With a triumphant march, the Tengu clan returned to their territory. With the former leader of Kas clan captured and the entirety of Kas clan essentially scattered, it was clear that any future Kas clan had going for them was completely destroyed.

As they returned to their territory, many demons were celebrating their victory. But certain demons were in no mood to celebrate.

Within the house Master Korgan, Ren, and the rest of the group now was occupying, Akjan approached them and bowed in front of them.

“Ren, Master Korgan, what happened is entirely my fault. When I was Kas clan’s prisoner they stole large amount of my darkness mana.” She took a broken vial out of her pouch. Apparently it was used to store her mana. “They used my darkness magic in order to infiltrate the Karatengu territory, that is the only way they could have crossed into this land while ignoring the barriers Master Korgan placed. I will take any punishment you deem fit, but please have mercy on my brother and sister.”

“Akjan Tang.” Now it was Master Korgan speaking, everyone else fell silent. “I do not blame you for what happened. The circumstances were far out of anyone’s control. I am just relieved my grandson is safe. Furthermore, without your aid we would never have reached the Kas clan’s territory in time and who knows what would have happened if we were too late. You fought bravely in order to rescue my only heir, for that you have my sincere gratitude.” Korgan now bowed, with his black horns now almost touching the floor.

“Please raise your head, Master Korgan!” Akjan panicked for a second. The current patriarch of the Karatengu clan was actually bowing to a lowly demon like her, it was a humble gesture but for her, someone who valued respect above all else it was too much to take.

“Akjan, your little siblings over there seem a little nervous, how about you show them around the place?” Ren playfully suggested while gesturing towards the door. Indeed, two white fox demons with a single horn each were nervously peeking into the room. It was evident both were scared.

Akjan immediately understood. Ren wanted her to stay with her siblings, the ones she loved more than the entire world itself. The family she thought she forever lost has been given back to her by the demon she fell for. It was a miracle, a true miracle that she couldn’t help but feel that she didn’t deserve. In her mind, she deserved to be punished for not being strong enough to protect those she loved. But it seems her beloved was far too gentle of heart, but that alone was enough to bring a sincerely grateful smile on her face. She was glad she met someone like him.

“Yes!” She proceeded to exit the room and now went for a stroll with her siblings. Her nervous siblings each held on to her arm, too scared to walk forward alone. But for them, their nightmare was finally over.

“Now that she has left, we need to discuss, what exactly are we going to do about the prisoner?” Master Korgan spoke up.

“For what he did to Akjan’s family, he deserves to die!” Shaula spoke up, unusually angry, in contrast to her calm and level-headed self. She was too fond of her best friend to ignore what that Saber tooth demon did to her and her family. Anyone who committed such atrocity against her beloved friend deserved to be erased from the face of the earth.

“I agree with Lady Shaula, he is too dangerous, you saw what he did during the battle. If it wasn’t for boss, I fear our losses would have been far more substantial.” Orin was of firm opinion of annihilating Nar Kas as well.

“If we erase his existence, then we would have one less threat to deal with for the Selection.” Kizilkoz apparently was supportive of killing Nar Kas off for strategic purposes.

“It might be for the best to rid ourselves of this vermin while we still have the chance.” Aijasyl spoke up.

“I don’t know guys, I was thinking off just letting him go free.” Ren said with a shrug.

“LETTING HIM GO FREE!!!” everyone sitting inside the room except for Master Korgan and Sento Draco now simultaneously freaked out. He was suggesting freeing the enemy leader, the one who tormented their ally and kidnapped him as well. It was a miracle that they managed to survive and even beat Nar Kas, for all they know, their circumstances could have been easily reversed, with them being at Nar Kas’s mercy.

“Are you crazy?! He is far too dangerous to let loose. What in the world are you thinking? If we let him go now, he will definitely make sure to make us regret it. Please, tell him Master Korgan.” Aijasyl who was now clutching Ren’s collars while shaking some sense into him, now turned to face the patriarch of Karatengu clan.

But to Master Korgan’s reply astonished her.

“Actually, I agree with Ren. Setting him free might be the best punishment for Nar Kas.”

“What do you mean?” Aijasyl now stared wide-eyed at Master Korgan, but the one to answer her was the other demon lord, Sento Draco.

“Thanks to our Master Ren, the Saber tooth demon no longer has any of his horns. Without his horns, he no longer can use his demon eyes and his overall powers will be drastically weakened. A demon without horns is no demon at all. I sincerely doubt anyone sane would follow a powerless hornless leader. He is no longer a threat.” Sento didn’t seem to have realized the obvious logical error he was making.

The occupant of the room just thought ‘But our leader is hornless as well, and he is far from harmless.’

Sento continued.

“Loss of horns to a demon is worse humiliation than losing his life. I imagine that if we had not chained him up he would have killed himself as soon as he realized his horns are gone. The most fitting punishment for his crimes is to make him live in constant torment and humiliation of being reduced to less than a demon. Of being defanged off his pride. That is what Master Ren intends to do to him.”

‘He thought of it this far ahead? He is not as much of a goof as I thought.’ Kizilkoz remarked. ‘I was right to choose him as an ally, if I were his enemy he would have surely given me a fate that I would prefer death over.’

‘That is surprisingly insightful. He must be finally taking his duties as clan leader seriously.’ Aijasyl thought with a smile. She was concerned that her leader might not be up to the task, which is why she gave him lots of training, with magic and education. Her constant actions to discipline him seem to have paid off.

“As expected of boss. If that is the case, count me in!” Orin spoke up with all four of his hands making a thumbs up, he looked strangely cool while doing that.

“Do you agree with Ren’s decision?”

Everyone in the room who now understood implications of Ren’s mercy for Nar Kas nodded.

“Then it is decided.” The final decision was made.

* * *

Chained up, sitting on the hard pavement inside of a prison cell was a demon. His head had three places that have just stopped bleeding, the places where his horns used to be.

His horns, his pride, his power, all have been taken from him.

The one responsible was still alive, and he even managed to imprison him in this cell.

He made a huge error in considering Ren Karatengu not threat worthy, and now he was paying the price for his blunder.

“Well hello there!!!” Like a nightmare he walked into the room with his cheerful expression matching Nar Kas’s own expression of pure terror.

He was afraid of Ren, scared for his life from his diabolical smile that seemed innocent and naïve, but proven to be lethal. Without his horns, Nar Kas could not use his demon eyes, so he could no longer read Ren’s thoughts. Just the thought of what Ren had planned terrified him.

“Guess what, we are setting you free.”

This was not the answer he was expecting.

“Huh?”

“I said we are setting you free.”

Nar Kas’s right eye twitched like he slightly lost it. ‘Setting me free, what could he possibly…’ then it hit him. Without his horns, Nar Kas had no power. He no longer could be considered a demon. He no longer was worthy of leading his clan or leading anyone at all. In one fell swoop, Ren Karatengu reduced him from an immensely powerful leader of Kas clan to a hornless weakling. The contrast between his self just two days ago and his current self was just too jarring. Being set free in his current condition meant worse punishment to Nar Kas than death. So that’s his cruel mercy. Just the thought of it sent shivers down Nar Kas’s spine.

The one who was prisoner just two days ago was standing outside the cell, while the one who imprisoned him was now a prisoner himself. Hilariously, their positions were now switched.

“Just kill me already.”

“No thanks.”

“You have already humiliated me enough, just end me right here.” At least I can die with dignity.

“Not gonna happen.” Ren was adamant.

“You…What is your deal?!!” Nar Kas shouted out. “When I saw your mind, it was filled with nothing but stupidity, but clearly that is not the real you. Answer me, who the hell are you?!!” Nar Kas was not sure just what exactly this demon that was hornless just like his current self was. Ren Karatengu, Ren Karatengu, the object of his hatred, the one standing in front of him with a sadistic smile on his face. The one demon whose true nature he failed to see with his demon eyes.

“I am just Ren, Ren Karatengu. That’s all there is to it.” Ren answered with a smile on his face. His seemingly sadistic smile, at least in Nar Kas’s view made Ren seem so much scarier than he actually was.

When Ren left the room.

Nar Kas couldn’t help but sob, but more than anything, he cursed the name of the demon who ruined him, gave him a cruel mercy when Nar Kas would have preferred death. “Curse you….KARATENGU REN!”

After a day, Nar Kas was freed, with his hands tied and his eyes blindfolded, he was escorted out of Karatengu clan territory, to never be seen again.

He spent the rest of his life unable to ever reach the heights he once occupied, all the while cursing the name of the demon that shattered his dreams. Nar Kas soon met his end when he was mistaken for a human and hunted down, with his last words being “Curse you…”