Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest Chapter 42: A Bitter Truth

He attributed his stat points as he pondered.

LVL: 16

Exp: 946/15000

HP: 480/550

Vitality: 49->55

Strength: 49->55 ( 23)

Agility: 49->55 ( 32)

Chaotic demonic essence: 35

Free attribute points: 18->0

'The difference between levels will only increase for each tier.'

His face turned somber as he estimated the general's average stats.

'With its natural weapons, it should have had around a hundred and fifteen points in agility and ninety in strength. Yet, I beat him.'

He clenched his fists, rembering the surge of power he felt when his demonic energy surged.

'I could have defeated it if I mastered its use.'

The realisation sent another pang of guilt in his heart. Yet, he quickly overwheld it.

He took a sharp breath of the acidic stench saturating the tunnel. Then, he made his choice.

The boss was dead. The worst enemy they could face next would be the ant queen, but she was probably not a fighter. Still, he had learned his lesson and would focus on attracting the insects before anything else.

'I'll never lose soone again because of my stupid decisions!'

His eyes narrowed into determined slits as he gazed at his downcast subjects.

"Satyr, bring Luna. In the anti, give your blunt opinion on what happened without fear."

He observed Garduck move to him first and heard his bitter tone reverberate through the damp tunnel.

"We all ssed up. We should have been stronger and quicker to react. It's as simple as that, my lord."

Ifrit nodded, scalding flas bursting from his fiery eyes and illuminating the place.

"Working together is an efficient tactic allowing us to fight stronger enemies, but we should have been individually powerful to maximise it."

Bart interjected, two lines of drying tears marring his cheeks.

"Everyone thinks the sa. No one will bla you for a mistake anyone could have committed. The thing we bla is our powerlessness."

Everyone nodded, assuring him he shouldn't doubt himself and that they would focus on power.

After a mont, he shared with them the possibility of reviving Shihan, igniting a spark in their eyes despite the almost impossible task.

"The purgatory's original fla is a legendary place only the demon kings have access to."

Luna's voice resounded, and her green hair fluttered as she stepped into the tunnel with the satyr.

"You'll have to reach that rank and prove your strength to claim a spot, beco one of those hateful bastard's underlings, or infiltrate it."

She shrugged at her last suggestion.

"Only they know where it is, and we're far from the demon realm anyway, so good luck with that. Give up on her and focus on your territory instead."

He glared at her, anger flashing in his eyes.

"Wouldn't you want to revive you if you died tomorrow? I bet you would! So, why are you always so pessimistic? Even if I must trade an opportunity to summon a mythological figure to bring any of you back, I'll do it without hesitation!"

Despite his sincere roar and genuine concern for them, his subjects' eyes slipped to the side in silent disagreent.

anwhile, Luna clenched her fists and trembled in rage, her narrowed eyes spewing fierce green flas at his naivety.

"No one wants that, you fool! Every subject you summon from the Gate has already died!"

"You can't reveal that!"

Bart paled, Asna and Puck trembled while Garduck's lips curled into a grimace of agony. They didn't want to rember this grueso event, especially now that a sliver of hope brightened their hearts.

anwhile, he stuttered, icy dread gripping his hamring heart.

"W-What do you an? How are you dead?"

However, she dismissed his question with a simple yet assertive answer.

"Just what I said. I died at the hands of the person I trusted the most. What an irony!"

Her angry laughter echoed in the tunnel as his eyes enlarged more with each word she spoke.

Fueled by her anger, she made shocking declarations one after another.

"Did you think a few flowery words could have convinced them? Most died like , yet those fools believed in your and Shihan's dream. Don't insult us by caring for the demon king's worthless playthings when you can get actual powerhouses to support your territory! Act like a proper lord, swallow the loss and accept that so sacrifices are necessary to move forward!"

Her words struck him like a thunderbolt, and her determined and fiery posture stunned him into mutism.

He knew she was right. But he couldn't bring himself to leave anyone behind in his path. It was above his strength.

'I'm a gar before anything else. I want people to walk alongside on my path.'

His breathing hastened as he scrutinised her. He could see how much she had suffered from the betrayal. Yet, she still decided to give him a chance despite their contrasting views.

He gritted his teeth, his mind replaying her words as an oppressive silence filled the tunnel.

A sudden flash of inspiration illuminated his eyes a few seconds later as two sentences jolted him.

'Bart and Luna ntioned the demon king's throwing them to the lord's territories. The gods are probably on the sa level... Can I resurrect them if I beco one?'

The thought echoed in his mind like the distant voice of a climber scaling the world's tallest mountain. But his fists shook, and sweat covered his forehead.

'I'll surpass them all! To see my subjects' happy lives, to not lose a friend and to not feel this guilt again... even if they die along the way, I'll bring them back!'

He observed the demons one by one, taking their features in and showing his resolve.

Then, he nodded at Luna, smiling at her charming face.

"Thank you for your advice. I'll try my hardest to keep everyone alive but will keep in mind that so will indubitably die."

He exhaled his emotions out, leaving only focus in his burning eyes.

Then, his voice rumbled through the tunnel.

"Attract the insects. Kill anything that cos. We'll march on the colony today. Luna, can you lend us a hand?"

"As long as you show how far you'll lead us with your actions, not words, I'll join your raids."

Clenching his fists, he realised he had spoken too much and showed too little. But he would change now.

'We'll beco demon kings together and see the end of your evolutionary path. We'll conquer all the realms and change everyone's vision of demons!'

"Satyr, agitate them and return."

He pointed his finger to the tunnel's bleak depth and picked up his short sword from the ground, ready for the carnage they would sow today to vent Shihan's underserved departure.