Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

"I'm contracted to the mighty Zeus. Step back, demons!"

Face twitching in despair and unwillingness, Drufus pointed his blade at the generals.

War Machine cowered behind, icy sweat sticking his clothes to his skin, like all the others except Kael, who remained silent.

Meanwhile, Garduck sneered as he approached.

"Heracles, Cu Chulainn, and Sigurd are dead. My soldiers are gathering their artifacts as we speak." He narrowed his eyes, his voice thundering. "My lord is merciful. Drop your weapons, stop this senseless resistance, and you might see the sun rise tomorrow."

"Bullshit!"

Drufus stepped back, his blade trembling in his hand.

However, it wasn't his answer to Garduck but to the interface window hovering in front of his wide eyes.

[Zeus: We can't let Adam recover. Kill all the lords and yourself. I promise you a garden in Hades' realm.]

Ever since he got the contract, he had worked to accomplish Zeus' mission. All for what?

He gritted his teeth, his knuckles whitening and rage flashing in his eyes as he scrutinised Heracles' carcass.

"Your son was a weakling! We supported him with everything we had, but look at him now! I learned how to fight despite my manager's job on Earth. Not for you to cast me aside when I've outlived my use!" He turned to Garduck and planted his blade into the ground. "I surrender and am willing to sell anything related to Zeus for my freedom."

Garduck's brows creased into a frown before his eyes widened.

"Move!"

However, his warning came too late.

"ARGH!"

Drufus wailed in agony, his hand trembling as he gripped the spear piercing his chest. The stench of his blood filled his nostrils, and its taste invaded his mouth. Yet he forced himself to speak.

"Kael, you bastard. You'd trust a god who discards you the moment you fail?"

Kael smirked and pulled his spear out, the sickening sound of ripping flesh echoing.

"Remember the event's rules? Adam will kill us anyway, so I'd rather go with Odin's plan and hope to go to Valhalla."

Without the spear holding him, Drufus' body plopped to the ground, the cold of death already invading his pierced heart.

He could still see Garduck's shocked expression and his rushing feet. But it was too late.

Kael had always been an enigma he had felt reluctant to work with. But now he knew why. This fool submitted heart and soul to Odin—he traded his pride for blind faith, empty promises, and divine guidance.

Tears of regret welled in his eyes as he understood how mistaken he had been.

The gods were their enemies. Behemoth had even written about it a few days ago. Yet everyone considered him a salty hater, jealous because no one offered him a contract. But what if he had refused them...

He felt Garduck lift his torso gently as the question rumbled in his mind. Despite the pain, a steely glint flashed in his eyes. He gripped Garduck's leather top, his weak voice barely a murmur.

"Stop him... and sorry..."

Garduck closed his stiffening eyelids in a show of mercy and leapt to his feet, his eyes narrowing into fiery slits.

"I will!"

As he charged, a lord fell each time Kael's spear glinted. The most disturbing thing? His face remained impassive, almost bored, as though he was cutting weed instead of human flesh.

In the blink of an eye, he had killed ten, and before Garduck reached him, five more bodies littered the ground.

"Time to end this."

He planted his spear shaft into the ground, ready to impale his own throat when his eyes trembled.

"Five? Who's missing?!"

"Me, dumb fucker! I won't let anyone kill me, even if I must slave away!"

A voice echoed from the grass dozens of meters away before War Machine leapt to his feet and dashed towards the demonic army.

"I'll give you all my resources and blueprints. A few friends and I are working on steam engines. I'll share our research with you!"

Kael's eyes widened. He gripped his spear and hurled it at War Machine's back.

"Odin's words are absolute. Die, coward."

CLANG

The clangor of metal colliding with metal reverberated as Maven's blade collided with the spear, stopping it cold.

He gripped War Machine's hand next and shoved him back.

"Tie him up and stuff his mouth. He can't die no matter what!"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Simultaneously, Garduck reached Kael, his blade already whistling through the air.

Before it could dig into his neck, Kael crouched and tackled Garduck, bringing him onto the ground.

Like a snake coiling around prey, he wrapped his legs around his sword arm. He gripped his hand next and, determination blazing in his eyes, pulled.

"You chose the worst adversary for your stunt."

Garduck snorted as he shoved his legs and rolled on his back, escaping the arm lock. Better! With his legs around Kael's, he retaliated with his own leg lock.

"I've worked as a match rigger in the demon realm for fifteen years, little cub. All those basic techniques are useless against me."

A cruel smirk split his face, followed by the noise of broken legs and an agonising scream.

"You wanted to kill yourself, right?" He rose to his feet and winked at Ifrit. "Tsk, tsk. You must teach him how valuable life is, our dear judge."

"Hahaha. Now we're talking." Ifrit bolted to them, his fiery fingers gripping Kael's hair on his way. "I'll be back in what? An hour or two? He needs a thorough lesson, after all."

War Machine trembled amidst the demons as horrifying screams and the stench of burning flesh permeated the air. Yet, he sighed in relief and gestured to Heracles' carcass, trying to tell his captors to bring him as far away from this place as possible.

However, Maven kicked his rear in response.

"We're only delaying your judgement. Don't think you can request anything or even talk with us after all the death your alliance caused in our ranks!"

He pulled on the ropes, dragging him to Adam like a dog as the others followed.

Meanwhile, Luna, Mimi, and Achilles pressed wet towels on Adam's, Wukong's, Merlin's, and Karna's foreheads, hoping they'd wake up soon.

Besides them, Ondine encased Karna in healing water. But honestly? His charred body and almost vaporised arms gave them little hope that he would recover.