Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

Awoken by Achilles' urgent screams, the horses neighed in horror and rushed through the air.

However, their hesitation cost them the opportunity to dodge. And now the staff's humongous dragons were already upon them, ready to crush them under several thousand tons of gold.

Merlin coughed, his voice rumbling as he clapped his hands.

"Fleetwake!"

A transparent bubble spread with the noise, encasing the chariot as a cog appeared above it. A silence, broken only by the pounding hooves, engulfed them.

Achilles' and Karna's eyes widened as the staff slowed... No, everything outside the bubble seemed much slower, as if time itself bowed under Merlin's spell.

Yet, a frown creased their brows as the carriage sped to safety.

"Are you all right?"

Karna supported Merlin as he coughed more blood and trembled like a leaf. But he waved his hand, forcing a crooked smile.

"I'm too weak to manipulate cosmic powers as I wish, but don't mind me." His eyes narrowed into determined slits as he gripped Karna's shoulder. "I can do it once more before I'm out. But I trust you, Karna."

Before Karna could answer, the time bubble burst. Enjoy new chapters from empire

The roaring wind almost shattered their eardrums as the staff blurred toward the ground.

BOOMn/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

A cataclysmic rumble rocked the once lush plain. Dust reached for the sky as soil and grass erupted everywhere.

Angry gales crashed down on them and almost upturned the chariot. Fortunately, the horses fought against the blood-chilling pressure to keep it straight and escape the blast.

Below, any trace of soldiers in a one-kilometer radius vanished, leaving a dead land and an abyssal pit.

However, they had no time to feel shocked. Instead, their heads snapped toward Heracles' humongous form—just in time to see Wukong's glowing fist split through the air and hear his voice thunder.

"Primal Qi Burst!"

Heracles reacted instantly. His fingers tightened around the staff as he swung with all his strength.

However, his pupils constricted as he felt a scorching heat and a terrifying weight press down on his palm as if he were trying to lift the heavens themselves.

"The Ruyi Jingu Bang only recognises a single partner. Stealing it from me is useless!"

Wukong roared before his fist collided with Heracles' side, aiming for the liver.

ROAR

His qi exploded upon impact, blasting outward in a shimmering dome. A second wave followed, running under Heracles' skin and bursting his golden veins.

Yet, Wukong leapt back urgently. A deep furrow creasing his brows, he stretched out his palm, commanding the Ruyi Jingu Bang to shrink and return to him.

Meanwhile, Heracles patted the minor contusions on his side and smirked.

"Is it my turn to strike? Or will you bow to save yourself the humiliation?"

Finding pleasure in returning the monkey's mockery, he lunged like a heroic lion, his fists blurring into an avalanche of bone-crushing strikes.

"My strength is my weapon. I don't rely on external tools!"

Karna observed from the carriage, his eyes widening with each second crawling by.

Be it in energy control or skills, Wukong far outclassed Heracles. But he grunted and backed a step each time he parried a strike. Worse, he could see the stone-like scales crack and fly down, realising how surreal Heracles' raw strength truly was.

"Hold on, Wukong!"

Solar flames ignited on his body, draping him in a fiery mantle before they gathered on his trembling palm.

The air cried as a blinding ball swirled into existence. Thunder raged in the dark sky as if trying to intimidate him into stopping. But he wouldn't. He had to save Wukong, Adam, and everyone else!

"Brahmastra!"

With a guttural roar carrying his hopes, he hurled the divine weapon at full power, even though he knew it was the last time he could use it.

The blinding ball melted reality, leaving dark patches in the sky as it sizzled toward Heracles' back.

Alerted, the giant spun on his heels—facing the attack. Yet, he smirked and hurled his fist at it fearlessly.

BOOM

An explosion of cosmic proportions hurled everyone hundreds of kilometers away.

The ground rose and collapsed as thunder struck the plain. Hail rained down as if the world were wailing.

Wukong clenched his jaw, his back hurting like never before as he pushed himself off the ground with a groan.

Blasted away, he snapped his head toward Heracles' location before his eyes widened.

Amidst dust and smoke, the colossus stood proudly, his arm outstretched. Light patches of darkened skin covered his golden fist, but he still smirked.

Worse, he laughed and raised his fist in victory.

"My physique is unmatched among mortals and gods! Nothing can kill me anymore with Tyr's divine protection!"

Upon hearing his words, Karna bit his lip.

"I'm sorry..."

Merlin's and Achilles' warm hands met his shoulders as they shook their heads.

"Leave the rest to me. I still have one last trick up my sleeve, but..."

Merlin's chest tightened, regret engulfing him as he looked at Adam's raging figure in the isolated space. He had tried to save him and the world from a fate no one wanted, yet he had become the architect of that very prophecy.

"Without divine blood tied to a king of gods, we can't save him. It's my fault... I should have secured it first before starting the process."

A steely glint flashing in his eyes, he summoned Excalibur's scabbard—the reason his body didn't crumble when he used cosmic energies—and clutched it.

Before he could proceed with his plan, Karna clenched his jaw and pushed him aside.

"I won't let a friend sacrifice himself in my presence!"

Solar flames engulfed his figure to answer the raging determination in his eyes. Harmony was his home. Adam was his student, a demon of great kindness and... someone he considered to be like his son. And what father wanted to see his son sad?

His hair swirled upwards, and his clothes evaporated, revealing his muscular torso while the flames rushed into his hand.

A large, dark frame pulsing with divinity emerged from them. Two sharp edges and a golden frame crowned by an open eye glinted for a second before his body shone brighter than the sun.

"I wanted to keep it to kill Baal or Zeus for Adam. But circumstances aren't on our side," he started, his voice growing louder before he thundered.

"With this strike, I'll bring sunset upon your life. Vaporise everything in the name of the King of Gods." His voice cracked as his skin darkened under the weapon's strain before he called its name. "Vasavi Shakti!"