Descent of the Demon Master

“Huff, huff! Wheeze!”

Leveaux finally reached the bottom of the stairwell and fearfully looked behind him.

‘There’s… no one!’

Thankfully, Kang Jin-Ho hadn’t chased Leveaux down. Then again, the other Knights should be trying their best to hinder Kang Jin-Ho. And there were powerful defensive barriers installed within the temple, too.

Of course, Leveaux wasn’t naive enough to think such measures could stop Kang Jin-Ho dead in his tracks.

‘That thing… is a devil!’

From the very beginning, everything that could go wrong had gone very wrong.

The Master knew. That damnable old fart knew! He knew what kind of existence Kang Jin-Ho was. He also knew what might happen if that devil stepped foot inside the Round Table!

That shouldn’t have been surprising, though, considering the Master had flown to South Korea to personally confirm the truth.

‘You… You stinking decrepit bastard!’

Simply recalling the Master’s relaxed mug caused Leveaux’s anger to shoot through the roof. If that old bastard was going to warn Leveaux of incoming danger, why the hell did he have to…

“The devil will come for you, Leveaux…”

Leveaux angrily chewed on his lips.

‘Bloody hell!’

As it turned out, the Master did say everything that needed to be said. Any detailed descriptions would've been a waste of time, after all. That was because Leveaux wouldn't have believed anything coming out of that old man's mouth!

Who would be imaginative enough to picture a monster like Kang Jin-Ho? And that such a monster could be found in South Korea, of all places?

Also, Leveaux had a sneaking suspicion that nothing would’ve changed even if he believed the Master’s warning.

‘This… This isn’t my fault! It isn’t!’

Indeed, all this catastrophe was simply the result of Kang Jin-Ho being an outlandish monster. A monster that defied all common sense!

Those crimson-colored eyes… Those eyes that sent dreadful chills down Leveaux’s spine! It was as if he was stuck inside a terrifying nightmare.

‘Kang Jin-Ho, he… He cannot be stopped!’

Worse still, it wasn’t only Kang Jin-Ho. The other bastards from Korea had to be members of the devil’s army. They rampaged around like demonic beasts while emitting eerie pitch-black aura strands that Leveaux had never seen before!

Where on Earth were monsters like them hiding all this time?!

Leveaux had heard of the so-called demonic cultivators of China. But he also was aware of how pathetically weak they were. If that report was to be believed… How was he supposed to explain what those monsters in human form were? Just what?!

“Huff, huff!”

Leveaux forcibly erased all the messy thoughts out of his mind, then tightly clenched his teeth.

‘Who cares!’

Who cared about whether they were monsters or devils or whatever! Their true identities ultimately didn’t matter one jot when those bastards invaded the Round Table just to kill Leveaux!

Leveaux began sprinting at his full strength. The passageway went deeper underground in a spiral shape.

He kept running till his sense of distance was completely shot. Eventually, though, his eyes spotted pure white light in the distance chasing the darkness away.

‘Is that the place?’

Leveaux knew about the existence of the temple of the Elder Knights below the hall, but it was his first time being here. Only the sitting Master had access to this place, after all.

“Huff, huff!”

Leveaux slowed down while trying to catch his breath. Since he couldn't sense anyone chasing him, maybe it was okay to relax a little.

It was possible for Kang Jin-Ho to covertly track Leveaux down. However, overcoming all the layers of defensive barrier magic circles without making a ruckus should be impossible, even for a devil like him. Knowing this, maybe it was okay for Leveaux to take a breather and calm himself down.

He finally stopped running to take in the sight spreading out before his eyes.

“...Is this the original Round Table?”

Leveaux had been picturing a more… religious setting for the temple's interior since it was ostensibly called a temple. However, this place turned out to be rather different from his imagination.

What it was was nothing more than an old, decrepit hall. In the middle was a massive but old round table with thirteen chairs surrounding it.

This sight made Leveaux think that the ancient Round Table had been deliberately transplanted in its entirety. That was because…

Out of the thirteen chairs, two were empty, while the rest eleven were occupied by knights covered in full plate armor sitting upright. Thanks to the full-face helms, it was practically impossible to see their faces.

A considerable length of time must’ve passed since these knights came down here, judging from all the dust and rust accumulated on their previously sparkling and pristine armor.

It was as if Leveaux was staring at a sight straight out of a fairy tale. It even felt like he might get sucked into this fantastical sight if he wasn’t careful!

“Gulp…!”

He couldn’t help but nervously swallow his saliva.

‘So, those are the Round Table’s true Knights… The Elder Knights!’

Leveaux was now staring at the noble warriors who willingly gave up on their lives and entered eternal hibernation to respond to the future threats against the Round Table.

In all honesty, Leveaux didn’t care much about the Round Table. He merely used this organization for his own ambition. He wasn’t burdened by things like the sense of loyalty or duty that compelled him to protect the Round Table.

Even then, the scene before his eyes was more than enough to make him reverential. Respectful.

He might not care much for this organization, but as a martial artist, how could he not pay his respect to those who willingly sacrificed their lives for the Round Table?

‘Besides all that, though… How am I supposed to wake them up?'

Obviously, no one taught Leveaux how to wake these slumbering Elder Knights up. Although, he did have a clue.

Leveaux carefully pulled out the treasure, a piece of metallic item shaped like a cross and no bigger than his palm. He could see various ancient runes engraved messily on the surface of the item crafted out of unknown metal.

‘Should I use this…?’

Leveaux scanned the surroundings, then his eyes gleamed sharply. There was a distinct depression shaped like this treasure in the center of the round table. Not only did the shape match, but the size did, too. Only a moron wouldn't be able to figure out what to do next.

Leveaux hurriedly climbed up on the round table. While nervously swallowing his saliva, he carefully inserted the cross-shaped treasure inside the depression.

‘Am I supposed to say something?’

For instance, was Leveaux supposed to say, “I command thee as your Master! Arise, Elder Knights!”

If not, how about “This incompetent junior begs your forgiveness for disturbing your eternal slumber!”

Leveaux chewed on his lips again. Muttering nonsense like that when there was literally nobody awake to hear him sounded rather pathetic.

He sucked in a deep breath again before pushing the treasure all the way inside the depression. At first, the treasure slid in without any fuss from his strength alone, but then…

After a loud click, the treasure got sucked inside the round table all on its own!

Leveaux urgently retreated from there.

“…! Ah!”

Pure white light gushed out from the depression and began illuminating the ceiling. The massive magic circle carved up there responded to the light beam and began oozing mysterious light of its own.

‘I can’t even imagine what’s going to happen here.’

Magic was an important element serving as a crucial pillar supporting Europe. Unfortunately, the level of magic in the modern era was incomparably shabbier than in the ancient past.

The Inquisition and the religious persecution sweeping across Europe at the time were feverish enough to even make the Round Table cower in the shadows. Countless magic-related inheritances were lost in those days, and many more were forgotten out of existence.

The Round Table was currently conducting various research to restore all the lost ancient magic, but regaining the former peak still seemed a distant pipe dream.

With the situation like that, it was no wonder that even Leveaux, who held more profound knowledge of magic than an average mage, felt lost and confused by the phenomenon unfolding before his eyes.

He couldn't figure out what that complicated magic circle would do, never mind understanding the principles behind its operation.

Leveaux hurriedly took two more steps back. The blinding light coming from the magic circle seemed to weaken a little before separating into thirteen distinct rays of light that illuminated the chairs surrounding the round table.

The illumination was powerful. Overwhelmingly so!

Leveaux was awestruck by this divine sight and stood there in utter silence.

The light continued to pour down for what felt like an eternity before abruptly switching off. And then… the temple was bathed in darkness once more.

Leveaux repeatedly clenched his fists in sheer anxiety.

‘Is that it?’

Nothing was happening! And this stillness only made Leveaux even more jittery.

Did he make a mistake somewhere? Or maybe this wasn’t how the spell was supposed to be activated?

‘…! Dammit! One more time!’

Just as Leveaux thought that…

Crack, creak!

Sharp noises of metal scraping against metal suddenly registered in Leveaux’s hearing. He urgently opened his eyes wide and scanned the round table before him. The armored knights sitting upright on those chairs had begun moving ever so slightly!

No, that wasn't quite right. The knights under those heavy armor pieces were slowly waking up from their eternal hibernation!

Creeak, craaack!

As the armor pieces began moving more and more, the rust fell off to the floor. The layers of dust scattered everywhere. Leveaux held his breath and watched this scene unfold.

This was supposed to be a mystical and awe-inspiring scene, but, depending on the witness’s disposition, it might also come across as eerie and maybe even terrifying!

Crack! Creak! Creeeak!

The noises grew louder and louder, then the armored beings began to slowly stand up. And then, they slowly, oh-so-agonizingly slowly, turned their heads.

Eleven helms simultaneously turned toward Leveaux, and almost at the same time…!

FLASH!

Visceral light exploded out of those helms without any warning, and the shocked Leveaux nearly ended up falling on his butt. As a self-proclaimed possessor of brass balls that were tougher than anyone else’s, and fully deserving of that evaluation thanks to his antics in the past, Leveaux should have kept his cool even from a scene like this. However, even he found this spectacle far too stunning to remain calm.

Just as Leveaux barely managed to collect himself, a coarse and craggy voice suddenly came from one of the knights. “Are you the one who has woken us up from our slumber?”

Who said that? Even though he couldn’t immediately figure out which of the knights said that, Leveaux still replied without hesitation. “...Y-yes, that is correct.”

“It seems quite some time has passed.”

“Yes. I heard that it's been three hundred years since the last Elder Knight has joined you in eternal hibernation.”

“Three hundred years, you say…?”

What a lengthy span of time that was. A contemplative atmosphere descended in the temple.

“It is hard to decide whether to be grateful or sorrowful from knowing it’s been three hundred years,” said the Elder Knight. “We should rejoice in the fact that for three hundred years, the Round Table didn’t face any grave threats to its existence. However, the ruthless passage of time has taken everything away from us.”

“...Oh, the Elder Knight, sir.” Leveaux grimaced and tried to interrupt the Elder Knight.

“Hmph. It seems I’ve rambled on unnecessarily. It’s fine. So, you are the current era’s Master, then?”

Leveaux nervously swallowed his saliva while nodding away. “That is indeed correct. I am the Master.”

“Really? You are the Master?”

“…!”

Something about that question sounded like a ridicule. The helms were subtly creaking from side to side. As if the Elder Knights were tilting their heads this way and that!

“Judging from your attire, you seem to be a Knight?”

Leveaux grimaced again. “I was. But I inherited the Master’s position earlier today.”

“A new Master only a day old was forced into waking us up…? It seems something extraordinary has occurred, then?”

“Allow me to explain…”

“No, not necessary,” the Elder Knight standing closest to Leveaux dismissively waved his hand. “We do not require explanations. We merely exist to fulfill our duty. Guide us to the enemy. We shall make them repent for the crime of daring to disturb the sanctity of the Round Table!”

Elation quickly filled Leveaux’s expression. He succeeded in mobilizing the Elder Knights! Even if Kang Jin-Ho was absurdly strong, there was simply no way he’d win against these ancient warriors.

Kang Jin-Ho might be a devil, but these Knights were no different from devil hunters, after all!

Leveaux energetically cried out, “I shall guide you!”

However, one of the Elder Knights raised his voice again. “Before that…!”

“...Yes?”

The helm creakily turned to stare straight at Leveaux. “Oh, the young Master of the Round Table. You'd do well to understand what it means to rouse us up from our slumber. We are merciless blades meant to punish the Round Table's enemies. And we're also the scales meant to balance the Round Table once more. If we deem you responsible for inviting this crisis, you shall not be spared from our punishment either! We judge all enemies of the Round Table, whether they are domestic or foreign!”

“…!”

“All power comes with appropriate responsibility. The crimes your generation has committed will be yours to pay.”

Leveaux’s expression became withdrawn. “...Such a thing won’t happen.”

“I see. Then, guide us!”

Blinding lights began gushing out from the helms once more.

“Death to our enemies!”

The Elder Knights simultaneously raised their swords and placed the blades near their helms.

“Death to our enemies!”

Leveaux began shuddering from this sight. He could feel it. He could feel the power hiding deep within these Elder Knights!

He was one of the modern-era Knights who managed to climb to the Master’s position. Even then, he couldn’t stop himself from trembling at the Elder Knights subtly emitting their power.

This… This was the true power of the Round Table! The stupendous power that only the Master of the Round Table could possess!

Leveaux slowly licked his lips.

‘Hah. Wiggins… It seems you were too late!’

The time for counterattack was about to begin.

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