Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

Adam dismissed the fleeing soldiers with a curse, his gaze scanning the empty woods before he focused on his interface. A quick glance at his notifications confirmed his suspicions: a bunch of weaklings freshly summoned using the cores he had traded, and ranging from level one to five.

Clicking his tongue in displeasure at the betrayal, he seized the carpenter's trembling arm, moving his head in a silent command to ask him to follow. Returning to the camp, he nodded at the efficient dismantling of the walls.

"Carry everything back. Give the tents' fabrics to the imps."

Shihan condensed a shadow cart for the wood while the others pushed it.

Still, they would need an additional trip to secure everything.

After crossing his territory's borders and phasing through the ethereal walls, three notifications resounded in his ears.

[Lilia requests to become your subject.]

[Litia requests to become your subject.]

[Laura requests to become your subject.]

He accepted the three requests, forgetting about the bloodshed and the lord of the nine realms' backstabbing. Instead, his lips curled into a grin as he gazed at the three women walking behind him.

"Welcome to my territory. Follow me! I'll show you your accommodation."

He saw their eyes widen as his words registered now that they were his subjects.

'As I suspected. I need the carpenter to join me now!'

And what better way than to show him how fulfilling and fascinating life was here?

As his subjects returned to carry the rest, he guided them to the demonic altar towering in the village center and retrieved his goblin hut's blueprint.

While the human's pupils constricted at the menacing structure, light particles sparkled and danced around them before condensing into ten fresh huts.

"The others are all taken. So, you can each claim one as your own. Oh. Please inform the carpenter and tell him he'll understand me if he joins the territory."

The three young women gazed at him, confusion and joy mixing in their glowing eyes before they shared the news with the aged man.

DING

[Dimitris requests to become your subject.]

'Hehehe. I guess he slept on the cold, hard ground in the fool's territory.'

A satisfied chuckle echoed as Dimitris outstretched his callused hand, and his lips stretched into a warm smile.

"Greetings, oh revered demon lord. I used to be a carpenter in one of Demeter's realms. A lord summoned me, and you know about the rest."

He shook the man's hand, its rough texture reassuring him about his skills.

Once he retrieved his hand, Dimitris cracked his spine bones with a grimace.

"I can't believe that bastard forced me to sleep on the ground. Those youths have no respect for the old anymore!"

Then, he saw him wink, lips curling to reach his eyes.

"As long as you promise me a roof above my head and food to fill my stomach, I'll work for you."

"You'll have that and more. I value specialists and cruelly need a carpenter's expertise to build my facilities."

He retrieved his five new blueprints and handed them, heart hastening in anticipation.

"We also project to build a farm, but we might need the sawmill and carpenter workshop first now that you're here."

"Hmm. Wrong, little lord. You need the smithy first. No matter how good I'm, I can't work without tools."

Dimitris caressed his chin with amusement.

Despite the imp's size and demonic nature, he felt much more listened to than when he was with other humans.

Meanwhile, he frowned at the nickname.

"Sure, old Dimi. We'll focus on that and try to recruit a smith. In the meantime, can you teach your craft to whoever wants to learn?"

"Gagaga! I can't believe you're a demon! Send whoever wants to learn. Your character convinced me!"

[Dimitris' loyalty increased to 75]

A mischievous grin split his lips at the good news as he waved them goodbye and went to extract the wood and tents.

Meanwhile, Dimitris turned to the frizzled ladies.

"Listen, kids. You might think you're the most unlucky in this realm right now. But believe in this old man's eyes."

He pointed at his sparkling blue eyes and continued.

"I'm eighty-six this year and treated with nobles and ruffians alike. He might be a demon, but he genuinely wants to treat us as equals. See? he even left us without surveillance. You can brood, help him or join another territory whenever you want. Don't go to the other one in this forest, though, or you'll have a herniated disc in a few years.

Gagaga."

As his chuckles echoed, leaving the ladies confused by his quick assessment and confidence, he stepped into the warehouse. Though with difficulty, he retrieved rough stones to build a furnace.

Simultaneously, Adam slapped his leg, reading the notifications.

[Obtained: unit of wood x900.]

[Obtained: unit of linen fabric x300.]

[Obtained: unit of rough leather x30.]

[Obtained: bandit dagger x60.]

[Obtained: tier 1 core x90.]

[Obtained: Tier 2 core x1.]

But more than the resources, his eyes sparkled at the bandit leader's comfortable bed and warm fur blankets.

"I won't have to sleep on the ground because of Tiamat!"

His fist cut through the air and rose above his head in joy... only for a second.

"Oh! That's a nice bed, my dear contractor. You can get yours back while I take this one."

An icy shiver ran down his spine as the goddess' girlish voice echoed behind him. Like a rusted robot, his neck cracked as it turned, and his heart sank when he saw her proud figure.

'Let a man have some good sleep. I didn't even try it yet, you demon!'

"Hahaha. To think I spent my time contacting other deities to help you. I guess you don't want to know what they offered me."

She raised her palms upward, shook her head and sighed, expressing her fake disappointment.

"Who did you contact?"

He leaned forward, eyes alight with burning curiosity.

"Oh? Are you interested? Give me the bed first!"

'Sister, are we really negotiating divine help for a bed?'

"Shut up brat. I slept for ages in Marduk's prison. I want comfort now that I'm free!"

He rolled his eyes at her faked exasperation.

"I tried to get you the monkey, but Huang Di is a tough nut to crack. Instead, I got a favorable answer from Izanagi. He said he'll let you cheat with your ticket to get a Japanese mythical figure."

She swiped her flowing violet hair behind her shoulders.

"He said you can get Susanoo-no-Mikoto if you're lucky. If you're unlucky, Miyamoto Musashi and Minamoto no Yoshitsune are still strong contenders. Anyway, good luck and thank you for the bed!"

They both disappeared with a touch of her fingers, leaving him stunned into mutism amidst the trees.

'Susanoo? How?!'

An inner scream rumbled louder than a thunder strike as he remembered the legendary figure.

'He is an exiled god! The one who killed the demonic eight-headed snake! Indeed, he never returned to the divine realm after his deeds, but still.'

His heart hammered against his chest as hope shone brightly in his eyes.

'Even if I don't get him, Musashi is a human beast who never lost a duel, a strategist and an artist. Yoshitsune is strong, a brilliant general and strategist, too.'

Animated by a fierce passion and the gacha fever, he rocketed to the colossal Gate.

Yearning sparkling in his eyes, he pitched the ticket inside like a professional baseball player.

RUMBLE

The ground shook, and the sky darkened as vivid red flames swirled in the structure's frame when the ticked passed in.

A wave of terrifying heat blew his hair back, prickling his reinforced skin and making him sweat as he inhaled the sulfur wafting in the air. Loud clanging noises followed in an epic rhythm that shook his soul.

Yet, he remained steadfast, too excited by the obscured silhouette walking towards him to blink.

'My first mythological figure! It has to be an SSR draw!'

The thought rumbled in his mind as a leg wrapped in a loose-fitting pant crossed the fiery vortex.

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