Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

Chapter 405 Mysterious Forest of darkness!

"Woah! Slow down!"

A sudden shudder assaulted the carriage, causing the Asura, Helliana and Lucia to almost fall from their seats.

"Eh?"

"Strange... I can feel a powerful source of magic ahead..."

"Hmm? What's happening."

Asura's eyes narrowed as he noticed the carriage slowing down. There was only a single path entering the Phoenix Glade from the capital. So, on the second day, he curiously wondered why they would need to stop.

'Is there some kind of blockade or monster?'

Suddenly the entire area felt as if some powerful aura spread through the forest.

The situation caused everyone from Asura to the knights in the distance to feel an eerie sense of vigilance—the beautiful green forest was now enveloped in a black mist, turning the flowers and tree midnight black.

"Where are you~ I waited so long to become a big girl just for you."

However, beautiful fruits and various colourful foliage began growing; a voice lingered in the air that was both beautiful and haunting.

"Papa~ where did you go?"

'Hmm... I feel something. It's as if someone is calling out to me...' Asura's hand opened the door as he stepped out of the carriage. Asura began looking around, his head turning frantically, eyes flickering from side to side as if searching for something.

"What's the matter, Asura?" Helliana noticed his changes instantly.

"Your Highness! Please get back inside!" Ignis rushed over with three Valkyrie knights, all with another group following her.

"Stand down, Ignis!"

Asura's voice was strange, filled with a commanding and angry tone. It almost seemed he was enchanted by a sired because his feet began to rush towards the dark forest, and his eyes opened wide as if he had realised something important.

"Asura!"

"Your Highness?!"

Ignis, Helliana, and Lucia were all shocked as they watched him. However, before they could stop him, a pair of jet-black wings sprouted from his back as he flew into the forest, his speed causing a loud boom, shaking the trees and making the ground tremble.

"Hoh? What is that?"

A voice from afar sounded. The moment Asura had flown off, the person hiding in the distance immediately noticed his presence and his appearance.

"Papa!"

"Found you~"

Suddenly, the voice echoed again as the scenery changed once more as if the space had warped and twisted.

"Eh?"

Lucia felt the strangest feeling as she stared at the forest, the image changing until a strange misty silhouette as if it was stopping anyone but Asura from entering.

"Oh? A barrier?"

This strange mist was the first time Helliana and Lucia saw such a powerful spell. Even the Valkyrie Knights, who were amongst the most powerful anti-magic soldiers in the kingdom, did not understand how a barrier could be so powerful.

"What should we do, Helliana?" Lucia asked with a worried look.

"Hmm..." Helliana was also conflicted.

"It's alright. Asura seems to be fine, also... this aura and magic reminds me of something from the south... I think it's a dryad or nymph..."

"A nymph?"

She then turned to Asura once again, "Hehe, I came to meet you~ bringing all my new friends."

"Friends?" Asura was a bit confused.

"Yes! Everyone come meet Papa!"

The next moment, hundreds.... maybe thousands of magic beasts, spirit beasts and demon beasts all flocked to the back of Noir, their gazes filled with respect, adoration and loyalty, as wolves, rabbits, foxes, bears and even the birds sang.

"Asura..."

Noir's hand touched his face as she smiled, tears in her eyes. "I've been waiting for you for so long!"

"I'm sorry, Noir... our link... it broke, and I left you alone for so long..."

"That's okay. Mama told me you would be back!" Noir then turned her head towards the forest, her hand still holding Asura's face.

"Mama?" Asura was confused. "Mu Xue, knew?"

"Mmm~ Mama came to see me almost every week; she brought snacks and told me about Papa's battles and about Mama's new child. She let me touch her stomach and I told her the sex~ hehe."

Asura's eyes widened. He was about to say something when he heard a familiar voice from nearby.

"Wow, this is quite the impressive place you've created, little Noir. I'm impressed you managed to create your own domain and summon such loyal and powerful subordinates."

Helliana stepped through the forest, but instead of being rejected by the barrier, like Noir, the flowers danced around her body, and the animals even moved back with low growls and sounds, seeming to accept her presence.

"Eh?" Asura was confused.

"Ah, Big sister Helia!" Noir's eyes lit up, and she immediately ran forward and hugged Helliana. "You look prettier than before! Hehe."

"You've grown so much, Noir. You're even more beautiful than Mu Xue now. Are you trying to seduce your father?"

"Big sister Helia, I'm a big girl now." Noir puffed her cheeks. "I won't have such a dirty and evil thought. I want to marry Papa!"

"Marry? Are you sure?" Helliana glanced at Asura's expression, which was a mixture of confusion, awkwardness, and acceptance.

"Y-You want to marry me?" Asura glanced at his daughter with a look of bewilderment.

It felt surreal—he thought there might be a danger, only to realise that because of his actions, he had lost an important memory and bond... Only feel grateful to Helliana and Mu Xue, who didn't forget.

"Of course!" Noir then turned her body, her hands grabbing Asura's. "I will serve you and be your wife!"

"I-I see..." Asura gulped. He was unsure of how to deal with such a situation. He didn't mind marrying Noir; after all, she wasn't his true daughter, but it felt strange, and he didn't just want to say yes or deny her outright.

"Well... I suppose there's nothing wrong with this..." Helliana's gaze remained calm and gentle. "Noir... I'm glad to see you are okay... Mu Xue, and I was worried. Last time we visited the entire forest was gone!"

"Ah, I'm sorry about that... I was mad because Papa didn't return, but... I'm not mad anymore. I understand everything... and... I want to help him.

The bad guys keep attacking the forest, and talk about hurting Papa!"

Noir then glanced at Asura's face, her crimson eyes sparkling. "They said they would sneak into the Phoenix Glade and burn it down... so I captured them all! Look!"

Bang!

The next moment, over fifty humans, wrapped in black, sharp vines, slammed against the ground, all wearing the Eastern style of assassination robes. Asura recognised them instantly, his eyes narrowing.

"Oh, my~ it looks like you caught the culprits, little Noir. Good job."

"Of course! I won't let anyone hurt Papa, or his family!"

'So, that little bastard Shang Luo isn't trying to ally with us. He's just deceiving us!' Asura's eyes narrowed, his mind clear, and his gaze calm. 'If he thinks I won't be able to do anything to him because he's under the protection of the other clans, and diplomatic sanctions and law then he's wrong!'

"It looks like the empire are still going to cause trouble." Asura let out a sigh before hugging his daughter tight.

'I will devour their souls and learn EVERYTHING!'