Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

The morning sun's rays filtered through Adam's windows, a gentle stream coming to nudge him out of his five-day sleep. A burst of chilly wind followed, carrying fresh air into his nostrils as his eyelids fluttered. Yet, the thing that forced him out of his torpor was the familiar daily notification.

DING

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

"Ahhh."

Slowly opening his eyes, he yawned and massaged them to chase sleep away.

With each movement, a symphony of crackings reverberated through the room as his denser bones settled against the tendons properly.

By reflex, he pressed yes before the haze covering his mind in a blanket dissipated.

Blinking once, then twice, he leapt to his feet as his heart drummed in his ears. Fists clenched, he lowered his head to check on his new form.

"Tsk. I was so tired that I forgot to remove my armor!"

Eagerness fueling his movements, he unstrapped his boots, greaves, and breastplate.

However, when he tried to remove his gauntlets, he frowned. They felt glued to his skin for odd reasons as if someone welded them to it during his evolution.

"Wait! I lost my gauntlets during the fight against the balor. What's this?!"

Alarm bells ran in his mind as he pushed on his forearm harder, the rough texture registering through his palms. He squinted, the familiar feeling compelling him to stop.

And there he saw them: the cluster of dark scales running from his wrist to his elbows. Golden lines pulsed like veins between them as they thinned to cover his triceps, shoulders, neck, and sides.

His lips twitched at the sight, and his eyes rolled.

"What the heck happened? Where are the stylish red scales?!"

He tucked his fingers around his chin, scrutinising the golden lines of different sizes. More than veins, they swirled softly out of the surface, reminding him of the aura of legendary game items.

He clenched his fists around his waist, his lips curling upwards and revealing his sharp teeth as he grinned triumphantly.

"I take back what I said. I look even better with my chiselled muscles!" He chuckled, "Can I pass as a Greek statue if I take a pose and don't move?"

As he felt his new horns in awe and saw that his legs were like his arms, Tiamat's voice echoed from the room next door.

"Alright, Narcissus. Stop gawking at yourself and ready your army." Her voice's volume became louder as excitement melded in it. "Today's the big day, so bring me that lord's badge back and begin conquering this realm!"

Low chuckles escaped his lips as a steely glint flashed in his eyes.

"I'll show you my barbarian play style. Starting tomorrow, you can expect the other lords to bend the knee or fall like flies."

Simultaneously, the needle rattling against his talent wheel stopped on today's prize.

[Congratulations on obtaining the epic item: knight contract!]

"Hmm?"

He squinted at the notification, rummaging through his brain to remember what it was used for.

"Wasn't it the item I used to recruit NPCs to work for me?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Another useless item."

This realm and its inhabitants were authentic. So, how could it help him? Somehow, even if his talent reached the C grade with his evolution, it still gave him trash items.

As he put his armor back on and dragged his feet out, evil chuckles reverberated from Tiamat's room.

"The more those pests cheat, the harder I'll strike back!"

Her swirling blue eyes peered through the window and directly into the cosmos' depth as her words hung heavy.

Meanwhile, Adam sat on his favorite log facing the demonic altar and opened his lord chat box.

He grinned when he saw Mimi and The King of Heroes online through his friend list.

Clicking on the latter's name, he trembled in anticipation as he challenged him without wasting a second.

[Adam: Forget about your offer and consider mine: surrender or see my army crush your territory today.]

[The King of Heroes: Oh? Let me guess. You thought of a strategy to target Achilles' heel during the past six days. Or did you prepare cannon fodders to distract him while an elite team comes to assassinate me? No matter what it is, your plans are useless. I'll give you one last chance.

Surrender, or I'll march on you this evening.]

[Adam: You'll see later. Good luck with surviving.]

Surrender had never crossed his mind, and the moment this lord threatened his citizens' peace, they became sworn enemies.

Yet, a seed of doubt sprouted in his heart. Without Karna to hold Achilles at bay, victory seemed impossible. Clenching his fists, he prayed that the elegant man had enjoyed his five-day stay.

Then, he gazed at Mimi's name affectionately to distract his mind from his turmoil.

With his training and raids, he hadn't contacted her much. Still, he asked her how she was doing at least twice a week, except for this one.

As expected, she had sent him a barrage of messages, each becoming sadder in tone until they became strings of crying emojis after she thought he had died.

Lips twisted in guilt, he reassured and promised that he was fine.

Then, he excused himself, his heart drumming a war song in his ears as Karna walked through the street and stopped before him.

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He spent some time explaining how he came up with his decision before offering Adam a solemn nod.

"I believe in your dream and want to work with you to bring happiness to the people."

Meanwhile, Adam's lips curled into a bright smile, hiding his pounding heart as he extended his hand.

"It's nice to have someone as competent and kind as you to join us in these troubled times." He pointed to the north. "Beyond the mountains, a lord threatens our peace with his mythical figure. From where I come from, he is the fiercest warrior. Driven by glory and revenge, no one in his time could stop him."

The chilly morning air blew his flowing dark hair as his face turned somber.

"His name is Achilles, and like you, his body is invulnerable except for his heel. I know it's a lot, but can you hold him back until we conquer the town?"

Karna's face brightened as his lips curled into a smile glowing under the sun.

"I don't want to underestimate him, but I'm a renowned warrior. So, I think I can match him long enough to bring you victory." He raised his hand to stop Adam from talking. "Your subjects already told me anything I needed to know. Don't worry, and focus on what you can do."

Adam's heart hastened as he struck his fist against his palm, a clear path to success finally appearing in his troubled mind.

"You're right. I'll gather my troops. We leave in an hour."

As he turned to leave, Karna stopped him.

"Before you go, there's something else I want to tell you. Even the strongest can fall. Be careful not to underestimate this lord's defenses."

A warm sensation spread around Adam's chest as he felt the genuine care in Karna's voice and eyes. With a short nod to express his gratitude, he gathered his waking army and walked to the walls, ready for his first war.

As everyone munched on dried meat before departing, Luna squinted at him, her twitching brows a delicacy of cuteness to the eye. But inside, her heart pounded against her chest.

"Tsk! What's this criminal's face?! He's more handsome than an incubus now!"