Descent of the Demon Master

Kang Jin-Ho's champion, revived soon after getting killed, headed back to his preferred lane almost immediately. And he pounced at the first sighting of an enemy champion to start an intense dogfight.

“...!” Park Yu-Min dazedly stared at this spectacle.

Meanwhile, the stream chat scrolled up so fast that the monitor started overheating.

—Real man! Giga Chad!

—Yes! This is what a man is supposed to be!

—luuuuuuuuuuul Stahp luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuul your killing me.

—Bruh, I thought I was watching AoS all this time, but the genre turned out to be a brawler luuuuuul [1]

—Bronze V class lesssgo luuuuuul

Confusion and chaos had descended on the chat. However, this stream could be considered a success in that... Well, everyone watching was having a good time, so there! As long as Park Yu-Min ignored his own soul threatening to abandon him!

“H-hey, man! What are you doing, Jin-Ho?!”

Kang Jin-Ho's champion had died several times already, giving the enemy champion ample time to become even stronger than before. In that case, how the heck was he planning to win?!

To make matters worse, the enemy jungler had accurately identified Kang Jin-Ho's... 'habit' by now. The jungler waited for Kang Jin-Ho to show up again before working together with his teammate to ambush the hapless idiot, killing his champion over and over again!

“Urgh...!” Park Yu-Min's hand left his mouse to grab and massage the back of his neck. 'M-my blood pressure...!'

Park Yu-Min finally understood what the older adults meant whenever they said the back of their neck would tighten and hurt like hell. They weren't bloody exaggerating! As it turned out, a sudden spike in one's blood pressure could tighten a person's neck like this!

“This is strange. I swear I could defeat that player before, so why...?” Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head.

This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

There's no way that's true, Jin-Ho! You're pathetically weak right now, you know!

The lightning-fast scrolling speed of the chat negatively influenced Park Yu-Min, and his own voice became louder and shriller. “J-Jin-Ho! You weren't like this while playing Galaxy, so why are you playing so badly with this game?!”

“Huh?” Kang Jin-Ho tore his eyes from the monitor and stared at his friend in confusion.

“Back then, you were so good at analyzing enemy strengths and even knew when to strategically retreat! So what happened to you?! People even started calling you a devil fox for being how crafty you were!”

“Huh? I was?” Kang Jin-Ho's head tilting intensified.

“Yes, you were!”

The chat's unrest became even worse at that revelation.

—Who is that dude, anyway? If Park Yu-Min says he was good at Galaxy, then he should be damn good at that game, right?

—Yeah. Park Yu-Min is a nice guy, but he changes when it's about Galaxy. He used to be so harsh with other people in that game that everyone used to think he's got a personality disorder or something.

—Yeah, I remember. Didn't Yu-Min disparage his senior team member this one time? Saying he wasn't even that good and stuff? So, if he's willing to say this now, that dude must've been a god-tier in Galaxy.

—He was not a pro. I'd have remembered a top-level pro with a face like his.

—If he was a pro, the league wouldn't have closed down. Female fans alone would've numbered over a million. It would've been the return of Gwangalli Beach. [2]

—That means he must be a non-pro amateur ranker, right? Was there anyone like him back then?

—Well, I can think of someone.

Despite the intense discussion in the chat, Park Yu-Min wasn't paying attention to that. He was too busy yelling at the moment to notice anything else! “But, why?! Why are you like this with this game! Even a blind can see you're losing!”

Kang Jin-Ho gently let the mouse go and turned his head to stare at his agitated friend. Park Yu-Min flinched when their eyes met.

Kang Jin-Ho quietly spoke, his eyes burning like a pair of suns. “Yu-Min?”

“Y-yeah...?”

“Listen carefully,” Kang Jin-Ho spoke with what had to be the most intense force he had shown to his friend until now. “During the war, you must first understand the enemy's strengths and weaknesses. That will help you strategize your next move. Do not be reckless and stay level-headed, no matter what. That is the rule.”

“War...? A-ah! You're talking about Galaxy Craft, right?”

“Yes. However!” Kang Jin-Ho's voice rang loudly within the PC Room. “My forces can certainly retreat! However, I, as their general, must never back down from a fight! Even if it kills me, I must keep fighting! And even if I die, it'll still be my victory by never showing the enemy the disgraceful sight of me running away!”

“...Huh.”

—Daddy! Take me home with you!

—Nope, he's a genuine nutcase. Needs help.

—Being crazy isn't a crime, guys. It can be cured, amirite?

—Your mad luuuuuuuul Best reply ever luuuuuuuuuuuuul

—Record this speech in the Gospel of Top Laners. Book Three, chapter one: A Top Laner must never show their back!

—If you're gonna waste your looks like that, give them to me instead noooow luuuul

This was the moment when Park Yu-Min's stream hit its highest-ever viewership peak.

***

Snap, pshooi...

Park Yu-Min barely managed to pop open a cola can and lifelessly gulped down the fizzy drink.

“...Kuh-huh.”

His throat burned, but in return, this refreshing sensation washed over him.

'I was looking for cider, but cola isn't a bad alternative...'

Park Yu-Min didn't care what he was drinking as long as it was cold and carbonated. Being carbonated was crucial because... Because he might throw up without some fizzy drink down in his stomach!

Park Yu-Min's reward for teaming up with Kang Jin-Ho in a duo match was the humiliation of five consecutive losses, a first in his entire life. That was unthinkable from his perspective since Park Yu-Min was a tenacious, uber-competitive man who'd cling to the last little ray of hope to eke out his victory, but now...!

'Yup, you can have ten top-tier champions, but you still can't stop one troll...'

Park Yu-Min learned something new and valuable today. As for the troll in this story, Kang Jin-Ho was sitting next to his friend, drinking his cola with a content expression on his face.

“...Whew.” After emptying the can of soda, Kang Jin-Ho took out his cigarette and lit it up. “Mm. This place has a nice smoking area, too. With chairs and everything.”

“...It's because this PC Room is operated like a cafe.”

“Mm? I guess so.”

Park Yu-Min's soul hadn't fully returned to his body, but Kang Jin-Ho seemed unperturbed by what happened. One should learn from his example, but... Well, it was Kang Jin-Ho's fault, to begin with, that Park Yu-Min was in this state. However, seeing how Kang Jin-Ho was still the same after losing five matches in a row in an extremely-stressful game was...

Cruuuunch!

Kang Jin-Ho suddenly crushed the empty soda can with his bare hand, then angrily tossed it in a nearby trash can.

'...Yup, he is pissed.'

What was that about being unperturbed? Kang Jin-Ho's mood was not all that different from Park Yu-Min's, anyway!

I bloody knew it. A dude who got pissed after losing two matches in a row in Galaxy Craft and trained harder than a pro gamer wouldn't have lost his competitive spirit that easily...

“...Ahem. Listen, Jin-Ho. That was why you needed to back off and then...”

“If I can't win via my preferred methods, it does not count as a victory. Understand?”

“...Sure thing.” Park Yu-Min sighed deeply. 'Yes, yes, yes. A man needs to live like a man, eh? That's great for you, Jin-Ho. Keep it up. I mean... You ain't gonna debut as a pro gamer, anyway. Who cares if you lose in some computer games?'

Everything would still be fine... as long as Park Yu-Min never teamed up with Kang Jin-Ho again!

Kang Jin-Ho puffed on his cigarette before spitting it out and asking his friend. “So... How're your preparations for the tests going?”

“It's going pretty good,” said Park Yu-Min while taking another sip of his soda. 'Actually, I was doing great before you came around, Jin-Ho. Still, you helped me make a ton of money today, so there's that. Today's streaming revenue is probably higher than the combined total of what I've earned so far in all of my previous streams...'

Kang Jin-Ho glanced at his friend. “Will you be able to climb back to where you were before?”

Park Yu-Min couldn't immediately reply. 'Where I was before, is it...?'

If Kang Jin-Ho was referring to back when Park Yu-Min was a pro gamer, then there could be only one answer.

“Nope,” Park Yu-Min resolutely shook his head. He knew that that was asking for too much.

Kang Jin-Ho tutted. “At least say it's possible, will you?”

Park Yu-Min smiled wryly. “I know it's impossible, so why bother?”

Kang Jin-Ho immediately started his military service after seeing his friend win that pro tournament, so he didn't get to see what happened afterward. The truth was, though... The days of Park Yu-Min's true dominance had only just begun. He won practically every tournament he played in. So much so that he started fearing nothing at one stage. Unfortunately, that didn't last long.

Although Park Yu-Min consoled himself by saying that the demise of the Galaxy league was to blame... He knew the truth deep down. Climbing to the top was a lot easier than holding on to the spot. He shined brighter than anyone during his prime but also tasted the bitterness of being pushed off his pedestal.

Park Yu-Min sighed while nursing his soda. “This might sound like I'm boasting, but...”

“Then, it must be a boast.”

“...Right, it is a boast, huh. Anyway, when I was a pro gamer back then, I thought I really was on top of the world. As far as short-term impacts go, no one was more impactful than I was, you see? I was the best in the world.”

“Sure, sure. You were so great, weren't you?”

“Yes, I was. But... With this game, I don't think I can reach the same heights.”

“Why do you think that way?”

“Well, the gameplay is different, and it's a team game, to boot... More importantly, though, people who are better than me are dime-a-dozen, you know? And... I'm beginning to fall behind physically, too.”

Kang Jin-Ho frowned and stared at Park Yu-Min as if he was wondering about something.

Park Yu-Min chuckled weakly. “I might look a bit dispirited to you, but this is the reality, dude.”

“Mm? Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

Park Yu-Min slowly shook his head. “Jin-Ho.”

“What is it?”

“Do you know what I realized after standing on top and then getting pushed off my throne?”

“Mm? Not sure...?”

“I realized that only one person can stand on top. However, imagine what will happen if everyone wants to be on top, too. Except for one person, everyone else will become losers.”

“Mm...”

“I'm not gaming to become the best in the world, Jin-Ho. I game because I like it. I enjoy playing computer games. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'll do a bad job at it. I also have a desire to win, you know. So, I'll do my best. However, I still think there's no reason to be disappointed for failing to reach the top.”

Kang Jin-Ho silently nodded away, thinking Park Yu-Min's mindset wasn't wrong. It was just that... Such a mindset was different from Kang Jin-Ho's.

“If I do my best and enjoy the process, I'm sure I'll receive a fitting reward sooner or later. Even if that reward isn't as good as I hoped for... I'm pretty sure I'll still be satisfied,” said Park Yu-Min. “Getting just a teeny bit older helped me gain perspective on some things, Jin-Ho. And that is... Being the best doesn't necessarily mean I'll be the happiest person in the world. Compared to back then when I sacrificed everything in the pursuit of reaching the top... I feel ten times happier where I'm at right now.”

“Mm...”

“You weren't around back then, you see? And all I could do was game, game, and game some more. I don't want to go back to that life if I can help it.”

“I see. I understand what you're trying to say,” Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded again. When he thought about it, his own story wasn't dissimilar from Park Yu-Min's.

Kang Jin-Ho struggled like crazy to become Zhongyuan's best. His initial motivation might have been 'survival', but he still didn't stop charging ahead even when his survival had been guaranteed. He sought to become stronger and stronger until everything under the heavens would be below his feet.

What was the reward at the end of all of his struggles? Desire to lead an ordinary life.

If the greatest happiness in the world was a guaranteed reward for being the best, Kang Jin-Ho would've been more hands-on during this life. However, he didn't do that. He knew that wasn't the case. That was why he tried to live like an ordinary man.

He now understood how precious things that other people took for granted were... Things like his family and friends.

'For sure, Park Yu-Min is better than me at this.'

Indeed. Park Yu-Min already figured out a valuable life lesson that Kang Jin-Ho had to die first to learn. Kang Jin-Ho chuckled softly, then cocked his brow at a sudden thought popping in his head. “Hmm... By the way, I hope you are not laying out the groundwork for excuses when you potentially fail the tests next week?”

“...Did I get busted already?”

“Wanna die?” Kang Jin-Ho tutted unhappily.

“Of course I'll pass the test. Definitely! I can't afford to fail, anyway! Kids at the orphanage are starting to pressure me, you know? They keep saying I'm a bum who's not doing anything meaningful these days…”

“Kids said that?”

“Yeah. They even said that if I keep lounging around wasting my savings, I won't even find a nice girl to get married to. So they want me to start working ASAP and get my finances back in order. It's like... I'm stressing them out or something…”

“...Yup, kids these days can be so scary.”

“You said it,” Park Yu-Min groaned while shaking his head.

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled softly. Whether it was he or Park Yu-Min, it seemed they were riding on the same boat, being buffeted by the strong headwinds. “Hey, Yu-Min.”

“Yeah?”

“Do your best, okay?”

“Yeah, I will,” Park Yu-Min replied while looking a bit sheepish.

Kang Jin-Ho's smile deepened at the sight of his embarrassed friend. 'What would my life have looked like without Yu-Min in it?'

Park Yu-Min still thought of Kang Jin-Ho as his savior, a benefactor. However, Kang Jin-Ho didn't think that way. Without anyone pulling him forward, Park Yu-Min would've eventually forced his way to where he was now.

After all, Park Yu-Min was steadfast and always focused on what he needed to do. Kang Jin-Ho's presence might have made the journey a little easier and a little smoother, but... But Park Yu-Min would've reached here eventually.

However, the same couldn't be said about Kang Jin-Ho. If his friend weren't here, Kang Jin-Ho would've never arrived at this point in his life. Without a doubt, he would've drifted in a slightly different direction and failed to make the same kind of connections as he had done.

“...Yu-Min. I promise to stop by more often from now on.”

“Eh?”

Kang Jin-Ho spoke in a serious voice. “I'm sorry about not hanging out with you lately. Various things have been keeping me occupied, you see. However, I'll try to stop by as much as I can.”

Park Yu-Min's expression became unreadable and very complicated as he grimaced and searched for the right words to say. “Nnngg... J-Jin-Ho?”

“Mm?”

“Well, uh... I have those tests to... study for... and... It's, uh... nice to hang out and game with you but, I gotta focus on improving my skills, you see? So, like... Eh…”

Kang Jin-Ho's lips clamped shut after he noticed the distinct cold sweat droplets on Park Yu-Min's forehead.

“Okay, so... Like I was saying, mm...” Park Yu-Min grimaced.

“...Fine. I'm leaving.” Kang Jin-Ho got up.

“Thank you! Oh, uh... I mean, take care, okay?”

While receiving Park Yu-Min's over-the-top farewell, complete with exaggerated hand waving, Kang Jin-Ho dragged his leaden feet out of the PC Room.

No one was trustworthy in this world, it seemed. Whether that was in the ancient past or now!

1. “AoS” is “Aeon of Strife”, a fan-made custom map for StarCraft. I thought they were playing League of Legends until now... ☜

2. City of Busan's Gwangalli Beach used to host StarCraft pro league finals every year. ☜