Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

A flash of relief crossed their eyes before they narrowed to his shoulder and Sylvie.

BAM

The air rippled as Achilles struck his divine shield, the engravings of humanity, war, peace, and the cosmos coming to life under the shower of sparks.

"Get off our lord, goddess, or by the blood of heroes, you'll taste Achilles' wrath! And trust me, even Ares would cower before it."

Wu Kong followed up, his approach more subtle but as threatening.

"I don't know who you might be." Qi seeped from his eyes, and the shadow of a golden band flickered on his forehead. "But you might prefer to leave with your dignity intact." He shrugged, a sly grin as mischievous as hers curling on his lips. "Of course, you can decide not to heed my warm advice and learn that the heavens have an equal."

The lush forest echoed his threats and almost unsealed divine Qi. Birds took to the sky in horror, and the distant noise of beasts scrambling for their lives engulfed the place—a reaction amplified when Muramasa and Karna's eyes locked on Adam's missing hand and widened.

Ugly grimaces deformed their handsome faces, and their teeth sunk into their gums.

The strike was too debilitating and diminished his charisma as an undefeated lord. But more than that, their blood seethed like Achilles' and Wukong's and their hearts thumbed in regret. Someone had touched their good-hearted lord.

Abyssal and solar energies engulfed their figures, creating an inferno of dark and milky white that reached for the sky. Their fists tightened on their weapons, and their eyes burned. Yet, they didn't speak.

Finally, Ozymandias snorted at Mab's regal bearing, his arrogance not faltering even before deities.

"Such a big presence for someone so small. Are you the queen of ants and butterflies?"

He chuckled as the scent of heated sand permeated the forest. Golden grains condensed from his mana, roaring into a miniature sandstorm in his hand.

"Please, do not listen to these fools and resist. I'll send you on your way first to deliver a message to Ra: count your days before I replace you."

Before Adam could tell them he had struck a deal with her, Mab's icy yet elegant voice resounded.

"Delightfully charming puppies." The ground seemed to cool slightly as Mab spoke. "Bring a dozen more on your level, and you might last a second against winter's breath." Her eyes lingered on Wu Kong, subtle yet meaningful. "A monkey claiming to be heaven's equal? Intriguing. Hahaha! No, it might be true. But what can you do in five fleeting minutes, darling?"

She smacked her lips seductively, her sparkling eyes seeing through Wu Kong's state before she raised her hands in surrender.

"I yield to your presence, brave heroes. You defeated the fearsome Queen Mab without your unwavering courage." Then, she poked Adam's trembling cheek and pointed towards his territory. "Now that you've won this oh-so-epic battle, let us go home."

Everyone gazed at her, confused by the quick surrender, before Adam smiled at their staunch support. To think such mythical figures would gather to brave insurmountable dangers to rescue him. It filled him with warmth and a sense of fulfilment as he described what had happened in the crypt. He also asked Wu Kong to use his cloud to help him bring the undead carcasses back.

Unconvinced, they continued to glare at her, ready to strike at any movement on their silent march, but refrained from acting. After all, even if they were powerful mortals, it was too soon to fight a goddess. And Wu Kong understood it more than anyone else.

Her sharp analysis had struck him in the guts, though he hid it.

A steely glint flashed in his eyes as he understood that the stronger Adam became, the more threat he would face. In his weakened state, he could crush most in under five minutes, but then? He'll become as frail as a weak soldier. Him?

His smile faltered, tuning into a rare grimace as his fists tightened under his sleeves.

"No way." He muttered, his eyes locking on the spiritual Qi tower he had conveniently pushed to the back of his mind to have fun.

"I'll climb back to who I was and shatter this seal. Gods can't look down on me. I won't accept it!" He shook his head, his fingers tightening on his staff. "I'll leap above the gods this time. I'll teach them there is a sky above the sky called the monkey king!"

in this atmosphere of ambition and distrust, they stepped into the bustling town.

Humans and demons mingled like brothers and sisters under the setting sun. When they saw Adam's return, they paused and clapped.

He smiled at their eager faces, hiding his hand not to worry them until they reached his house.

The silence hung heavy for a second before Karna's lips twisted. He gripped Adam's left shoulder, a complex mask of guilt distorting his face.

"You trusted me." He started, his eyes darting between his hand and eyes. "But I failed you. I should have been stronger, more vigilant. It's my fault."

However, Adam raised his finger and shoved it before Karna.

"That's really what you think? It's your fault because you failed to defeat a goddess alone?" He rolled his eyes, yet the corner of his lips rose. "I'm not blaming you. No one will, and even if Mab pushed me, I lost my hand because of my own mistake."

He turned towards the door and waved at his mythical figures.

"But, hey! Didn't you say I should commit mistakes and learn from them? That's what I do, and trust me, I won't forget this lesson."

He shook his head as he entered, leaving a last sentence before closing the door.

"I'm grateful for your help, but I won't accept that you're burdening yourselves for mistakes I made. Raise your head and continue being the gentle teacher I complain to about Achilles' harsh training."

As the door closed behind his back, Achilles cast a meaningful glance at Karna's soft smile.

"So, you've been talking behind my back, huh?" He pointed towards the mountain. "How about a duel to settle it?"

Karna's smile broadened, reaching his eyes as he understood the blunt yet kind attention.

"There is no better way than to clear our minds. Lead the way!"

However, a question couldn't help but rumble in their minds as they separated and helped Sylvie settle.

How would Mab's and Tiamat's meeting go?