Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

He understood the eldritch's gems' purpose: fuel its towering body.

With this knowledge, he landed on the ground and lunged again.

The creature tried to match him, but his instincts were sharper, his mobility better, and his mind focused on a single goal—the second flame was his.

As slippery as an eel, he slid under the whistling arm. He sprang upward, his blade glinting toward the creature's other shoulder.

CRACKn/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Another gem shattered, the limb falling limp.

He kicked the shoulder, a scarlet whirlwind descending.

The noise of metal scraping against metal filled the racetrack. Sparks flew everywhere as his blade collided with the golden tendrils like a chainsaw. But more importantly, he ravaged the gems on the creature's torso.

The speed of his assault might have given the impression of ease, but the truth was far different. The creature's durability and strength far surpassed his, and his advantages would have vanished had he continued to use spells. To compare it with games, this eldritch was a tank that strengthened itself by absorbing his adversaries' flames.

Each narrow dodge made him shudder. The whistles of its blade-like fingers grated at his ears, reminding him that a single misstep or doubt was all it would take for his head to roll on the ground.

Knowing the risks, he chipped at the remaining gems, further debilitating the giant for five minutes.

He now smirked at its torso, groaning and trembling like rusted metal. The four threatening arms just cascaded down the slumped shoulders while one of the legs limped to the brazier.

CRASH

The ground rumbled as the eldritch's torso covered it.

It raised its head slightly, its lips curled into a vicious smile

"Is that all, cowardly thief? Do you think these insignificant wounds will even register in my endless existence? So close to grasping victory, yet destined only for despair. How fitting."

But Adam was anything but a fool. Since the creature could absorb his flames, couldn't it do the same with the brazier's? IT was buying time, and he had to kill it before it recovered!

Without wasting a second, he dashed on its back. He scanned the golden tendrils arranged like a chainmail, selected one gap, and rammed his blade through the narrow opening.

A clang echoed first, then ten, then a hundred.

The gap slowly widened under his effort, but the creature grew larger with each second crawling by. He gritted his teeth, picking up the faint trembles of its arms amidst its taunting laughter.

As he felt wind brush his hair, he bit on his blade's pommel and thrust his hands into the gap he had just created.

"You won't! HUMPH!"

His veins bulged in his arms, and his face reddened as he pulled the tendrils with all his strength.

With a metallic groan, they parted to reveal flesh as dark as a black hole that throbbed with power.

But he felt no relief, only urgency—the four arms were about to dice him.

"RAHH!"

Instead of dodging, he shoved his head down with a war cry. The blade between his teeth pierced down, passing through the widened gap.

"ARGH!" The creature's agonising roar shattered his eardrums, blood trailing down his neck.

With a grunt, he released the pommel and dove beneath the creature's flailing limbs.

BAM

Claws crashed on the creature's back, a razor-sharp nail digging a long gash into his back.

He barreled on the ground, blood covering his tracks as the creature shrieked as if it was feeling the worst pain it ever had.

A sneer escaped his lips as he struggled to rise and gazed at the horror who had thought itself smarter than him.

"How does it feel to drive my blade into your organs with your own hands?"

His eye trailed to the smoldering hole beneath the creature—where his blade had disappeared after the violent impact. After all, it had strengthened itself immensely by absorbing the flames. Even its armored back had caved in, all according to his plan.

Meanwhile, the creature cursed him like Baal Peor had until its voice weakened into an ominous murmur.

"I'm just a discarded body, a failed product who didn't adapt to the abyss. But don't worry. My real self will find you soon." Its eyes blazed with ridicule. "Everything in this world belongs and shall return to me. Hahaha!"

"Take a ticket and wait for your turn, then." He rolled his shoulders, the joints popping as his wounds closed shut. "I'll send you and the gods to the same place."

He watched the eldritch draw its last breath before he absorbed its demonic essence.

[Six thousand units of abyssal essence converted to chaotic, demonic essence.]

Then, he summoned and engulfed its body in his magic cube.

Like with Baal Peor, a dark aureole that had been hidden inside its elongated face refused to enter the storage. Instead, it condensed into a dark ring and clanged with the ground.

After he picked it up, he checked his kill notification.

[You have defeated the tier 7 level 90 boss: Eldritch horror born from Ploutiel's discarded body. You have gained 10.000.000 experience points.] Read exclusive chapters at empire

"Level eighty-three," he muttered as he distributed his stat points, a conflicted frown creasing his brows.

Being stuck on the seventh tier and fifth evolution felt bad. But his confidence wavered when he saw how resilient these eldritch were. How could he kill a tier eight one alone?

'I hope the next ones are still of the seventh tier. I'll have better chances if I absorb their demonic essence.'

His eye trailed to another notification, a soft smile curling on his lips.

[Congratulations on gathering twenty thousand units of demonic essence. Sixth evolution available.]

But he swiped it close for now. After all, why had he fought this monstrosity if he didn't claim the golden flame?

Eager steps echoed as he walked to the brazier and shoved his palms inside. Instead of scalding heat, an inviting warmth welcomed him before the flames crackled and swirled to the crevices on his right arm and shoulder.

After a sharp pain assaulted him, his chaotic body assimilated them like the ember as profound knowledge filled his brain. However, his pupil constricted, and his mouth dropped in disbelief this time.

As if to confirm he wasn't wrong, a notification burst before his eyes.

DING

[You've assimilated the Remnant: The Flame of Avarice. You passively devour ambient photons and heat to enhance your flames' powers. Energy base damage doubled. Mastery over high-energy fires achieved.]