Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

Mounted on his rynadon, hair rocked by the wind and the clamour of his army, Adam's eyes narrowed on the capital's colossal walls.

"I bet they feel safe in their shade," Vrashnak said, licking his lips and unsheathing his scarlet blade. He turned toward the mixed army and raised it. "Proud orcs from the Skalrukh, Vaknarok, Durm'vraal clans, and the kobolds. What do we say to those arrogant plunderers?"

The orcs raised their blades and axes, the jewellery decorating their tusk-like teeth glinting and spite flying as they roared.

"We won't give you honorable deaths!"

"We'll carve thrones out of your bones and drink in your skull, bastard king of Oikos!"

Adam glanced back, listening to the war cries. Though different, they all reverberated with the same disdain and call for vengeance.

A slight frown creased his brows before he sighed and raised his fist toward his demons.

"Let us be the first demons to bring peace and harmony to this corrupted kingdom. Remember our goals. Every civilian spared is a small victory."

His generals nodded and added more motivational words as he turned back to observe the walls.

Honestly, he didn't feel like giving speeches anymore. They seemed unnecessary since he repeated the same thing repeatedly. By now, everyone knew what he valued and how he wanted his soldiers to fight.

Instead, he returned to his observation of Oikos' last bastion.

The mana barrier glowed brighter than the one in Harmony, and the soldiers' defiant gazes gave them a veteran's vibe. He noticed their stern expressions and their tightened fists on their bows. Others handled the magical cannons while mages stood in sparkling magic circles, their staves raised.

But he knew those bastards were hiding in the safest spots while the conscripted soldiers trembled behind the gates. Were they aware that the kingdom offered them as cannon fodder? Probably not, which made it all the more sad to him.

'How many innocents will die?' He closed his eyes and inhaled.

Yet, the guilt that should have gripped his throat and the fear that should have forced him to reconsider the assault didn't manifest. Instead, an eerie, calm wind blew in his heart and mind.

As he sighed and hopped to limit the carnage, Vrashnak patted his shoulder from behind.

"You're alright? I riled up the men, so we're waiting for your go."

Simultaneously, his shadow stirred, and a dark demon emerged from it.

"Luna will attack the northern gate in a minute."

Shadow's somber voice echoed, prompting him to raise his hand. His demonic essence rumbled in his throat before his voice reverberated through the city.

"To the civilians: barricade yourselves home. I vow in Hestia's name that no harm will befall you. I repeat, hide at home to witness a peaceful future!"

The terrified citizens found a glimmer of hope in his words. A few slipped from their regiments—more died caught in the act. Finally, the ones who avoided the conscription rushed to their basements, shoving furniture by the entrance to protect themselves.

But with this, he had done everything he could. And now, his eyes narrowed into fiery slits as his chaos bringer appeared in his fist with a flash of blinding light. Now, those considerations vanished from his mind. Now, the war will rage.

"Kill anyone outside! We accept no rendition and take no prisoners! March on the city!"

The air stirred as the twenty-five thousand demons, elves, orcs, and kobolds roared in unison. The ground rumbled beneath their feet, and dust rose as they charged the mana barrier with vengeful abandon.

Adam watched from his position.

Maven, Ifrit, Garduck, Morwen, Victoria, and Sarah joined him, flames flickering in their palms as their determined gazes landed on the mana barrier.

The day they conquered their first realm under Adam's leadership finally arrived, bringing their dreams of peace and unification within reach.

Without waiting for a command, they raised their palms, green and orange flames roaring as they aimed at the barrier.

Meanwhile, Adam's hands tightened on his blade's pommel. Strands of mana and mist of divinity rushed to it, creating a roaring blue and golden whirlpool. His chaotic, demonic essence joined their swirling dance, coloring it with an abyssal dark layer as he raised it.

The air sizzled around him, the rushing whirlpool sending everyone's hair upward as the grass ignited at their feet. Vapour rose, accompanied by the scent of burn as his voice thundered.

"Shatter their flimsy barrier!"

With his words, he sundered the space downward in a terrifying strike that propelled the energy in a straight line.

Like a living beast attracted by the barrier, it cleaved the earth, leaving a long, smoldering gash in its wake.

The generals moved, too. Their combined flames blazed with soul-chilling intensity as they hurled them behind their lord's attack.

On the northern front, Luna, Bart, Shihan, Ondine, Zane, Zephyr, and Sylas roared in unison.

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"For the lord! For the territory!"

Behind them, the djinns and jotuns echoed their words before flames, water, lightning, earth spikes, sharp gales, and giant freezing projectiles split the wind toward the barrier.

The humans who thought to be untouchable in its confine trembled. Their eyes widened in utter disbelief next before Melarkos and the other generals barked their commands.

"Humanity's glory will never waver against mere demons and wild creatures! Reinforce the barrier!"

Melarkos continued, his confidant voice a beacon of hope for the soldiers.

"They will tire out as long as we repel the initial strikes. Victory will be ours then!"

Yet, an icy shiver ran down his sweat-covered back as he scrutinised Adam's approaching strike.

Meanwhile, Adam exhaled a mouthful of smoke and cracked his head as the simultaneous strike collided with the barrier.

RUMBLE

Space shattered like glass, dark cracks wafting freezing air spreading at the point of impact. The earth melted into orange puddles, and the sky roared with lightning, unable to remain a silent witness.

The light-blue barrier rippled, yet the thousand mages inside the magic circles supplied it with an almost inexhaustible flow of mana.

With a defiant groan, it fought back Adam's strike before the northern attacks landed on it, gnawing at its reserves.

Drained of their mana, mages began to fall like leaves. Yet, Melarkos smiled. The burning light hurled by Adam had almost vanished by now! They had done it!

His fists tightened, and his jaw clenched in victory. There was no way Adam could launch a second strike of this magnitude so soon.

However, his eyes widened, pupils constricted, and his shoulders slumped a second later.

"N-No..."

SHATTER

Long cracks rang along the barrier as jagged pieces of mana rained down on the melted ground. As if in a last defiant resistance, the thick battier absorbed Adam's second strike, dissolving with it into light particles.

A surge of burning wind still passed through, throwing the weaker soldiers off their feet. The air became unbreathable, charged with the stench of sulfur. Yet, his eyes never left the figure who shattered their bastion.

Flapping his wings above him, he saw Adam exhale a mouthful of smoke through his sharp draconic teeth as he lowered his still-glowing blade. How did a single individual rock the realm with this strike twice? He didn't know, but he had to buy time!

"Don't let these creatures reach the ramparts. Fire! Fire everything you have!"

He roared, disbelief giving way to urgency as he drew his sword and chanted spells.

As arrows filled the sky, spells thundered, and the magical cannon rumbled, Adam smirked above the city.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Don't give them a second's respite!"

With his command, he barreled down on the walls. All alone, as he had always promised himself, he led the charge and fought on the front lines.

Emboldened by his bravery, the demons rushed with twice the speed while Vrashnak and the orcs struck their chests twice in respect.

"We can't let a demon steal our glory!"

However, destroying the barrier didn't guarantee victory.

The mouths of the cannons glowed redder with each passing second as the surviving mages unleashed torrents of elemental magic from above.

The wild army and the demons saw their comrades fall. Yet they stepped over their bodies, the determined glint in their eyes never wavering. How could it when Adam eviscerated anything that stood in his path?

Like a blazing inferno guiding them against oppression, his blade glinted as he beheaded the annoying mages and cleaved through the magical cannons like butter.

The stench of blood thickened where he passed, and the once sparkling walls took a scarlet shade—something Melarkos couldn't continue to let happen.

Gritting his teeth, he gripped a trusted aide's shoulder and roared.

"I'll delay their leader, but I won't hold for long! You report to his majesty. We need his strength, or everything will be for naught."

After receiving the soldier's nod, the wind battered his armor as he blurred to stop Adam's killing frenzy.

However, his sense of sacrifice wasn't enough—the southern gates trembled, even as the bodies piled high against the walls.

"Show them we don't need their petty weapons to break mere stones!" Vrashnak roared as he rammed against the thick, enchanted gates.

BAM

More orcs collided with the towering structure before the rynadons they had escorted followed.

The hundreds of war beasts shoved their armored heads against the gate without care, their terrifying weight causing dust to rise and cracking noises to reverberate.