Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

"Yes!"

His voice thundered throughout his broad palace as he hammered yes.

The moment he did, the vast garden rumbled.

The grass ignited, and the soft soil cracked open to let obsidian and molten rock coat the walls. Veins of glowing magma throbbed on their surfaces, giving them a threatening appearance. Yet the changes had only started.

Two towering spires emerged and pierced the sky like jagged volcanic peaks.

Gargantuan gates of molten iron, etched with fiery runes, condensed before impossibly tall walls rose in the surroundings. Their fiery cracks pulsed like embers, making him gasp for a second.

It was a second too long as the hallway changed before his very eyes.

Lava channels formed on the ground, casting an orange light on his open jaw. Tendrils of flame erupted from the walls, licking the rooms and corridors while radiating a mild heat.

He stepped closer to the wall, his eyes catching the faint runes hidden beneath the flames.

"Temperature regulators?" He shook his head and rushed to the throne room.

His steps echoed along the channels, passing by new giant statues of who he assumed to be Surtr and past hanging decorative swords.

"What the..." His heart drummed in his ears as he gazed at the throne.

Seemingly carved from volcanic rocks and surrounded by roaring magma pools and blazing columns, he just didn't know what to think about it. Well, except that no one would be crazy enough to sit on it...

Despite his awe at the sheer scale of the throne, he could feel the crackling fires trying to interact. It was as though they whispered in his ears to use them, to perfect his mastery, and to climb to Surtr's primordial level of chaos and fire.

Of course, he wouldn't claim he would do it, but his eyes sparkled regardless. It was possible, and he would strive to make it happen. And the best way to begin was to visit the library to absorb Muspelheim's ruler's knowledge.

Without wasting time, he rushed to the room next door, unknowingly entering one of the spires.

An impressed sigh escaped his lips as he saw book-filled shelves reaching so high that he couldn't see the ceiling.

Intrigued, he gripped one's cover, the hot basalt caressing his fingers.

However, he frowned when he checked its content. Instead of regular pages, a sheet of obsidian, polished like a mirror, reflected his face. Rows of Nordic runes he had no idea about blazed on its dark surface, making him wonder how he'd learn anything from it.

Yet, he knew Surtr wouldn't commit such a blunder. And he was right.

As if to answer his doubts, the runes burst and engulfed him in a blinding radiance. Runes danced in front of his trembling eyes before they spun around his forehead and slowly seeped into his mind.

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The thick stench of sulfur gripped his throat, and heat even his scales failed to endure assaulted his skin. Sweat trickled down his brows in the blink of an eye as the radiance receded, only for an icy shudder to replace it.

"How? Where am I?" He hiccuped as he gazed at the fiery landscape of molten rocks and chaotic seas of fires.

But he almost fainted when he saw the towering figure bathing in the middle.

Though veiled in shadows, the ambers burning in his eyes, the gigantic sword designed to cleave realms and set them ablaze, and the bubbling air surrounding his aura sold its identity: Surtr!

'What the hell is happening?'

The question rumbled in his mind as the titan leaned over, his shadows engulfing the lands.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Then, the air trembled as his deep voice reverberated through time and space.

"Demonic fire and chaos. A combination worth my teachings." Surtr straightened his back, causing burning gales to roar with the movement. "Don't be afraid, little one. I am but an echo, a guide for those who inherit the guild."

'Shit! You almost scared me to death!'

Adam finally exhaled the breath he had been holding as his legs buckled beneath him. His breath labored, he dropped to the ground and wiped the sweat marring his forehead.

Meanwhile, Surtr's echo chuckled but ignored Adam's thoughts to continue his explanation.

"You might never reach my level, but I see potential in you. Who knows? You'll maybe surprise me by surpassing Logi. As for the teachings, I'll share my knowledge and show you how to manipulate your essence for each technique once. How much you learn from it depends on your dedication."

Adam's heart hastened, and his eyes brightened. That's what he needed; a teacher who could show him how to channel his chaos to his flames without risk. The prospect of dabbling deeper into the subject made his trembling fists clench in anticipation. Would he finally learn how to conjure lightning by superheating his essence?

However, Surtr's voice grew somber as he shook his massive head.

"Forget about that. Only a few have ever reached this level of mastery."

"No way!"

A shudder ran down Adam's spine as he remembered Wukong's warnings. Yet, a steely glint flashed in his eyes. He wouldn't give up.

"Could you explain why it's so hard to master?"

He heard the noise of Surtr's body shifting before the lava rose as he sat.

"We're talking about plasma, a temperature hotter than stars. The truth is, you'll never wield lightning. But you can focus and shape the plasma's magnetic fields to direct lightning as if it were a conduit."

His lips twisted at the complex explanation, and he rolled his eyes. 'The heck with the magnetic field stuff?'

Surtr slapped his leg in amusement.

"Right? Controlling plasma is enough. It can reach millions of degrees and melt anything. The damage is less focused than lightning, but it's more versatile, and the discharge is continuous. But even that—the ultimate mastery over flames and chaos—won't be achieved before millennia of hard work."

The terrible news felt like a slap across the face; a bucket of cold water poured down his excitement.

'A millennia? Just say I'll never reach that level of mastery.'

"There is a method to master them faster." Surtr started before he shook his head. "…Never mind. Only lunatics would choose this option. Learn diligently, and you'll see results."

Adam leapt to his feet, his eyes two torches burning with desire.

"Tell me the method. I'll assess myself if it's too dangerous."

Surtr shrugged.

"As you wish. Under the realms lay a place that was once ruled by seven cruel tyrants. Their control over flames was equal to mine..."

A reminiscent light flashed in his eyes as he bit his lip.

"No. Their leader surpassed mine in raw power and versatility. He's a true monster, a horror no one wants to face. To progress faster, you can try your luck there. Who knows? You'll perhaps find remnants of their powers to absorb—if it doesn't turn you to ash first. But beware of their domains. The waves of minions are unending, and their wrath... Well, let's just say dying would be the least of your worries."

Darkness flashed in his eyes as he added.

"But even below them lurks a being best left undisturbed. He's irrelevant to your flame's control. So do you want to try this route?"

Adam fanned his hand, gasping for air.

"N-No. I think I'll pass."

Who was Surtr kidding? Seven bastards, even he dared duel? Didn't it mean he'd lose if they ganged up on him?

'But he has the nerve to ask me if I want to go there? I might as well jump from a cliff. I'm sure I'll suffer less. No, I'll never go to that forsaken place now that I know about it.'

Convinced about his quick decision, he exhaled and shifted the subject.

"So, what are we learning today?"

"What else? Theories."

He rolled his eyes, fighting the urge to turn and walk away.

'Am I back to school?'

"Not mastering plasma doesn't mean you can't learn the principles behind it." Surtr extended his fiery finger toward Adam. "Only when you understand what you try to reach can you work your way to it. There is no fortune in training, only diligence and efforts."

Adam nodded at the wise words. It had always been like that, and he certainly couldn't complain. Between Achilles, Karna, and Wukong, his progress had been so fast compared to the others that he felt like a cheater.

'Well, with Surtr and the guild's effect, the feeling will only deepen.'

He scratched his head and closed his eyes, his hair dancing in the warm gusts stirred by the colossal finger.

His eyelids trembled despite the tip's gentle touch on his forehead. Then, his mind blanked as a flow of complex information burst into his mind.

Before the strain made him collapse, they condensed into the image of a book in his mind. Even stranger, he could feel it as if it was a physical manifestation.

With a thought, he zoomed on the blazing cover, almost feeling the heat, and read the title, "Foundations of Plasma and Chaos."

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AN: Long chapter :D