Chapter 52
Several members of the Draco clan had showed up near Karatengu clan territory, due to the barrier they could not enter at first, but after they told Master Korgan of their intention to speak with Sento Draco, Korgan allowed them to enter. In a sense, it was him being courteous to his fellow Demon Lord.
"I already told you, I have no intention of doing so." Sento replied once again in a serious manner, this was getting annoying. They were pestering him to become the new leader of Draco clan; their current leader was too weak and unable to prevent their clan from declining.
Now, they were desperate for someone like Sento, who was of Dragon demon blood like them, to lead them to salvation.
With Sento's help, the barrier around Karatengu clan's territory was reinforced and now any demon who is not a Tengu clan member could not enter into the territory. It was a strong barrier that only someone of Demon Lord level could possibly break through.
Before, the barrier used to repel only Phoenix type demons, but now it repelled anyone who was not a Tengu clan member. Having more than one Demon Lord within a single territory was helpful indeed. With Sento's help, Master Korgan's barrier could be made stronger and be capable of repelling anyone who was not of Tengu clan, not just Phoenix demons.
However, now if new demons wanted to walk in to join, someone within the inside had to give them the permission to enter, otherwise the barrier would prevent them from even taking a single step, like an invisible dome that surrounded Karatengu clan's territory that would zap anyone who tried to enter.
Anyone who was not of Demon Lord level and was dumb enough to try to enter through the barrier would be mercilessly struck by lightning bolts and arrows of light.
Just a few hours after Ren and his group left for the second trial, several members of Draco clan showed up, seeking an audience with Sento Draco.
Considering Sento was a member of Draco clan, Korgan allowed the Draco clan members to have a private audience with him, but warned them to not cause a disturbance lest they face his wrath.
Draco clan members nodded in fright, a Demon Lord was not someone they wanted to mess with.
Demon Lords were beings that had to be respected otherwise; they could easily slaughter you on the spot.
Now that the five Draco clan members were left alone with Sento, they told him of their clan's situation.
Their clan was currently not in the best condition.
After the death of their patriarch ten years ago, his young daughter was forced to lead the clan, but she only managed to only reach bronze rank, which was, while close to Demon Lord level, like the difference between earth and sky. Level of Demon Lord, starting as silver rank, and bronze rank, although were considered ranks following each other, the distance between them seemed to be immeasurable.
No matter what she did, she couldn't reach the silver rank of power. And she was currently the strongest member of the Draco clan, who were iron ranked at best, only two members were iron ranked, others were low ranking demons.
Their clan currently only had less than thirty members.
Draco clan had truly declined, they lost a lot of land, due to raids by stronger clans; they have lost many members, and now were on the verge of complete collapse. Their clan needed someone strong to save them, to lead them towards a better future. Otherwise, at this rate, they would go extinct.
Now they have come to beg Sento to become their leader.
"When we saw you during the Banquet, we couldn't believe our eyes; someone from our clan had actually managed to reach the unattainable level of Demon Lord. Your power was like the splendor of the sun to our frozen souls. It was unmistakable, not since our late patriarch did we see anyone rise to such level. Such immeasurable power, power of the Demon Lord, in the hands of a member of our clan… Please, you must become our leader, we need you!"
"I refuse." Sento politely declined.
"But why?!"
This demon, he was obviously a dragon type demon; his scales were of yellowish color, contrasting Sento's red scales. And unlike Sento who almost always was in his true demon form, resembling more of a dragon than humanoid demon, he looked
In their default forms, Draco clan members still retain their wings and tails, along with their horns. Staying in true demon form took a lot of energy and experience, it was a skill that had to be learned and perfected. Sento always staying in his true demon form was a testament to his might and skill. Simply put, he was on another level.
Master Korgan could access his true demon form as well, but in his old age he preferred to stay in his default form of horned humanoid instead of a full blown giant crow demon.
"Because I swore to serve the master of Karatengu clan; that is all there is to it." Sento was unflinchingly adamant in his resolve.
"You would serve a master of another clan instead of leading your own?" yellow scaled Draco clan member was rather indignant about this.
"Why would you follow someone like him?" another Draco clan member with green scales asked.
"Lord Sento, how could you abandon your own clan, your family?" Draco clan member with purple scales asked, but he immediately regretted saying those words when he saw Sento's calm gaze turn almost murderous.
These Draco clan members were desperate; they would do anything in order to get Sento to join them, however, Sento still refused. Now they seemingly have made him lose his patience.
Everything was seemed to be going horrible for them and their clan.
"My clan?! My family?! You have a lot of nerve to be saying that. You lot might be my clan, but my family? Hah! I am confident that members of my family are long dead; I did not sire any children, so I do not have descendants. Other than being the same type of demons as me, we might as well be total strangers."
"But you are a Dragon type demon, as a member of Draco clan, you should…"
"What?! Lead this sad bunch? A clan that had left me to rot for two hundred years, with none but an accursed G.o.ddess for company? I fought for my clan once, I fought to defend our honor and bring prosperity to Draco clan, but did any of you even bother to find out what happened to me? No. Years went by, not a single member of Draco clan even bothered to come back to the battle site. They left me, trapped within a stone, unable to end myself, yet forced to endure, sealed for an eternity."
Now the Draco clan members were silent, Sento's words were indeed true. Before the Banquet, they didn't even know he existed, let alone needed their aid, but now, his words struck true, like sharp daggers slicing soft flesh. They did not know what happened to him, but based on his words, Draco clan had abandoned him when he needed them the most, and as much as they wanted to, they could not deny his words.
"You ask me why I serve him? Because he was the one who freed me from that eternal prison and showed his worth in my eyes. I owe him a debt I could not repay in a lifetime and I have judged him to be a demon worth serving. That is all there is to it."
"So that's how it is." Draco clan member sadly remarked. It seems like there is no way of getting Sento to join their side, it was time for them to give up.
"Indeed."
Seeing that Draco clan members were truly disheartened with his answer, Sento suddenly had an idea. Remembering Ren's speech to Korkau and Karli, Sento thought that his idea just might work.
"But there might be a way."
"Really? There is? Please tell us, Lord Sento, we will do anything!"
"All of the members of Draco clan can join Karatengu clan as its servants in Tengu clan."
His proposition made the Draco clan members have their jaws drop in shock. Their scaly wings shook and their tails trembled uncontrollably.
"Serve Karatengu clan?! But, but, but, our clan…"
"Is on the brink of ruin, I know." Sento said in a matter of factly manner.
"But our honor…our dignity…"
"Will be nothing once Draco clan is annihilated, which will be soon enough."
"But serving a demon of another clan is…"
"What? Not permissible by the miniscule honor you have left? Trust me, something like that will not matter once your heads go rolling down."
The Draco clan member looked very conflicted, but once he looked at the facts, he had to admit, Sento was completely right.
If faced with a choice between dying with honor or living without one, they would chose life.
"But if we join, how things would be advantageous for us?"
"For once, as Tengu clan members, you would be under our protection. With two Demon Lords and a powerful leader, we can guarantee your safety and prosperity."
"If we agree, what will be required of us?"
"Absolute obedience with a Master-Servant contract, manual labor as needed, and… how old is the daughter of the former patriarch? The one who is currently leading you?"
"She will be twenty four in two months."
"Perfect, we can have her become Master Ren's concubine and the matter will be settled."
Now the Draco clan members were truly shocked.
WWWHAAT???!
To have their leader, even if she was weak, become concubine of the master of Karatengu clan? It was not an easy thing to think about. It was unthinkable, absurd, ludicrous, but at the same time it was perfectly reasonable.
Could they truly sacrifice their leader just in order to save their own clan?
But with current circ.u.mstances, these were indeed desperate times.
The final decision will be left up to her.
"As concubine? You can't be serious!" another member of Draco clan spoke up. He was obviously angry with an idea of having their leader reduced to such a position.
"I am completely serious. Master Ren stated his intention is to plant his seeds and to that end he desires flowers from each kind."
Karli told Sento about this, and he only confirmed her suspicions.
"In other words, he desires a single concubine of each clan that will choose to serve him. He was very adamant about this, and he stated that he would insist on it. Refusal is not an option."
"But to have our leader become his woman, is that truly ok?"
"She will become a mother of his future children, it is an honor to bear children of a powerful leader. As for Draco clan, with him leading it, it will prosper, I guarantee it."
It was a flawless argument, many demon women chose mates who were more powerful than them in hopes of having powerful offspring. If this Karatengu clan's leader was as powerful as rumors and Sento implied, then it might not be such a bad idea to let their leader become his concubine.
But what would the leader herself say about this?
"Speaking of your leader, is she currently at your territory?"
"Nay, she is partic.i.p.ating in the Second Trial, along with the two of the best in of our clan."
"I see, when she does come back, tell her of my proposition. That would be all. I will now lead you out of the Karatengu territory."
After the Draco clan members left the Karatengu territory, they were left with a dilemma.
Preserve their dignity as Draco clan of Dragon demons and face destruction or forfeit their honor for the sake of survival? Whichever the option, they would lose on to gain the other.
But beggars can't be choosers.
They wondered what their leader, Lua Draco, would say about this.
They were sure, she would be shocked….