Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

A broad chest clad in a comfortable cotton shirt and a worn leather apron emerged from the flames. Vigorous veins pulsed on the man's deceptively ripped arms, filling him with trepidation and hope.

The clanking intensified as flames condensed into flying katanas and hammers, obscuring the man's facial features for a second.

'Who is he?!'

The suspense killed him, and the rising temperature made his head spin, yet his focused eyes never wavered.

Finally, they collapsed, and the vortex disappeared, revealing a man in his twenties. His hazel eyes sparkled, and his silky black ponytail flew behind him with each determined step he took.

"Greetings, my lord."

The handsome man cupped his fists and bowed in a show of respect. Yet, his heart almost exploding in excitement, he opened the individual' status window to quench his curiosity.

Name: Muramasa

Race: Abyssal human (Mythical figure)

Affinity: Fire, demonic energy, darkness

Job: Demonic sword smith

Class: Craftsman

Loyalty: 80

LVL: 1

Exp: 0/20

HP: 20000/20000

Vitality: 1000

Strength: 1200

Agility: 1500

Demonic essence: 100000

"Too curious to wait, eh? I understand you."

Muramasa chuckled as if feeling him scrutinise his stat panel and continued without letting him time to recover from the shock.

"Yes, I'm the legendary swordsmith. Yes, my weapons are cursed, but not for the reason everyone thought about. In my search to create humanity's most exceptional blades, I sought demonic and abyssal ores since the gods were too petty to share some of theirs. Humans failed to control my masterpieces and called me a cursed smith in the end."

Muramasa shook his head, reminiscing about his past as Adam recovered.

"The legendary smith! It's even better than Musashi!"

He raised his palms in joy, jumping at the flustered man.

Their laughter echoed in unison, one of joy and the other of pride in an enlivening tune that filled the territory.

"Hahaha! Finally, a lord who discerns the indispensable support crafters provide to any city! Warriors are important, but what will they do without fine weapons and armors? We're the backbone of any power!"

"Indeed. It just so happens I need a smith! Want to take on the job and help me develop the territory? You can also take any number of disciples without fear. We're mostly demons for now."

He pulled back and outstretched his hand, eagerness stretching his lips in a satisfied smile.

"Sure. I can't promise you the strongest or most disciplined army, but I can't promise their gear's quality. The curse won't work on them either."

Muramasa shook his hand, smiled back and made him understand that the man was a passionate crafter more than anything. As long as he received his due respect and could strike melted iron, he would cooperate wholeheartedly.

'He won't tire out with his stats and can work with anything without leveling up. Still, I'll offer him to sit comfortably in the back when we return to farm some monstrous ants if he's interested.'

He nodded at the idea before telling him to find Dimitris if he wanted to oversee the forge's construction.

Finally, he checked on the demonic altar, noticing it rose higher in the sky and spewed more demonic energy than before. The quality felt better, too.

'It's nice that it evolves with my tier.'

With nothing else to do, he returned to his hut and prepared to sleep the rest of the night.

However, he had something to ask Tiamat first.

"Why isn't your name displayed on the chat interface?" He asked as he slipped into his old bed, gazing at the comfy fur covering the goddess in envy.

"Imagine what'll happen if Orus' contractor meet's Apep? It's the same with me. It'll just create unwanted attention and friction for you."

Her lazy voice echoed in the silent room, yet it warmed his heart to see her concern for him.

"I see. Thank you."

A soft mutter escaped his lips as he closed his eyes. Exhausted after the long day, he fell in a comfortable sleep.

[DING]

[Talent's daily use available. Use: Yes/No]

"Ugh. I won't organise night raids again."

Awakened by the notification at sunrise, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, his fangs glinting as he yawned in tiredness.

Unfortunately, he couldn't slack off.

"Tomorrow will be the grace period's last day. We have a lot to do to prepare."

He unwillingly pushed the linen sheet away and rose, then pressed yes and observed the spinning wheel.

After listening to the familiar needle rattling and hoping for an SSR draw, a notification resounded in his ears.

[Congratulations on obtaining a name change coupon!]

"Why would I need it for?! Geez, some items are just plain stupid..."

Honestly? He had no use for it... except if he wanted to walk on the cringe lord path and rename to something like 'The invincible Overlord.'

'I can't complain, though. The short sword I got yesterday is more than enough.'

He walked out, wishing Tiamat good morning on his way but not receiving an answer.

After a brief walk, he stepped into the neglected demon den and spent 105 units of stone and 175 of wood to raise its level to three.

"Appear incredible demon of the second tier!"

He chuckled as he pitched the bandit leader's core into the green pool of scalding liquid fire.

Unlike his expectation, crystal clear water bubbled and rose instead of burning flames. They condensed into an alluring blue silhouette before the demon's features appeared.

Locks of smooth, dark hair cascaded down a beautiful face.

Her eyes snapped open, revealing her azure pupils as her lips curled into a bright smile.

Water flowed down her slim waist, condensing into exotic clothes as accessories fixed her hair into a tight ponytail.

[Congratulations on summoning the tier-two uncommon demon from eastern mythology: The Oasis Djinn.]

He grinned at the message.

With her being in the second tier but standing at level one, she would rapidly become a powerful demon and even surpass the others.

"Greetings, my lord."

She kneeled before him, showing the same respect the others did.

"Welcome to my territory! I'll call you Ondine."

Helping her up, he felt the hydrated texture of her shoulder in amazement.

'Every lady will be jealous of her!'

With a chuckle, he continued.

"You came at the right time. We just upgraded the demonic altar and got ourselves a cook! Expect good food int the foreseeable future and claim a hut for yourself."

Ondine giggled in response, her eyes taking crescent shapes.

"I'll keep the territory's water clean and help in any defensive manoeuvre. Thank you for the name and care, my lord."

They left together before he knocked on Lilia's door and showed the sleepy lady the kitchen.

Then, he sat before the demonic altar and began absorbing energy as the other subjects emerged from their huts one after another and joined him.

Drawing experience from yesterday's success, he lowered his assimilation dramatically to feel the essence circle through his body. He remained focused even while eating, and three hours later, a notification resounded in his ears, causing his eyes to sparkle.

[Demonic essence increased by one.]

'The imps can evolve if they're as fast as me. But I think I can shorten the process even more now that the essence is purer.'

Despite his excitement, he stood up and walked away. He couldn't remain seated even if he wanted, and had to divide his attention to prepare for the eighth day. Therefore, he searched for Muramasa and Dimitris.

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