Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

A gentle voice sounded as he began to awaken slowly.

It felt comforting as if his mother was whispering into his ears and stroking his hair like when he was a young boy.

The quiet but soothing voice let him leave his strange dreams bordering nightmares.

He was forced to fight himself countless times, suffering death to the brutal skill of the dark counterpart, but as he awakened, the pain suffered during those moments seemed to follow him to reality.

"Ugh... it hurts, mother?"

"Eh? Who is your mother, silly Asura..."

Mu Xue's delicate fingers brushed through his silky raven hair, slipping along his rugged jaw and staring into his eyes with an endearing smile upon her lips.

"Xue'er? Your voice was so lovely and nostalgic. It reminded me of the past."

"Fufu, you always loved your mother. I remember you asking her to sing to you every day."

"Did you like my voice that much?"

Asura began to wake completely, his hand cupping Mu Xue's cheek with a devilish smile, "Well, I hope you can sing for me every day from now on."

"Hmmm, let me think about it, hehe."

Mu Xue didn't want the food to grow cold. Thus, she only pampered him for a little while before they started eating together; the food was delicious, with a rich aroma and exquisite flavours.

'The taste of the oil isn't as good as butter, but Mu Xue used salt and spices to try to cover it up, and the taste is quite different.'

Although Asura was used to eating the meals prepared by Mu Xue, he couldn't help but notice the difference in taste.

'Delicious nonetheless.'

He believed it might be down to the different access to flavourings and the lack of onions replaced with shallots and oil instead of butter because of the difference in the capital diet and produce compared to his home province that was richer in butter, cows, carrots and onions.

[Mu Xue POV]

After finishing their meal, Mu Xue noticed Asura had become quieter than usual.

"What's wrong? Did you not like the food?"

"No, the food was great as always. I just need to fight and... Kill to become stronger."

His eyes shone with no negative emotions as Mu Xue looked at him, noticing his gaze towards the distant forest on the academy grounds for students to train.

Mu Xue looked a little worried for a few moments, but seeing his changed body, wondering how he managed to change in his short journey that day, he woke up after kissing her.

'Master had changed, no longer the coward from the past.'

He no longer wallowed in self-pity or sought to accept defeat.

"Do you want to enter the Zephyr forest? Pass through the Wolven Highlands to train?"

Mu Xue asked curiously, knowing the place where Asura wished to go.

It was one of the most dangerous places for students to enter without permission, but as she was a certified stage two, she believed this was no problem.

'From how he fought today, the changes and ways he could slowly match my techniques, some taking years of training... My beloved master seems to be either a genius of battle or his secret allows him to become one.'

Her eyes looked to the forest again, tapping the table as her long black hair swayed with the slight force of her movement.

'I cannot waste this talent.'

Mu Xue sighed, knowing that even if she stood against him, leaving the way his eyes were practically sparkling meant that Asura would sneak out or try to.

There was no reason to be stupid and stiff when his heart and mind were set on becoming stronger, although she did try to convince him once.

"Can you not grow stronger using other methods?"

Mu Xu asked, touching her lips and squishing them with a strange but cute atmosphere around her.

Asura turned his head back, looking at Mu Xue and shaking his head, "Although tempting, I do not wish to do that merely to get stronger, but because I want to."

He whispered, stepping close to her as his lips touched hers, kissing her gently before leaving, "I'll be back soon, Xue'er. Don't worry too much."

Mu Xue blushed, feeling his hands touch her hips before he left, heading straight towards the door before she grasped his hand.

"Fool... I will come with you. Let's prepare properly first, okay? I don't want to see you hurt."

She said cutely, walking beside him and smiling as she grasped his hand.

Mu Xue knew he could take care of himself, but she wanted to protect Asura as much as possible, especially if he planned to become stronger recklessly by fighting the monsters in the forest close to stage two.

"Wait... I have something for you." She whispered, with a quiet and almost mosquito-like tone, rushing to her small black box and looking at Asura, who stood waiting with a curious look.

"What do you have?"

"Something that I had made for you..."

'I hope he likes it...'

[Mu Xue POV end]

Asura watched as she began to rustle around in the small box, before a slight jangle of metal, before pulling equipment from the box and laying it neatly in order, the black and red colour scheme instantly catching his eyes.

'Oh... it looks well made.'

A black pair of gauntlets, beautifully crafted with fine rivets and craftsmanship, then a matching set of vambraces and spaulders, the shoulders of his armour were like black wolves howling towards the moon, with leather and chainmail curious, the leather black and red, the cuirass dull silver.

"I... spent a long time collecting the ores and materials when not busy..."

'She sounds so adorable... these items are not cheap or easy to get... even as a stage two knight.'

His fingers stroked the smooth spaulders; the metal was not cheap, definitely not iron or steel, something durable but not heavy.

'A magic metal? Mu Xue... How can I repay your gentle and devoted affection?'

Asura began to get naked, only wearing his underwear and socks, before wearing the armour. He liked the gauntlets most because the knuckles had short spikes; he imagined punching with them would surely hurt.

The second layer of the cuirass sounded as the chainmail tapped its surface, but he needed Mu Xue's help; as she looked at him almost naked while wearing her gift, her cute face became bright red.

"Xue'er... help me put this on."

Asura smiled, lifting the cuirass as Mu Xue helped him wear it, her slim but strong arms wrapping around his waist before fixing it, the clicking sound echoing.

"You look so handsome..."

Wearing black pants, with spiked greaves and sabatons, didn't hinder his movements as he stepped forward.

He was amazed that even the joints of his shoulders under the splendours and bend of his elbows felt so fluid and didn't limit his movement.

"Do I?"

He smiled at her before stroking her cheek and looking away while admiring the armour in a human-sized mirror beside the wardrobe and spare table.

There was no helmet, but his long raven locks and handsome face perfectly suited the black wolf armour.

"How will I repay you? Xue'er this armour, your heart... it is so sincere."

Mu Xue never seemed to expect anything in return.

Instead, she smiled like eating honey and grasped his hand tightly, "You don't need to do anything; just be nice to Xue'er and never leave her side."

"Haha, alright, but I still want to give you something in return, although I do not know what yet."

Asura laughed, kissing her hand and holding Mu Xue tightly, embracing her as he felt her soft rump squished between his fingers, almost enraptured by her allure.

Her armour was a light blue and white robe, with light chainmail protecting her breasts, stomach and crotch, her sweet and calming scent invading his nostrils as his hands held her waist.

Mu Xue was bemused, enjoying his touch and feeling of safety within his arms, "Asura is so warm... I don't ever want to leave."

"Then don't? We can stay here forever."

Mu Xue shook her head with a smile as if she wanted to but... refused.

"We must become strong together, right? If we want to live happily, we must get stronger... besides, I want to see you stand at the top, no longer mocked or spoken ill of."

Her eyes were filled with determination as if Asura's glory was hers, and she would share in it no matter what happened.

Asura kissed her forehead, "Alright, let us become stronger together."

Mu Xue nodded, grasping his hand as they left the dorm room, heading towards the academy's western exit, which led towards the Wolven Highland forest.

[Such a gentle girl. I can see why she is a large part of your desire to grow strong.]

[However, her ice magic purity is not normal.]

'Hmmm? Well, my Xue'er is special.'

[No... You don't understand.]

[The inferior system used in this world, the whole ranking system, is not suited to either of your powers.]

'Hmmm? But it's all we know?'

Asura and Mu Xue walked into the dark Wolven Highlands together, leaving the western gates of the academy together while he learned about the true system of power he should follow.

The power of cultivating oneself.