Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest-Chapter 387: The Blink Discovery

As days blurred by, runes became more than a mystical alphabet. A language Adam could understand, letters he could align to form concepts and bring out natural mystical effects. That’s what he could glimpse after a few months.

Even if he didn’t want to downplay his efforts, his fast progress wasn’t the result of his wits and talent alone. Instead, his left eye shone a calm blue each time he manipulated magic as if it already knew everything and he held it back.

Bathed for uncountable years in Mimir’s well, Odin’s eye had stored oceans of knowledge. It was still there. He just couldn’t access it, to his displeasure.

"You were too weak when you devoured it, but unlocking what it holds is possible... if you’re willing to pay the price."

Mimir’s words had vexed him after he sought his help. Why would he pay anything when he could learn? Even when Mimir answered, he did it while rolling his eyes meaningfully: not worth it.

He agreed. Knowledge without strength would be a fleeting solution of no consequence on the cosmic war he would launch. ’I prefer to discover knowledge myself, anyway.’

Comforted by the wisest living being, he plunged back into his painful studies. Runes worked after he imbued energy in them, but his aim was the opposite. The challenge stumped him for another couple of months.

He ended up drawing runes inside his veins to imbue his energy before it emerged. When he thought he was on the right track and showed it to Mab, it only garnered him a disdainful snort from her.

"Inefficient, amateurish, and incredibly lacking in finesse. Not to mention, the effects are delayed enough for any keen god to capitalise on this weakness. Understand the runes. Make their intrinsic powers yours. Then, forget they ever existed. Your will is what matters—what can bend rules and influence reality."

There was indeed a minimal delay. The energy had to travel through the runes before manifesting. Pretentious court dolls like Titania might not notice, but the lightning-fast Zeus or magical monsters like Odin? He might as well write suicide with the runes and be done before he suffered too much.

Understanding his mistake, he followed Mab’s advice and resumed training. This time, he focused on his spatial sub-affinity. Folding space instinctively helped a lot, but he found it too diminutive for such a cosmic element.

On the other hand, plasma filled its role perfectly without requiring any changes since it was a volatile force of destruction he already influenced with the devils’ remnants he had absorbed.

After many failures, he clenched his fists, his scarlet and blue eyes sparkling as he watched a distortion slice space, then rocks with a low hum.

CLAP CLAP

Hovering above a boulder five times her size, Mab clapped her hands with a genuine smile. She ran her fingers on the precise crevice that split the stone with a nod. "Congratulations on developing your first spell!"

Deafened by his heart’s eager beats, Adam raised his nose in pride. "Not bad, right? And that’s just the beginning, now that I grasped the trick. What should I develop next? A spatial portal to cross realms sounds good."

Mab flew before him, her purple eyes locking with his for a second. She shook her head, torn between praise and urgency, before choosing the latter. "You only have two weeks. Forget about utility and focus on the basics." She raised four fingers, then lowered one. "Your plasma covers offense. Therefore, defense, movement, and scouting."

He frowned briefly, then nodded. Others could already open portals for him, so it was not a priority. Still, he kept the idea in a corner of his mind for later as he tucked his fingers around his chin.

"I have an idea about defense. Movement... my flame-based plasma can’t compete with Zeus’ lightning."

Mab cut him, shrugging. "Before you mention it, learning to control electromagnetic fields to convert your plasma into lightning is precious time wasted. Even if success itself knocks on your door to offer help, you can’t bridge the mastery difference. No, Adam. You don’t have to contend with well-established gods’ strengths when you have your own."

Adam’s frown deepened at her wise words. But what could he do when she hinted that plasma wouldn’t help? Space folding? He still needed to cross it. Enemies would also focus on his exit point after the first use, making it dangerous to use in high-speed battles.

’Hmm. This annoying teacher mentioned my strengths, but knowing her, it’s another cryptic allusion... Not element, nor authorities, knowledge? She knows much more than me unless...’

His eyes widened, memories of his gaming experiences reemerging. The answer was there—it had always been.

Images of game avatars manipulating gravity with a snap of their fingers flashed in his mind before he locked on a particular skill. "Blink!"

Speed wouldn’t matter, not when he could bypass the universe’s limit by teleporting with a single thought. Of course, he would need to calculate his adversaries’ speed, trajectories, and movements to use this ability both offensively and defensively, but it was nothing he couldn’t figure out with his sharpened focus and instincts.

Satisfied with this idea, he continued to ponder the next spells.

His eyes brightened at memories of spatial defenses using gravity and scouting, using temperature differences akin to a serpent’s infrared vision.

A grin stretched across his face. Two weeks. It felt impossibly short. Yet, the path ahead was clearer than ever.

He nodded at Mab, who returned him a rare, charming smile. Even if her persona wouldn’t allow her to say it out loud, her reactions and help made him feel her pride in his progress. After her tyrannical expectations and training, of course.

"Thank you for everything, sadistic fairy."

Mab winked. "Don’t thank me yet. I have a reputation to uphold, and we still have two weeks. How about a dodge-the-lightning mini-game? You die if you let one hit you, of course."

Somehow, he didn’t see her pride anymore, only that sadistic grin and the promise of painful days. But who was he?

He leaned forward, pulling toward his chest in pure provocation. "Bring it on! I’ll blink so fast, you’ll shiver even in your sleep."