Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

Asura felt his body becoming stiff, memories and thoughts not belonging to him fusing with his existence as if they became 'him' and 'his' even if he tried to resist. Gentle hands caressed his cheeks and whispered for him to accept it. That everything would be alright.

Melania grinned. "Did you know? The elves are not really a mortal race or species but one that was born of nature; in truth, we are no different from the world tree. It is only because we take in the world energy, or mana, as you call it, that we become part of this realm and take form as you see now. We are technically seedlings from the world tree."

Though in the past, Asura might have become confused, he didn't. Instead, this concept seemed buried in his mind, but it wasn't just elves but demons and the devils from the abyss that shared a similar origin point. The demons came from corrupt world trees and devils from something even more wretched.

"What is wrong with the world tree?" Asura asked, noticing Melania's worry.

"I can't tell you because I don't know the full story myself, but I know it has something to do with the Holy Alliance. It is a secret kept within the old clans of the empire.

It seems that the portal below isn't closing fully and lets a small amount of the corruption leak into our realm, increasing the appearance of demons and monsters and slowly corrupting both the world tree and our people." Melania tapped her chin, seemingly deep in thought, before she clapped her hands.

"Well, anyways, let's talk about you instead, Asura."

"What is there to talk about?"

"I have given you the Elven race's vitality and bloodline heritage. It won't be like your other's and isn't dominant. Well~ your ears became a little longer, and you seem a little cuter to elves because of accepting this gift, fufu. But I don't understand how you managed to do it...

when I wanted to give you knowledge, your body started to devour my bloodline and essence, which is why I mentioned the origin of elves!"

Asura's eyes widened, sure he felt his vision improved after gaining the knowledge, and his hearing also became more acute and powerful, but never did he think he received a new bloodline...

However, the moment he checked his inner spirit... a strange and wondrous thing happened...

A tree-like monolith matching the world tree appeared inside his body... the roots joining with his asura monolith, causing it to become more powerful.

What's going on!?

"Well... it's a strange reaction; however, it looks like you'll be able to handle it," Melania said with a chuckle. "It felt like you became unconscious for a few moments. Be careful doing that in dangerous places... If I were your enemy, I could have stabbed you a hundred times over... and if I were a woman trying to get into your pants, you'd be called dad in a few months ~ fufu."

Asura went pale and then turned red before turning pale again. "Please, Empress... Don't tease me..."

He didn't quite understand what she meant before he moved his hand and physically felt his magic aura for the first time, the weight and power at a completely different level compared to the past.

Not only that, but his Devil's Mantle now fused and acted like a natural part of his body, flowing around him like his blood, completely interjoined with the world tree inside his body.

His first thoughts were wrong; it wasn't just the human bloodline of Asura that became empowered; the roots and branches of the Elven bloodline spread to all his other bloodlines as if to join them all together in harmony.

Because he didn't think to check his current process of cultivation, Asura didn't know there was a single tree inside the artificial world in his abdomen now planted in the centre at the top.

Not only did he reach the peak of the Sea Cycle, with lakes, streams and rivers forming through the cracks created by the World Tree containing all six bloodlines.

The beautiful tree inside his abdomen carried a colour for each of the different bloodlines. Beautiful black, white, silver, green, blue and red leaves danced in a strange alternate rainbow.

It also revealed the reason for him being unable to breakthrough to the next level. It was his vitality being hindered by the other bloodlines, unable to rejuvenate and recover its vitality...

"Hmm... it seems there is far more to you than I thought, Asura... You must never bully my Celinas... or I will hunt you down." Melania said with a playful wink.

"Never! I swear I will never hurt her." Asura felt the power and threat hidden in the woman's aura...

"That's good. Now, the sun will fall soon. We should head to the portal. You want to meet her, don't you? She sleeps all day and only opens her eyes at night. My aunt is a weird woman." Melania laughed, seeming to enjoy this conversation.

Asura swallowed a mouthful of saliva, not wanting to admit that he truly wanted to meet this Philis, but now it felt wrong after bonding with Celine...

"Then... let us head to the portal."

He would not be meeting her to take the place of Azoth but to give her closure and tell Azoth's final words.

Philis was a beautiful young woman Azoth truly wished to protect.

Azoth was a man he remembered for his love and wished to honour his request.

Asura was the one who stood between them.

****

At the entrance of the palace, a mass of knights in silver armour stood ready; many were on horseback and even more on foot. Each held a unique weapon; some held spears or bows, while others used swords.

One knight, who looked different from the rest, had his helmet under his arm. He had grey hair and long pointy ears; his eyes were a light crimson colour that had a sharp glint as he stared at Asura.

"What are you doing here, Al Venita?" Melania asked.

"I have come to escort you to the portal. I've already dispatched some soldiers to act as guards." The youngest and third son of Melania said with a cheeky smile, causing his mother to frown before she shrugged her shoulders.

The fact he knew where she was going felt suspect but knowing the power and limits of the man beside her, she felt no fear or worry about her son's betrayal because of the corrupted seed.

He was just like Menitos.

"Very well, lead the way." Melania held her hand out, acting all elegant and cute, not like her usual queenly composure, before taking Asura's hand and walking with him side by side. Asura played along, wondering if there was some kind of issue. He felt the darkness from corruption, but it was too close to the gate to know for sure.

Asura could tell that this man, Al Venitas, was in a terrible mood as his mother acted like this as if the hatred in his eyes wasn't clear enough. Asura held in the urge to laugh, unsure if this was on purpose or just her personality.

If he didn't know any better, he would have thought of this as a matchmaking ritual.

But, this man was a prince? Asura grew worried for a moment before he saw the beautiful portal gateway glowing with a beautiful azure hue.

It was at least fifty metres in height and thirty in width. The craftsmanship was immaculate, with not a single crack or damage, unlike what Asura imagined, with huge keystones wrapping around the gate, hundreds of them spelling out ancient runes and sigils.

"So... this is the portal to another world..." Asura muttered, his curiosity making him wonder what lay beyond it.

"Ah, have you never seen one?" Venitas asked as they walked towards the gate.

"Not exactly," Asura admitted he was curious and wanted to walk through but kept quiet. He would follow Melania and meet Philis before heading back.

"Is that so... well, I am happy as long as you are safe. Though we will wait outside the room and prepare for your return." Al Venitas seemed to refuse to leave, only standing outside the door, basically trapping both Asura and the Empress in the portal room with no escape.

The portal room was large, not much smaller than the size of the gate. But what caused Asura's shock was the room behind it, a massive earthy cave with a giant tree in the centre of the area, glowing with an eerie darkness; it was the second corrupted world tree. Maybe more apt to be called a demonic tree now.

"Asura, you must go alone. I do not know what you need or have to say to my aunt, but I cannot follow you." Melania said, clenching his hand. "Be careful and do not try anything funny and get hurt... or I'll..."

Melania leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll break your legs, okay?" She then giggled and pushed him through the portal.

Asura felt his face burn hot for a moment before he vanished into the portal.

Al Venitas watched silently and was stunned by his mother's actions, unsure why she would kiss such a man... he walked up to Melania and grabbed her shoulder roughly, only to be flung across the room by an immense power, something his mother had never displayed before...

Yes, thanks to her contact with Asura, her power also increased, and when her mana became Animus, she became like her aunt.

A powerhouse.

***

Meanwhile, Asura's body dropped through a feeling of squishy water, dropping onto his knee, his hands almost sinking into the strange black substance covering the ground like tar or sap.

Then, an icy voice echoed.

"Who are you to enter the domain of the Abyssal Monarch Azoth!"