Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix - Chapter 406

Chapter 406: The Secret Plot
Asura looked back towards Helliana, his face a little blank. Unable to tell his current emotions, she felt shocked—this was the first time in many years she couldn’t grasp his thoughts or feelings, and it made her feel uncomfortable.

“Take Noir and go play with the monsters away from here Helliana.”

“Huh? Why? Where are you going, Asura?”

“I just want to think to myself for a moment, and to see what these people know.”

“Asura… Understood, just don’t overdo it. Okay?”

“Okay.”

When Helliana walked away, Asura turned around and walked towards the people who were unconscious and tied up with the black vines of Noir. Meanwhile, Noir grabbed Helliana’s hand, looking back at Asura with a small smile, “Hehe, father is pleased with Noir’s hard work. I’m glad I worked hard and beat them up.”

“Yeah, I’m sure he’s happy. You’re a good girl, Noir.”

Noir giggled while dragging Helliana towards the forest, where there were lots of beasts playing in a pool. Although she called them beasts, they didn’t feel like monsters because of Noir’s special ability to them; Helliana wondered if it was some kind of ability inherited from Asura, who seemed to have the same effect with people after he awakened his monoliths.

‘It’s like she has the ability for people and monsters, though, a superior gift? Or maybe it’s just all purpose and less concentrated.’

Helliana heard a sudden scream, something no human could make without intense pain or drastic torture. She looked back, however Noir grasped her hand and pulled gently. “Shh, don’t interrupt. It’s important work.”

“…”

Helliana couldn’t help but nod. Although she wanted to know what Asura was doing, She felt it was something she couldn’t help.

‘Since he wants privacy… I hope one day he will tell me, though.’

***

Meanwhile, Asura stood with his body covered in mess, the blood, flesh and bone of his first experiment now smeared across the forest.

His agonising cries caused him to feel irritated, and so the devouring of his soul ended up in Asura rushing and destroying his soul before getting enough information; thus, he looked at the cowering Eastern Empire spies.

“Don’t wail like pigs, I just want to poke and prod at your soul. Okay?” Asura’s head leaned to the said with a distorted smile, his feelings enhanced as he grabbed the closest spy and wrapped his palm across the man’s face. “Tell me what your filthy Prince and Emperor are up to!”

The man couldn’t do anything as he was paralysed by his fear, unable to speak. Instead, he just trembled and looked at Asura with eyes full of tears, “I don’t know, we were told to scout the land and find the beast people, but I don’t know!!! PLEASE DONT HURT ME-AARRRGGHH!”

Asura didn’t even bother to listen as a black hole opened across his palm, with distorted teeth like a beast biting into the man’s head—though no wounds appeared, the fangs tore apart his soul, devouring it whole, while Asura learned the man’s name was Ling Mao and he was recently betrayed by his childhood friend and planned revenge when he got back.

‘Sadly, you knew nothing, but the target is me and Mu Xue… Useless, your power barely even increased my magic density…’

Asura let Ling Mao fall with a thud, his nose, mouth and ears pooling with blood, another sign to the other men. He could feel his soul becoming stronger, while Ling Mao’s soul became a shell of its former self, empty and hollow, unable to move. His body was alive, and the black vines still kept him bound, but his brain was basically dead.

‘Will these flowers obey me, since they are made by Noir who was born from my power?’

“Devour him, treat his body as fertiliser, lovely black tree.”

A groan sounded from the constructing vines and branches, causing Asura’s lips to curl into a larger smile. However, it wasn’t a smile that brought joy or happiness to those around him but a cruel and distorted smile.

‘Good!’

Thus, the dozens of men who looked at Asura could only think of him as a true devil; with a snap of his fingers, he ate their soul, then with a whisper of praise to the forest, and their bodies became a meal for the trees.

“Hmm, there is nothing useful here, they don’t know much, but if they are from the East, I will need to make a trip to their Kingdom.”

Asura left the forest, his body clean and fresh as if he had taken a bath and his hair tied up; the only change was his glimmering eyes, which shone like fireflies, the crimson orbs shone while his brain absorbed the information extracted.

‘There are two plans, maybe a third in progress… what a craft old emperor, using Shang Luo as bait to keep us occupied, and even himself unaware that his father tricked him. Then uses his younger brother to carry out the real assault against the monster kingdoms, to wipe them out one by one after causing them to revolt against the Arachne tribe. Well… that isn’t his only plan. That emperor is a dangerous enemy, even if he lacks battle prowess!’

The truth was that he planned to contact, or from their memories, he had already contacted Xavida’s uncle, and as the queen and Valerie suggested, bolstering Drakkur and Wolfsheim was the best idea possible. ‘I can’t believe that Vela and the others came up with this strategy as if they knew the king’s plans already. I am quite impressed.’

Asura turned around—his face returned to the normal gentle and calm face he usually showed. He looked in the direction he could feel Noir and Helliana’s magic and walked towards them with his hands behind his back while whistling a tune of victory.

‘Now then, I need to talk to Sigurd and Lucia to prepare for our troops to move faster. I cannot let that little Shang boy take all that wonderful experience and possible devouring subjects from me. Since they wanted to kill Rasha and Yufa, they can die. Maybe if they cry and beg, I’ll spare them.’

“Ah, Asura, you’re finished already? Did you find out what you wanted to know?”

Helliana looked at him as she played with Noir and the monsters, her eyes full of curiosity and worry, a little unsure of what Asura did or thought about.

However, he just curled his lips into a smile and waved. “Haha, of course there are lots of things to do. But enjoy playing in the river for now, my dear.”

“…”

Helliana stared at him, and he stared back and blew a kiss as if he knew what she wanted to know but would wait for her to question him. Yet, she could only shake her head and let out a sigh.

“I won’t ask.”

“You’re the best woman, I have. Come here.”

“Eh?!”

It was so rare for him to seek intimacy with her that she felt shocked as his arms pulled her close, wrapping around her back, while Noir was swimming in the river, racing against a wolf and fox.

“Asura, what’s with this feeling, you’re being a little too clingy…”

“No, I’m not, I just love you, that’s all.”

“Eh~ you never say stuff like that to me, what happened?!”

“…”

Asura just smiled as his hand caressed her long black hair, hand sliding down to her waist, causing her to feel a little flushed as they stood in the forest.

However, his lips touched her forehead, and the hand on her hair moved to her chin, pulling her lips towards his and kissing her gently.

“I just missed you.”

“That’s not a good excuse, and since when did you act like this?”

“Ah?! Big Sister and Father are flirting!” Noir suddenly interrupted, her lovely ruby eyes peeking from the surface of the water she was playing inside.

“N-Noir, that’s not what we’re doing… I mean, we aren’t…”

“But you were kissing and hugging, isn’t that flirting?”

“Hahaha, it is, my cute Noir. It’s because I love Helliana as much as Mama.”

“Love her as much as Mama?”

“Yes, she is like a part of my soul, the reason I’m here.”

“Then, Noir loves Helliana as much as Mama, right?!”

“A-ah, yes, you love me just as much as your Mama… Asura, I think you’ve influenced Noir too much.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Of course it is, she’s a kid!”

“I’m an adult, look my boobies are bigger than yours!”

“N-Noir, shut it!”

“EH? You’re embarrassed, that’s so cute!”

“A-asura, stop laughing and teach her better. She resembles you far too much.”

“I am her father, so why wouldn’t she resemble me? I’m proud of her.”

“She’s a lady, not a brute.”

“I’m not a brute, right, Noir?”

“Hehe~ mother said Father was a brute in bed and that she can never win.”

‘Huh? What is Mu Xue talking to Noir about?’ Asura thought to himself but realised that Mu Xue wasn’t quite normal either.

“Hah~ I don’t know what to say. My child is a devil, and my wife is a weirdo. What a family.”

“Hahaha~”

“Hehe~”

Asura, Noir and Helliana laughed together, and they didn’t notice that the black vines slowly released Ling Mao’s body while hundreds of black vines slowly dragged his corpse towards the centre of the forest, where only darkness lingered.

He looked back for a moment, making sure that neither of the two noticed. The only thought on his mind was how beautiful Helliana looked while pouting at his sudden approach.

‘I really shouldn’t have let her wait so long for me to show my feelings fully.’

“Noir, will you come with me, on an adventure?” He asked while both women held each of his hands, heading towards the caravan.