Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

As the event drew near, Asgard's golden halls trembled more with each passing day.

Seated on Hlidskjalf, a throne gleaming silver and adorned with pulsing runes, an aged man narrowed his only eye.

Divine energy burst rhythmically, ruffling his long white beard as his knuckles whitened around a mythical spear of horrifying intricacy.

"You preferred Tiamat over me first." His solemn voice reverberated through his gritted teeth. "I gave you a chance to survive as a slave, but survive nonetheless. Yet, you refused my goodwill again."

Soul-chilling caws accompanied his words as a raven perched on his shoulder cried its heart out.

Odin patted its head, yet his finger trembled in suppressed rage.

"We won't let Muninn's death go unpunished, Hugin. The all-father is as merciful as he's cruel. And this Adam, a pitiful mortal, will learn it through the fires of war. Rivers of blood will flow, and death will accompany his every step. Regret will consume his mind, and terror will devour his bones. This is Odin's final and immutable sentence."

As his words hung heavy in the oppressive hall, he rose to his feet and outstretched his empty palm.

Light particles coalesced into a golden, dragon-shaped hilt. He observed the runes running along its silver frame and its sharp edges capable of tearing through armors, shields... and dragon scales.

"You're the first Sigurd. Kill that dragonling with Balmung like you killed Fafnir."

He hurled the sword, piercing Asgard's clouds and the realms like a missile until it landed in his contractor's territory.

However, he continued and hurled a miniature drakkar.

"Lead them to crush Adam with your genius strategies, Ragnar Lodbrok."

Odin's grey eye narrowed onto a sleek, barbed red spear before he hurled it, too.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Show them no one can beat my pantheon with your Gae Bolg, Cu Chulainn."

Finally, his gaze pierced the horizon, landing on a bulky man draped in an immaculate chiton. Lightning bolts crowned his head as his unwavering blue eyes gazed back, waiting for Odin to speak.

"Adam must die, Zeus." He started, his hand trembling and hesitation veiling his somber features as he gripped one last item. "Your bastard half-god is currently the strongest. Therefore, I'll take a loss this time to ensure we succeed."

Zeus' eyes widened on his alabaster throne as Odin took out a hand sparkling like golden stars—the sparks of divinity.

Despite Zeus' shock, Odin continued and used magic to send the hand to him.

"Tyr's hand. We used it to bind Fenrir, but Loki and his new allies recently freed him..." He gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing red for a second before he recovered. "Lend it to your son. With the powers of a genuine god of war, nothing will stop him."

Meanwhile, Zeus frowned at Tyr's hand, then at Odin's clenched jaws.

"Isn't it too much? Heracles will upturn his territory so long as Achilles doesn't interfere." A smirk split his face as he tossed the hand up and down. "I bet you already planned for that. So, why go an extra mile?"

Odin shrugged.

"I'm not like you, arrogant, complacent, relying on divinity and raw strength to get what I want. No." His eyes narrowed, ominous divine energy wafting. "When I want someone's death, no variable, no miracle, not even other gods can save him."

"What if I wanted to save him?"

Zeus teased, a smile that wasn't one twisting his lips. Yet, even if Odin's words bit his ego and forced his fists to clench, he recovered his bearings.

"I'll send him the hand. But mark my words. My contractor will make you pay today's disrespect on the battlefield, Odin."

With a wave of his hand, a lightning bolt rumbled down, shattering their connection. More than that, it engulfed Tyr's hand and roared through space until it crashed into Sir Drufus' territory.

The entire realm jumped from their beds as they heard its descent but quickly dismissed it. After all, the weather was fickle, and lightning was always loud.

Yet, Tiamat and Mab bit their lips in worry and anger.

"Why didn't you listen?!" Mab held her forehead and shook her head. "I told you not to help Loki free Fenrir before recovering this realm's body part!"

Tiamat paced, cursing Zeus' and Odin's madness.

"These bitches are escalating their shameless cheating. The others turn a blind eye since they have the same goal."

A steely glint flashed in her eyes as she huffed in rage and shoved her finger at Mab.

"Help me move my citadel! They'll learn not to mess with me after Adam summons an army of tier eight dragons!"

Mab could see that Tiamat faked assurance. They were both as worried, but what could they do?

She sighed and shook her head.

"It's too far, big sister. We'll need centuries, given how weak we are."

BAM

Tiamat slammed her fist into the wall, shattering it in a cacophony of cracking as regret consumed her. As Mab mentioned, releasing Fenrir also freed Tyr's hand and when someone as brutal as Heracles used it like an artifact...

"Achilles should have wiped the floor with him. But now?" She shuddered. "How can we help Adam?"

Her question lingered, heavy, unanswered as the sun poked through the horizon.

And with its comforting rays came the cross-realm notification signalling the dreaded second event's start.

DING

[Talent's daily use unavailable.]

Adam leapt to his feet in the chaos forge's room, his eyes snapping open and sparkling sharply.

"Bring it on, cheaters! I'll do the bare minimum and drop out of the event!"

He smirked, oblivious to Odin's threat as he read the next notifications.

[Congratulations on surviving for a month and a week! Lords remaining: 75.223.000]

[The cowardice of most still disgusts the gods. They issue an event quest to force them to fight.]

[Event quest: The last one standing.]

Prove your mettle and brilliant mind by participating alone or with an ally in a ferocious battle royal. Each battlefield counts twenty warring lords. But remember, only one can claim the final rewards.

Rewards: A blessing from one of the following war gods: Ares, Erlang Shen, Takemikazuchi, and Marduk.

Failure: The gods enjoyed your sufferings, but it's time to bring the curtain down on your lives.