Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

The room became silent after Vela's last words. Asura could feel Mu Xue and Xavida's pressure growing instantly after her last comment. However, the princess escaped...

Vela rushed to her new room, glancing at Asura before vanishing.

Soon followed by the two hornets she provoked.

'It seems life won't become boring at least... But, sorry, girls! Today, I have a promise with my little sister and her sexy master.'

Asura took this quiet moment, rushing outside and heading towards Sigurd's private courtyard.

The moment he arrived, Sigurd was waiting for him as if they planned to meet. "If it isn't champion, it seems I can't go easy on you anymore." She said, curling her lips into a smile as Asura recovered.

"You never went easy on me before!" Asura declared, causing Sigurd to chuckle before touching her sword.

"Did I go easy on you? What for? You are just a brat?"

"You just did. Otherwise, I couldn't act like this!"

Asura approached until he was only a few centimetres away from her. Then he stared at her, eyes intense.

His hand reached out and touched her soft cheek.

'Oh god, her skin is so smooth and squishy!? How does it feel as youthful as Xavida!'

"Boy, did you just say those stupid things to molest me?" Sigurd questioned him calmly. Her icy voice felt like a blade against Asura's neck.

However, instead of backing down, he pulled her body towards him.

Their bodies touch each other.

Sigurd's alluring scent invaded his senses, making Asura dizzy for a second before recovering.

"If I did? We made that bet anyway, right?"

⁜ Sigurd POV

How long was it since a man had treated the fabled sword saintess this way? One thousand years, maybe two?

She looked at him with a rather bemused face before realising he was like this because his magic density had almost doubled since they last met.

'This brat... Did he undergo such a large breakthrough already? And without any issues in his foundation, too!' Sigurd pondered.

She never expected Asura to increase his magic density so fast. Most people take years or even decades to increase it by half what Asura did. Yet this little bastard did it in less than a month.

"You have grown a little."

Suddenly, she watched with a smirk, releasing her aura to that of a Stage Six level. At that moment, Asura almost fell to his knees, a level of pressure that dwarfed his growth.

However, he stood. The look on his face as he resisted Sigurd was strange... her heartfelt excitement pushing this boy... No, it was clear he was a man, and she should rethink these disrespectful thoughts.

He stood tall despite the pain for ten minutes as she watched him struggle to bear her aura. Then she relented.

"You did well. I saw you fight in the tournament and know what you did to the prince." Sigurd chuckled again, her voice dripping with amusement.

'Did he want to keep that bet we made before he left? This daring boy.' Sigurd mused.

"Thank you..." Asura tried to hide his struggle to breathe and recover, but that added to the excitement and splice inside Sigurd's chest.

She stepped forward, almost the same height, before stepping on her tiptoes and gently kissing his forehead.

"If you want to honour our bet, you are far off. However..." Sigurd whispered in his ear. Her hot breath caressed Asura's skin before she stepped back.

"I can wait expectantly for you to surpass me, right?" Sigurd said coldly, trying to cover her slightly pink cheeks.

Asura blinked a few times, surprised by her actions.

"But first, let's eat. I'm starving." Sigurd quickly added. Her tone changed back to normal as she grabbed Asura's arm.

She then led him into her courtyard.

'Let's see how long you will last... Boy.'

⁜ Asura POV

Asura's mind blanked for a minute. Sigurd's action left him dumbfounded. She kissed his forehead!? And said that!

'Damn it! I need to train harder, much harder.' Asura swore in his heart.

A fire lit up in his chest that hadn't been there. One born from a challenge... An opportunity. He realised that, as a person, he loved battle more than anything else.

Be it the battle between man and woman in the sheets, fighting a great enemy in the forest or struggling to make people live better lives. Even as a No-Mag, this feeling was there.

So, he needed to grow stronger, to fulfil his promise and get Sigurd.

'Wait? Since when did I start thinking about her this way?' Asura pondered. His four minds go over the past, remembering Sigurd's arrogant attitude and time together.

'Was it the fact she acknowledged my sword style? Or me as a warrior...?' Asura wondered before noticing Sigurd had dragged him inside her courtyard.

"Come in. Let's eat," Sigurd said softly.

Her expression showed she was still the arrogant sword saintess. But behind it, Asura sensed something else.

'What is it...? It feels like yearning, yet I know that can't be possible... But let's do our best, Asura one, two and three!' He mentally cheered, following Sigurd inside.

"Sure..." Asura replied. He smiled faintly, letting her drag him around.

After entering her courtyard, Asura noticed no servants, but a piping hot meal had already sat on the table. There were various dishes, from roasted boar to grilled vegetables with spices.

Then he noticed a strange change in the smile of Sigurd. "I don't know if it will suit your palette, but I made anything I could think of. Amalia is training in the usual room, so eat all you like." Sigurd said happily.

"Huh...?" Asura didn't expect this side of her, watching with his four minds. He noticed how she dressed in casual clothes, a long purple dress that revealed her exquisite curves, and her hair let loose.

"You made all this!?"

Asura gulped before sitting. 'Damn, why is everything smelling and looking so delicious?'

"What? Can I only swing my sword and crush bones in your thick skull?" Sigurd complained. Her annoyed face caused Asura to chuckle.

"I never said that. Sorry, it's wonderful, all of it."

"Well, eat, eat and eat, boy!" Sigurd ordered him before filling his plate with more food. It had been long since her cooking was displayed or complimented. Amalia ate it like a pig and rolled around with a fat belly.

"You'll need all the energy you can muster for today's practice."

Asura ate slowly. He savoured every bite, his tongue tasting heaven with each dish. "Sigurd, this tastes amazing!" Asura complimented her honestly.

"Humph. Eat more!" Sigurd ordered him, her cheeks blushing before filling his plate again.

'God, is she going to fatten me up? Not that I will complain.' Asura chuckled, eating his fill.

Then he realised she mentioned practising while drinking a thick, hot & sour soup with noodles. "Practise?" Asura questioned her curiously.

Sigurd glanced at Asura. She seemed hesitant for a second before nodding. "Yes, Amalia's cultivation has reached the peak of her current stage. So I can do nothing but watch as she develops now... So, I've decided I will use my spare time to refine and temper your Demon Sword style completely." Sigurd explained her decision.

"Tempering my sword style? Is it worthy of your attention?" Asura inquired, confused by Sigurd's words.

She stopped momentarily, her eyes closing before taking a deep breath.

Asura watched, wondering what she might say, almost enchanted once again as her hair draped over her chest.

Then Sigurd spoke. "Because I want to make you the strongest man alive, to see if your swordsmanship can break mine," Sigurd confessed. Her words left Asura speechless.

'Break hers? Could Demon Sword style reach that level? Damn, I have to shallow understanding of martial arts and the outside world. I am merely a frog in a well!'

"Eat more!" Sigurd ordered him again. Her serious expression vanished, replaced with delight, as she stuffed Asura with more food.

However, he heard her whisper. His senses were equal to Stage Six at this point.

"I want to experience a complete loss and for the opponent to be someone I choose."

'Damn, this girl... She is scarier than Xavida or Mu Xue combined.' Asura gulped while eating.

Asura enjoyed Sigurd's cooking while listening to her talk about Amalia. After the meal, he noticed Sigurd's mood improve, and a youthful smile appeared on her face.

He never saw her depressive look again, but he soon felt depressed as they moved towards the training room with higher gravity.

"Come on, show me your growth!" Sigurd ordered. Her serious tone returned, along with a terrifying aura.

Asura nodded, taking out his sword before swinging it. The sound of thunder resounded as his sword cut through the air, releasing a small shockwave.

His magic density had grown exponentially. With his four minds controlling each part of combat while he focused on the Demon Sword style, Asura could release his full force, and Sigurd watched with interest. "Don't think I will go easy on you. Asura."

It was rare for her to use his name, and the moment she did, her force exploded, and her sword had already reached his neck. Asura dodged by a hair's breadth before parrying and creating a distance between them.

'Holy fuck!' He cursed in his heart. Sigurd's movement speed surprised him. Her sword turned into lightning in his eyes, unable to dodge her next attack.

However, Asura's instincts kicked in.

Thanks to his parallel thinking, each movement was nearly flawless. He reacted instantly, jumping back as the ground cracked where his feet were a moment ago.

With both hands gripping his sword-lance tight, he didn't hesitate and entered the second stage of his liberation form.

Sigurd smiled and nodded. She wanted him to treat this fight as a battle to the death. Before he could react, her sword struck at his body seven times like flashes of pure light.

Each strike released a terrifying force that Asura struggled to block. Even his liberation form couldn't help him keep up with Sigurd's sword. However, he used the remaining strength, twisting his waist before thrusting his sword-lance.

He knew she wouldn't block his sword, but it gave him enough time to escape two of her attacks before attacking himself.

"That's it, Asura. Even if you are to lose an arm, you strike down the foe! That is the essence of your demon sword!" Sigurd praised him, her hand blocking his strike.

Asura's eyes widened, seeing blood oozing from her beautiful palm, yet he felt another group of feelings: excitement, desire and joy.

The resulting shockwave destroyed part of her robes, and her attacks shredded him, leaving deep bruises and wounds. However, neither cared, and their swords collided again and again.

Asura lost count of how often he failed to dodge or counter Sigurd's moves. He received cuts or bruises every time, but Asura learned faster and faster. Each time he improved, Sigurd attacked more viciously.

They fought nonstop for five hours, causing both to pant heavily.

Asura's cultivation realm was still too low compared to hers. He had exhausted all his magic and had to rely on his physical prowess.

"Your damn body is terrifying!" Sigurd gasped while sitting on a chair, full of sweat and panting.

Several minor cuts and wounds covered her body, and her robe became tattered, revealing her undershirt.

While Asura was topless, he had bruises all over his muscles and some deep wounds. But he stood tall and seemed ready to fight longer.