Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

DING

[Talent's daily use available. Use: Yes/No]

Like the rising morning sun, his talent's crisp notification grated at his ears.

Despite its familiarity, his eyes battled against sleep today and the desire to remain under the warm blankets comforting him. Still, he forced them to dart to his room's window as he pressed yes by habit.

Through it, he saw the orange hues replacing the night's darkness as a breeze filtered to carry the morning smell into his nose. Yet, he groaned despite the pleasant scenery and pushed himself from his rough mattress.

"Wait? Mattress?" A deep furrow creased his brows, and his eyes slipped upwards. "When did I fall asleep? No... When did I return home? Last I remember, I was training in the tunnel with Karna.

Then... then..."

He tucked his fingers around his chin, rummaging through his waking mind to find the answer.

Memories of his exhaustion and subsequent collapse slowly resurfaced. Karna's words and the sensation of his arms carrying him followed, drawing a clear picture of the events in his mind.

A heavy sigh disturbed the morning's calmness as he ruffled his hair and clicked his tongue.

"And here I thought my body became powerful after its third evolution, but a single training left me on my knees." He shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "I'm still so far from my mythical figures' level, but I can't give up."

Fiery flames ignited in his heart and flowed through his eyes as he took determined steps to a wooden basin.

SPLASH

This chapter upload first at NovelUsb.Com

The icy water prickled his skin, chasing away the lingering sleepiness muddling his thoughts.

His back straightened next, the agony from yesterday a fleeting nightmare that would undoubtedly repeat itself today.

Yet, he raised his clenched fist above his head, his mind already set on something else—something more exciting and fitting of his lord's rank.

"We'll start conquering the surrounding territories today!"

Leaning over the windowsill, he surveyed his gathering army, their ranks filling the streets with 1100 fully equipped demons. Even he shuddered when he saw the powerful djinns, asuras, and succubus clenching their scarlet swords in organised teams of three hundred. After all, most had reached the fourth tier alongside him and his generals when they had defeated the balor.

Yet, dark clouds covered his mind's clear vista.

"Besides the Oikos kingdom, I must pay attention to Zeus' new contractor and Heracles. They're the only ones able to threaten me, but..." A pensive frown creased his brows. "Why didn't they move yet? Is the lord biding his time to let Heracles level up before launching a devastating strike?"

He didn't know but couldn't shake off the ominous feeling clawing at the back of his mind.

His face turned somber. "Zeus won't let any variable disturb his plan to obliterate me this time, but what can I change to prepare?"

Achilles and Karna were already teaching him how to become a versatile warrior while the steps of his army rumbled on their way to conquer the surroundings.

With Muramasa creating more leather sets to equip everyone and Ozymandias building Toth's minor obelisk to raise the territory's mana, he didn't know what more he could do besides grinding experience points. But even that made him sigh and shake his head.

With no decent idea, he sought inspiration in his stat panel instead of brooding the questions blindly.

However, his head jerked back, and his eyes widened at the nonsensical value on the fiery window's bottom.

LVL: 47

Exp: 73400/273000

HP: 9200/9200

Vitality: 595 (+325)

Strength: 595 (+103)(+325)

Agility: 595 (+112)(+325)

Chaotic demonic essence: 1092->1140

Yet, his chaotic, demonic essence didn't change despite the holes his eyes drilled through the numbers.

"With my evolution and the war, I'm sure I didn't absorb any essence last week, so how did it increase?!"

"Hahaha!"

A girly laugh, filled with pride, echoed behind the wall separating his room from Tiamat's before her sharp comment sliced through him.

"You only noticed it now? It's been working each time you breathed your territory's air. And by it, I mean your draconic Asura's body."

He rolled his eyes at the smugness dripping from her next words.

"What? Did you think my evolution path came without benefits? Humph! Wait for the fourth if a mere passive absorption of the surrounding demonic essence impresses you. I'm sure you'll fall to your knees by then and call me the greatest primordial. Hahaha!"

"Sister..." He started, his brows twitching at her shenanigans, yet the corner of his lips curled upward, and his heart pounded against his chest. "You're already the best!"

An awkward silence settled as he struggled to contain the delighted roar threatening to burst out of his throat... because he wouldn't need to spend his time seated before the demonic altar every day!

As his fists trembled and his smile reached his sparkling eyes, Tiamat's voice echoed again—laced with approval this time.

"Shut up with your silvery tongue. On a more serious note, I thought you would have rushed to your army to give a useless speech this morning. But I worried for nought."

Adam shrugged. "I already gave them my commands. Adding something when everything is already said will only suffocate them and make me look like a paranoid ruler." He shook his head and chuckled. "I trust my generals' leadership. And honestly? I wouldn't refuse more free time in my busy schedule."

Tiamat nodded in her room, a soft smile brightening her face.

"You're improving by the day, my dear contractor. Continue like that, and you'll conquer this average realm in a few weeks."

Meanwhile, his eyes narrowed.

A few weeks? Was it possible?

An invisible tension enveloped his shoulders as his fist struck his palm.

"I can't slack off, then. See you the next time you want to talk."

Without hesitation and forgetting about his talent's wheel and Zeus' threat, he walked out of his house before he shared a hearty breakfast with the three sisters, Durgrim and Miranda, around the demonic altar as usual.

Then, his steps light, and his heart singing despite Achilles' harsh training, he went to the mountain.

Like the previous day, he howled in agony for two hours before limping back to his room and cursing the pain.

However, since he had started earlier than yesterday, he took a nap to let his body and mind recover before joining Karna for his evening lessons.

Back in the tunnel, he manipulated his flames and increased his control. Progress was slow but rewarding, like watching a game character develop his abilities' level.

Even better, he didn't collapse today since he had refreshed his mind with the nap!

A strange sense of excitement gradually blossomed as he repeated the routine the following day and the one after.

Before he even realised it, and with more news of territories surrendering to his rule or facing total annihilation, a week passed in the blink of an eye.