Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

"Artists?" He tucked his finger around his chin, his smile melting in delight. "The city's cultural diversity is sure to inspire incredible masterpieces."

He imagined statues melding all these ancient civilisations' techniques towering before parks. Sumptuous paintings hanging on the walls to steal an awed breath from the visitors.

Who said art was useless? On the contrary, it was a crucial aspect of a nation's power.

'Even more, since I don't want to turn everyone into soldiers.' He chuckled. 'Building the castle will quick-start my soft power development and further inspire my citizens.'

Eager to start its construction despite the steep price, he put the blueprint in his pouch and focused on the last one.

Undead power core

Introduction:

Using the heart of an awakened undead who calls death with its very wishes, a skilled enchanter can craft an undead power core.

Unlike its misleading name, it feeds on the energy of the dead and lingering resentment to replenish its energy, cleaning the air of negativity.

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Effect:

Power source:

Acts like a generator to fuel colossal structures' daily operations and enchantments.

Materials required:

Heart of the Undead, 200 darkness gems, 5 units of siren's hair, a tier six conductor, 100 units of amethysts, and an advanced enchanter.

His eyes widened as they darted to the shrivelled heart neatly displayed on one of the shelves.

"Hogni..." His voice, a grateful whisper, overwhelmed his eagerness for a second. "Thanks for the gift, buddy."

Then, he forgot about the valiant draugr as his hand plunged into the chest. It was like delving into a dragon's angry maw. Smooth, cold gems, rough ancient bones, and soft carpets folded into neat stacks slipped past his fingers.

With the feeling came the hovering notifications.

[Obtained: unit elven carpet x20.]

[Obtained: units of darkness attuned bones.x200.]

[Obtained: unit of balor bones x200.]

[Obtained: unit of darkness gems x200.]

[Obtained: unit of water gems x50.]

With a satisfied nod, he took out two carpets for him and Tiamat before turning to a glistening corner on the shelves. Excluding the fiery ones reserved for the heretic's guild and the 200 for the power core, he grinned at 220 elemental gems available.

"I'll start building the castle as soon as Ozymandias finishes the obelisk. And our 13 new friends will be critical to hasten the construction!"

He took determined steps to the exit, whistling an epic tune on his way to the nearby demon den.

The cold inside made him shudder as sulfur and frost melded in his nose. But he endured the feeling and scrutinised the spatial tear in the pool of liquid fire and ice.

Without hesitation, he took his pitcher's stance, since it had become a ritual at this point, and hurled the 130 tier-four cores he had gathered.

As they splashed and drew circles into the icy part, the spatial tear stirred and widened to let Hrimgar's colossal figure appear.

Pipe in hand, his powerful voice thundered in amusement as he observed Adam's figure.

"Already back to summon thirteen Jotuns, little friend?"

Icy sweat dripped down Adam's back as he saw the colossus's fist pass through the tear to collect the cores. He felt so small, so insignificant when standing in front of it. Doubt had no place. If Hrimgar had bad intentions, he would die crushed like an ant.

A heavy sigh followed, the weight of his weakness sinking on his shoulders as he pondered.

'I'll reduce my training with Karna until I build the heretic's guild. I'll catch up on my flame mastery in the blink of an eye once it's complete.'

A furrow creased his brows as Hrimgar retrieved and threw the cores into the fragment of Élivágar. But his figure, an incarnation of raw might and frost energy, still chilled his blood—a hateful sensation.

'Anyway, the second event will start soon. I must rush to the fifth tier and reap the rewards.' A furrow creased his brows. 'I don't know about the evolution requirement, but even if I meet them, time's too short.'

As he pondered, Hrimgar's ancient chant caused Jotunheim's air to crack. The fuming pond rippled and stirred, each drop leaving frost marks on the cracks before it devoured the cores like a ravenous beast.

Then, a splash, a thunderous rumble, and a terrifying wave of frost crashed over Adam, shattering his thoughts and forcing him to leap on the den's fiery part by instinct.

Cowering under the semblance of protection he found, he observed a Jotun's birth in trepidation.

A hand, almost the size of his walls, emerged, then an arm as tall as a forest tree. Muscles chiselled on frost throbbed to life as the creature pressed on the ground to extirpate the rest of its body.

Shoulders, chest, and head before the lower parts followed, they all emerged in graceful horror to any shorter creature.

Though looking like a child compared to Hrimgar, the new Jotun still towered at a whooping twenty meters. But it was only the beginning.

Twelve others followed, each as fierce as the first one, and their gender didn't affect the awe and eagerness he felt.

He shook his head, a vicious smirk creeping on his face.

'The more scared of them I'm, the more my enemies will tremble! They're true natural monsters, living beings we have little chance to defeat in a contest of might.' His voice shattered through his thoughts, unable to be suppressed. "Come! My new subjects!"

Hrimgar chuckled and pointed at Adam.

"He's your new lord. Obey and protect him at any cost." His voice lowered, a whisper Adam failed to catch. "Loki has everything planned, and our rise will soon come."

Face stern, they nodded and walked toward Adam.

Each of their steps caused a cloud of ice to swirl around them as they passed through tear. They swam in the frozen pool, their pale blue skin glinting under the frost that clung to them, before emerging in front of Adam.

Simultaneously, Hrimgar closed the tear behind them, leaving a last sentence.

"They're loyal but don't test their limits too much. Anger management is something Jotuns never learn. Since we're done, until next time, little friend."

But Adam didn't listen. Instead, his heart drummed in his ears as he studied the giants and felt the blast of hair blowing his hair as they knelt in front of him.