Chapter 33: The Long Road to the Human Kingdom

Asmodeus set out from the outskirts of his domain, his new mortal form feeling oddly light yet frail. He trekked through dense forests and over rocky hills, maintaining the same regal bearing he always had, his pride undiminished.

Soon, he encountered a group of adventurers camped by the roadside. They were a diverse bunch: a tall, muscular warrior, a nimble rogue with sharp eyes, a robed mage, and a healer tending to a small fire.

"Hey there!" Asmodeus announced, striding into their camp. "I need some help getting to your human kingdom. Any of you willing to assist?"

The adventurers exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from surprise to wariness. The women in the group blushed and quickly covered their eyes with their hands.

"Who the hell are you?" the warrior demanded, his hand reaching for his sword. "Some kind of pervert?"

Asmodeus looked down at himself, realizing he was stark naked. He raised his chin defiantly. "How dare you speak to me that way! I am Asmodeus. Your assistance would be appreciated."

The rogue snickered. "Big talk for someone with nothing to hide."

Ignoring the jibe, Asmodeus maintained his composure. "I require guidance and provisions. I can offer... protection in return."

The mage scoffed. "Protection? From you? You don't look like much."

Asmodeus's eyes flashed with anger. "You dare question me? I am stronger than you can imagine!"

The adventurers laughed, but the warrior shrugged. "Alright, kid. But first, put some clothes on. We don't need you scaring off all the wildlife."

One of the women, blushing furiously, handed him a spare set of clothes. "Here, wear these."

Asmodeus took the clothes, his pride stung but his determination unyielding. He dressed quickly, then turned back to the group. "Better?"

"Much," the warrior said, though his tone remained skeptical. "You can tag along. But don't expect us to babysit you."

They shared their food, though sparingly, and offered little in the way of conversation. Asmodeus found the food bland and the company rough, but he tolerated it, his mind set on the journey ahead.

As they traveled, Asmodeus observed the adventurers, noting their skills and dynamics. The warrior, named Borin, was strong and reliable, though lacking in finesse. The rogue, Sienna, was quick and cunning, always scouting ahead. The mage, Aric, was knowledgeable but arrogant, constantly boasting about his magical prowess. The healer, Lyra, was kind and compassionate, often softening the group's harsh demeanor.

One evening, as they set up camp, Asmodeus decided to test his new limits. "Let me take the first watch," he offered.

"Fine," Borin said, tossing him a small dagger. "Use this if anything comes too close."

Asmodeus scoffed, feeling insulted by the simple weapon. "I won't need it."

That night, as he stood guard, he felt a strange tension in the air. The forest seemed unnaturally quiet, the usual sounds of nocturnal creatures conspicuously absent. He strained his ears, trying to detect the source of his unease.

Suddenly, he heard a faint rustling in the bushes. His heart quickened. Emerging from the shadows, a pack of wolves with glowing eyes surrounded the camp, their fangs bared and growls low.

Asmodeus felt a rush of confidence. "Inferno Blast!" he shouted, expecting a torrent of flames but nothing happened...

The wolves lunged. Asmodeus swung his fists wildly, attempting to fend them off with sheer determination. His movements were erratic, and he took several bites and scratches. One wolf sank its teeth into his leg, and he cried out in pain, kicking it away.

"Inferno Blast! Dark Fury!" he screamed, desperate, but no magic came to his aid. The wolves were relentless, their snarls growing louder as they sensed his fear.

Asmodeus was forced to rely on his instincts. He grabbed a fallen branch, using it to beat back the wolves. But his mortal body was tiring quickly, and he stumbled, the wolves closing in.

Just as one of the wolves leaped at him, fangs aimed at his throat, he pushed back with all his might, eyes wide with fear, The wolf's weight bore down on him, and he could feel its hot breath on his face. Panic surged through him as he struggled to hold it off.

He felt the death just an inch away from his face. The fear of death began to take over him, his heart was pounding so hard that he could feel it on his chest.

As the fear overwhelmed him, his eyes started to glow in crimson red and a creepy smile appeared on his face as the wolf's saliva flowed down his face.

A loud crack echoed through the camp as a bolt of lightning struck the wolf, sending it sprawling. Aric, the mage, stepped forward, hands crackling with residual energy. As the possibility of his dying gone, his eyes returned to their blue color

"Get up, kid," Aric said, his tone both annoyed and relieved.

Asmodeus scrambled to his feet, panting. "I had it under control," he muttered, though his eyes betrayed his gratitude.

Borin and Sienna joined the fray, dispatching the remaining wolves with practiced efficiency. Lyra supported them from behind.

"You're lucky we were here," she said softly. "Next time, don't be so reckless."

Borin glared at Asmodeus. "Why didn't you wake us up? We could have handled this together!"

Asmodeus stared blankly for a moment, then a faint smile crossed his lips. "First time in the last 1000 years I felt fear! I am already loving this life!"

Borin shook his head, exasperated. "You've got some problems in your head, kid. I'll take the next watch. Get some rest."

Asmodeus nodded, feeling a strange mix of exhaustion and exhilaration. He lay down by the fire, his mind racing with thoughts of his new, unpredictable life. For the first time, he felt truly alive.

Asmodeus was just about to fall asleep when Lyra, the group's healer, approached him and said, "There's no need to be so embarrassed about losing to the wolves. You didn't even ask me to heal you."

At first, Asmodeus didn't understand what she was talking about, but when he looked down at his body, he realized his wounds weren't healing on their own.

Lyra gently tore his clothes to access his injuries and began to heal them.

"Listen," she said softly as she worked, "everyone struggles sometimes. It's not a sign of weakness to ask for help. You've got spirit, I'll give you that, but don't let pride get in the way of your well-being."

Asmodeus winced slightly as the healing magic tingled on his skin. "Don't rely on others, that will get you killed early" he looked away and said, "In my past life, I was powerful beyond measure."

Lyra paused, looking at him curiously. "You remember your past life?!"

He nodded, a proud glint in his eyes. "Yes, I was the Demon King!"

Lyra blinked, then laughed lightly. "Sure you were. And I'm the Queen of Elves."

Asmodeus frowned. "I'm serious."

She smiled indulgently as she finished healing his wounds. "Of course you are. Get some rest, mighty Demon King. Tomorrow's another day, and you'll need your strength."

Asmodeus lay back down, feeling a mix of frustration and amusement at her disbelief. For the first time in a long while, he allowed himself to relax, slowly drifting into sleep

The next morning, Asmodeus was abruptly awakened by a rough shove. He opened his eyes to see Aric, the group's mage, glaring down at him.

"Get up, lazybones," Aric snapped. "We don't have time for you to lounge around."

Asmodeus rubbed his eyes, confused. "Who do you think you are, speaking to me like that?"

Aric rolled his eyes. "I'm the one who saved your sorry ass last night. Now move it."

Asmodeus scowled, still talking down to him. "I don't need your pity or your help. You should be grateful to travel with someone of my stature."

Aric snorted. "Yeah, because you're such a big shot, right? Keep dreaming."

As the group set off on their journey, the tension between Asmodeus and Aric only grew. They bickered constantly, arguing over the best paths to take, the pace of their travel, and even how to distribute their supplies.

"You think you know everything," Asmodeus accused during one such argument.

"And you think you're some kind of god," Aric shot back. "Newsflash, you're just a weakling, you crazy bastard!"

"You'll regret those words," Asmodeus growled.

"I already do, just having to listen to you," Aric sneered.

Eventually, the arguments escalated. After a particularly heated exchange, Aric lost his temper and punched Asmodeus hard in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain.

Borin, the group leader, intervened, pulling Aric away. "What the hell is your problem?" he demanded.

Aric pointed angrily at Asmodeus. "He's putting us in danger! He was supposed to warn us during his watch, but he decided to fight on his own, even though he's just a weakling!"

Asmodeus straightened up, wiping blood from his lip. "Weak? You underestimate me."

Aric's eyes flashed with anger. "Oh yeah? Let's see just how strong you really are. I challenge you to a duel."

Asmodeus, still speaking in his mighty tone, accepted. "Very well. I shall show you the skill gap between us!"

The group gathered to watch the duel. Asmodeus stood tall, despite his human form's limitations. Aric, confident in his abilities, wasted no time.

He summoned a bolt of lightning with killing intent and hurled it at Asmodeus, who barely dodged in time. The duel continued with Aric casting spell after spell, each one finding its mark and battering Asmodeus.

"Is this the best you can do, 'Demon King'?" Aric taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Asmodeus struggled to keep up, feeling the sting of each magical attack, he was only able to use simple spells. Aric's fireballs seared his skin, his ice shards left deep gashes, and his lightning bolts sent searing pain through his body. Every attempt Asmodeus made to counter was met with another spell from Aric, each more punishing than the last.

Aric finally knocked Asmodeus to the ground with a powerful blast of wind. "Stay down, you pathetic fool," he sneered, standing over him. He kicked Asmodeus in the ribs, causing him to gasp in pain. "You're nothing, but a weak delusional brat."

The other group members watched in silence, their expressions a mix of pity and concern. Borin frowned, ready to intervene, but Asmodeus raised a hand, signaling for him to stop.

Asmodeus struggled to his feet, his body aching from the relentless assault. "If I can't use magic," he thought, "I shall fight using the useless swordsmanship skills I honed centuries ago."

He asked borin to lend his sword to him then he closed his eyes, recalling his training from thousands of years ago. He remembered the precise movements, the disciplined stances, the fluid grace of swordsmanship. When he opened his eyes, there was a renewed determination in his gaze.

Aric, seeing Asmodeus stand again, unleashed another barrage of spells. But this time, Asmodeus was ready. He dodged each attack with minimal movements, conserving his energy and relying on the ancient techniques he had mastered. Each dodge was a calculated effort, just enough to avoid the spells but not so much that he exhausted himself.

"What the...?" Aric muttered, growing frustrated as his spells failed to connect. "Stand still, damn you!"

Asmodeus didn't respond, his focus razor-sharp. He weaved through the attacks, closing the distance between them. With a sudden burst of speed, he was upon Aric, grabbing a discarded sword from the ground. He disarmed Aric with a swift motion and pressed the blade to his neck.

"Enough!" Borin shouted, stepping between them. "Asmodeus is the winner."

The group members congratulated Asmodeus, patting him on the back and offering words of praise. However, Aric looked humiliated and hateful, his eyes burning with resentment.

"You got lucky this time" Aric muttered, turning away.

Asmodeus sheathed the sword, feeling a sense of triumph. "Luck had nothing to do with it. Remember that."

As the group settled down for the night, Asmodeus felt a strange sense of belonging. Despite the conflicts and challenges, he was starting to find his place among them, and for the first time in centuries, he felt truly alive.