Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

A scalding agony he had never felt before assaulted Adam's arms as his two blades cleaved through the pillar of flames. Yet, only a low grunt escaped his lips when he shoved his weapons to slice the Balor's neck.

It was as if time slowed to a crawl in that second. His mind thundered as he watched five weapons whistle through the air, leaving red, dark, and silver trails.

'Slice through!'

Hope and despair melded in his drumming heart as his abyssal blade connected with the Balor's skin first. The impact sent wild tremors jolting his arms, yet he clenched his jaws, a steely glint flashing in his eyes.

He had expected the skin's texture to feel as hard as quenched steel and knew his blade wouldn't slice through in a single strike. That's why his silver blade drew a bright arc a split second later!

BANG

He swung the silver blade like a sledgehammer, smashing it into his first weapon to drive it deeper into the Balor's flesh.

Each muscle fiber he sliced felt like an iron wire trying to stop him, to swallow his weapon, then him.

The Balor's eyes were also wide open, hate and cruelty dancing in their depths as he scrutinised the weak demons hindering his possession. Even if the body remodelling failed because of their interference, a horrifying smile crept onto its face. Ten seconds. That's all it needed to synchronise its soul. Then, he would feed on those fools' flesh and use their bones as toothpicks.

But Adam didn't care! He had to end it in this single second, in this single strike. Everything else was irrelevant. In gaming terms, he went all in, betting everything on this one attack! An attack that wasn't complete yet. Not when his trusted subjects stood by his side.

His muscles tensed to the limit as a roar coming from his soul and holding his dreams and ambitions rocked the air.

"WE FIGHT AS ONE!"

BANG BANG BANG BANG

His subjects, their faces twisted in pain, struck their swords against his blade, amplifying its force as it struggled to slice through.

Its edges hummed, releasing a corroding energy as it dug deeper into the Balor's neck.

Yet, despite their gritted teeth, raised lips and melting skin, their faces collapsed when they reached the horror's dense cervical.

More than bones, they felt like an unbreakable legendary material.

'N-No.' Adam's chest tightened. 'We were so close. Only a few centimeters more, and we would have won.'

Despite his inner thoughts and fierce expression as he pushed with everything he had, the blade didn't budge. Even its corroding properties struggled to penetrate the bones fast enough. And if there was one thing they lacked, it was time. Would the Balor rise to destroy everything they held dear?

"CUT IT!"

Luna's essence-imbued voice rumbled from behind. Her legs buckled next as her face palled. She collapsed to the ground powerlessly. But not before the dark energy swirling at her fingertips touched another blade!

In a dark blur of clinking chitinous armor, Maven leapt high above the pillar. His arm, drawn far behind his back, trembled under the tension as he roared fiercely.

"RAAAAH!"

He swung his arm, dark flames blazing on his red sword as it cleaved through the pillar.

BANG

Before anyone could react, he struck the five immobile swords, reigniting their momentum once more.

But more than that, Luna's abyssal flames seeped into the Balor's bones, adding another corroding layer.

And under everyone's sparkling eyes, the abyssal blade trembled and moved again.

Without care for anything but the Balor's elimination, Adam gritted his teeth and strained his muscles for the last push.

"We're not dying here! We will win!"

With his defiant roar, the blade's speed picked up.

In a dark blur and accompanied by a crunching sound, it finally sliced through the corroding bones.

Meanwhile, the Balor's mocking grin froze on its face as its eyes trembled in disbelief. Would those ants kill him, a demon marquis, before he claimed the cultist's body? Those insignificant demons who didn't even reach the lowest noble tier?

"No!"

Its voice cracked in fury. Yet, despite its unwillingness, it still needed a few seconds to control its limbs.

'IF not for this slow process and if I could move or use my essence, I would have stomped on them!'

Unfortunately, the world didn't work on what-ifs. Its wishful thoughts and pride didn't matter. Only the result did.

A result Adam and his subjects showed him as their blades passed through the last tissues connecting its neck to its torso.

"FALL!"

They roared in unfaltering determination as the blade cleaved Luna's flame pillar in two.

The scalding heat that had melted their gauntlets and charred their arms black parted. In its middle, the Balor's head spun in the air, blood drizzling from its severed neck.

Even now, the demon marquis' eyes trembled in disbelief. Until the end, it couldn't accept the absurdity of its defeat, not at the hands of midges.

Meanwhile, Adam stood amidst the tower's melted ground, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He gazed at his subjects, noticing their horrible condition.

They all shared the same putrid burns. But they were alive. They had survived the impossible.

However, before relief could settle in his racing heart, he turned to look at Luna.

The captivating succubus queen lay sprawled on the ground and unmoving.

Icy sweat dripped from his forehead as he ignored all notions of pain to rush at her.

"Luna! Are you alright?"

Only a deafening silence answered his question. One that weighed on his heart almost heavier than the image of the Balor destroying his territory.

Gritting his teeth through the pain, he raised her torso and placed his ear by her deadly pale face.

Heart trembling, he felt the faint breath escaping her lips. It was as if the thread holding her life would snap at any moment.

Simultaneously, Garduck rushed to them.

"She overclocked her demonic core with abyssal essence to imbue Maven's blade." His eyes narrowed with worry. "The energy is now corroding her. We must bring her to Muramasa! He's the only one who can save her."

Adam's face collapsed. It would take him several hours to rush back to the territory.

"She won't hold until then..."