Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

Barbatos Led the first assault, his vanguard made up of thirty mounted royal knights and two hundred knights.

The dark element mages in their midst could cast a sound-dampening and vision-distorting spell.

"Prepare to charge the Western flank. These monster warhorses are no normal mount! They can smash those wooden walls with ease! Fear not, my brothers and sisters, now create the sound and vision barriers!"

Barbatos called out. "Once we reach the gate, prepare to shoot off fire arrows, support knights, toss oil canisters, and fire spells! No monster or demon can withstand our power! Now ride forth, you monsters of the Silvaran knights shall never become the meal of the hungry calamities!"

'I can only raise their morale like this. The battle will be arduous and rely on Lorem.'

His gaze moved to the gallant figure of the female knight wearing her scarlet regalia and plate. Beside her, the handsome future king caused Barbatos to feel a sense of hope.

He thought back to meeting the Queen and learning the truth of the kingdom. After discovering Asura Fenix, he watched him closely, as if he were a proxy for his liege, the Queen.

Barbatos grasped the reigns of his warhorse, the huge half-goliath looking at his comrades and the students who would charge behind them. He felt a weight on his chest and shoulders that a poor slave gladiator could never experience before.

'I thank the Queen and Silvara for saving me. For the Queen, I will fight until death!'

"Ride Forth!"

The group's mages chanted together, the loud chants of 'Ride Forth' almost disturbing their spells. Then, a black veil of shadow covered the entire troops before it faded, leaving their figures distorted.

Even to Lorem and the others.

Only those under the same spell could see each other, while the light elemental mages cast the sound-dampening spell on the warhorses and knights' armour.

The enemy would never hear their thundering steps.

Barbatos' muscular arm raised the sword of the Queen, pointing in the direction they would charge.

"Ride Forth!"

"For the Queen!"

"For Silvara!"

Hundreds of knights and students all left the hilltop from the West, circling before hitting the walls like a comet's tail was the plan; the immense speed pulled the flesh away from the rider's cheeks, and loud sounds as their faces distorted.

The imperial war steeds ran fast enough to cause an illusionary trail to be left behind in the air as they charged towards the West.

BOOOOOOOM!!!

BOOOOOOOOOM!!!

Just as the mighty sound of cannon fire emerged, replacing the war cries of the knights and the students.

'Good, Lorem, you will first attack, and we will give them a double feint with our charge!'

Barbatos felt the heavy weight of the G-forces affect his body. He looked amused, with his cheeks swollen like a squirrel eating dozens of nuts at once. Yet his small eyes watched the walls.

Dozens of guards rushed to the east from hilltop cannons, which destroyed the wooden walls with ease.

-----

⁜ Lorem POV

Meanwhile, on the hilltop, while Barbatos neared the walls of the West, Lorem and Princess Vela were arranging their decoy, trying to do as much damage as possible to the enemy forces.

"Archers, support the cannon fire!"

"Mages, send spells as well!"

"Your Highness, we must restrain them at all costs, or the monsters will open their doors and charge out to attack us."

Lorem addressed the knights while Vela commanded the students. This battle was also her training as she guided hundreds of archers to keep them contained on the walls.

"I know!"

Lorem's face was tense as she directed a fierce look at the walls where her enemies gathered. She and Barbatos had been in multiple battles, including those against the monsters, yet this was a special occasion.

'Asura is watching. He's here with his eyes, watching me command them. I must show him my growth and that I am the woman he needs most!'

"Princess Vela, it is time to make your way back; we will prepare our charge. I will continue the cannon and magic bombardment until the West grasps their attention. You prepare to go north first. Have the cavalry line up behind our magic-using warriors."

"Yes, commander!"

The beautiful princess nodded and abandoned giving out orders.

Instead, she joined the students. They copied the tactics of Knight Barbatos while the remaining royal knights and support from the western territories continued to bombard the eastern walls with their cannons and magical blasts.

The blasts hit the wooden wall, causing quakes and explosions that even shook the ground.

Their attacks could penetrate through the flimsy barrier between the gates and the wall, making dozens of guards fall at once. The 120 imperial warhorses galloped over the hilltop, continuing until they were on the left flank of the battlefield.

'It looks like everything will go according to plan. However, I have a bad feeling.'

-----

⁜ Vela POV

"Princess, have the cavalry split in two! Some stay behind to support from ranged combat; those who specialise in melee should be part of the charge."

Asura gave a slight whisper into Vela's ear, which caused her eyes to brighten. She turned to her husband, wanting to kiss him, but could only tap his chest with her armoured gauntlet.

"Thank you for the advice, my love."

'Asura, thank you. I never thought of something so simple, and this is likely what Mother meant when she said I focused too much on the goal and not on the journey to reach my goal.'

Vela waved her hand.

"Cavalry, split up! Half line up behind the knights. We shall charge them after the support destroys their ranged defences. The other half will support the frontal assault with the support of the mages and archers."

"Yes, princess!"

Vela mounted her white horse as the knights who led the charge beside Barbatos's attack hit the wall like a landslide hitting a wooden twig. A sudden tremble caused the entire area to shudder and quake. The princess saw the western wall burning and decided it was best to delay the charge slightly but go ahead with the ranged attack now.

'Barbatos, Lorem, stay safe. I will protect my Asura!'

BOOOOOM!!!

BOOOOOOM!!!

BOOOOOOM!!!

"Formation up, Give me a Volley!"

The soldiers of the ranged defences launched their magic arrows and iron arrows at the destroyed Eastern gate and wall. Hundreds of knights and mages were simultaneously readying their spells to unleash before launching their charge to overtake the eastern parts of the city.

-----

⁜ Barbatos POV

The wall became chaos the moment his warhorse leapt into the wooden wall and crushed the feeble planks with her stone feet and Stage Seven power.

His horse used its hind legs to kick out before turning around to show her fury.

His gaze captured dozens of guards preparing to intercept his knights. He didn't feel fear. Barbatos leapt into the enemy territory, his eyes widening as their blades entwined with black tendrils.

"Avoid the tendrils!"

He twisted his body, twisting his massive sword before cleaving the tendrils that shot towards his face while his blade tore apart four guards.

Yet, his strength caused him to slash out like a beast, clawing and smashing several bodies away.

"Don't falter; we are knights! Knights who protect the kingdom, the princess and the Queen!"

'Nobody seems to have noticed the king's absence in the past few days. However, the fact he remains locked up with the Queen's distant cousin is a tragedy.'

Barbatos urged his comrades on as their weapons clashed against their enemies' armour, yet their sharp and piercing weapons made them struggle as they attempted to remove their foe's weapons.

'The only thing I can do now is defeat these monsters and leave the city for Her Majesty!'

Barbatos finally grasped his enemy's blade; his strength exploded with a fierce spear of earth-penetrating the monster's brain. He then twisted his palm before he tore and crushed the sponge with his grip.

He heard his fellow knights battling in the chaos and didn't panic, even seeing dozens of tendrils bursting from the ground and wrapping around towards him. Barbatos's red eyes flashed as he roared at his enemies.

"Don't belittle the kingdom!"

"All soldiers, use your magic to the full. Do not hold back!"

"Let's go!"

He saw several of his friends and comrades falling to the black tendrils from the ground; his heartfelt anger and rage, and thus, his blade cut with more power and deadliness.

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⁜ Asura POV

"Asura, take your unit to the left part of the wall! Aim to find the duke!" Vela ordered Asura as the students stood atop the half-destroyed walls with dozens of corpses around them now burned to ashes.

"Yes, princess!"

Asura nodded before turning to the other students and nodding his head, causing a smile to erupt on their faces.

'Heroes from my time. It seems we must help the Queen, our future ruler, and my wife.'

He grasped his silver blade, his entire body crackling with lightning as the entire Unit Nine dashed towards the courtyard close to the lord's dwelling.

Cynthia, in her black plate armour and greatsword, led their group, her blade glimmering like a dark ray of light.

"Asura, don't rush forward! They are coming!"

Her shout made Asura narrow his eyes, and he lowered his body.

Over fifty knights in deformed armour staggered towards them, their faces split open and countless sharp tendrils swaying. The sight was disgusting.

'These monsters, there is nothing left of these people.'

Asura didn't hesitate to slice off the heads of the three guards who appeared.

His speed caused him to appear beside them in an instant, and the quick movement of his arms was far too fast for them. He boosted his movement using lightning and wind magic, reducing his resistance and increasing his velocity.

"Follow me! These foes aren't even human anymore!"

Asura ignored their deformed bodies and held out his left hand.

He felt a sense of discomfort as huge amounts of Animus liquid flowed through his arm to form the spell aimed at a group of enemies before a black flame burst out.

A huge black fireball exploded the moment it crashed into the chests of seven guards, causing them to burst into dust.

"Asura, let's kill these fuckers!"

Akkrum's silver armour caused him to look amusing as he cut the head of an enemy knight with his axe.

Asura watched as the students cut down their enemies with no mercy. The beautiful princess left the royal knights and dashed forwards, her strength empowering her crimson plate armour and her bright weapon.

'Why is it so easy?'

His heart felt a sense of danger, like a scream from the void. Yet he didn't or couldn't focus on it because of the brutal melee in the courtyard where several students had already fallen!

"Damn it!"