They had certainly gotten stronger in the time I was gone, and they had been under the tender instructions of Niten during that time.

So, it was kinda a given that they would have become stronger. There’s nothing else you can do, when being taught by him.

I mean, they also seemed a little traumatized when I mentioned his name, but who wouldn’t be?

When we got to the forest clearing, I was astounded to see that the earth had been shattered here, the residue of great impacts spider-webbing all throughout the grass field, and large swaths of land having been upturned, the dark earth underneath exposed.

“What did you guys do to the poor clearing? It’s completely broken.”

They shifted around, before Selina spoke up.

“Ah…well—It wasn’t us. Niten just takes his teaching seriously, apparently.”

I sighed. We wouldn’t be able to do much with the ground like this, since I was just looking for a basic sparring match, and didn’t want to add in the difficulty of navigating such precarious terrain.

Well, at least I have a way to fix it.

I spread my arms wide, and cast a bit of my mana pool into the ground itself. It wove through the dirt, and the earth began to visibly re-knit itself back together, my mana directing the repairs.

And, due to my high-density mana, I used very little of my mana pool to accomplish this. In fact, if I wanted, I could probably make a mountain or two with the amount of power I have. Of course, I would probably be completely drained for a month or so afterwards, since my mana would recover much slower due to the same thing that makes me so powerful, the high-density levels of my mana pool.

After I was done, the ground was perfectly flat once more, though there were bare patches where the scars had been. I can’t grow grass back over those spots, and could only wait for them to recover naturally.

There were a few open mouths among the heroes, after seeing me casually use magic that would leave almost everybody drained and tired.

Selina nodded though, like she had determined something to be true.

I clapped my hands together.

“Right then. No better way to get familiar with a new weapon, than combat. Come at me.”

I balled my fists, having decided to take them on bare-handed.

I grinned widely, excited at the prospect of combat, and unexpectedly, Sarah, Selina and Gaby were doing the same.

Immediately, I was encased by a dome of what seemed to be black air, courtesy of Selina.

She used a control type spell from the onset, intended to keep me in place until the others could get into position for a powerful combined attack.

My grin grew wider, and I knew I looked positively demonic as I simply walked through the bubble of darkness, and it shattered behind me. I had removed the critical components of the spell, and let it collapse onto itself. It was made easier by the fact that the bubble was aligned with darkness, and with my demonic nature, I have a high natural affinity with the element.

This move took the heroes by surprise, since they were expecting at least a little bit of time to prepare before I was freed.

Sarah charged me, intending to do some damage control so that they others would still get a chance to prepare.

Her spear flicked at me like a tongue of fire, and I was a little hard pressed to avoid her strikes. Especially once she began using the ability I had included into the spear, and a constant high pitched squeal filled the air around us, distracting me from the spear itself.

Eventually, the spear began licking against my arms, leaving little scratches on my skin. This ended up effecting Sarah’s moral, since she knew that her strikes were not missing—no, they were hitting my skin solidly, and should have torn through skin, muscle and bone. Instead, it was as if my skin had become steel, and deflected each strike easily.

I noticed that the others were nearly in position, and quickly deflected Sarah’s spear to one side, as I spun inwards, revealing one of the main weaknesses of a spear—if you got within it’s strike distance, it became nearly useless. At least, it should have been a weakness. Instead, Sarah spun the spear around like a quarter-staff, and began to use both ends of it to smack me.

To counter this, I struck the center of the spear, as it was in a horizontal position in front of her, and she flew off, one of my strike finally having connected solidly.

I looked around me, and made the mistake of stopping for a split second.

An arrow whizzed out from the trees, and struck me right between the eyes.

Damn, what did Niten teach them, that had caused them to become so ruthless?

The arrow bounced off, to the consternation of everyone present.

I laughed.

“Is that all you guys can do? I was expecting more from…”

Ah. A pair of daggers bonked off my back, as someone seemingly appeared behind me. This time, the weapons were blocked by my clothing, rather than my skin.

I turned around, and found myself staring at an astonished Harving, who was now trying to downplay his attack, and slowly creep away. Like I wouldn’t go after him if he were to look less threatening, and continue moving slowly.

Ha. Yeah right.

He went flying just like Sarah had earlier.

I had a bit of trouble taking down the rest of the heroes after this, especially Merlin and, surprisingly, Arthur.

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I suppose it should have been a given that the guy with a shield would have the best defense, but with it being Arthur and everything, it slipped my mind.

And Merlin…

He’s definitely the slyest and most diabolical old man I’ve met so far. Put illusion magic on top of that, and he’s the trickiest hero to deal with.

It’s a bit unfair, really. Like giving a tiger wings.

After everybody had been subdued by me, they lay in the center of the clearing, exhausted and slightly dispirited.

Gaby voiced what many of them were thinking.

“How did you get stronger again, Kai? Most of our attacks won’t even break your skin anymore!”

I shook my head. I could tell that Selina most likely knew about it already, and Sarah probably knew some of it.

I didn’t really see any reason to hold it back, especially since I trusted most of the people present, and knew that their word would likely be their bond.

“Well, I can tell you, though it won’t do you guys much good. Just promise that what I say stays here?”

There was a chorus of yes’s, and pledges to keep whatever secret I was about to impart.

I took a deep breath. While it was true that I had no reason to withhold this information from the heroes, it was still slightly nerve-wracking, getting ready to tell them.

“Right. Well, I became a Demon Lord a little while ago.”

Their reactions were hilarious to watch, at least.

Arthur jumped up from his sitting position, immediately hopping into a combat ready position. I think I scared him a little.

Sarah and Selina, however, had a gleam in their eyes, and Selina had also jumped up, and looked like she had won something.

“Ha! I knew it! I totally called that! See, Sarah, I told you so!”

Ah, she did figure it out.

Well, I’m happy that they likely won’t treat me any differently.

Merlin, Harving, and Rust simply shrugged, taking it in stride.

As Merlin said,

“It’s not like you are a different person, no? Besides, who was the one which had decided Demons were evil? Evil is simply a product of perspective.”

That sage advise also represented the views of Rust and Harving, and they nodded along with his words.

Gaby was the least affected.

“You’re the same person. That’s all that matters to me.”

She smiled brilliantly at me, and I smiled back.

Unfortunately, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to expect the same from almost everyone else. Especially, I knew that if I were forced to advertise this fact at the summit, I wouldn’t be treated well.

Speaking of the summit, I got confirmation from my aunt, telling me that I had a spot among the group she would be bringing to it. She also didn’t know about the changes I’d gone through, and I really don’t trust her enough to tell her about them.

I can trust the heroes, since they all have their own circumstances, and understand that nothing is ever black and white, for the most part. My aunt though, I just can't come to trust her like them. Partially, it’s because of the history she had with my mother. Even though she had told me about the events, and her part in them, I still got the feeling she was withholding something from me.

I also have the feeling that she wouldn’t hurt me, though. So, I should be fine, as long as nothing unexpected happens.

I’ll be leaving for the summit in a week, meeting up with the Elven group, and following them to the summit location. I’ll meet up with Jasper at the summit, since I can be assured of being able to meet him there, after his ascension as a Demon Lord.

As for which side I’ll be on, I think I’ll be taking a neutral stance to many of the issues that will be presented during the summit.

Well, as long as it doesn’t involve the discrimination against demonkind. I am vehemently opposed to stuff like that, especially since I am part demon myself.

It’s the very reason I’m going to the summit in the first place, to ease that hatred everybody seems to have for demons.

Niten will be coming with me, since he knows where the Empress’s delegation will be at that time, and since he’s one of the hidden strengths among their Empire.

All the big players will be at the summit, and Niten is no exception.

On a side note, the rest of the week was peaceful.

Most of it was spent in the company of the heroes, who had taken the revelation of what I am, well. Sure, they appreciated the irony in the fact that I am a Demon Lord, and was actively teaching them how to fight.

Now, they’re thinking that they are in the continents for another reason, though they have yet to find out what it might be.

I think I know, though.

It wouldn’t surprise me if they are to play a large role in warding off any advances made by forces outside the continents.

It also wouldn’t surprise me should they become the strongest existences in the continents, sans me.

And, wouldn’t it be fun to know that they are being supported by my own weapons?

Anyway, not much happened during the remaining week. The heroes and I continued sparring, and I talked with Niten and Flavius quite a bit.

I couldn’t explain it, but I got the distinct feeling that I wouldn’t see the heroes, nor Flavius for quite a while after I would leave.

Well, it might happen, so I decided to spend as much time as possible with them, this last week.