Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

His tired body throbbed. Each unit of Animus caused Asura's core to transform. But in return, he suffered from intense pain from abusing his magic. The sweet taste of copper and iron filled Asura's mouth as he watched the burning serpent.

And in that moment, the serpent's gaze met his, a silent exchange that spoke volumes, a language only they understood.

Asura didn't understand what made this woman so insane. However, he didn't care because she threatened the people he loved.

'I feel my core screaming in agony.'

"This isn't over. You cannot escape me," the serpent said in an obsessive tone.

He avoided her bloodshot gaze. His fingertips grasping his sword made of void magic. The black aura was a mixture of his magic, and Devil's Shroud fused into one. Only able to exist because of the existence of the void.

A magic that creates and destroys an element of nothingness.

"Even if this conflict is eternal. I will never lose to you. Woman."

The swish of his blade created a howl that resounded through the murky dungeon now filled with broken bricks and shattered rocks.

"The more you kill me, the more I shall seek you and you alone. Asura Fenix, My True Divine Sun."

Asura felt a change in her voice and dialogue, the emphasis of her tone on the words true and sun using the letter 'u' instead of 'o'. However, the answer he wanted in the depths of his soul would never come.

Because his void blade cut through her heart, he severed this creature's connection with the world.

"Haa, haa, damn it."

He felt exhausted from the battle, and dropping to the ground, he lay on his back. The feeling of sharp stones and rocks poking his flesh, their insignificant existence cutting through his flesh as he reverted to his human form.

'It's not over.'

A sense of dread and exhaustion washed over Asura, who lay on the ground.

The serpent's corpse melted, returning to its original form of the tragic duke from Romantica. Others might not understand. However, Asura knew clearly. That woman used her powers to change Aldric, probably poisoning his mind and making him kill his father.

Then, using the young man's body, she ruined his family name.

A cruel ending for the Cavallio name.

"Ngh! I need to return. So nobody sees this room."

Yet despite this will, Asura remained still, breathing slowly as if taking in the entire battle. He wanted to accept everything that happened and make his judgements. No matter who he might have been before.

This was the current Asura Fenix.

Not even Azoth's or Sura's memories would change him.

'Since I am here with this broken body, why not accept the final evolution from each of my monoliths? It feels like something will change once that happens.'

Asura completed their initiation, reaching the fifth stage at such an early age, no matter the pain or suffering involved. Nobody could take the achievement from him. Such a dreamlike feeling caused his core to crack.

****

Meanwhile, above the secret war of Asura, Lorem's flame burned another body into ashes. Her once pristine armour was now covered in dirt and flesh, and ash all over her face.

"They aren't able to regenerate anymore! Use all of your power and push for victory!"

She felt uneasy.

Asura had vanished from her senses more than an hour ago, yet she couldn't abandon the student knights to search for him.

Thus, she overworked her body with the flames of a phoenix against those disgusting tendrils until her core began to crack and distort.

However, the core she long believed completely transformed into something new for the first time since she reached the tenth stage. The dark surface-like crust cracked, allowing enormous rivers, streams, and oceans of green fluid to cover most of the surface.

'I hope I get stronger with this.'

Lorem allowed her magical core to absorb the remains of her enemies to gain more Animus. As the old saying goes, what was done in a war stayed in a war. She felt no guilt for consuming these beasts.

She watched with satisfaction as her core continued to transform, a step closer to evolution, a chance to evolve into something new as a divine beast.

****

Outside of the town, Mu Xue and Xavida sat on a rock together, drinking water. The two seemed exhausted, with small wounds on their bodies. Blood and bruises covered their fingers, as well as the swords that now rested in their sheaths.

"I feel sad."

"What is wrong?"

Mu Xue shook her head as she sighed.

"These people, do you think we ended their suffering?"

"Suffering? I don't think they felt pain. It was already too late for them." Xavida said in a soft tone.

Mu Xue smiled.

"Xavida, you've somehow grown a lot since we met."

"I have to become the ideal mother and beat you all to become his number one."

Mu Xue could only frown for an instant, crunching her expression into an ugly ball before stretching it out. She understood the words Xavida had spoken sincerely, and thus, she had no right to judge her.

"Whoever achieves the goal and wins his love will be happy." Stay updated with m-v le-mpyr

Although they knew Asura would never neglect either of them, no matter how many women he gained. They also understood the more mature women's desperate attempts to win his heart and affection. In a harem, there would always be a favourite; it was the nature of man to choose one of them.

"Darling would probably keep loving a different person; that way, it makes his heart less heavy," Xavida whispered while stroking her pink scales, which seemed to shimmer in the evening light.

'It's just right now he switches that person to accommodate us and our feelings. That cannot last forever; he will soon find a woman that completes him, and it could be any of us.'

"Why did you become quiet?"

"Huh?" Mu Xue asked, waking from her thoughts. "Sorry, I'm not feeling so well."

"If you feel tired, please rest."

Mu Xue stood up and waved her hand goodbye, but Xavida grabbed her arm, squeezing it lightly before continuing. "I won't lose to you, especially not you, Mu Xue!"

"Really? I can't see Asura falling for a person like you."

Xavida's expression fell, and Mu Xue regretted her words. But before she could say anything, the dragoness replied with a smile on her lips. "Then I will make him fall for me, hehe."

'She's really growing at a rate faster than I realised.'

Mu Xue didn't have time to meditate on her thoughts; they needed to defeat the beast's outer force and push to the central plaza. Then, this battle would end, and the students could go home with their families, and she would feel his embrace once again.

***

On the Western front, Barbatos crushed another enemy with his axe before taking a breather.

"How many have we lost?" His eyes seemed to become serene, filled with a gentle light different from his usual self, who shouted orders or bellowed with his usual voice.

"Too many, sir." A blonde knight with brown eyes responded, his armour covered in the blood of enemy and ally alike.

Barbatos placed his left hand on the soldier's shoulder. His beastman eyes twitched slightly as he said, "We've fought hard, but there is no rest for the weary."

"I know, sir."

"They are weakening. Something has changed in the central plaza. I think victory is close at hand."

The soldier nodded, his hands shaking to hold his spear in place.

'We can do this; just one more push.'

"Everyone! We push towards the central plaza and annihilate the enemy with our remaining strength. There is no time to sit back and wait anymore! Follow me."

Their battle line seemed to shudder visibly. Men and women rejoiced and lamented in unison at the thought they no longer had to fight without an end in sight. Some soldiers left the line only to be stopped by their superiors.

"Now is not the time to falter. Do it for your family, the one who wants to see you. That is your reason to fight and die for those who cannot."

"Men, women, the kingdoms, dear fighters, let us end this conflict and return home!" Barbatos declared.

With a roar of jubilation and battle cries, the knights raised their spears and pushed forward into the monster's formation, where both sides would clash once more. Both sides were exhausted and lacking the vitality of battle from hours before.

'Stay strong.' Barbatos thought, holding his enormous axe with the aim to crush the enemy and protect his newly found allies. After this battle, many of the students were unaware that Barbatos chose them for his special squad. Chosen by a Royal knight, the dream of most common folk and lower nobles alike.

The knight captain, named Warren, led a group of foot soldiers from the east into the enemy ranks. He felt a change in the atmosphere of Barbatos, a change that made him push for victory despite the fatigue and exhaustion affecting everyone's fighting prowess.

'Bernard, my dear friend and former teacher. I now understand your words about comrades and why we treasure these young warriors,' Barbatos thought while watching the blonde knight cut down the enemy, a man almost broken just moments before.

Warren clenched his spear, imagining it was the neck of an enemy who wanted to take his life. "That's enough. Now die!"

"Don't rest; they are tired," Barbatos stated, slashing a giant dog and breaking its skull open. "For victory."

The sound of metal on flesh and weapons caused a loud, bloody symphony of carnage.

The wave of enemies pushed back, retreating in an orderly fashion.

In a place Asura didn't know, the world's story began changing: a story of a little half-goliath with no friends, family, or hope of suddenly finding himself understanding the values he had lacked for so long.

The price of treasure and friendship.

'It was so easy to choose power over the hearts of others in the past. But now, I can never go back.'

Warren's expression changed to shock as he stared at the scene unfolding before his very eyes. Barbatos stood holding back four tendrils with his axe and body, protecting Warren and his group. The unstoppable force protected them!

"Fight," Barbatos murmured in a hoarse voice, filled with intense exhaustion from fighting without stopping.

"Sir, please rest," Warren begged as he cut down another tendril that neared him.

The weak warriors that never entered his eyes before suddenly swarmed to help him. To protect him, Barbatos felt a strange feeling. He wasn't alone anymore.

In the distance to the south, stopping those who might flee the town trying to enter Silvara, the former Royal Knight Leader Bernard stood with a bloodied longsword at the actions of the huge oaf he adored like a son.

Only a smile could fill his face.

"That's it, my boy. You are not that gladiator anymore. Now I can finally set down my sword--"