Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

No matter at what angle he analysed the bizarre situation, only a few options seemed plausible.

'He must have gotten a contract from a god and summoned a mythical figure. If not, I really don't see how he could reach the event's last stage without an army.'

His eyes narrowed into slits at the idea as he taped his fingers pensively on his armguards.

With the figure's protection, he could forget about raiding the lord of the nine realms's territory. Worse, he would have to find ways to defend himself against the terrible threat.

'Muramasa is a crafter, yet his stats at level one are already a joke. If he got a fighter who actively hunts to level up... I'm screwed.'

He paled as images of ruins and death filled his mind. But he gritted his teeth the next second, a fire burning in his eyes.

'No matter the method, I'll get rid of him even if I must poison his water.'

Despite the cruel idea, one of them would die, and he would rather not be the one to. Uncover more tales at m,vl em pyr

As a complicated expression distorted his features, a notification shattered his awful thoughts and forced his eyes to widen.

[The gods commend your willingness to face challenges and are eager to witness your struggles on the tenth wave.]

[The nine demon kings suggest altering the rules to make things more interesting.]

[The other gods agreed to the suggestion.]

[Participants: Adam, lord of the nine realms.]

[Rules: A greater demon of the third tier will appear between your territories. Join forces to defeat it. However, only the lord who landed the fatal blow will get the tenth wave's reward.]

After reading everything, his jaws bulged, and his eyes narrowed into fiery slits as his voice trembled in suppressed rage.

"These bastards! That's how he performed so well during the event! The lord of the nine realms, this moron colluded with the demon kings!"

He would be a fool if he couldn't put two and two together, especially after Baal's recent threats.

'I'll regret it sooner than I may think. That's what he said...'

Dread's icy fingers gripped his heart as he understood they had planned everything from the event's start.

'No, they started when Tiamat negotiated my rewards two days ago. They contacted and offered him support while scheming the change in rules. And now, I'll face the demonic boss of the third tier and the lord of the nine realms' army simultaneously.'

His teeth clenched tightly, two infernos of rage blazing in his eyes, as he watched his territory's four vortices converge into one of disproportionate size that drifted east.

With a guttural snarl and his neck's veins bulging like snakes, he roared his commands to prepare the best he could.

"Rally me! Shadow Stalker, fetch Muramasa and tell him I formally request his aid to protect the territory from a grave peril!"

As his subjects moved, their faces flustered by the urgency in his voice, the vortex merged with the lord of the nine realms' above the forest and blazed like an ominous green sun.

However, when he thought the situation couldn't turn worse, it did.

DING

[The gods banned the use of mythical figures during this wave. Please prove your worth using your own troops.]

A veil of diving light descended from the sky, encasing his demon lord's hut, isolating it and Muramasa from the outside world.

His fists clenched tightly, and his face contorted in fury. He could no longer contain his rage as he realised the gods' true intentions and that everyone wanted to see him dead after they labelled him public enemy number one.

Even Tiamat rose from her bed, her eyes two wrathful abyss of chaotic salt water as she cursed the shameless rigging of the event.

"You won't have your ways! Not under my watch, imposters!"

DING

[Tiamat's has issued you an urgent quest!]

Bring shame to the gods by emerging victorious despite the unfair situation.

Reward: She'll teach you two chaos druids' spells and the method to channel them directly!

"I don't need your quest! We will. WE WILL WIN!"

He roared his frustration, raising his short sword towards the vortex and the two green eyes hiding in their depths.

"Follow me! We fight in the forest. Use the trees and terrain to your advantage and take these!"

He handed ten items to Sarah, Morwen, and Victoria before leading the march with determined steps.

His dark armor glinted under the fierce flames as his subjects' hearts wavered. Even Luna moved to grip him by the shoulder and voiced what everyone had in mind but feared to speak aloud.

"We don't have to fight! We can leave and rebuild our territory elsewhere. You'll lose your status as a lord, but who cares? We'll remain together and slowly build our strength to wash this humiliation!"

He knew she was correct. The option was more than viable. With his fifteen demonic fighters, he could settle wherever he wanted. Then? Recruit humans and other races to fill the territory and continue developing.

'But so what? They'll get what they want! Tiamat's contract will probably shatter if I lose my status, meaning they'll capture and seal her again, and I'll surrender the opportunity to revive Shihan. I won't get special buildings or mythical summoning and lose the tier progression quests, not to mention the market, demonic altar, and warehouse. Escape will only make our path a hundredfold harder.'

However, the veins protruding on his face and the war song reverberating in his mind spoke of something else entirely.

Fueled by his rage, he flung Luna's hand away from his shoulder, ignoring her surprised yelp and continued to walk onwards.

'I won't let any game master rigging the setting have his ways. You want me dead? I want all of you dead now! It's not even about Tiamat's quest anymore. It's personal. Wash your necks in your golden realms and the fiery pits you call home because I'll come knocking on your doors soon!'