Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

Days passed as the population of Foliaris learned to know the demons. From stumbling on their shaky legs each time they crossed paths during the first week, they now nodded and offered them heartfelt words of gratitude.

The organised duos patrolling day and night had made them feel safer than they ever had under Xanthikos' rule, fostering a sense of closeness to the demons they never thought possible. But their smiles and genuine inquiries warmed their hearts daily.

How could they not open up when the demons put so much effort into making their lives a dream?

However, a few disgruntled individuals disagreed with the general feeling of acceptance and still regarded demons as hateful beings. Therefore, they jumped to report everything to the kingdom's investigation team the moment it stepped into the city, unaware they danced in the palm of their hands.

And after twelve days of peace, Shadow appeared in the palace's throne room.

Renovated to fit the new rulership, he observed the broad table replacing the bronze throne and Garduck, Morwen, Zephyr, and Kyriakos, who leaned over a map of the surroundings.

Noticing his arrival, they nodded and gestured for him to join them.

He walked to them, picked up red wooden pieces, and reported the situation.

"Two thousand soldiers are marching on us from the north." He placed the first on the map. "They left Thalassara an hour ago and should reach us in half a day."

He placed a second piece, continuing.

"Asterionis almost sent its entire army, counting five thousand veteran soldiers and hunters. They'll reach us in four hours." He added two more pieces and frowned. "The other two armies come from the west. Judging by their exhaustion, they should have travelled for a day. They count five and six thousand fully equipped soldiers. They're also pulling magical cannons and other siege weapons. "

Blood drained from Kyriakos' face as he grumbled.

"Eighteen thousand. We have no chance to win! Why did you send the elves away last week?"

"Because they're more useful elsewhere." Garduck shrugged. "We have the advantage with our fortification and mana barrier. The djinns will decimate their troops, but..."

He tapped his fingers on the table, the rhythmic noise echoing in the silent room.

Then, he and the other demons chuckled.

"Most won't reach us alive, nor will they find a place to return." He shoved white pieces on the roads leading to Foliaris. "How did our lord call this? Hit and run? Anyway, we'll harass them until their number becomes manageable. By the way, when is Ifrit arriving?"

"He's already here and crying about not finding criminals to torture. Want me to fetch him?"

"I'm curious about his new looks, but I'll see him on the walls." Garduck shook his head and added white pieces on Asterionis and Thalassara. "By tonight, we'll have deprived Oikos of the east in the name of our lord!"

"For our lord!" The others echoed his words, shocking Kyriakos with their unwavering devotion to this man. Honestly, he also felt it, although the delayed meeting made him tremble with impatience at night.

"For our lord." He repeated, his shy voice making the others smile.

Despite the imminent war, they winked at him and walked together to the walls to organise the soldiers.

Meanwhile, Zane, Victoria, Sarah, and Silas rolled their shoulders and sneered at the dust raised by the marching army.

Hidden by the roadside, their twenty lieutenants unsheathed their blades or called for their elements as they gave the same commands.

"Focus the mages and archers. We fight for a minute, then flee! Let's drive those fools crazy with our mischievousness!"

Unfazed by the crushing numerical disadvantage, the lieutenants' fingers tightened around their blades. Excitement flashing in their eyes, they waited until the army's front passed by. Then?

Flames, lightning, and wind roared as the djinns unleashed their wrath upon the unsuspecting mages.

The melee fighters surged forward in a tight formation, their blades drawing scarlet arcs in the air.

Shocked and consumed by spells, the back line cried in agony as humans died by the dozen each second.

Alerted by the commotion, agonising wails, and the stench of burning flesh, the frontline halted and rushed to support their companions, their outraged cries reverberating. Yet, they found only the backs of their fleeing aggressors and hundreds of corpses.

"Hunt them down!" The soldiers roared, the humiliation of losing so many people without even putting up a fight unbearable.

However, the Western armies' generals reclaimed control over their men and resumed their march east with double the vigilance.

As for the disorganised Northern and Southern armies? They just demonstrated how right Adam had been in emphasising discipline and formation.

That was the only word echoing in the survivors' minds as they stepped over thousands of burned or dismembered carcasses. Even as they fled and didn't hear any pursuer, they trembled like battered leaves each time they replayed the insidious strategy.

When they were packed, the enemies ran. But when the slightest gap formed during their pursuit, they stopped to kill hundreds before scrambling again. The worst part? The frustration and helplessness compelled them to continue.

Fortunately, they'd soon return to their city's safety and drown this horrible experience under liters of alcohol.

However, their legs buckled, and their dreams faded a few hours later. Instead of the expected relief, only more nightmares assaulted them as they collapsed to the ground and watched the smoke rising from their cities. Read exclusive adventures at empire

What was happening? Who attacked them? They didn't know but dreaded to find the answer.

Meanwhile, Achilles sat on the throne in Asterionis' palace, smirking at the dead lord and the fifteen hundred elves and five hundred demons who accompanied him in this conquest.

Similarly, Merlin inspected Thalassara's warehouse for useful magical items, the former lord's carcass lying at his feet.

Finally, Shadow reported everything to Garduck, making him smirk.

"That's what happens when you let ego speak. Hahaha! My lord is the best! Give up, Oikos dogs."

He clenched his fists at the eight thousand men gathering a kilometer away from Foliaris—the remains of what should have been a terrifying army.

Their cannons and ranged fighters were gone, leaving a group of sword and spearmen who would never shatter their defenses.

Yet, they couldn't retreat either. Not because shame burned them for losing against a mere twenty ambushers but because they terrorised them. Travelling thousands of kilometers back? Never!

He leaned over the tall walls' railing and roared for the form as the magical cannons rumbled with mana, while the djins summoned fire, lightning, wind, earth, and water in a canvas of blinding colors.

"Are you surrendering?"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

A man mounted on a brown horse snapped his head in his direction. Face distorted in rage and hands trembling against his bloodied armor, he yelled back.

"Fuck you and your strategies! We'll never surrender to insidious bastards like you!"

His soldiers almost cried before one decided that enough was enough. Without regard for discipline, he threw his sword on the ground and thundered.

"Die on your own, foolish general! All the deaths are on your hands. You're the one who failed to command us properly!"

"Execute this traitor!" The general barked, blood draining from his face. But it was too late.

Instead of heeding his command, more soldiers dropped their weapons and pierced him with defiant glares.

Then, one of them lunged out of nowhere. His sword glinted under the sun as it cleaved the wind and the general's head cleanly.

Meanwhile, Ifrit wailed on the walls as the humans voiced their surrender.

"Nooo! Why did I take ten days to evolve if I can't burn anyone?! Refuse Garduck!"

His fiery voice reverberated, and the flames crowning his head burst skyward in disappointment.

Garduck slapped the wall in amusement.

"Rush to the north. You might find a bunch of pirates to play with if you're fast enough."

Ifrit's eyes sparkled as his body condensed into a blazing flame. Like a spear hurled by Achilles, he darted into the distance, disappearing in a heartbeat.

Finally at ease, Garduck asked the humans to approach the walls. With the cannons ready to fire at the slightest provocation, he sent a team of a hundred demons to confiscate their weapon and bind them before he leapt down and smiled.

"Welcome to the new Foliaris. You'll have to pass a little test if you want to stay with us. If you don't..." he snickered, letting a tense silence settle before continuing. "I'd suggest not to try this route. But, hey! You're all big guys. I can't choose for you."