“You know, I never thought that both of us would end up here, in this world. Heck we are not even in the same world we were born in, isn’t that kind of crazy” said Long in somewhat excited tone.

“Yeah, it sure is” Ren just nodded in agreement, thinking ‘Other World? What is he talking about?’

“I never even seen a real demon before I got here, apparently the folks in the Tazak kingdom did not see many demons ever since the failed invasion ten years ago. To be honest the demon kingdom is rather pathetic existence, right?”

“I am not sure how to answer that, Long”

The tiny lizard demon in Ren’s pocket hissed threateningly while the Aristan clan demon was glaring at both of them with murderous intent.

“I heard a rumor from a demon I caught month ago, he told me that demon king and his entire clan was killed by Pishak Priests, apparently there are humans down here as well, and they hate demons too, that’s good and all, but I am questioning their sanity.”

“Sanity?”

“Yeah. Haven’t you heard of what they do to in order to oppose demon kind? They take the powers of demons for themselves! Isn’t that self-contradictory? A noble purpose, but hypocritical one nevertheless.”

“Have you seen what they do to the demons?” Ren asked with an adamant tone of seriousness.

“No. I assumed that they drain them of their mana or something, isn’t that the case?”

“No. They eat demons.”

Long’s face now twisted into an expression of disgust and disbelief.

“Seriously?” Ren nodded. “I talked to them and asked them for information. I thought they were quiet decent aside from their radical faith…but this…This is too much!” Long put his hand on his mouth, trying not to throw up.

“I suppose reality is sometimes worse than the rumors.” Long muttered.

“Unfortunately, it always is.” Ren agreed completely.

After making another batch of stew, Ren and Long now were busy eating while Noi and Sirinke were on the corner watching two of them speaking to each other.

“Wow, young master, you sure know a lot of strangers.” Sirinke muttered.

“You there, yes you” She said to Sirinke who now turned to look at her. “You are not his pet are you; you actually are a demon, are you not?”

“Indeed I am, I am called Sirinke, currently a member of Tengu clan.” Sirinke proudly answered; as proud as a demon size of a gecko could muster.

“Then, tell me, what does your master want? Why does he not kill me now? Why drag me here? What is his real goal?”

“I am not completely certain, my lady. Young master is not someone you can read just by looking at him. But one thing I am certain of- he is much wiser than his looks convey.”

“He acts like a fool. If I had not seen him in action I would have thought this façade of his is his genuine personality. He indeed seems crafty. I suppose it was my mistake, thinking that my clan could obtain victory after three of the stronger clans have suddenly declined.”

“Three of the stronger clans declined?” Sirinke asked.

“Indeed. Jou clan, Kas clan, and Aiu clan. Now my clan seems to be following the same suit. I suppose other demons ganged up on them, causing them to get weaker, I suspect Altyn clan had something to do with it, considering the Jou clan got bold enough to challenge the demon king himself…”

“No, that would be all Master Ren’s doing.” Sirinke unconsciously muttered.

It took a few seconds for Noi to register what she just heard.

“WHAT!!!?” She ended up shouting, luckily Ren and Long did not hear her outburst.

“I probably should not have told you, sorry” Sirinke tried to take back what he said but it was too late.

“Please, tell me, what do you mean it was all his doing?” Noi said on her knees, begging for answers.

“I really can’t…”

“Please, I beg you, in the name of my forefather…” She wanted to know how exactly that strange demon was responsible for the decline of three clans

“Ok, ok! That is enough! No need to get so worked up. I suppose it is ok for me to tell you…” so Sirinke told her of how Ren Karatengu single handedly saved the Demon King, Akil Ras from the trap made by the Jou clan and even beat their leader Korkau Jou in the process. Then he told her how Ren also managed to kill Jar Kas, the leader of Kas clan, causing significant decrease in power in the clan, causing them to be driven off their territory. And finally, he told her of how Ren secretly pillaged the Aiu clan’s clan for resources and caused the Aiu clan to lose all of their magical trees.

After hearing all of this, Aris Noi could only shake her head in disbelief.

“Impossible, all of the ups and downs caused by the power loss of those three clans, combined with the complete defeat of my clan in the trials, were all caused by a SINGLE DEMON!??”

“I am afraid so.” Sirinke answered.

“That crafty fiend…That means he has something in mind, what could he…” then her mind flashed to the worst possibility. He could publically execute her and make it an example to all the other clans so that they would not oppose him. A demon that could turn the fates of three clans upside down would definitely use this as an opportunity to show off his power. She gulped, terrified to her core. Before the Selection began, she knew she would have to face off with powerful demons, but this Ren Karatengu exceeded her expectations by such a high margin. She was afraid what he could do to her clan after he finished this trial. Seeing that her clan stood no chance against such a perfect enemy, Aris Noi chose in her heart that surrender is the only option. Who knows, maybe he would be merciful?

***

“Well, I met quite a few people with so many different powers, but nothing like the demons here, apparently the magic they are capable of using is somewhat different from what we use.” Long muttered.

“You live long and realize how insignificant you are in this world.”

“What a depressive thing to say, Sabgyn! Where is your enthusiasm? We are both alive, thanks goodness. Our comrades and that dragon girl may be gone now, but we can rely on each other, like the good old days, right?”

“Well, about that…”

“Is that… Ren!!!” a sound came from a tunnel that was about fifty meters away from them. Ren stood up from where he was sitting, and then he saw them.

His Tengu clan, safe and sound.

Akjan, Aijasyl, Kizilkoz, Shaula, Orin, and others were there. All of the twelve surviving Tengu group were there. They were quickly approaching.

The first one to get to them was Shaula, by means of flight.

“Master Ren, I am so glad you are safe!”

“Back off, you demonic succubus, lest you taste the fury of my punches!” Long said with fists raised into the air in a threatening pose, making Shaula a little unsettled.

“Sabgyn, they are coming for us, together, we can take them…”

“Stand down, Long. They are with me.” Ren calmly answered.

“But they are…They are demons! Sabgyn, they are demons for crying out loud! Why would you ally with them?” He pointed at the demons that now showed up, with his index finger pointing at Orin, who with his four arms and exoskeleton looked the scariest.

“Because I am a demon.” Ren said in somewhat apologetic manner. “Sorry for deceiving you.”

“Impossible, my sworn friend, my brother in arms, Sabgyn Finnerman would never ally himself with demons!”

“That is it though, my name is not Sabgyn Finnerman, it’s Ren, Ren Karatengu.”

“Have you been lying to me, this whole damn time? How long…how long were you going to hide it? I thought of you as my friend who sacrificed his life in order to save a human city from a tyrant, but you are nothing more than a deceiving demon…”

“I have never met you before today. I am not sure who you mistook me for, but I am sorry, I am not him.”

Now Long’s body emitted steam, and he quickly lunged at Ren with a fist. Ren did not have time to react. Before any of the Tengu clan members watching the scene could react, the fist stopped underneath Ren’s chin, just inches away from making contact. Now Ren’s collar bone was exposed.

“I knew it. You still have that scar I gave you on your collarbone.” When Ren was about to say something, Long cut him off. “Don’t deny it. I am the one who gave you that scar. That is the all the proof I need to know you are the genuine article.”

Now he withdrew his fist.

“In honor of our old comradeship, I will let you leave unhurt. But the next time we see each other, we will be enemies, Sabgy…Ren.” He immediately fixed his speech. “I suggest both of us now go our separate ways. I will not let my pride sink so low as to accept alliance with a demon, even if that demon is you.”

“Alright then.” Ren turned around, heading towards his clan members. “And…. I am sorry.”

“Shut up.” Said Long in a harsh voice. Then, he proceeded to leave towards the tunnel ahead of them.

***

“Ren, who was that human?”

“Are you ok?”

“Master, are you injured, there is blood on you!”

“Who is that demon over there? Is she dangerous?”

“Boss, if you would like I can carry you…”

“That is enough! I will explain everything, just give a breathing space, for crying out loud!” Ren said in exasperation. When he approached them, they literally smothered him with hugs, saying how worried they were, some were even crying tears of joy. Akjan leaped at him with wide open arms and even held him in such a strong embrace that he was worried that some of his back bones might be chipped.

He then explained how he met Long and how he encountered Aris Noi, finishing up the story with how Sirinke now is size of a gecko.

“Oh, don’t worry about him, in less than a week he will be back to his large and mighty self!” Sukesir said proudly. Those two were the only two lizard demons participating in the Selection from the Tengu clan.

Sukesir bent down to examine Sirinke. “But I have to admit, you do look rather cute in that form though.”

“I will not let that slide once I am back to my normal size!” Sirinke shouted, but his shouts sounded so childish that everyone burst out laughing.

“I am glad you guys had no trouble.” Ren admitted his concern.

“Well, about that, Ren.” Akjan now pointed behind her. Ren saw that several of the clan members had prisoners with them, tied up. They had bags over their head as well. They numbered about five demons. “They were running towards us, we thought they might be attacking us so we quickly subdued them. Apparently they are from Aris clan.”

“Aris clan…Wait, they are from the same clan as Noi!” Ren now realized that his prisoner and the prisoner of his clansmen belonged to the same group. “Ok, it’s safe guys. They are not going to harm us, so untie them! Wait; just take the bags off first.”

Once the bags were taken off, the dazed demons’ eyes stared at the one in front of them, Ren.

“Yohoo! Hellow There!" Ren said with an exaggerated voice.

“MONSTER!!” The Aris clan members shouted in fear, now trying to get as far away as they can from Ren.

“Please, don’t kill us! I beg you, I have my family, I must come back alive…”

“I am too young to die, I just turned twenty three…”

“Please, spare us, we will serve you…”

“Uhm, calm down guys, I was going to let you guys go anyways.” Ren said calmly.

“Really? Is there a catch?” their leader asked with a doubt.

“Well, I was thinking that a certain demon I found could go with you, considering she is from the same clan.”

“Who do you speak of?”

“Give me a second. NOI! Come here!” Now, Noi who was behind rocks showed herself.

“Is that…impossible. Our leader, Aris Noi!” The five Aris clan members shouted in unison. But instead of being greeted by a brave sight of their leader, they saw a frail demon in front of them, who seemed to be very scared.

“Oh, so you guys are from the same group after all. Well then, my condition would be- take her with you. I was only going to look after her until her injuries healed or her clan members showed up, so you can take this from here.” Ren bid the Aris clan members to be let loose.

Now all six of them faced Ren. Noi began.

“Ren Karatengu. Remember this; someday, I will have my vengeance upon you for what you did to my clan. When that day comes, I will pay you back hundredfold!”

“I like meat soup best.”

“What???”

“You owe me a bowl of meat soup, if you are gonna pay me back, might as well make the right type of soup, right?” Ren said with completely serious expression.

“I see. Then I shall make sure the day comes you regret those words!”

“I will wait until that day comes, me and my stomach will be ready.”

Just like that, remaining Aris clan members now went their own way, choosing to go with a tunnel that was opposite to the one that Long chose to go into.

“Leader Noi, who was that demon? The hornless one?” One of her followers asked her.

“His name is Ren Karatengu. He is the most dangerous demon I have ever met.” That was the truth, now with the intensity of her stress, Noi did not notice that her normally dark eyes started to glow with eerie white light.