Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

They moved as one, using the noise to locate their swift enemy and the water resistance to glimpse at its blurring tenebrous chitin and 2.5-meter frame.

Powered by their full force, the strikes descended with appalling speed, displacing air in their wake as they closed on the ant general's face.

CRASH

Three loud crashes reverberated at the tunnel's entrance as pained grimaces twisted their lips, and a tremor travelled through their weapons and numbed their arms.

His eyes enlarged through the pain, just in time to witness in horror a split open rocky wall that shouldn't have been there, and dark claws flashing to Bart's broad chest.

Instantly, dread's icy finger wrapped around his heart as he gritted his teeth and assessed this powerful enemy.

'It can use energy better than Shihan!'

Despite their coordinated attack and powerful strikes, he noticed how their adversary didn't bat an eye. Instead, it conjured mana to protect itself in a breath and launched a devastating counter-attack.

However, a cruel smirk split his lips.

"We fight as one!"

Echoing Ifrit's rumbling roar, a fiery arm collapsed on the chitinous forearm, pushing the claws off course with brute might and burning their surface.

"Tch. I owe you one."

Bart growled as his muscles tightened in annoyance. They almost burst out of his skin as adrenalin and demonic essence flared through his veins. With a feral snarl, he swung his ax in a vengeful arc, the blade hissing through the acrid air.

Simultaneously, a calculative glint flashed in Garduck's eyes.

He crouched low, gripping his dark cleaver tightly. Like a panther, he lunged for the creature's legs.

"Divide its attention by attacking different parts of its body!"

A steely glint flashed in Adam's eyes as his powerful stomp echoed in the tunnel and his short sword glinted. With a fierce exhale, it whistled in a silver blur to separate the general's left arm.

SCREECH

An angry sound whipped their hair back as the general reacted with reflexes that left them dazed.

Instead of blocking, it shattered their expectations and blurred backwards, evading the lethal strikes.

'Not good.'

He scanned the creature, noticing the mockery dancing in its eyes as the situation's gravitas settled in.

The general's speed overwhelmed them, making retreat impossible. They had to defeat it. But how? It could conjure earth constructs to protect itself, not to mention they couldn't touch it.

Thoughts raced through his mind, assembling and dismantling ideas to turn the tables. Brute strength wouldn't work. They needed a solid strategy to immobilise it. But considering the intelligence it showed, simply lunging to take it down wouldn't work.

As he pondered, the creature moved into action, raising a gust of wind by him and making his heart sink.

"It's targeting the rear line! Protect Shihan and Ondine at any cost!"

'Shit, shit, shit.'

He turned to stop it, cursing inwardly.

Asna and Puck moved before the two women like bodyguards as Ondine conjured a water veil swirling before them in a flowing barrier.

Yet, amidst the lethal dangers, Shihan's trembling fists tightened, her face hardened, and an inferno of defiance burned in her eyes.

"For the lord!"

Her valiant cry reverberated as her slender legs stomped the ground.

Propelled forward, she abandoned her safe position and charged at the smirking creature, her flowing, dark hair fluttering behind her.

His heart almost exploded, and his pupils constricted in fear as he pushed his feet to move faster.

"No, Shihan, go back!"

Yet, she didn't heed his command, knowing as much as him that only doom awaited them against an enemy they couldn't see.

Instead, she would help everyone survive, even at the cost of her life.

"Demons aren't inherently evil! We can be good, too!"

She roared her convictions, demonic essence flaring in her green eyes as a shadow sphere encased her and the insect the moment it crossed the water veil.

"Stop! Please, stop!"

His eyes watered, and his vision blurred as the tunnel's shadows swirl and solidify into long blades. Like a halo, they surrounded the sphere as his mind raged.

Warm tears rolled down his cheeks. Even if he knew what would follow, he couldn't accept it. Shihan couldn't die. She was his first subject, a pillar of support, and the one who trusted him the most.

Against his hopes and dreams, the swords glinted with their conjuror's determination.

They pierced the shadow sphere, emerging from the other side and dripping blood. The soft gasp of pain and the crunching chitin left no doubt about the damage they caused. But he couldn't rejoice. Not when it was Shihan's.

He roared in agony, his heart throbbing painfully in his chest as the sphere dissipated, revealing the wounded ant general and the sprawled Shihan.

SCREECH

The creature's eyes, filled with primal rage, locked onto her pale skin, painted scarlet. Gashes riddled her body in a show of horror.

Yet, its legs trembled and its mandibles spewed transparent blood as it took a step to devour the smiling fool who dared to sacrifice herself in vain.

"Where do you think you're going?"

A voice as cold as an icy tundra reverberated its owner's rage and suppressed sorrow before all hell broke loose.

Dark, chaotic, demonic energy consumed Adam's short body. The acrid stench of acid retreated, overwhelmed by tangs of salt water. His muscles bulged, thick veins snaking on them as his mouth opened wide.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?!"

The enraged roar blasted air and sent his subjects crashing into the walls as his fingers dug into his palms.

Demonic essence flooded his veins to answer his emotions, boosting his already powerful body to a terrifying level as he crouched like a demonic predator out for blood.

In a wrathful blur of dark and green, he appeared before the wounded ant general.

"DIE!"

His fingers cracked and closed into a trembling infernal fist. The air's moisture evaporated in billowing steam, and dark flames howled in its descent towards the hateful enemy.

The ant's eyes widened in shock as the fist approached him. With inhuman speed, he erected a thick rocky wall between them, already planning its counter-attack to end the loud idiot who disturbed its vengeance.

However, its insect eyes trembled the next second.

SHATTER

Like a comet, his fist crashed on the rock, consuming it in fire and continuing unimpeded towards its target.

CRACK

The crunching of chitin echoed and a shock wave blasted air as his fist met the creature's face. Dark fragments flew everywhere as the ant's body launched from the ground, and its iron-like mandibles shattered.

BOOM

Under the subjects' trembling eyes, the creature collided with the wall, raising a cloud of dust, dissipated by their lord's enraged figure charging in.

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