9 Dragon Monolith - Black Dragon Scales

The sound of steel clashing with iron resounded in the training room as Asura's body slammed into the stone pillar with slight padding and a magical enchantment to avoid structural damage.

"Thirteen moves..." 

Mu Xue stepped forward and placed her blade back into the sheath, her beautiful hair dancing as if she were in a picture as her beauty soared to the skies.

Asura was watching her beautiful face, enchanted by the serene sound of her blade clicking into place seemed to remove her sharp and deadly aura.

In the next moment, she knelt beside Asura with her hands glowing a gentle blue, soothing warm water gently bubbling around each of his bruises and wounds.

"Master... You've reached stage one...!? No, when did you... How did you gain a mana core?"

Asura looked a little winded because he didn't use his dragon scales. Instead, he desperately wanted to reach his body's limits before showing everything to Mu Xue.

He was almost intoxicated by her soft fingers. She delicately brushed along his wounds as Mu Xue's skilled treatment caused Asura's stinging and aching pains to fade almost instantly, thanks to her tender love and care.

"I didn't want to say before I was sure..."

"Mu Xue, do you swear on your blade to never tell my secrets?"

A knight's oath was unbreakable, be it a shield bearer swearing upon their shield the knight on their blade.

If the knight breaks the oath.

The knight would lose all talent with the chosen oath and ability, a common tactic for people who employed a knight.

'I didn't want to do it, but my secret is too big even for Mu Xue, my sweetheart who followed me for so long...'

He knew accidents could happen, be it mind-altering spells or torture. There were all sorts of dark magics in this world, but the oath would never be broken if made.

Even if Mu Xue were brainwashed into his enemy, she would never reveal his secrets, abilities or anything that would put Asura at a disadvantage.

Mu Xue didn't hesitate as she knelt before him, placing her blade in his hands, a sign of her faith and respect, before looking into his eyes, those dazzling blue gemstones glowing with the residual magic particles.

"I have sworn since you saved my worthless life. My beloved master and lord Asura."

"This Mu Xue will serve you in battle, sincerity and death."

'No, that's not the oath I want.'

"Xue'er, change the oath."

"I want you to serve me as my partner, beloved knight and future wife."

"..."

"If I make this oath, you cannot change your mind..." Her voice lowered, seeming to be unconfident with her little threat. 

Asura's hands tightly grasped her sword before he placed a kiss upon the mark where her mana was channelled to cast blade arts. 

Mu Xue gasped, seeing his gentle kiss.

The look on his face was relaxed and filled with respect and affection, causing her heart to race as she saw her crystal glowing bright blue from her master's kiss.

Something that should never happen!

"Of course, my master, this must be the depth of your affection and trust in me..."

"Even Hyōka accepts you..."

The blades of warriors and knights were special, with a small magical stone made of their crystalised mana only reacting to the owner, growing together, increasing the density of mana and magic power within the blade, shield or weapon. 

Asura's strange crimson sword was the same, although it seemed a little incomplete in its current form and lacked the core that Hyōka had.

A breeze of gentle frost and ice danced around Asura's body suddenly before beautiful flowers; they were roses created with pure ice, both beautiful and dazzling.

Also, Mu Xue's favourite flower.

"I ask you to make an oath to keep my secret. Then, your future husband and master. I will make an oath to you and Hyōka."

"Never will I take your blade or heart for granted, and I shall never betray your trust. I swear this as Asura Fenix, future earl of Nirvanas and your husband-to-be."

'I can feel her mana entering my body, not like normal. It's not being devoured but embedding itself into my body... becoming one with me...'

As he spoke, the flowers increased, his hair shimmering with icicles just as Mu Xue would, with his crimson eyes filled with blue light, turning them purple as he handed the sword back to her.

To a knight, the ceremony and actions were important. 

Asura's actions, words and seriousness caused Mu Xue's heart to tremble as teardrops of ice slipped down her cheeks as she placed her hands atop his, gently holding onto him.

"I, Mu Xue, blade knight of the fallen Mu Clan, swear to give my heart, soul and everlasting trust to Asura Fenix."

"My Master, partner and beloved husband. As his devoted knight and dedicated wife, I shall support him even if the world should reject our union."

"Never to share his secrets or speak of his weaknesses should the divine light of Izuna strike me down."

Asura didn't know yet, but that tiny bit of ice affinity was the true ability of the devouring monolith to steal the enemy's magic elements and make them his power.

It only worked with Mu Xue due to her open heart and the feelings both her blade and she held towards him. 

Others would surely be more difficult and require lots of murder or devouring.

The pair of hands joined as the same thing happened to Mu Xue as he felt her gain part of his flame.

It wasn't the special devouring flame, but there was now a small gemstone with the same colour as his eyes on the sheath and hilt of her sword.

A large blue moon and a small red sun, as if orbiting each other.

The mere sight caused Mu Xue's eyes to fill with tears as she looked at Asura with a changed look.

No longer did she seem to hold back.

The title of being his maid in her heart began fading away as her body leaned forward, kissing him without warning while clutching him tight not to let go.

Her lips were cold and soft as Mu Xue seemed drunk on pleasure when the flame finally merged properly, taking Asura by surprise as she pushed him down into the snow.

Their entangled magic grew more intense from the kiss as her tongue pushed into his warm mouth, the heat seeming to complete her as she started sucking on his tongue, unwilling to stop tasting the sweet taste.

Asura felt their exchange of magic became faster and smoother with each moment.

He felt part of the devoured mana enter his body, enhancing the small blue layer of ice inside his bones, muscles and organs as his flames seemed to do the same for her, causing the cute girl to tremble and moan into his mouth.

'Even if the dragon, devouring and demon monolith grow slower now... I can feel the freezing energy of Hyōka increasing my defences, and my flames seem to be giving Xue'er great benefit, too.'

After over ten minutes, Mu Xue hugged Asura so tightly that it almost hurt while sharing an intoxicating kiss between them both.

Inhaling deeply as their magic calmed down again, she finally broke off the kiss while still laying atop him, looking down happily at Asura as a blue sparkling strand of saliva was sucked into her mouth, with brilliant azure eyes peering down at him.

"Can I show you my secret now, Xue'er?"

She remained on his chest for a moment, stroking along his exposed muscles, before hugging him tightly and reluctantly getting up and standing three metres away, taking her stance.

"Please, show me what you have gained."

Her eyes gleamed with excitement and delight, knowing he wasn't weak and could finally shut up those ignorant fools, tears still dripping down her cheeks.

Asura stepped forward but removed his robes and tunic, now standing in only his expensive black pants, parting his legs. He took a deep breath before the aura around him caused the air to tremble; even the mana of Hyōka trembled for a moment.

⟪Dragon Arts⟫

—Black Dragon Scales!

His entire body became enshrouded by an oppressive, vicious, terrifying draconic energy; pitch black scales glistened ethereally across his skin for a moment like an overlapping shield before vanishing under his control, like a mystical dance they covered his abdomen, chest, and arms before slowly forming a solid armour that covered all his vitals and fists.

His hair fluttered wildly behind him as the black scales covered his ears, like sharp spears made from blades of shadows as his hair glimmered darkly.

Xue'er was entranced, unable to think or breathe, her azure eyes completely stuck upon Asura. 

Every motion she saw made her shiver in anticipation.

She wanted to fight and sleep with him; his charm was no longer degraded by his lack of aura; it was majestic and wild but quiet and deadly.

"This is part of my secret, Xue'er. Can you still love me?" 

"Only a foolish woman would turn down such a wonderful mate!" She screamed as her hand, grasping the blade, slid, the beautiful blue blade shimmering brightly with mana.

"Please, show me. I will train with you until my mana runs dry!"

Asura felt shocked when facing Mu Xue for the first time. Not only did he realise she loved battle more than he expected...

But her eyes looked at him with lust, desire, affection, hope and expectations burning within those icy blue gemstones.

'I want to meet her expectations! I want to become strong enough to make her proud.'

"Here I come!"

"Anytime!"