‘What the hell… It’s not like we’re inside a library, so why…?’

Yi Myeong-Hwan grimaced a little. He had no choice but to acknowledge the effectiveness of what happened to him and his peers.

Humans tended to get lax if given half a chance. Conversely, they also knew how to pull their socks way up if the situation tightened around them like a noose. Sure, people could individually apply

some

brakes to suit their circumstances, but this generalization usually was spot-on.

‘Yes, I acknowledge it, sir…’

The younger-generation martial artists who passed Kang Jin-Ho's test were like sharpened treasure blades… in the beginning, at least. They were full of heroic, nay, grim determination to cast everything aside to become stronger. Even if their desire could lead to their untimely demise!

They poured their entire being into mastering each and every stance, and their mental focus was at 100% during each circulation of qi.

So… compared to those days?

‘Well, yeah, these people have become lazy bums in comparison.’

There could be various reasons for this situation. First of all… Humans were creatures of adaptation.

This training didn’t seem fit for human ‘consumption’ in the initial stages due to how harsh and crazy it was, yet before anyone had time to notice it… Everyone had acclimatized to the point of training with their eyes closed!

No wonder these people were no longer as alert as before.

The second likely reason could be Kang Jin-Ho. More specifically, how he didn’t really drive these younger-generation martial artists to work harder.

Even though he warned them to prepare for Hell, Kang Jin-Ho didn't really go out of his way to torture them with a grueling training regime. Of course, that wasn't because he was much mellower than what people thought of him, but…

‘It’s just that he’s been too busy lately.’

As the Assembly Master, Kang Jin-Ho was always busy. As in totally, utterly, mindlessly busy!

It seemed Kang Jin-Ho himself didn't think that way, but watching him deal with the workload was enough to paint Lee Hyeon-Su as a thumb-sucking lazy bum with zero work ethic!

Of course, that didn't mean Kang Jin-Ho suffered from the extreme lack of time like Lee Hyeon-Su, as he held the authority to dump his work on someone else's shoulders, and the core of his duties was about making grave decisions, not handling intricate matters. Even so… He was still as busy as he could get.

Just how many incidents happened one after another as soon as Kang Jin-Ho's test ended? Considering all that had happened so far, Kang Jin-Ho shouldn't be blamed here for his continued absence.

Finally, perhaps the most likely reason…!

‘We became too full of ourselves.’

That was something no one could deny. In all honesty, wasn’t Yi Myeong-Hwan’s head also floating on cloud nine not too long ago?

It had to be the result of passing Kang Jin-Ho's test and earning the qualifications to join his personal guards. Even though the original purpose of passing that test was to become 'stronger.'

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

To be strong enough that no one could look down on them. To be so strong that no one would dare cross them! That was the goal, and every Demon Flame member aimed to become stronger… And even stronger!

Of course, that was also Yi Myeong-Hwan’s goal. However, from a certain moment in time… That goal got distorted.

After Kang Jin-Ho's prestige soared to reach the heavens, merely being a member of his elite personal guards was enough to stop people from looking down on Yi Myeong-Hwan and his peers. No, it went beyond that now. People actually started envying them outright!

That feeling of superiority whenever the people's sneaky gazes of envy and jealousy tickled Yi Myeong-Hwan's face! Even though he and his peers hadn't even gotten properly strong yet, they still ended up acquiring most of the things available only to the powerful experts.

No wonder they had gotten too full of themselves.

In short… This was absolutely their fault! They had strayed down the wrong path, but… It was still not too late to turn back.

If they had strayed, shouldn't they simply search for the correct path and get back on it? Whether such a task involved cutting through a thick forest or retreading the steps back to the crossroads… Yi Myeong-Hwan and his peers could fix this situation.

Yes, that was the case, but… But…!

‘Isn't this way of fixing a bit too over the top?!'

The Demon Flames were currently assembled inside the Assembly HQ’s auditorium. However, they were even quieter than church mice!

Were they standing on eggshells, afraid of setting someone off? No, not at all.

Only the Demon Flames were present in the auditorium. Kang Jin-Ho was scheduled to arrive in a little while, and no one from the executives was here to monitor the Demon Flames and their behavior. Even so, the silence inside the auditorium could only be described as eerie!

What was the reason for this tense atmosphere, though?

Yi Myeong-Hwan sneaked a glance to his side. And when his gaze landed on his peers who were slightly bent over, still in pain, with noticeable black eyes decorating their faces, Yi Myeong-Hwan couldn’t help but feel sad for some reason.

‘Where are our human rights?’

Upholding human rights had become even more important in the modern era. Unfortunately for these men, though, the martial world still hadn't accepted that noble notion just yet.

Beating soldiers up to instill discipline would be seen as what savages might do by the higher-ups of the modern-day military, but in the martial world? It was accepted matter-of-factly as the necessary ‘moral’ education the juniors must receive!

How barbaric was this!

The reason for the Demon Flames' nervy display of discipline was simple enough. The old idiom of 'Once Bitten, Twice Shy' was in full effect here. However, rather than 'bitten', Vator had been beating them senseless until recently! Rather than 'shy', these Demon Flames would pass out with foams in their mouths, instead!

Vator's massive fists mercilessly closing in on them left a deep mental scar on the poor Demon Flames.

‘So, to summarize Vator’s teachings in the simplest terms…’

-F*ck around, and you'll find out.

Here was the concept that accompanied humanity since the dawn of time itself! This concept became progressively less 'applied' in the modern world, though!

The Demon Flames were wonderfully demonstrating how effective the nonsensical and horrifying concept of ‘physical violence = discipline’ was when put into practice.

Even if this scene greatly saddened the Demon Flames themselves!

‘All jokes aside, we do need to get our acts together.’

Although this process wasn't humane, and the end products weren't all that pleasing to the eye, the Demon Flames still managed to acquire something important. And that would be…

The overly-proud Demon Flames got a painful reminder that they were still a bunch of weaklings!

As it turned out, there was a vast chasm between merely looking at Vator and physically experiencing Vator. It should come as a surprise to absolutely no one that simply 'knowing Vator's strength' and 'getting hit by the big man's hands and then getting drilled into the ceiling afterward' were two stunningly different experiences!

Even if every member of the Demon Flames attacked Vator at the same time, they would still not win. All the confidence they gained while wiping out Lee Jung-Geol and his goons was sent to heaven by Vator's merciless bi*ch slap.

What remained now was self-awareness of how rubbish they were, plus a painful rebound from their cocky attitude from earlier. And…

‘I wonder. What will the Assembly Master think of us now?’

Yi Myeong-Hwan couldn't help but worry now that he and his peers were at this stage. Vator toyed around with them like it was a Sunday stroll. But the same Vator wouldn't even last three seconds against Kang Jin-Ho before being folded inside a nearby trashcan.

So, to someone like that… How would Kang Jin-Ho view the Demon Flames? Maybe it was like watching a colony of ants living in a… breeding pan cluelessly strutting around as if they owned the show?

When Yi Myeong-Hwan's thoughts reached that far, goosebumps broke loose on his skin. This eerily-silent atmosphere could—mostly— be the by-product of this worry shared by everyone here.

‘It’d been better if the Assembly Master was here already…’

It was so suffocating here. So much so that Yi Myeong-Hwan thought he was about to run out of breath. Dealing with this heavy atmosphere was too tough for him.

As if Yi Myeong-Hwan’s desperation had been heard by the gods… The auditorium’s door suddenly was shoved open.

‘Geez, that surprised me!’

The sound of the door rang like a thunderclap, perhaps due to the unnatural silence in the auditorium. Kang Jin-Ho walked past the open doorway without hesitation. Lee Hyeon-Su followed right behind him. And he broke this weighty silence before anyone else could.

“...What is up with this gloomy atmosphere?”

Even though Kang Jin-Ho didn’t say anything, Lee Hyeon-Su dismissively waved his hands near his face as if the surrounding air was unpleasant.

‘...And here comes the bloody sister-in-law!’

Unsurprisingly, the person the Demon Flames respected the most was Kang Jin-Ho. And the person they feared the most was… It might be Vator these days, actually!

However, if the question was who the Demon Flames detested the most, the answer would resoundingly be… Lee Hyeon-Su! That dude's snarky attitude and quips were something else. It was as if he was the top expert in the world at pissing people off.

Kang Jin-Ho wordlessly walked to the center of the raised platform, then glanced at Lee Hyeon-Su next.

“Hey, you guys! Bring those things in, now!” Lee Hyeon-Su yelled toward the auditorium’s exit.

Soon, people beyond the doorway began bringing in large boxes.

Yi Myeong-Hwan narrowed his eyes.

‘What’s in those boxes?’

Lee Hyeon-Su pointed to the front of the Demon Flames. “Put them in front. Yes, over there.”

The boxes were placed before the lines of the confused Demon Flames.

“Okay! Pass the books behind you!”

The ones at the front of the line took out books from the box and handed them to other Demon Flames behind them. It didn't take long for everyone to hold a book in their hands.

Kang Jin-Ho fake-coughed to clear his throat, then raised his voice. “That book contains the new cultivation method you will be mastering.”

“…!”

Life instantly returned to the eyes and faces of the Demon Flames. A new demonic cultivation method! Since this was new, it should be superior to what they had already mastered. Yi Myeong-Hwan had no doubt about it as his eyes scanned the title of this secret manual.

‘Mara Blood Flame Qi?’

Even the name was tyrannical!

Kang Jin-Ho scanned the visibly-excited Demon Flames before saying something else. “Any questions?”

In the past, the Demon Flames wouldn’t dare carelessly throw questions around at Kang Jin-Ho. He was like a heaven-defying existence to them, after all.

However, they could confidently say they had experienced Kang Jin-Ho’s quirks plenty of times by now, so they knew succinctly asking what needed to be asked would benefit them all.

One of the Demon Flames quickly raised his hand. “Can we master this cultivation with just the secret manual, sir?”

“No, that’ll be impossible,” Kang Jin-Ho replied without much concern. “For now, memorize the contents of the manual. After that, I’ll adjust things for you accordingly.”

Another raised his hand next. “Sir! What kind of demonic art is this?”

Kang Jin-Ho smirked softly. “It’s something I’ve created recently.”

The sounds of saliva gulping echoed in the auditorium. A demonic cultivation method created by Kang Jin-Ho?!

Everyone in this place knew the significance of that revelation. One by one, the Demon Flame members forced their trembling eyes to stare at the plain-looking books in their hands.

In the end, even Yi Myeong-Hwan had to raise his hand. “E-excuse me… Assembly Master, sir?”

“Speak.”

“Sir, how much stronger will we get by mastering this cultivation?”

“Hmm…?” Kang Jin-Ho furrowed his brow while pondering his answer.

Yi Myeong-Hwan was instantly overcome with regret for asking a useless question, but the answer was provided much sooner than he feared.

“Asking how much seems strange to me,” said Kang Jin-Ho. “It'll all depend on who masters it. Although, that's the story for every martial art, isn't it?”

“Ah… Of course.” Yi Myeong-Hwan could only put on a cramped smile. That wasn't the answer he wanted to hear, but he didn't dare ask for more clarification and forced himself to stop there.

“...But, sir? Isn't that response way too lackluster?” Lee Hyeon-Su suddenly butted in.

The shock from this unexpected event left Yi Myeong-Hwan wide-eyed.

‘Huh? What’s gotten into that dude?’

To think that a detestable man who only pissed people off would suddenly provide fire support! Maybe the pigs would start flying tomorrow…?

“If you stop your explanation there, wouldn’t these pieces of trash stop caring about their laziness stopping their growth? I think it’s better to let these useless garbage know how much stronger they can potentially get, sir.”

Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. “You think so?”

Yi Myeong-Hwan yelled in his head.

‘You stinking son of a b*****tch!’

What a huuuge surprise this was. That bastard obviously wouldn’t stray too far from his playbook, now would he!

Wasn't his intention crystal clear now? It seemed he wanted to put these Demon Flames through even harsher torment! Now that sounded like what Lee Hyeon-Su would do. Only he'd think of such vile things!

‘Bloody hell!’

Yi Myeong-Hwan grimaced as he watched Kang Jin-Ho ponder something else.

“Depending on how you master it, you could reach the True Demon realm. You could say this cultivation method is the highest grade,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“...H-highest-grade?”

Did Kang Jin-Ho really provide them with this incredible martial art? But… Why? Why was he going so far?

Only the ruling executives of a faction or those with power could access the highest-grade cultivation methods. That was common sense in the martial world, a weapon used to keep the prideful and 'free-spirited' martial artists in line.

‘Don’t you get how shocking this is?’

The rule of thumb for a new martial artist joining a faction or a sect was they needed at least twenty years before earning the qualifications to master the highest-grade martial arts. In Shaolin, a young novice monk would need at least thirty years before being allowed inside the main palace housing the collection of Buddhist Sutras.

In short, a martial artist had to prove himself worthy before earning the qualification to master the highest-grade cultivation methods. But now, Kang Jin-Ho…!

‘Holy cow…!'

Yi Myeong-Hwan finally realized how sloppily he had been handling this invaluable cultivation manual and hurriedly stashed it under his jacket. He wasn't the only one doing that, though, as several others reacted pretty much the same as Yi Myeong-Hwan.

This was the moment the distributed secret manual was elevated in status to distributed treasures in their minds.

“S-sir! C-can we really have this?”

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled slightly. “I never said it’d be easy, though. No, the difficulty will be immense.”

“Oh…!”

Despite the warning, none of the Demon Flames were disappointed. The highest-grade martial art being difficult to comprehend seemed par for the course. In video games, some players were higher-leveled than others, but they usually played in different lobbies, now didn't they? So, there was no need to be disappointed here.

The real disappointment… No, the ‘despair’ was about to hit them in the face now, after all!

Kang Jin-Ho smiled brightly. “However, you don’t have to worry too much. I bring you good news, you see?”

“Sorry?”

“Vator will be mastering the same thing as you guys. So, I'm sure he's going to help you a lot from now on.”

“…!”

In the proverbial blink of an eye, hellish despair descended on everyone in the auditorium. Some even lost strength in their legs and plopped down on their butts, too!

Kang Jin-Ho confusedly stared at this bizarre response, then turned to look at Lee Hyeon-Su. “What's gotten into them now?”

Lee Hyeon-Su smiled brightly. “I think… It's because they are overcome by happiness, sir. Well, this is a moment worthy of a celebration, after all.”

Yi Myeong-Hwan heard that and secretly swore to tear that hateful bastard’s head off one day.