Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

"The Drakkur family don't fuck around..." Lorem spoke with her genuine shock, losing her gentle tone.

"No... They don't." Asura replied.

He looked around and felt a strange feeling because Asura knew the truth. 'Verena, not her mother or Verana, sent these. What is that woman thinking? Did she really kick away the Eastern Empire just to support me?'

"This is amazing!" Lucia cheered. "We'll get to fight on the water with them and their massive weapons of death!"

Though that thought appealed to Asura too, he enjoyed the sound and feeling of vibration through the ship when cannons fired. These were the ones he arranged with the dwarven and foreign merchants to form in Wolfsheim. 'She went to such a degree to support me? I have to give her a chance...'

"What's the matter, Asura? You look so serious." Lucia poked his cheek, snapping him back to reality.

"Nothing! Just thinking about where the rest of my army is going. We don't know how many people will die in the next few weeks... I just want to make sure you are all beside me when I fight."

"So we can see you shine?" Lorem's lips gently pressed against his cheek as she whispered while hugging him tightly, a reassuring and supportive movement. "I will support you until the end, my prince."

Asura's eyes widened as he grasped Lorem's warm hands and Lucia's cool fingers wrapped around his shoulder. He felt their support, love, and devotion toward him.

'They are with me... They will be there beside me, no matter what happens...'

"It's not the time to think about this stuff!" Lucia's energetic voice made him focus on her.

"Yeah, let's continue our date while we can!" Lorem also said, giving him a soft smile.

"Then let's go somewhere else, ladies!" Asura held their hands, and the three ran around the city for several more hours before they went home.

****

In the queen's chambers, Asura and Vela knelt before the Queen while all of Asura's women were in attendance, along with the Captain and new Vice-captain of the Seventh Unit also joined, the rumours of a commoner academy being created in the Phoenix Glade accepting anyone who reached Stage One spread through the kingdom thanks to the queen's actions.

"Thank you for coming, you two. We have a lot to discuss," The Queen said in her official tone, gesturing for them to sit down instead of kneeling.

Asura took a seat, looking at the people present. "Is it something that we need to keep a secret from the kingdom?"

"Indeed, Prince Asura," The Valkyrie who protected the queen, Epsilon, spoke before giving a polite bow.

"I'm going to ask you to take on the most important mission in our Kingdom's history. I hope you are up for it, Prince Asura," The Queen added, looking at her son.

He might have been the one who spoke of the plan, but the queen perfected it and added some of her troops. "Asura Phoenix, Vela Silvara."

"Yes, your majesty?"

"You both will command the entire Phoenix army against the Southern Invasion. I know you are not ready, but we cannot risk waiting or anyone knowing what you are capable of."

Her eyes became narrow, a feeling of pressure filling the room as everyone bit their lips. "You will launch an assault on the eastern coast of Romantica with troops from Drakkur, the Glade and my private troops. You will both command a force of 3,000. With 1,000 soldiers, 1,500 Knights and 500 Valkyrie from Squad 3 and Seven."

Recently, Vela's coming of age resulted in the switch of the third squad. They were the reserves led by Cynthia in her black armour.

"Once you have made significant progress, I shall send my strongest Valkyrie to support you to crush them completely from the west and east, like a vice gripping them of life." The Queen gave a cruel smirk.

"We understand," Vela and Asura nodded their heads.

"Asura, I hope you will prove yourself to me." The Queen's eyes focused on him. "I hope you will become what you said in your speech, the sword that cuts down this kingdom's enemies. Vela's enemies."

"Yes, Your Highness. I will do whatever is needed for me."

"Then prepare. Your troops are ready and I wish for you to depart immediately, so do not delay. Make the kingdom proud, my son." The Queen said with a serious look on her face.

"Yes, mother." Asura and Vela bowed their heads.

The meeting was over, and everyone walked out of the room. Once they were alone, Asura pulled Vela into a hug and whispered in her ear. "I will protect you."

"I know, Asura..." She smiled, leaning against him. "Let's go, and the troops will be waiting for us."

The two left the palace with the Valkyries and the newly dubbed Phoenix Knights following them to the castle gates. Asura felt surprised that all his women didn't cause trouble, but then he saw Verana, Valerie and Mu Xue standing with Xavida, Lorem and Lucia with soft smiles. It seems the seriousness of this task caused them to be more accepting.

Amalia, in her new silver armour, stood behind Asura, to his right, while her eyes appeared to face forward. She never stopped gazing at her brother, with a faint pink hue on her cheeks.

"I will be leaving with you, Asura. Do not worry about my safety." Vela said, her silver hair shining in the setting sun.

With her soft, delicate hand held tightly, he looked into her eyes. "My princess, shall we board our vessel and prepare to bring a change to the world?"

Vela's face turned red, and she nodded her head. They stepped forward, and their army began marching to the Royal port to board the flagship, The-Dragon-Slayer.

The two did not know what would happen; however, with the support of his other brides-to-be and the support of his sister, Asura felt confident in their future.

At the port, Asura looked at the large fleet of ships. They were all equipped with massive cannons, each capable of destroying an enemy ship in a single attack. They had a crew of 100 women on every ship, and a Valkyrie from the third squad led the supporting ships while Ignis and Cynthia's strongest members would protect their main ship together.

"Wow, our ship has double the guns and a magic barrier protecting the hull!" Lorem began to geek out as she touched the pad in her hand, making small bleeping sounds while she rushed to the boarding area.

"Who would have known that Lorem was such a geek with ships?" Lucia muttered while Asura, who stood in his noble attire beside Vela, could only smirk, knowing how she was in the distant past.

Suddenly, the sound of heels tapping against the wooden peer, the salty scent of the sea filling the air as Asura turned to see her... "Helliana?"

With a single black wing on her back, perfect fair skin, a beautiful black dress and straight hair down to her hips. The woman who supported him in secret, even dying and losing most of her soul, all to support him. "Prince Asura... It has been a long time."

"Helliana, what are you doing here?" Lorem asked with her eyes looking shocked.

"Oh, little Lo, you look so cute. Does the ship's technology make you excited?" Helliana gave her a teasing smile.

"Of course, it's amazing!"

"Then you will love what I've brought." She looked at the large warship before a large black magic circle appeared under the vessel, then a strange belt spread from the magic circle and covered the entire ship, forming a strange layer of protection. "It's the residue of a slime king. This reflects and resists all magic below Stage Seven, fufu."

"That's great, Helliana!" Lucia said, her eyes filled with joy.

"Yes, it will make fighting the mages in the east easier. Though we will have to worry about the physical attacks from their cannons," Asura said with his brow furrowed and his hands folded, but it was a relief.

"Tsk, tsk, not just for your ship, but I also have regular residue for the fleet! It only resists Stage Five magic, but if you want it... I want a kiss!" Helliana teased.

Asura shook his head, then grabbed her, and before she could react, he spoke. "You don't have to say that. We will have a long journey ahead of us, so I hope we can spend more time together." Then his lips met hers.

"Damn!?"

"Darling, Another woman!"

"Noo... husband.... kiss me instead."

"Helia!!!!" Lorem shouted before trying to part them.

It seemed a simple kiss triggered the first-wife war.