Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

The voice sounding from Brian seemed to be completely that of a domineering empress who was about to cry out in sorrow and despair.

However, Asura couldn't hear her words as the classroom began to transform into a hellscape—melting walls and bubbling mounds of flesh covered the ground as his body staggered and fell out the opened door, only stopped from collapsing due to Xavida grabbing his hand out of instinct.

[Asura!? Speak to me... No... Not like this.... he can't even perform a nirvana yet!!]

[Help... stupid monoliths! Help him...!]

"Asura?"

Xavida's cold voice sounded as she could feel his body boiling with heat, making her hand hurt even though the pleasant sensation was there—she was suddenly feeling strange emotions in her heart as she took action, running away with him in her arms using her Stage Three prowess to its limit even with the paid of her curse eating away at her body.

'I need him... Without him, I cannot achieve my goal... Nor be cured, stupid guy... I don't want to see you in such pain...'

***

Lorem's face was ashen in the classroom because she could tell, just like Xavida...

No, for her, it was more clear.

She was stronger and more experienced to feel the difference in a single mana crystal or particle that moved or changed in her body. The curse she contracted hundreds of years ago forced her to learn this... but now?

"Seven crystals of the Nine Million in my body have been completely cured... and they can now fight off the curse completely."

"That boy..."

Thud!

Lorem knew the power of this curse more than anyone else; each crystal was cursed at her peak, which was close to the top of Stage Five going by this world's power level, but in reality, her true power was closer to the superhuman stage eight.

"The density of my magic... those crystals are enough to swallow him several times over... MY one chance of a cure, gone like that..."

She smashed her desk in the frustration of losing the student that most interested her due to the strange bloodlines in his body, including the devil bloodline that made her like this.

After checking his details, she knew that the Fenix bloodline had zero links to the demons or dragons, but they did have links to the first Queen Athea. This meant that any special factors were all related to the boy, not his family bloodline, as she had checked the female twin Amalia, realising that it was just Asura who was strange.

"Not to mention that black bitch was with him... Her scent, I could never forget that woman's filthy stench!"

Lorem collapsed on her half-broken desk and looked to the door.

Could she use her last plume to save his life, or would it be corrupted before invoking the resurrection spell?

I should go...

***

⁜ Xavida POV

The unfortunate girl, acting on instinct instead of bringing him to the nurse or a treatment centre, brought him to a dusty old classroom.

As Asura's backlash intensified, his skin started to turn black and burn with a dark flame that tore his flesh apart before something desperately tried to repair it, only to be damaged again.

"It keeps tearing..."

"Must hurt."

Thankfully, it was a long break before training started, and Mu Xue left earlier, not noticing the change in her master; otherwise, Xavida worried she might have more explaining to do...

She looked at the dusty room and used her magic to clear several of the desks, making them fly against the wall, putting a soft cloth that was clean enough on the top of the tables and turning back to him.

'His body... What is happening?'

Unsure of his state, she held his hand tight and placed his body on the desk—with a cold face, she slowly removed his shirt and blazer because of the black ooze and blood oozing from his pores, staining his clothes and making them sticky and disgusting.

Yet she never made a disgusted face, only looking at the wounds with purple eyes shimmering with a sad look.

'This is like my illness when I first got sick and couldn't control my power...'

'I am not doing this because I like or love him... It is just because we are partners for the assignment, and I need his Help...'

'He gains things from me when we touch... I know his scent, the thick scent of a male black dragon, grows even stronger the more we touch.... the longer we touch.'

'If he dies, how can I get into the top ten...'

She wasn't quiet because Xavida didn't speak or have much to say.

It was just that the curse caused damage to her throat when she was first poisoned, and she still fears that stabbing pain that plagued her until she could at least control it and resist the outbursts of the curse energy.

"Idiot... Always touching..."

"Never think about me."

Her face didn't seem angry, but it was still quite flat due to the curse making it hard for her to manage her muscles, but she seemed to show a small... faint smile.

Sitting beside him, she took several pieces of cloth that were pristine white and large enough to cover most of his chest as she gently dabbed it against him, the blood and black goo seeping into the cloth rapidly as she started to help clean his body.

Each time he made a painful sound, her eyes widened, and she became more worried as the more she wiped him, the faster the curse spread and became worse...

'It's not enough... He's going to die...'

Because her mind was distracted, her body slipped; as the cloth and fabric flung onto the ground, the ground instantly began to sizzle and melt before burning into the ground and vanishing after making a half-metre-deep hole.

Xavida's body almost touched the cursed flesh, but instead, her hands were placed on the opposite side of his face as she looked stunned.

⁜ Asura POV

Asura felt pain throughout his body, the feeling of small daggers constantly tearing his flesh before fire and salt seemed to be rubbed into his wounds, only for the daggers to tear it again, pushing deeper into his flesh.

He heard a woman's voice... No two women, one mature like an empress, the other a gentle and cold voice like a soothing blizzard that made the pain stop momentarily.

'Mu Xue...'

Suddenly, there was a sound of something falling, and a cool, squishy sensation covered his lips. At first, he felt stunned because the sensation caused the aching pain to vanish for a moment, and he mistook the kiss for Mu Xue due to the extreme fever.

Because she slipped... Xavida's lips collided with Asura's, but the moment her shock began to fade... his hands wrapped around her head, and he kissed her passionately.

Xavida froze while Asura kissed her deeply, his tongue slipping inside her mouth and rubbing hers sensually, causing her mind to go blank as she tried to push him away, but her strength failed her as the sensation of her curse being dispelled increased explosively.

The intoxicating feeling of her body being rapidly cured was beyond her ability to withstand or stop herself from moaning into his mouth, feeling her heart tremble as she moved her tongue, feeling her mind shocked from the intense pleasure.

Asura didn't let go and continued to kiss her intensely, their tongues intertwining together as she moaned helplessly, feeling the heat rising between her legs as her soft breasts pressed against his chest.

Neither of the pair realised that the danger was long gone... Not just because of their kiss but due to an exhausted empress now kneeling on the ground and panting as the black monolith was almost filled to the first stage.

A few minutes passed as their kiss ended, his breathing heavy while Xavida panted weakly, her cheeks flushed red as she wanted to slap him but couldn't bring herself to do so, a strand of drool glistening on her lip.

'The curse and pain are gone...'

He was glad but immediately felt bad for mistaking her for Mu Xue, "Sorry, Xavida... I"

"Don't care."

"Fine..."

At first, he thought she was just normal, but the faintest red hue covered her cheeks despite her speaking with an icy monotone voice like usual, but breathing was deep and rapid, while her fingers were fidgeting with her uniform buttons.

Before she seemed to conclude, "...I go."

"Wait..." Before she could go, he held her arm and stopped her from leaving as she looked back at him with a strange look, seeming to be a little scared of his action.

"Problem?"

"I was thinking about Mu Xue just now—it's not fair to kiss you thinking about another girl."

"Doesn't matter"

However, he didn't release her arm, noticing her slightly different aura after telling her the truth as he smiled and pulled her back with hardly any power.

She could have escaped if she wanted to.

"It matters to me—so I'll kiss you this time, Xavida."

"Avoid me If you dislike it."

"???"

Xavida seemed conflicted as she thought to herself, before she knew it, they were kissing again, but this time... Her mouth was opened from the beginning as she kissed him willingly, her hands wrapping around his neck while moaning softly.

Asura held her waist and pulled her closer to his body, their bodies pressing against each other while the burning pain returned, causing him to wince slightly.

Xavida broke their kiss and pushed him away, wiping her swollen lips and glaring at him with her beautiful purple eyes—seemingly shocked by her actions or maybe enjoying the kiss, she kicked his shin lightly before running out of the door.

A few seconds later, she looked back inside at the shocked Asura before pulling out her small tongue, "Bad man! I don't kiss!"