Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

Adam landed on ground scorched by the ever-oppressive environment. Decay melded a rotten flavor to the natural scent of sulfur, reminding doomed travellers how unforgiving the demon realm was, even to its inhabitants.

Through the dust rising from his landing, he observed the dried bark of trees. They were crooked and unsettling, as if they were gazing back, eager to sink their branches into his blood to quench their eternal thirst.

Thorny shrubberies extended finger-like vines, beckoning him to approach by permeating the air with a sweet fragrance. Beside them, even insects stirred like miniature piranhas—mandibles clicking, faceted eyes sparkling.

He sighed. Six months to cross space only to end up in this graveyard trying to bury life itself... "Tsk. Disgusting."

With a snort, he took his first steps toward the East. Though not an expert in the local geography, he had entered through the West by subtly distorting the space around the seal that forbade entry and exit from this cursed place. That alone had taken him two weeks. After all, he couldn’t alert the demon kings or the gods—not yet.

As for why the West? He’d rather land closer to Paimon than Baal, who occupied most of the East. Of course, Paimon was far from great news either. At least, his territory was northeast, leaving him with enough margin to manoeuvre around it.

In fact, he landed right at the edges of Vinéa’s territory in the southwest, far from Belial in the north and Asmodeus in the extreme south. All he needed now was to find the closest city and to search for Luna.

He mused on where she could have been amidst the cracks of withered branches under his footsteps and the vain assault of the local fauna.

She hated Zepar to the point that the demon was still haunting her nightmares eleven years ago. Perhaps finding him first would bring him closer to her? At least, he hoped so.

"I’ll gift her your head for our reunion." His lips curled like a knife. He lowered his face, bitterness striking him out of nowhere, then hope, followed by hesitation. "We can spend a few days together—eat something nice, admire the night sky... I don’t know... It’s been so long. What if she changed?"

Fighting back the negative thoughts, he crossed the twisted forest. Its inhabitants growled and roared at his passage, but a glare was all it took to make them scramble, tails between their legs.

He saw crumbled huts covered in slithering vines upon approaching the forest’s edge. Though he took a moment to search, he found no corpses. Only the shattered Gate remained, barely upright, in the deathly silence—the last trace that a lord had struggled against the demon realm... and died like the others.

"For what it’s worth, you would have ended as a slave for the demon kings’ entertainment. Rest in peace." He shook his head, his steps taking him out of the forest.

Though it could have been him, it wasn’t. So, he pushed those thoughts aside to gaze at the distant city. ƒrēenovelkiss.com

Sulfuric winds ruffled his dark and white hair, carrying faint traces of smelted iron, oil, and sweat. Mid-sized walls pulsed with green flames arranged in demonic skull patterns and unholy enchantments as if provoking beasts and divinities to try its defenses. However, that was about all the grandeur the city offered.

Beneath its protective shades, armored demons lazily crouched, more interested in throwing their bone dice than guarding the city. He noticed some even blatantly sitting on chairs without care as he approached.

One of them raised a dismissive palm, and a balor leaning in the gates’ shade leaned his giant head before Adam.

"Fortress Ossi doesn’t welcome you, bastard. Return to whatever muddy hole you crawled from. Mhh?" He sized Adam up, sword-like fangs out and frowning. "Round ears, leathery wings, serpentine tail... You don’t look like a demon." His fingers inched toward his fiery blade’s hilt. "Who are you?"

The seated demon rose to his feet, his dark leather vest fluttering and his green eyes bursting with demonic essence.

But Adam just shrugged. "Does it matter?"

He produced a pouch, letting it dangle from his fingers. Soft metallic clangs immediately attracted curious, then greedy gazes from the demons when he opened it, letting a brilliant light shine on their faces.

"I value your rules, but I value my time much more. Rare metals I collected in the forest ruins. All yours if you cut the bullshit." Weak flames erupted from his palms. "Oh, I’m different, but what can I be when I was an imp when I saw light for the first time? You tell me."

The demon snatched the pouch and hid it in his pocket. "Indeed, does it matter? The same damned sky hangs over our cursed heads anyway. I guess you’re one of these incubi bred with human features. Higher..."

He observed the weak flames, shaking his head. Then, a smirk split his face. "Whatever. Fortress Ossi welcomes you, new bastard. Get it."

With a nod, Adam walked through the gates, entering the city. But his ears were still behind, just as the demon pulled the balor closer. "Take my place. I’ll follow him."

The balor raised five fingers, already understanding where this was going. "Fifty-fifty."

"On what we got now, sure. If he hides more, I’ll keep seventy. Or we can both let him go and earn nothing."

The balor cracked his neck, snorting. "We’ll get nothing, then. Sit back, scum, or I’ll report you for leaving your job."

"To whom, stupid rat?" The demon’s brows twitched.

"Who else? The others. They’ll ask for their share. Either you make it fifty-fifty, or we lose everything, greedy toad."

"Go to hell." The demon clenched his jaw. "Stay safe at night. I swear I’ll ambush you in a dark alley one of these days."

"We’re already in hell, and you’re too weak." The balor shrugged. "Bring me my half by nightfall."

The demon flicked the balor a middle finger and began to trail Adam, cursing the balor’s greed.

Meanwhile, Adam chuckled. It was indeed just as Garduck had told him. Demons only fought for themselves in a corrupted society. And the guards were just the tip of the iceberg.