Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest-Chapter 326: The Clock is Ticking

Adam scrutinised Mab, his eyes narrowing. He knew this was her way to repay him for the Yggdrasil, but her unpredictability made her too dangerous to follow without insurance. Still, her solution was perfect and somewhat safe since she would fight Oberon herself.

He raised a finger, his voice firm. "I want independence for my city. In fact, the furthest it is from the fairies, the better."

"You can just say from me." Mab waved her hand dismissively. "Anything else?"

"As long as you don’t interfere or threaten the citizens directly or indirectly, no." Adam shook his head.

Mab clapped her hands, her size shortening. She flapped her wings and sat on his head with a chuckle. "You have my words. Now, end your meeting so we can depart."

Adam nodded at the wary generals, then gestured at their toppled seats. Once they took back their places and recovered from Mab’s disruption, he continued, his features grave and his voice solemn.

"Most will accompany her, but it doesn’t change my original plans. Garduck, you chased a wild dream... No, a unique destiny. The time to fulfil it is long overdue. Come with me on this journey."

Without hesitation or questions, Garduck shot to his feet and bowed, his eyes sparkling and his heart drumming in his ears. "It’ll be an honor to stride the wilds by your side as we did in the past. Count on me."

Adam nodded and threw him the replica of Balmung. Then, he turned toward Bart.

"I don’t want to isolate you, Bart, but... You have a loving family and young children now." He closed his eyes, unwilling to put him at risk. "Investigate Maven’s whereabouts and bring him back if possible."

Noticing Bart’s twisted lips and unresigned expression, he sighed and explained a little more. "Death herself will follow in our footsteps, waiting for us to slip up to claim our souls. Garduck comes because he needs it, but you don’t. So, enjoy the calm a little longer because, trust me, a storm is approaching, and none of us is ready to face its consequences yet."

As his words hung heavy in the tent, Shihan locked her fingers with Bart’s and raised his chin tenderly. "Don’t feel down. They need to infiltrate some dangerous place." She sized his bulging muscles and red skin with a playful smile. "You have many talents, and I love you, but I wouldn’t pick you either."

Bart grumbled under his breath, his brows twitching. "I can infiltrate places, too..."

Yet he knew it wasn’t true. His presence alone would draw many eyes. The noise of his heavy steps was hard to muffle, and even if his temperament mellowed over the years, a single disrespectful word to Adam would meet his righteous anger. No, he wasn’t the right man for the job, like most of the generals.

Returning Shihan’s tender gaze, he nodded. "I’ll tour the less dangerous realms first. I’ll discover Maven’s trail no matter what."

Adam pushed himself off his seat and smiled. "Thank you for understanding. You’ll have better chances to find him after we fetch Ifrit."

Then, he retrieved two matching legendary daggers he had gotten a few years ago and handed them to the wide-eyed kids. "Take them. I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun discovering new places and cultures, but listen to your father and uncle Ifrit, alright?"

Noah nodded like a hen as he gripped the dark blue sheath and felt the thorn-like golden guard. A wide grin split his face the next second as he rushed to his parents and unsheathed the sparkling blade. "Look, look! Uncle recognised me as a warrior!"

Maria followed closely behind, her long silver hair flowing behind her, and her face flushed with excitement. "He gave us weapons like he gave you your first axe, papa!"

Bart ruffled their hair before Shihan chuckled. "And what do we say when we receive a gift?"

"Thank you!" They both raised their hands in delight.

Yet Adam shook his head. "Don’t thank me yet." With a wave of his hand, he summoned the weapon crate from his magic cube and kicked the lid open.

"Forged by Muramasa, Sylas, and Elena. Pick what you need, arm the soldiers with the rest." His eyes narrowed. "The clock is ticking, so let’s move out."

As the generals gasped at the sheer quantity, he moved to Muramasa, who had been waiting by the entrance with Mimi. Achilles was strangely gone, though. But he shrugged his absence since he wasn’t needed for now.

"Lead me to Durgrim. I’ll drop my materials there, then leave."

Muramasa nodded, but Mimi shook her head, and her voice trembled.

"You just returned yesterday. Take a month... At least a week to rest. I know you’re determined, but..." She bit her lip, hesitating. "I-I worry for your mental health. Please recover a semblance of normal life before anything." freёnovelkiss.com

"I can’t stop." Adam clenched his jaw, his eyes glowing with hatred as he clutched his god slayer’s hilt. "I took it as a game when we reincarnated in these strange realms. Now, it’s personal. The gods and demon kings toyed too much with my life and those I care for. I won’t stop until I obliterate them all. Time waits for no one, Mimi and some gods transcended its very concept."

Mimi’s eyes blurred as her answers caught in her throat. Between the cheating during both events, their unfair interference in mortal affairs, cross-pantheon alliances and offering of mythical figures to kill him, and the ten years’ banishment in the abyss, what could she say that wouldn’t sound fake?

Still, she couldn’t help but cry silently as she guided him. That’s not what she wanted for the big brother she admired. How good would it be to see him as happy as when he reunited with her and his generals daily?

"I need to help him," she muttered, clenching her fists. But how?

Though she became an arcanist as powerful as Garduck under Karna’s regular tutelage, she felt so insignificant compared to his goal.

As a deep furrow creased her brows, Adam patted her lowered head. "I thought a lot about you during my exile. Everyone from earth turned against me but you. I just want to see you happy."

Unaware of how deeply his actions affected her, he offered her a radiant smile before he moved to the bald dwarf barking orders before a tent.

"You bastards! Didn’t I tell you the lord will come today? Do you want to shame me with this disorganised mess?!" He kicked a dummy draped in ceremonial armor that looked more like a piece of jewelry than a war tool.

Adam chuckled as he saw the pale assistants scramble to carry his orders.

He leaned over the dwarf, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "I’m sure the lord would dislike that pompous armor."

Durgrim snapped his reddened face up. "Finally, someone who understands. What would he do with parade trinkets? No! He needs those light armor allowing swift movements..."

He paused, a frown creasing his brows. Who was that handsome, ashen-skinned demon, and why did he answer so readily? Something felt familiar...

His eyes enlarged as he saw his old buddy, Muramasa, wave at him from behind. "That voice! My lord! Even if you changed, your handsomeness should have rung a bell faster!"