Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

His fingers tightening around his Chaosbringer, he halted before Vrashnak's cell.

The orc peered into his eyes, his white skin and bulging muscles catching the dim light as his hopeful voice echoed.

"Did you come to an answer?"

Adam sighed and shook his head. Stay updated via empire

"We did. Not the one you expected, though."

He pinched the bridge of his nose, dreading Vrashnak's answer. After all, the miserable orc had done nothing to him. But that wouldn't stop him from killing Vrashnak if he posed a threat.

Meanwhile, Vrashnak's tusk-like teeth glinted as he opened his mouth. Instead of disappointment, respect filled his voice.

"I'd also be suspicious if a random captive called me out to offer an alliance. Why does he trust me? What are his goals? Too many uncertainties. But you're overthinking."

He smiled as Adam scratched his cheek, knowing he hit the bullseye.

"Let's start over. I'm sure you'll understand me with more context."

Adam rolled his eyes, unwilling to waste time listening to a random stranger. Still, Vrashnak had a point. Perhaps there was more to what he had told him.

With a sigh, he sat down and gestured for the orc to do the same.

"You have two minutes to prove yourself."

"I won't need that much time," Vrashnak smirked and pointed at Maven. "I can recognise slavery after over a century of captivity. The kobold is free and fights alongside demons. As sad as it sounds, his species is a bunch of weak cowards no better than goblins." He smiled and pointed at Adam. "But he became stronger than your average orc by following you. That alone was enough to awaken my curiosity, not to mention your brave battle, skills, and power over dark flames. Finally, killing my captor sealed the deal for me."

Despite the explanation, Adam shrugged.

"One minute and a half remaining."

"Hahaha. Now comes the interesting part. You're in for a cruel surprise if you plan to use your friend to rally the West." He slapped his leg in amusement as he saw Adam's eyes narrow into slits. "Interested now? First, did you think magical creatures had a different perception of demons? No one likes your species, not even ants. Second, I've pushed the West to revolt against the humans for fifty years. Do you know what happened?"

Adam's brows furrowed. Ignoring what he knew about his species, he thought about the reason before he shook his head.

"No idea."

"It's easy to guess, though. The very people I vowed to protect sold me to the kingdom, who offered me to the lich after those pompous bastards acknowledged they couldn't control me."

His voice grew somber, and the flickering flames cast dancing shadows on his angular face.

"They are terrified. Not of humans..." He exhaled, hatred flashing in his eyes. "Of the griffin. This flying bag of feathers forbids us to attack the kingdom. I don't know the details, but an elder once told me it was about an ancient promise or something."

He snorted and spat on the ground.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"In short, you'll find no one to help you in the West but backstabbing cowards."

Adam inhaled sharply and massaged his eyes in frustration. So the griffin wasn't just a wild creature. It protected the kingdom from beasts. That's why no one found anything to say when it flew east and fought Achilles.

A tense silence lingered, the time limit over before he sighed.

"That's crucial information, but how do they help you convince me?"

"I kept the best part for last. I told you I'm from the Skalrukh clan but didn't finish since you asked me to cut to the chase." Vrashnak smirked and pounded his chest twice, the sound reverberating in the chamber.

"A hundred and thirty years ago, when I was just twenty, I became the youngest southern warlord. I commanded hordes of orcs and ensured prosperity for my people." Sadness flashed in his eyes before anger overwhelmed it. "I'm your best bet to gather soldiers. Not because they'll listen to my words, but to my fists!"

'The heck?!' Adam's eyes widened as he tried to hide his shock behind a poker face.

A warlord betrayed by his people and who suffered a hundred years in this basement... Not what he had expected. Still, his frown deepened as he considered Vrashnak's words.

His offer leapt from doubtful at best to as enticing as a golden chest—even more when he desperately needed soldiers to hold the cities he conquered. But the same question remained: what stopped the orc from turning against him the moment he freed him from his shackles?

However, Vrashnak answered his question the next second. A low grunt and the clanging of chains echoed, forcing him out of his thoughts.

CLANG

The clangor of metal shattering made him leap to his feet, his flames bursting in his left hand as he raised his Chaosbringer in a defensive posture.

He gazed through the cell's bars, only to see the orc dusting his wrists from the scraps and smirking at him.

"You killed the lich, remember? I'm no slave anymore and could have left whenever I wanted but didn't."

He understood the orc's meaningful glance. It was to get his trust. And it worked—partially.

"Alright, Vrashnak." He gripped the bars, dark flames bursting from his palm and melting the rusted metal. "Welcome aboard. But answer this last question. What makes you so sure about my intention to fight the kingdom?"

The orc stepped out and towered two heads above him. Then, he shrugged and pointed at Luna, Maven, and the others raised weapons and dancing flames.

"I told you I was a warlord; same weapons and armor sets. The quality's too high for anyone but a powerful faction to mass produce them. It leads to my question: Weapons like that aren't made for peace. So tell me, what war are you planning?"

Adam's brows twitched at the sharp answer. Weren't orcs stupid in games?

"Well, you're right." He scratched his head and waved for Vrashnak to follow him to the others. "I'm a lord. We appeared almost two months ago and vie to conquer the realm. Some fight for glory, others for greed. I fight to change the rules entirely."

He continued his explanation, seeing Vrashnak's shock and eagerness as they walked before another question burst through the air.

"If there are many lords, why don't you ally with them to overthrow the kingdom? Even if they have five hundred soldiers each, gathering ten will give you five thousand."

Adam shrugged.

"You said it yourself: they're cowards."

Even if it sounded wrong, since he hadn't asked, who would join him when most allied against him behind his back? No, he only trusted Mimi. The others could go whistle for all he cared.

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AN: Vrashnak will explain his skin color next chapter.