Reincarnated as a Phoenix

“Hey Petra, are you sure this is okay? Like, really sure?”

“Heh, stop worrying over me Ikarus. Already said it’s okay”

“But still, you don’t ever fly me around so this feels like all kinds of unnatural. It’s comfortable, sure but just weird”

“Heh, you really that used to me being on your back Ikarus? It’s almost as if you’re saying you need to be under me or something?”

“I-… why do you always have to make it worse…”

Sitting on top of Petra’s feathery back alongside Asmodeus, my wife offered to fly for a change and wouldn’t let me say no to it this time around. I know we’ve been long overdue a change in who’s taken transport duties but never want her to feel an inch of pain.

“That’ll be a side effect to the poisonous fog in this world orange one. It works as a natural painkiller hence why she’s faring better”

“He is right Ikarus. The scars are more like a like a faint tickle today rather than blistering agony”

‘She’s normally in agony flying!? This is why I hate her father so much’

“Like how it also naturally burns the insides away as well demon? You still sure it’s safe for us to breathe in?”

“Heh, never said it was safe orange one, just that you should be fine in low doses. I can show you firsthand what it does to a demon, if you’re happy to see blood spewing out from my eyes”

“Maybe another day when I’m feeling more vindictive…”

Anyways, Petra flies for a good distance being directed where to go by Asmodeus over this never-ending reddish brimstone land, always a slight hint of darkness in the sky as we glide just over the purple poisonous fog. It’s now time for a long overdue system management, something I’ve been neglecting for way too long…

‘Heya Aesa, let’s get started then, shall we?’

[<Affirmative, this is the pre status check since Ikarus likes a before and after>]

[Name: Ikarus   |   Species: Phoenix   |   Level: 709]

[Health    166,666*/166,666*]

[Stamina 74,994*/80,000*]

[Magicka 166,666*/166,666*]

[You currently have 67834 unassigned points]

As you can see, I’ve now got a boatload to spend on and-… huh, just spotted that…

‘Aesa, I’ve got enough points to complete my system today, haven’t I? Before you say it, I know it’s technically only half but still’

At least if I’m referring to sacrificial lamb. Having a stat cap basically makes the next three hundred odd levels pointless unless I come across something else thank to the bikini turned uncomfortable dress.

[<Presumably, Ikarus would like to invest 43333 into SP to hit maximum limit?>]

‘Yup’

[<Confirmed, stats have now been readjusted>]

[Name: Ikarus   |   Species: Phoenix   |   Level: 709]

[Health    166,666*/166,666*]

[Stamina 160,994*/166,666*]

[Magicka 166,666*/166,666*]

[You currently have 24501 unassigned points]

As soon as Aesa confirms that, a weird feeling courses through my body almost as if I’ve just injected myself with something odd. I seriously feel like I want to start running or flying at full speed right now, it’s like I’ve just downed ten energy drinks!

Unfortunately, it’s not exactly like I’m going to ask Petra to stop just so I can run around like a dog with zoomies or something, best try and continue this. By the smiling look I just got from the masked Asmodeus though, I think he can tell I’ve got ants in my pants so to speak.

‘Anyways Aesa, it’s time to really finish this off before I go foo my rocker. Can you start buying the abilities then?’

[<Confirmed Ikarus, forcibly purchasing multiple -sacrificial lamb- abilities at the same time… processing…>]

The last four, the final ones left before I basically complete everything. I’m unsure what to expect, hopefully less of the world ending abilities since I still can’t consistently use them…

[<All four abilities have now been purchased and -sacrificial lamb- is no longer available. Starting with -friendly fire-, all damage-based abilities now have an intent detector behind the scenes allowing Ikarus to not worry about causing harm to an ally>]

“Ha! Speak of the devil, that potentially solves a load of problems. You mean to tell me I could activate my nuke inside the city and it wouldn’t harm anyone I wanted it to Aesa?”

I purposely say that out loud for Petra’s sake more than anything else, she’s always been the brains behind this operation so she knows all the stuff inside my arsenal. This, hands down might be one of the better abilities simply because it allows me to not have to worry about friendly fire, this ability was definitely tailor made for me!

[<Affirmative but that doesn’t apply to aftereffects and damaging of structures. If a building were to get knocked over long after ability was activated and end up causing a death of a citizen, that obviously would be the exception. To make this easier for wife’s sake, Aesa will come out shortly…>]

The clone body rapidly form’s up on Petra’s back with us two. Like usual, I can’t help but pout every time Aesa calls Petra wife. Guess I will just have to accept it someday because you can never win against that voice inside your head.

“Heh, now I get to carry two Ikarus’s on my back? Feel like you don’t come out enough Aesa so it’s nice to have you back around”

“Heh, so this is one of the fabled guides you phoenixes get to have guiding you from inside? Never saw what it might look like but a clone seems to fit in line with my expectations”

“Greetings wife and bastard demon, Aesa has no interest in coming out unless it’s for intercourse reasons mostly. Anyways, onto Ikarus’s next ability…”

‘Can’t help but sigh and facepalm at that. The know-it-all demon knowing everything like usual and Aesa be horny. At least she’s honest, I suppose’

As for Petra, even she was taken back at Aesa calling her wife and seemed to jump a little. Not close enough for all of us to fall off or anything but at least she can experience the annoying voice in my head for a change…

“…-Phoenix rebirth- has now been unlocked. Once Ikarus’s HP reaches 0 and no chance of resuscitation can be achieved, Ikarus will rise from the ashes with everything obtained up to this point still kept on her person”

“So… I can literally cheat death now? Hell fucking yeah! Bet the cooldown on it is shit though”

Let’s use mythical knowledge to figure this out despite it not all being perfect at all. Phoenixes originally were supposed to have a lifespan of five hundred, then die but be reborn from a pile of ash before this world decided to fluff around with that myth. At least it’s swell I’m finally more similar to how the myths originally work though!

“Affirmative, Ikarus presumes correct. The cooldown timer for this is 500 years so that must be the balancing behind it. Obviously, this is more of a one-time use ability then something that can be relied upon”

It may not seem like it as first glance but there’s obviously going to be someone else happy learning I can now cheat death. It’s a damn shame I’ve still got three and a half months left before my other revive ability recovers since I’ll be broken if anything happens to anyone else.

“Heh, at least it’s good to know I can now play even rougher with you Ikarus. Can’t be escaping my grasp even if death gets in the way now”

‘Why does she always have t-… just forget it, Aesa?’

Even while she’s acting as the transport bird today, Petra just can’t help herself coming out with something like that. Does she seriously think I’ll believe we’ll suddenly have extremely rough and risky sex now that I hav-, you know what, I’m not even going to go there.

“The third ability is named -furnace leveller- Ikarus. When facing a foe that is lower level than user, said ability allows Ikarus to burn away their level and completely reset them back to base stats. This can happen once a day”

“Erm… Asmodeus, is there any future where this is one of my best abilities?”

I mean, I know I always complain about him knowing the future but I’m struggling a little with this. If it only allows me to activate it against people who are lower level than me, isn’t this slightly pointless? Sure, it’s unique and all but everyone below my current level basically dies no problem to my blades or fire already. Gods, demons, angels, whatever really, all of them will be equal or higher to the one thousand level cap.

“Heh, don’t know everything about your system orange one so it’s up to you to find a good use for it. Personally, I think it sounds brilliant if you’re planning to torture someone for information, or just simple for pleasure and fun”

I-… okay, I’m not asking him anything like that again, bet even phoenix Petra seemed cringed a little at what he just said. Is there really going to be an opportunity where torture is needed? If we need information from someone, I can already detect lies and Ariza can read minds, seems a little pointless but guess if I ever want to become a true edgelord, torture will be the way.

“Moving on… next one Aesa?”

“The last ability Aesa is a little annoyed with. Ability -self-sacrifice- allows Ikarus to sacrifice all but 1HP to lower another enemies HP to 1 as well. The cooldown timer for this is strangely a week but Ikarus really shouldn’t be using this ability EVER. This is all kinds of riskiness Aesa isn’t for”

So basically, it’s a trade-off, I damage myself to an extent were stubbing my toe will kill me and the same applies to the target. It says a lot about me that this ability sounds really useful.

“Couldn’t I just combine it with immortality Aesa and I’d be safe?”

“-Self-sacrifice- doesn’t work that way unfortunately Ikarus. As a matter of fact, it cancels any abilities and locks you out from everything until the week has surpassed, even healent won’t help as HP will be stuck on 1. Honestly, Aesa would delete this ability is it was possible, the only circumstance this may be viable is if wife is in danger”

Well, that makes this way more trash than it needed to be. I guess it could be useful for a last-ditch kind of thing if facing Zeus requires it but obviously only if nothing else works. I still could see myself using this someday though which is odd.

Unfortunately, Petra isn’t having any of this, she knows us me, or us too well.

“Aesa, promise me you’ll never get Ikarus to use that even if there’s no other alternatives”

“Aesa can try but Ikarus is too stubborn on things like this. She’s already picturing scenarios where it may be useful and if something really bad happens, Aesa may not be able to say no to her”

Damn it Aesa! Get out of my freaking head already, not literally since you’re right next to me but still! Just because I picture a situation where I gallantly sacrifice myself for my wife or the world doesn’t actually mean it’s going to happen! Or does it? Not the world part, fuck everyone else if they think this bird is selfless to idiots… Ah, I’m done with this shit already…

Asmodeus has been surprisingly quiet despite everything that’s been said though, almost as if he knows this may get used someday. Not even going to bother questioning him on that, I’d rather not know if it ends up involving my death. Frankly, if I’m wondering about with one hit point, I will die breaking a nail or something like that.

‘Ah, just one last thing now Aesa, last status check for today’

‘Status’

[Name: Ikarus   |   Species: Phoenix   |   Level: 709]

[Health    166,666*/166,666*]

[Stamina 160,988*/166,666*]

[Magicka 166,666*/166,666*]

[You currently have 4501 unassigned points]

‘What should I do with my leftover points now though Aesa?’

There’s still the problem with what comes next, what am I even supposed to do? I guess I could keep investing into it but with the way I’m normally wearing my enchanted outfit, it seems redundant, no?

[<Maybe Ikarus should save them and see if there’s anything to use them on down the line? Aesa is getting a strong feeling there may be something extra upon reaching level 1000 or becoming a demon lord. No evidence to back that up but Aesa is finding it hard to believe there isn’t anything more ahead>]

‘At least we’re both in agreement then…’

“…You’ll be happy to know Petra, we don’t have to stop and do all this stupid system testing I normally do. Unless you want me to try killing myself or something”

That actually gets more of a chuckle out of the demon rather than everyone else, don’t think that joke is alright if he likes it.

“Heh, you sure you don’t want to try blowing me up instead Ikarus? That could be a fun experience”

You know, sometimes her sense of humour doesn’t even make sense to me but then again, I also just told a shitty death joke as well so we’re like two peas in a pod.

Anyways, might as well get comfortable since I still have no idea where we’re going, won’t be long before I start backseat driving up here as well.

“Heh, I’ll have to drop you if you start getting too clingy Ikarus. Can’t fly straight with you coddling me too much”

“Don’t care, learn to live with it”

Snuggling up and basically cuddling into the feathers on Petra’s neck, I seriously can’t explain just how nice this change is. Sure, carrying her is nice as well but gotta make the most of this because I’ll never know when she’ll go full furry on me next… I’m definitely not into that! Just, we’re both phoenixes and feathery as hell, it’s just like I’m hugging into a ball of fluff. If I wasn’t a bird, I’d have loved to be a beastkin with a full bushy tail as well… not helping the furry thing, am I?

“Heh, never realized you missed this side to me this much Ikarus. If you’d have asked, I ha”

Sure, and that’s the problem! I’m not making her in pain for my own selfish needs because cuddling up to her like this is way too good… Oh my God, imagine how good it will to be if I’m snuggling up to her in phoenix form as well!? I could literally die happy the day comes when she’s no longer inflicted with pain.

“I’m not one for causing you pain Petra and I don’t really know what else to say… Even when you’re badly scarred, cursed and even more animal than human, I’m still never letting you go”

“Heh, love you two Ikarus, but you’ve really got to start coming up with some better lines”

“Hey! That one was cute! Stupid bird form Petra…”