeased by the notion of being reared as someone’s pet. You probably don't want to accept it, never mind go along with it.”

“No, sir. It’s not to that extent. It’s the reality of our situation, after all.”

“You say that, but is your heart truly ready to accept?”

Besley couldn’t immediately respond.

The Master was right once more. There was only one answer here, and that was, “Yes, I have understood and accepted it, sir.”

However, dissatisfaction with how this situation turned out continued to well up in Besley’s heart.

“Sir Besley, do you know what the difference is between us and dogs? Or hornets?”

“...No, sir. I don’t.”

“We are aware of what’s going on.”

“...”

“We know we’re being reared like pets.”

As he said that, the Master’s expression grew cold, his eyes withdrawn. That was when Besley spied a hint of an emotion different from the others up until now from the Master.

In the past, the Master was considerably warm and measured. A gentleman, in other words. However, this Master emanated a chilling aura of viciousness, something he had never exhibited before. So much so that Besley felt a deathly chill run down his spine at the sight of the Master coldly staring into the distance.

‘He... really has changed.’

If Besley was forced to choose, he'd most likely prefer the old version of the Master. However, would he be able to trust that version and follow it blindly in a situation like this one?

No. He’d have no choice but to choose this version of the Master.

Being agreeable and understanding would work best when everything was plain sailing. However, in times of crisis, such characteristics could become fatal flaws.

“I won't reject being reared like livestock. I'll even kiss and lick Kang Jin-Ho's feet if I have to. As long as I don't betray them, and as long as I offer them appropriate benefits, they will continue providing us with the power to keep moving forward. The power that will help us become a different creature that will one day surpass them!”

Besley grimaced. “However, sir... They are also evolving and improving as we speak.”

“Of course they are. However...” The Master grinned softly. “Do you think Kang Jin-Ho will live forever?”

No, he wouldn't. No matter how absurdly strong Kang Jin-Ho was, he'd not be able to overcome the limitation of the lifespan of a human being.

“I'm not trying to win against Kang Jin-Ho. No, my aim is to re-establish the Round Table as the center of the world. Throughout history, many organizations grew powerful enough to surpass the Round Table. However, their glory was short-lived, and they all have disappeared into the pages of historical records. Meanwhile, we're still here.

“I’m not looking into what happens in a century, Besley. No, I’m trying to secure our future one thousand years from now. In a thousand years, will the Martial Assembly still be around? I don’t think so.”

Besley silently nodded away. Once again, the Master had a valid point.

“For the sake of achieving glory for another thousand years, you must endure momentary humiliation. If they wish for it, I will become a loyal dog. Because, one day...! We will return to being wolves, the kings of the forest!”

“Yes, you’re indeed right about this, but... Kang Jin-Ho isn’t the only expert in the Martial Assembly, sir.”

“Indeed. And that's precisely why we must work even harder. Because they should be fiercely pushing themselves to become even stronger as we speak. And to make the Martial Assembly even more powerful than before. To achieve our goal, we will need your assistance more than ever before, Sir Besley.”

“You don’t have to worry. I’ll do my best.”

“Thank you.”

Even though this conversation sounded rather heart-warming, in a way, the Master’s true thoughts were a little more cynical.

‘Fiercely pushing themselves, is it...?’

What the Martial Assembly demanded from the Round Table was not something unreasonable or despicable. However, there always were ulterior motives to everything in this world.

‘The start might be simple and straightforward, but things will gradually get trickier and trickier.’

Wiggins must be thinking of ‘training’ the Master and the Round Table gradually that way.

The Master smiled bitterly. A man he thought of as his potential successor had switched his allegiance and became a full-on member of the Martial Assembly to choke the life out of him. And it all happened in less than a year!

The Master still hadn't fully recovered from the shock of Wiggins' rapid transformation, but reality was reality. He must acknowledge the situation and make plans for it accordingly.

Without a doubt, Wiggins would try his absolute hardest to devour the Round Table. Not many knew the ins and outs of the Round Table as much as he did. And only a few knew this organization’s weaknesses as much as he did.

So, if Wiggins decided to pour his all to attack the Round Table...!

It’d indeed be incredibly dangerous for this organization. Maybe, even more so than the danger Kang Jin-Ho posed!

‘Try your best, Wiggins.’

The Master was prepared to grovel as much as they demanded. However, even if they tried to take everything of the Round Table away, its history and soul would never be stolen.

‘I can’t lose to you yet, Wiggins. I still have passion and drive left in this old body of mine, you see?’

While thinking about how to repel Wiggins, who must be doggedly thinking of ways to target this noble organization from the other side of the planet, the Master delved back into the documents resting on his desk.

***

Lee Hyeon-Su yelled in irritation. “How many times do I have to tell you! That’s not how you do it!”

Wiggins couldn’t help but seriously weigh his options. Should he kill this brat or not?

Just who was he? Wasn’t he the former Knight of the Round Table, Wiggins?

Of course, he was no longer a Knight representing his mother nation, but that still didn’t change the fact that once upon a time, he was easily the most promising Knight in the Round Table.

Although it was rather funny to use the term ‘promising’ when describing the Knights, who were exclusively made up of wrinkly old folks, that was the reality of the situation, so what could he do about it?

Only those with some years behind them could become the Knights of the Round Table, after all.

A candidate should at least boast the life experience of an elderly person before they were seen as capable of handling a Knight's duties.

Since that was the case, any person who became a Knight in their middle age would always be considered a peerless genius of their generation. And Wiggins was often called the genius among geniuses within the Knights.

That was who he was, yet in this place...!

“Why! Why can't you understand something so simple!” Lee Hyeon-Su continued to yell. “Do I have to make it even easier to understand? Not even the best private tutor in town can dumb it down any further, you know! Maybe there's something fundamentally wrong with you, and that's why...!”

“Kuk...!”

Wiggins’ entire figure began quivering from barely-checked rage.

He oh-so badly wanted to kill this brat! Maybe not actually “kill”, but at least a straight punch to that detestable face would do a world of good for Wiggins' spiking blood pressure!

Throughout his life, Wiggins had never been shaken up badly to the point of losing his composure. However, at this very moment! His composure was shaking around so violently that a 9.0-magnitude earthquake must've erupted in his mind!

“Master!”

“...Y-yeah?”

“Are you even listening to me?”

Of course he was bloody listening! How could he not, when a loudmouthed brat was busy biting his head off mere meters away from him!

“O-of course I’m listening.”

“Fuu-woo...!” Lee Hyeon-Su sighed deeply, which morphed into an invisible dagger that stabbed deeply into Wiggins' heart. “Sir, is it that difficult to understand?”

“N-no, well, it's not that, but...” Wiggins smiled awkwardly. “Most of the blame lay with the difference in the two disparate systems of cultivation, Mister Lee. Trying to understand a completely different system has been a bit...”

“Master?” Lee Hyeon-Su coldly retorted, “That sounds like the same reason I used while trying to learn magic from you.”

“...”

“And what did you say to me back then?!”

“...!”

Lee Hyeon-Su cried out like a man possessed. Possessed by the god of Schadenfreude, that was! “You said! Even if the cultivation system is different! Everything is meant to achieve the same goal! So! If you can't understand something due to the difference in the learning system, you're tacitly admitting to your incompetence!”

Why did Wiggins have to say that back then? Just why!

If he could, he'd dearly love to travel back in time, then stop his younger self from chewing Lee Hyeon-Su out!

‘Yes, what goes around, comes around!’

Or, in the Eastern maxim, your past sins will determine your future life!

He would've told his slightly younger self, 'Listen, fella. Things you do right now will come back to bite you in the rear. So, do it in moderation. I'm telling you, you'll be in for one hell of a nasty time if you don't!'

Of course, he had a sneaking suspicion that his younger self wouldn't heed the advice.

In any case!

His prior actions had led to Wiggins getting put through his paces without mercy by his so-called dear disciple right this minute!

‘You petty little brat!’

How could this brat remember all that? His memories of those events must be so vivid that it sounded like he could recite every line word by word! Such was Lee Hyeon-Su’s accuracy that every time he recited the lines he got berated with, Wiggins was forced to vividly recall those moments, too!

“Fuu! This won’t do. Not at all! How about you find someone else to...”

Wiggins urgently stopped Lee Hyeon-Su. “C-calm down first, Mister Lee.”

Being tutored by Lee Hyeon-Su was certainly a humiliating event for Wiggins. However, learning from someone else would obviously be even more gut-wrenching and pain-inducing.

Who else was left to teach Wiggins? Vator? Chang Min? If not, Bang Jin-Hun?

If all else failed... Then, Kang Jin-Ho?

‘Forget about it!’

Without a doubt, the only teacher Wiggins wouldn’t feel humiliated to learn from was Kang Jin-Ho.

However, even though Kang Jin-Ho was an excellent example of a martial artist, Wiggins knew too well that he’d make a terrible teacher.

-Why can’t you understand this part?

-Well, if you can’t understand it, a physical experience will sort that out.

Wasn’t that so obvious?

Wiggins had already witnessed Kang Jin-Ho drilling the Demon Flames like a drill sergeant from hell, after all!

Of course, the effectiveness of Kang Jin-Ho's hellish methods was undeniable.

Considering how quickly the Demon Flames had gotten stronger, one should admit that the effectiveness was the highest in the world!

However, experiencing that effectiveness in person was a different matter altogether. Wiggins definitely did not want to kiss the dirt repeatedly at his age!

In that case, what about Vator? Despite his brutish appearance, Vator proved himself as a surprisingly “normal” teacher to his students.

He shocked everyone by revealing how well-versed he was in not just the practical aspects of training but in theories as well. He also had a clear idea of his students' individual limitations.

If his students were facing an imposing wall, Kang Jin-Ho would have shoved them against it and yelled at them that hard work and tenacity would get them over it, and then to “spur” them on, he'd thrust his swords at the ground right by their feet!

However, Vator would carefully consider his students' limits and create a training regime that could help them foster their strengths until one day, they surpassed the wall on their own terms.

That all sounded fantastic, so why couldn’t Wiggins learn from the big man?

‘Simple. Because I’m not one of his students!’

Vator was considerate only toward his ‘students’. So, what if Wiggins chose to learn from Vator? His training regime would most likely be even more ridiculous and unforgiving than Lee Hyeon-Su’s!

There was no need to even wonder about Bang Jin-Hun, either.

So, if he didn't want to learn from Lee Hyeon-Su, Wiggins would have to seek help from someone who wasn't at the level of the Assembly's directors. But the mere idea of doing that filled him with dread.

“M-Mister Lee, I promise you, I’ll do better.”

“Hah-ah...” Lee Hyeon-Su sighed grandly again, then stared at Wiggins as if he was rather unhappy about something. “Master?”

“...?”

Wiggins frowned. What was this brat thinking of saying now?

“Yes, you can succeed in most things with tenacity and hard work! Even if the cultivation system is different, all you need is effort, sir! Effort!”

This brat! Did he think 'effort' was an omnipotent cheat key?

Whether it was Lee Hyeon-Su or some other fool of the Assembly, they all yapped on too casually about tenacity and guts and whatever. They weren't living inside a shounen manga, so they should stop this cringe nonsense!

“So, master! You gotta work harder than this.”

“...Yes, I will,” Wiggins replied while subtly gritting his teeth.

‘We’ll see once I finish mastering this!’

He swore to grind Lee Hyeon-Su’s bones into powder.

“Oh, before we start properly...! There is this little thing you must do first,” said Lee Hyeon-Su while suddenly shoving a piece of paper in Wiggins' face.

“N-ng?!” Wiggins blinked his eyes at the document. “W-what’s this?”

Lee Hyeon-Su began grinning slyly. “It’s a written vow that states you will not get even with me regardless of what happens during the training.”

“...!”

“Don't you agree that a man needs a safety net like this in order to focus on providing you with the best possible training regime?”

“...!”

“Now, please sign right down here.”

Wiggins silently stared at the dotted line on the document before turning his head to stare outside the windows, his gaze drifting toward the distant skies.

‘I suddenly miss you, Master.’

The days in the Round Table were great, weren’t they? They were indeed.

Lee Hyeon-Su tutted loudly. “Aren’t you going to sign it, sir?”

“I will, okay! I will!”

“Why are you yelling at me, master?! I’m only trying to do my best here, you know!”

Wiggins painfully groaned. “Urgh...!”

Things were indeed fierce in this part of the world, just as the Master of the Round Table had predicted. Although, this fierceness was probably a bit different in nature from what he must've had in mind!

Wouldn’t the Master have found some solace if he saw Wiggins’ pitiful state right now? At least, by a little bit?

Unfortunately, nobody would know.