Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

Sigurd and Asura's training lasted over seven hours before his physical power reached its limit.

Their blows continued increasing in power, speed and magical force. The conflict was so intense the training room became a mess. Sigurd's last slash almost cut across Asura's neck. Saved by his black scales that shattered from the explosive blow of her magic.

He staggered, almost collapsing, but used Lumeris Nova to stand. The tip dug into the ground because he lacked power.

'I can feel something. At the bottom of my stomach, I need more!'

"Shall we call it here, Asura? Ha...haa..." Sigurd asked. Her face looked tired look as she sheathed her long Katana.

"Haa....Haa....Haa..."

Asura's breathing and body were a complete mess. Yet looked at her with sharp eyes, like a wolf ready to pounce.

"Wait..."

His body screamed in pain as he forced himself up. Asura's tired hands let Lumeris Nova slip from his hands with a loud thud. Yet he didn't pick it up; instead, he held his hands in a combative stance, hands clenched tight.

"Please, one more."

Magic started swirling around Asura's body. Fire, water, earth, and wind all began entwining. Their colours and power then merged into a single element. He felt a strange force flow through him as his body started healing.

The sudden change in his magic density almost exploded in amount. His sudden increase caused Sigurd to grasp her sword out of instinct.

"Asura, that force is dangerous. I will not hold back."

Despite saying this, Asura knew she was already holding back because her true strength was definitely above Stage Six, yet she only faced him with a Stage Five level.

'After all, she's powerful...'

His eyes, shimmering with gold, watched the thick colour of her magic density that grew as she spoke. It felt like two huge hands were holding down his shoulders.

The strange magic flowed through Asura's body as he resisted Sigurd's pressure. Then his Anima pumped through his body rapidly, causing him to remove her pressure and launch forward.

⟪Asura Combat Arts⟫

—Void Battle Form

Sigurd's figure blurred, her sword piercing towards his neck. Asura's right arm, covered in white scales, brushed the blade's blunt edge while his left hand shot towards her chest with a fierce palm.

⟪Asura Combat Arts⟫

—Void Palm

However, Sigurd's sword slashed twice, forcing Asura to bend his knee before her sword swept across his neck.

The sharp flash of steel forced him to roll sideways, escaping the sword slash before a sudden shadow from Asura thrust both palms against her chest.

⟪Asura Combat Arts⟫

—Void Piercing Blast

His Anima exploded, causing Sigurd's body to fly across the training room, crashing into the wall and creating a large dent before she coughed out some blood, her expression slightly shocked. "Well done... You little bastard. Now I'm a little wet."

However...

Before he could speak, her blade and body appeared beside his face, slicing his scaled cheek apart even as he dodged. His eyes flashed dangerously while Sigurd smiled.

Mana surged through her body as Asura grasped her wrist, stopping her second strike.

⟪Asura Combat Arts⟫

—Void Burst!

His Anima flooded Sigurd's body, causing her to frown, while Asura grinned, his fist smashing into her stomach, causing her to spit her blood in his face, blinding him. A moment later, her foot smashed into him, sending his body flying.

⟪Saintess Sword Art⟫

—Heavenly Blitz

Sigurd's figure blurred, her sword appearing beside Asura's chest, piercing towards his heart.

However, Asura's huge hand grasped her sword, but before he could. Her sword vanished and slashed him again countless times as her body teleported around him each time he tried to block or evade her blitz.

Finally, Asura's body crashed into the training room wall, coughing out blood as Sigurd smirked. "Kid, you got lucky. Let us stop here. Otherwise, I'll break your arms."

"..."

Asura glanced at her with a strange look. He wasn't fully awake—the half-conscious state caused his parallel minds to work harder than ever as his anima exploded in black flames.

A strange transformation as his horns split apart, growing thicker with moulted flames bubbling from the cracks.

'I hunger...'

There was the sound of something breaking... the ground? The training room? Asura's bones?

"!?"

Sigurd's eyes widened as an enormous claw grabbed her face, smashing her along the wall and crushing her face against the stone walls.

"..."

Asura's body slowly moved forward, his left leg broken, his body bruised and battered, his mind hazy as Sigurd's figure lay motionless while her magic fluctuated.

Yet, Asura knelt and began licking her blood from his fingers. "A nostalgic taste..."

His voice became distorted and broken. It felt like the flames covering his body burned his throat and vocal cords, but he didn't get the chance to attack her again.

Silver chains shot towards Asura's body, restraining him in place, causing him to snarl aggressively before Sigurd sat up, wiping her bloody lips, her face pale white.

"Damn, kid, you are scary. Hahaha... you almost broke my face...!?"

"You!? You are supposed to have died! We defeated you!"

"WHERE IS ASURA?" The moment she saw his form, her face became enraged, filled with ferocity as her sword cut through the air.

The strange Anima surged through Asura's body as his Anima pulsed rapidly, causing the chains to shatter before he grasped Sigurd's sword between his fangs, glaring at her with glowing golden eyes.

⟪Saintess Sword Arts⟫

—Holy Blossom Moon Blade!

Sigurd's figure teleported before Asura, slashing across his neck. However, his left hand unexpectedly grasped her sword. Her face showed shock as it held the steel blade in place, and he growled at her viciously.

She punched Asura's stomach with a brutal concentration of wind and earth magic, causing him to spit blood. Then, her entire body began beating him with a rain of blows filled with a silver radiance.

He endured the fierce beating she gave him. Asura watched the flow of her magic as her blows became more violent. Anima circled his body, protecting his organs.

His parallel minds guided the black flames that burned fiercely. The changes to his body caused a strange type of armour that seemed more like the body of a monster. Neither a dragon nor a devil... an asura or abyss monster.

[Really...]

The strange flames covered Asura's body while Sigurd unleashed her full power—her sword cuts penetrated his flesh, his Anima repairing his wounds as the chains restrained his body once again, causing him to growl aggressively, only to watch her body step away.

"Return him to me! Where is he!" Sigurd shouted in anger.

Her sword pointed towards Asura, causing him to tilt his head, his eyes watching her curiously. Her magic density exploded, stopping Asura from moving now with both legs broken and his left arm severed.

[Why did this form have to appear again?]

⟪Saintess Sword Arts⟫

—Holy Blossom Moon Blade!

Sigurd channelled her powers to create beams of silver light protecting her body and sword. The more her magic increased, the more violent her silver beams became. They attacked the strange form of Asura. Not allowing him to fight back.

But she grasped her sword, ignoring the pain. Her figure blitzed towards his body. The mercy from earlier vanished as her blade, covered in moonlight, penetrated his chest.

However, Sigurd frowned, her sword penetrating Asura's body.

Yet he grabbed her neck, his Anima surging through her body, causing her face to distort in pleasure, her face filled with disgust and shame. Her radiance seemed to struggle against the strange black flames.

His Magic exploded, burning her body as Asura licked her face, causing her to strike her sword, the blade penetrating deeper, as the black armour cracked, then crumbled.

Sigurd's eyes turned cold, her sword piercing further.

Though unexpectedly, he kissed her lips violently before his Anima surged through her body, causing her radiant magic to tremble as he laughed coldly.

"Soon, little saintess. In our next meeting, I won't be sleeping. You haven't forgotten the promise, right?"

Asura spoke the words in his voice and tone, his eyes half awake as he felt like this entire moment was his dream.

[So I cannot hide his first reincarnation…]

***

⁜ Sigurd POV

One hour later, she remained silent, watching the completely healed and naked body of Asura muttering in her mother tongue about one thing—The Abyss Monarch.

Three thousand years ago, the cult of the fallen sun revived their profane lord or divine son. To seal that monster, it took the alliance of three nations and one of them to be destroyed to prevail.

'How can it be you... Amalia said you are a gentle boy? Is this why my body felt alive when you appeared?'

"Because you are the one that cursed me."

Her pale fingers trembled, pulling away from his face as she tried to check his state. There seemed to be no movement, but his breathing remained.

She felt a sense of fear but couldn't kill him... How many times did she hold the blade of her sword at his neck only to feel her own body betray her?

Her body trembled, remembering Asura's Anima invading her body. It felt pure and powerful and made her feel euphoria, healing her wounds and damage instead of assaulting her directly.

'No... this can't be you... why do you seem gentle.'

Sigurd shook her head, removing such thoughts before chanting a holy spell on Asura's body, causing him to wake, his beautiful golden eyes fading and becoming the same old crimson ones, watching her with a slight smile.

"Teacher..."

Asura muttered cutely, causing Sigurd to stare at him without blinking. Her thoughts raced, remembering his Anima invading her body, causing her to shiver, then glance down at his body and realise something.

'Ah... He's naked and so energetic!?'

Sigurd hid her shame by slapping his cheek and turning away to hide her face. Which turned red as she covered Asura's body with a training robe. "Little bastard, get dressed quickly."

Then she turned around, trying to hide her expression, only to hear his crisp voice. "Teacher, I want to sleep. Can I stay here? I had the strangest dream... I saw a young teacher and..."

"FORGET THAT!" Sigurd yelled loudly, interrupting Asura before he recalled anything else.

However, she heard a cute yawn as his soft hair pressed against her waist while he hugged her. "Teacher, please let me use your thighs as pillows..."

Before she could react, his body collapsed, his eyes closed, and his breathing became steady.

It seemed he was exhausted. However, this felt like ripples in her forgotten memory became exposed, with no way to protect herself...

Sigurd gazed at Asura's sleeping face, her fingers touching his cheeks, recalling the Abyss Monarch's touch before he reached Stage Four.

The next moment, she remembered the scene of his death—even then, she could not kill him. So she sealed him, and in doing so, she became linked to him. Her body would lose all feminine functions and desires unless he were to be reborn.

'You... how can it be you... I sealed you, destroyed your soul. And yet you are alive... Able to use magic, despite my seal forcing you to live the life of a No-Mag!'

Memories flooded her mind, and she hummed a gentle tone that Asura misunderstood as his mother's bedtime melody...

It was the melody of another lifetime sung by the princess of a destroyed kingdom.