Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix - Chapter 402

Chapter 402: Changes in the Elven Monolith
Asura sat on the edge of Celine’s bed. He felt a sense of comfort after their evening together, different from sensual pleasure. Instead, he could feel the changes in the elven monolith, the world tree that bound all the other monoliths together.

‘It’s strange…’

He felt the monolith become full of life and vibrance the moment he embraced Celine. The feeling that mating with an elf caused the tree to develop and grow further.

Though his strength didn’t magically explode and become Stage Ten, he felt different—the way his magic and animus moved through his veins became tranquil and controlled.

When he let it circulate to create a small ball of flames, Asura needed less than half of what he needed in the past, and the power was still stronger than before.

“Look at her sleeping though, a princess during the day and an erotic little pig at night.”

Asura smiled while looking back at Celine, who slept with her legs spread across the bed, her stomach on display and snoring, although it sounded cute. It made her image as an elven princess in his mind collapse. She had the figure and features of a princess, but her personality and actions made her seem like a sow. Asura wondered if her attitude was why she wasn’t married yet. However, he understood that most elves were very selective about whom they married, only choosing those they would have children with,

‘Well it seems I’m stuck with this little princess, might as well take responsibility and make sure she also gets to see me often.’

“I guess I need to get stronger quickly…”

‘This monolith is strange…It feels so different to the others which aim to increase my power directly. The elven tree feels more supportive and boosts everything else while slightly increasing other aspects of me. I am sure it is the reason for my overall increased strength as well. I have to explore it thoroughly.’

Asura leaned back and wondered why reaching Stage Eight didn’t hurt like last time; rather… he could breathe through while reaching a climax with Celine, and there was no backlash. If anything, it was he produced too much semen and forced them to change the bed sheets. He felt grateful that Spica left through the servant’s door—otherwise, there might have been trouble.

‘Celine is the key to this. If it’s because of the elven monolith and her being a princess, maybe I should sleep with her when I’m going to reach Stage Nine too…’

Asura sighed before his eyes began to close. He lay beside his new elf spouse and slowly drifted to sleep.

****

Meanwhile, back in Silvara, Vela was sitting in a quiet room with Rasha and Yufa; recently, her mother permitted their plans but insisted on Vela remaining in Silvara along with Lorem and Xavida.

As Valerie assumed, returning to Drakkur was the best course of action for her and Verana. However, they would leave tomorrow evening after collecting a few Valkyrie from Asura’s unit, including Amalia, who would serve as the captain of the small force, giving her a chance to earn some credit.

‘This is so boring, I want to go with Asura. I don’t want to be a princess.’

Vela frowned. She felt a little regretful to have got pregnant if it meant spending time away from Asura, though she realised it was also a wonderful thing.

“Princess, we will do everything we can to make you comfortable, so please let us know if there is anything you require.”

A maid asked with a smile, while Rasha sat beside her reading an enormous book that seemed to be on the history of Silvara. Yufa entertained herself by reading a bestiary of the various monsters and phantoms that appeared in the kingdom because the Arachne and other monsters in the monster forest hunted and wiped out the weaker phantoms.

“I would like a drink, something sweet and sour, it’s so hot.”

Vela waved her hand dismissively while staring at the windows, which had several servants standing outside. They were making sure no one entered and only allowed her friends and the maids inside.

“How long is Asura going to be?”

In all honesty, she knew he would appear when she needed him most, and Vela knew Asura felt his strength wasn’t enough for this task.

‘Maybe I should try and find some ways to help him grow stronger… I remember him saying that when he slept with us, he became a little stronger.’

Vela looked over towards the books Rasha and Yufa were reading. There were many books in the castle, but she felt a little annoyed that she couldn’t leave the castle because her mother became worried about her future grandchild… ‘Asura, hurry and come home.’

While she sat against the comfortable chair, her gaze loomed towards the east as she wondered how Sigurd would react to being able to spend time with Asura after a long time.

***

“Don’t drop your guard, even if the enemy is unarmed or knocked to the ground. Always keep your blade ready to strike!”

A woman stood holding an Eastern sword while facing several males who lay on the ground panting. She wore a beautiful silver robe and wearing a black undershirt and shorts. Her hair was long, glistening and straight, while her eyes were sharp.

“We’re done for the day, good job.”

Sigrid smiled before walking towards the weapon rack, picking up a towel and wiping her sweat. She had spent the last week training the soldiers under her care. Sigurd felt grateful Asura paved the way for her to become the owner of this new school, which would open to the public in a few months. After she trained the knights who would serve Asura, she began helping the servants and guards for a small fee, cheaper than an evening meal, to build her private funds.

“Commander Sigrid, the Captain is here.”

“I see, let him through.”

The irony of the former Earl becoming a captain for the training school made Sigurd’s lips curl into a smirk. Her future father-in-law entered, his face beaming and full of life; after handing most of the responsibility to Asura and Sigurd, he began to enjoy life, though he still held the temporary position of an Earl and served the queen.

“Commander Sigrid, I came to check on your progress.”

“Father, it’s good to see you. Is it that time already?”

“Yes, everyone is waiting at the table. Ophelia was worried you’d stay late again, training yourself. Come, let’s eat.”

Sigurd nodded her head and followed her father-in-law, feeling a little excited because she knew Asura was returning home soon. In the many letters sent from the capital, one was addressed to her from Mu Xue, who told her of the oath, and although Sigurd felt annoyed, as she was here most of the time, it also contained information, and she would get more time when they were together because of this.

‘He said he was busy, but to think he went to visit another princess, an elven princess at that.’

Sigurd knew she wasn’t an expert at reading the emotions of others, and her social skills weren’t the best, but even she knew that Mu Xue was doing her best to keep the women around Asura from fighting each other or becoming a liability.

‘Well, I have the advantage here; I am his strongest fiancée, and even if he has other women, he can take them us all to the bedroom with him. It’s been a long time since we met… and I miss him…’

Sigurd sighed, her heart racing a little, but realised that they had arrived home before she knew it. And all this time, Garret was speaking to himself about Ophelia and their coming child…

‘Oh, well, let’s enjoy this meal, and I wonder what the other princess will be like…’

***

While Sigurd and Vela lost themselves in their idle thoughts, Asura was once again fighting against the monsters hidden in the hellish plane.

His body was covered in wounds, while dozens of Blood Crows were all around him, their heads destroyed along with the core of their entire bodies.

Asura stood in the centre of a bloody lake, around him a desolate land of red sand and broken mountains, the water so dense he could step on the surface without sinking inside, making him wonder what lingered inside.

“Phew…”

Asura felt exhausted; he had been in this place for several hours, and after using the hellish fire tokens repeatedly, he would go back and sleep with the exhausted Celine to regain their energy and enjoy a moment of bliss.

However, after three tokens, she became too unstable and weak to enter because It was difficult for her to recover at his pace. Yet whenever he approached her, she accepted, no matter how tired.

His body was littered with wounds, and the only reason he was alive was the mysterious healing properties of his animus that started developing upon gaining the Elven monolith, which, after sleeping with Celine, became stronger and flowed more naturally.

“How many was that? Twenty? Thirty?”

Asura was amazed at his strength, especially the speed at which he was becoming stronger. Thanks to his union with Celine and reaching Stage Eight, his cultivation reached the limit of the second cycle. Now, his entire core looked like the world he was born in.

Mostly water, with masses of land, mountains and grassland, even the snowy north and south poles that reminded him of his first life before dying.

‘This is Earth… or a copy of Earth, maybe because that’s the planet I was born and desperately tried to protect?’

Asura wasn’t sure why, but he felt a little emotional whenever he saw the miniature planet floating in his abdomen. He wasn’t sure if it was because it was the world where he was born, the world where he first died, or the planet he fought for.

‘However, I cannot rush any thoughts I might have; this is too important to just brush off or use flawed logic. I will know when the next cycle starts, I imagine it will have something to do with creating a satellite that orbits this core… Then I will know.’

“Come, let’s try again.”

Asura gripped the Hellish flame token and walked towards the gate. He became desperate to grow stronger, though he could feel the small steps and the significant progress he made on this intense day. There was something that made him feel uneasy, that despite all this progress, it wasn’t enough!

‘There’s someone out there who is trying to kill me and those I care about. I must become strong enough to protect them!’

Asura entered the gate, his eyes burning with a fire filled with determination. He would not allow himself to fail or give half an effort anymore.

There was too much at stake.