Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest-Chapter 321: The Price of Prudence

A sudden idea made Adam stop by the doorway and turn to Mimir.

"By the way, it looks like you’re the only one who knew about the remnants. How?"

Mimir’s pale golden eyes narrowed as ancient, horrifying memories made his scalp tingle. He exhaled, his breath shaking out of his lips. "Because I met Leviathan."

He shook his head. "The eldritch, not the originals. He was still somewhat sane back then and enjoyed my company. Though he remained vague about their uses, they were trials set by the originals for anyone who adapted to the abyss. The reason? I can’t be sure. But do remember that the abyssal spawns were once demons they ruled over—a several hundred million-strong army driven to madness."

His face darkened. "What would happen if someone surmounted the madness and, even better, obtained a part of their powers?"

Adam cursed under his breath, his fists tightening. "You believe I’m the result of this billion-year-old experiment and their solution to restore their army? Great. I became a test subject..."

However, Mimir shook his head. "Worse. It’s just my conjectures, so take them with a pinch of salt. But you’re the key to mass-producing devils. With the demon realm growing their reserve army through violence and fierce competition, the abyssal army is worth nothing to them. They’ll come at you, brother, with evil intentions... with horrible intentions..."

An icy shiver ran down Adam’s spine. It felt like a scalding sword hung above his head, held by a burning thread tangled between the devils’ fingers. Even worse, coupled with Merlin’s prophecy, Mimir’s theory gained a soul-chilling layer of credibility.

As he grappled with the dreadful realisation, Mimir’s tone softened. "Don’t let this future threat consume you. You can’t do anything about it, and we don’t know if it’ll truly happen or when. Grow as planned and prepare yourself for this cosmic confrontation."

Adam gazed at him, his features growing solemn with each second crawling by until his lips closed into a thin line and his eyes blazed with resolve. The future was still uncertain, and he had a few cards to play before losing.

"Thanks for not sugarcoating the situation. I won’t let it stress me out, but I won’t forget I must reach the ninth tier without delay." He waved his hand and left the lab, his eyes narrowing. "Until next time, Mimir."

Mimir observed Adam’s departing back, his lips twisting with mixed emotions. "I hope there’ll be a next time, brother. No. I believe you’ll succeed..." His lips curled. "Hahaha. For the wise Mimir to have delusional thoughts. Return as powerful as a god and show them who’s the boss!"

Meanwhile, Adam took determined steps under the starry sky, his frown so dark that it almost dripped ink.

’Merlin said Satan would behead me in the middle of the city. I can relocate it, but would it change something?’ He bit his lip, the question tormenting him. He didn’t know why, but it felt as if something would draw him to this place, no matter where it was.

’The safest option would be to evacuate the citizens, but they’d resent me for losing their homes. Finding how he can pinpoint it is better, but it could be anything.’

His eyes darted to the few farmers enjoying the night breeze. Even if the majority were loyal, he couldn’t rule out traitors mesmerised by promises of wealth and power.

Then, he observed Demeter’s harvest hall, the spiritual qi tower, the chaos forge, and the demonic altar. These rewards had filled him with excitement in the past, but now? Couldn’t they become mediums of invasion?

’The forge and qi tower should be safe, though. The other two... I’m not sure. It’s best to destroy them, just in case.’ Halting before the hall, he scratched his cheek. ’Am I becoming paranoid?’

Icy sweat beaded between his brows before he shook his head. Prudence was priceless, and he didn’t need the hall.

The altar was a little more tricky. Without its colossal supply of demonic essence, the territory would lose a lot. Still, he remembered he had looted a weaker version’s blueprint.

"Is it even an altar in the first place? It constantly grew into a tree. It’s suspicious... too suspicious." He clenched his fists. "I’ll take the loss if I’m wrong. I’m destroying it!" fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

Without wasting a second, he entered Demeter’s hall. Aside from a few benches and the goddess’ intricate statues, the inside’s calm contrasted with the blazing inferno burning in his heart.

Acting on it, he waved his palms, a burst of iridescent flames erupting to distort the surroundings and weave it back into a lifelike illusion of the serene temple.

The place hidden from prying eyes, plasma roared through his skin’s crevices as his scarlet and blue eyes glowed with power.

He snapped his arms wide open, hundreds of blinding plasma balls crackling at millions of degrees forming in their wake, yet remaining stationary as if robbed of their velocity and awaiting his command.

SNAP

The snap of his fingers reverberated through the night before the plasma ball whistled with horrifying speed.

Like miniature stars, they collapsed on the Greek columns, spotless slabs, and statues before they expended outwards to devour anything they touched. Loud sizzles echoed and vapor swirled before the plasma consumed that, too.

In the blink of an eye, the moon’s soft glow illuminated his face and the charred ground as the temple vanished like a mirage.

With a satisfied nod, he turned and went to the demonic altar towering at the heart of his city. Instead of proceeding directly, he retrieved a log from the warehouse and sat before the breathtaking tree like he used to in the past.

Nostalgic scenes of heartfelt dinners, focused training, and buildings rising around it like a forest flashed in his mind as a piercing pain struck his heart.

"We shared many moments, old friend," he muttered, his eyes dimming as he touched the moist bark, feeling the wood’s rough texture under his palm. "Thank you, but your origin threatens us all. It’s unfair and arbitrary, but... I’ll never forget the tree that saw me grow."

Plasma erupted from his palm and began to vaporise the bark. His lips quivered as he closed his eyes. "Sorry..."

When he reopened them, the towering branches that stretched to the horizon and the lush leaves rustling with the soft breeze were gone.

His fist tightened on empty air—where the bark was a second ago. The tree that had filled him with delight, confidence, and curiosity was gone, and he didn’t even know if he had made the right choice.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he rose to his feet and glanced at the plaza one last time, the altar’s absence pressing on his heart before he shook his head and went to his room.

As he found comfort under the warm blankets and the mattress softness—a luxury forgotten for ten years—a grand castle in the demon realm rumbled.

Servants and giant soldiers cowered inside the shaking towers, their faces twisting in horror. The tremors spread to the nearby cities, then the realm-sized territory, putting the same question on everyone’s quivering lips: who had dared infuriate their king?

Inside the throne room, a pale demon’s green eyes flickered with green flames. Locks of long silver hair swirled toward the ceiling, revealing his jade-like horns as his clenched fists shattered the regal armrest.

"Why now?" he muttered in suppressed anger. "How did they know? Which bastard destroyed my Qliphoth?!"

His eyes pierced through the horizon, where the eight other demon kings lived. "I camouflaged it so that gods couldn’t peer into its true nature before it reached maturity. A snitch? Unlikely... I lost my first and ultimate card, but it doesn’t matter."

He rose and walked to the window, peering through the distance to several humans, elven, dwarven, beast kins, and demonic armies numbering in the hundreds of millions. In their midst, giants, divine beasts, and past heroes sharpened their weapons and refined their skills, waiting for something. Or was it someone?

"Thank your lucky star for someone saved your realm, little imp. But don’t worry. Ball’s insidiousness knows no bounds, and I know you’ll soon escape the abyss only to throw yourself into my grasp."

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AN: Yes, the demonic altar was a trap since day 1. Who saw it coming? :D