Descent of the Demon Master

ful that Han Se-Yeon was getting this incensed for his sake.
Meanwhile, he was also getting a bit embarrassed by the level of her fervor.

Kang Jin-Ho tutted.
“No need to blow your top, Se-Yeon.”

“Huh?”

“He won't even be able to keep his head up here anymore.”

Han Se-Yeon tilted her head in confusion.
“What are you talking about?”

Kang Jin-Ho began walking away, but his direction seemed a little weird.

That made her even more confused.
“Where is he going now?”

As it turned out, Kang Jin-Ho's destination was the crowd sitting by the grandstand.
More specifically, one of the audience members.

He spoke to a girl sitting there, “Did you get everything?”

The girl, Jin Mi-Hui, grinned and nodded.
“Yup, I did.
This will definitely go viral, you know that?”

“I'm sure it will…”

Han Se-Yeon caught up to them, then her brow arched up after hearing their conversation.
“What are you two talking about? Get what?”

‘Setting all that aside, why are you even talking to this girl in the first place, Jin-Ho?!’

Han Se-Yeon barely managed to swallow back those words that were about to burst out of her mouth and stared at Jin Mi-Hui.

Jin Mi-Hui revealed an inviting smile at Kang Jin-Ho while showing off a smartphone screen.
“Here.
I filmed the match from the start.
Jin-Ho asked me to do so, you see? You can take it back now.”

“Ah?”

Kang Jin-Ho took back the phone he had left behind in Jin Mi-Hui's care.
He then gave it to Han Se-Yeon.
“Can you edit this footage?”

Finally realizing what was going on, an evil grin began spreading on Han Se-Yeon's face.
“I'll have you know that I'm the master of troll-tastic editing.
I can turn perfectly-respectable footage into a comedy masterpiece.”

“Then, edit and upload it.”

“Ahahaha~! Got it! I shall create a video that no one will ever forget!” Han Se-Yeon laughed evilly.
Her dissatisfaction regarding Kang Jin-Ho talking to Jin Mi-Hui was long gone by now and was replaced by happy thoughts of what she was about to do.

***

Later that evening…

A clip titled 'Hollywood Action Star-wannabe' was uploaded to various humor sites.
The reaction it garnered was explosive, to say the least.
The match itself was funny, but then…
The final moments really killed it.
Just as it looked like fisticuffs might break out, one of the players pressed his hand on the other person's chest.
That was all he had done, but the other person suddenly tumbled and rolled on the floor.
The viewers laughed their heads off at the scene.

All sorts of mocking comments inundated the clips, ranging from “That guy should try his luck in Hollywood” to “He deserved an Oscar!” The faces of the participants had been blurred out, but it wasn’t too hard to recognize everyone if you knew what they looked like in real life.

Kang Jin-Ho sat in front of the computer to watch the edited footage.

'That's amusing…'

The trappings of modern civilization could sometimes be employed to torment humans.
Kang Jin-Ho was simply testing the waters today, but the generated reaction was beyond his expectation.
It was as if… as if people had been waiting for a chance to jeer, mock and hurt someone else.

“It might be useful if used well, but…”

Kang Jin-Ho had a feeling that it could also be turned into poison.
For the time being, however, he thought that it didn't matter either way.
He smirked softly and exited the site.
With how that clip blew up online, Hwang Jong-In wouldn't be able to keep his head up from tomorrow onward.
The rumor should have spread around the campus by tomorrow, after all.

'You shouldn't have provoked me…'

Unfortunately, Kang Jin-Ho didn't get away scot-free, either.

The story of how good he was at sports quickly spread on the campus.
As a result, the 'special' classes of people in the university who paid him no attention until now grew interested in him.
This was beyond Kang Jin-Ho's expectations.

This meant that the duel between Hwang Jong-In and Kang Jin-Ho inadvertently ended up in a stalemate of sorts.

***

“I'm home,” said Kang Eun-Yeong as she stepped in through the front door.

Kang Jin-Ho frowned deeply after noticing how tired she looked.
It wouldn't have been strange to see her collapse right now from the lack of energy.
“Were you practicing until now?”

“Mmhm.”

“Why weren't you at home yesterday?”

“I slept in the practice hall; it’s fine…”

“No, it's not fine.
You should be resting at home.”

Kang Eun-Yeong sighed listlessly.
“It's because…
We don't have a lot of time left, you see.
I'd rather spend the time commuting from home on catching some Zs.”

Kang Jin-Ho became unhappy after listening to his little sister's lackadaisical reply.
This girl…
She was still a kid in her teens.
He couldn't understand why a kid like her had to go through such an arduous training regime just to become an idol.
Of course, he knew the importance of pursuing one's dream and becoming successful.
Even then, wasn't this too harsh? Moreover, where were the adults to prevent something like this from happening in the first place?

Kang Jin-Ho sighed.
“Hurry and wash up.
Then get some rest.”

“Okay, Oppa.” Kang Eun-Yeong staggered toward the bathroom.

The sight made Kang Jin-Ho sigh even deeper.
Since she was pursuing her dream, he had no right to interfere.
Still, it pained him to just do nothing and simply watch from the sidelines.

“Tsk…” Kang Jin-Ho could only click his tongue in dissatisfaction.

A long time later, Kang Eun-Yeong finally emerged from the bathroom, looking just as exhausted as before.
She noticed that Kang Jin-Ho was still in the living room.
“Oppa? You’re still awake?”

“Eun-Yeong, come here and sit down for a sec.”

“…Sorry, but I'm too tired today.
Can we talk some other time, please?”

“I understand, but still… Come here and sit.”

Kang Eun-Yeong sighed and settled in front of Kang Jin-Ho in the living room.
He gently grasped her wrist.

She tilted her head.
“What are you doing?”

“Be still.”

He sent his qi throughout her body and discovered her body was in a mess.
Her internals was far more damaged than what her external appearance had suggested.
The accumulated fatigue had reached the point of eating away at her health.
Kang Jin-Ho finally understood why some idols would land in hospitals every now and then.

“For you to end up this way…” Kang Jin-Ho gritted his teeth as his anger began boiling.
Pursuing one's dream was all good and well.
However, shouldn't one look after their health while doing that? He circulated more qi inside Kang Eun-Yeong's body and cleansed her internals.

She looked somewhat weirded out.
“Why does it feel so hot?”

“Be still.” Kang Jin-Ho eventually drove the accumulated fatigue in her body away with his qi, then he took his hand off her wrist and said, “Now go to bed.”

“This is weird.
I don't feel tired anymore.”

“Even so, you gotta sleep.”

“Okay, Oppa.” Kang Eun-Yeong nodded obediently.

After seeing her nod like that, Kang Jin-Ho couldn't even get mad at her anymore.
Strictly speaking, his little sister shouldn't be blamed for the state of things.
She was simply following orders, after all.
He sighed and asked, “Has your debut date been decided?”

“Yeah…”

“Is that why you're exhausting yourself like this?”

“…”

“Eun-Yeong, at this rate, you'll collapse before making your debut.
I don't understand.
Is it supposed to be this hard just before an idol makes her debut?”

Kang Eun-Yeong wordlessly held her face.
She hid her face like that for a long time before her shoulders suddenly began trembling.
“Oppa, it's getting so hard.”

“…!” Kang Jin-Ho's expression hardened.
“Tell me more.”

“…”

“I said, tell me more.”

“No, it's nothing.
I'm just feeling tired, that's all.”

“Kang Eun-Yeong,” Kang Jin-Ho spoke in a firm voice, causing Kang Eun-Yeong to flinch a little.
“Before I go there and confirm it myself, tell me what's going on.”

“But, Oppa…”

“Hurry.”

Kang Eun-Yeong fidgeted nervously, then…
she finally opened up.