Lakshman and Ondine spent the next few weeks going to the Labyrinth. They defeated monsters, earn money and collect the items that were dropped behind after defeating the monsters. During this time, they occasionally ran into other adventurers.

After the incident of the adventurers’ deaths, they saw large groups fighting together. It seemed that they believed a large number will be enough to ward off an attack from that unknown man.

Lakshman could not believe it because he clearly remembered how useless adventurers were when a mutated monster attacked his village. He knew because he was the one who put a stop to it with the help of Felix, the Phoenix Emperor.

During this time, Lakshman also spent educational time with Marilia learning Healing Magic Spells. It proved to be a little bit difficult to master ones from the Saint ranked. The first time he attempted to use one, he promptly got zapped by lighting. At other times, he caused a rain of water to suddenly appear and rain on him.

“Stop using Voiceless Incantations! You’re only going to hurt yourself!” Marilia told him after laughing at his failed attempts.

With no choice, he returned to using incantations to execute the spells. Ondine wanted to join him, but Marilia told her she does not possess the capability to master Magic Force. Ondine was thunderstruck at the shocking news and had to be talked to by Lakshman before she recovered.

Darian, Rumble and Wolfenstine had been leaving in the morning and returning well into the night lately. Both of them were looking tired as if they had done physical work during the day. It turned out that they were discussing things with several of the Phoenix Clan members.

While everyone was doing their thing, Tetra was sitting in their bedroom and meditated. Seeing her meditating made Lakshman curious. He wondered what she was doing sitting there silently with her eyes closed. It was three weeks later that she finally opened her eyes and revealed what she was working on.

That everyone, as the sun slowly set, everyone gathered at Darian’s call. There. she informed them that she finished making an armour. Everyone looked amazed except for Lakshman who did not understand.

“In all this time, you only made an armour?” He asked as if he found it hard to believe.

“It’s not just any ordinary armour, master! It’s the Phoenix Armour!” Tetra said as she beamed at him.

When Lakshman looked confused, Darian said “It’s the armour the Phoenix Titan is known to always wear in battle.”

Hearing those words, Lakshman’s eyes shot up in shock and he said “What?! The Phoenix Armour worn by the Phoenix Titan?! I’m going to be wearing such an armour?! Are you serious?!”

“Yes. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have bothered to make it in the first place, master!” Tetra said as she grinned at him.

“Tetra, this isn’t a joke! You expect me to wear the super special armour that should be worn by the Phoenix Titan himself?! That sort of thing isn’t fit for someone as normal as me!”

Tetra widened her eyes and began laughing. She was not the only one. Everyone around started to laugh as if they found his words to be funny. He looked at them with a confused expression on his face.

After settling down, Tetra said “Master! I’m sorry to say, but you’re far from normal! Most normal people are not so nice and simple loving people. Most normal people are cunning, calculating and anticipating. That is the standard of being normal which you are not!”

Lakshman sighed and closed his eyes. Lakshman always thought being normal was being simple and cheerful. It looked like he was wrong and made him wonder why things were so complicated.

“So? Where’s the armour?” He asked finally in a heavy voice.

Tetra wordlessly transformed into her sword form which was embedded vertically to the ground. Understanding that she wanted him to get her, he rose to his feet and pulled the sword free.

“Master. Please recite after me.”

“Um... Okay.”

“I am the phoenix who knows no defeat, but victory. I am the phoenix who is eternal with undying flames. I am the phoenix who rises from the ashes. I am phoenix, the embodiment of flames!”

Lakshman was startled at how long it was, but he recited her nevertheless out loud.

“I am the phoenix who knows no defeat, but victory. I am the phoenix who is eternal with undying flames. I am the phoenix who rises from the ashes. I am phoenix, the embodiment of flames!”

“Phoenix Armour, Activate!”

“Phoenix Armour, Activate!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he began to glow. Then a bright light covered him and it caused everyone else to quickly get to their feet. They stared at the blinding light glowing where Lakshman stood.

“Bright!” Ondine exclaimed as she and everyone covered their eyes.

The bright glow of light persisted for several seconds. Then it vanished and everything returned to being normal.

When everyone slowly opened their eyes to see, they were shocked.

Standing where Lakshman stood previously was someone else. He was a tall person with blonde spiky hair sticking out at the back. He was wearing a full body armour and it was colour of red with patterns that of flames. A cape flowed smoothly from behind him which gave him a majestic appearance.

Then the man spoke and they recognised it as Lakshman’s, but it was different. His voice sounded stronger and more mature when she spoke.

“Wow...! This is... amazing! I can feel the power like I’ve never felt before! This is incredible!” The man said as he moved his arms and folded his fingers experimentally.

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“Um... Master?” Ondine asked tentatively because she was not sure if it really was Lakshman.

Hearing her voice, the man looked at her. Ondine was astonished to find the man wearing a mask like armour covering his face. With red eyes flashing through where his eyes would be, the man spoke.

“How is it? How do I look, Ondine?” Lakshman asked and he took off the mask.

Ondine widened her eyes as her eyes saw his face. It was indeed the face of Lakshman, but it looked older and more mature. Along with that, he was also handsome looking which made her heart flutter in wonder.

“Wow! So this is the Full Body Armour of the Phoenix Titan, the Phoenix Armour!” Rumble said as he observed the armour all around.

“It looks impressive! Even the power it exhibits is super strong! Maybe I should conduct some tests on how it works and all!” Wolfenstine said as he inspected the armour with just his eyes.

Darian walked over to see Lakshman with a grin on his face. Lakshman wondered why Darian was grinning.

“What’s the matter, Darian?” Lakshman asked curiously.

“Your face... You look a lot more handsome than your father!” Darian said and he chuckled.

“Yes. It looks like your mothers features and your father’s appearance makes you look pretty cool to look at,” Marilia said and she nodded as she checked him out. Then she tuned to Ondine and asked “Isn’t that right, Ondine?”

“Ah, ah, ah, ah, um... ah... I... I ah... ah...”

Ondine was stuttering for words as she looked at him. When Lakshman turned to look at her, her face suddenly blushed brightly.

“I don’t know!” She shouted and she ran away and headed into their room.

“Huh? Ondine! Hey!” Lakshman called after her, but she shut the behind quickly with a loud thud. Looking puzzled, he said “I wonder why she suddenly ran away.”

“Hey heart is skipping. That’s why,” Marilia said which caused Lakshman to look even more confused.

“Anyway! Excellent work, Tetra! The armour you made for him is superb!” Darian said and then curiously asked “Wait! Can you even hear me?”

“Yes, I can hear you and thank you,” said a sudden voice form out of nowhere.

Being near it and seeing where the voice came from, Rumble jumped back and shouted “The armour talked!”

“Yes, the armour talked, you idiot! It’s me, Tetra, talking to you through the armour!” Tetra said in an irritated voice.

“Interesting! To be able to conjure your voice through the armour must mean the armour is part of the Phoenix Blade! Fascinating...!” Wolfenstine said in a voice full of awe.

“Don’t call me an idiot, you stupid armour!” Rumble said in annoyance and moved forward before banging the armour with his fist.

The next instance, he pulled his hand back and yelped in pain.

“Hot, hot, hot! That’s hot!” He shouted and he rushed towards the kitchen.

“That’s what you get for stupidly laying your hands on Sacred Armoured Phoenix Titan!” Tetra said haughtily.

Lakshman and everyone else laughed at seeing him run towards the kitchen. The power he felt from the armour was incredible that it was hard to describe. All he knew was that his powers have rockets several levels higher than he ever felt.

At that moment, he suddenly looked serious and looked out the window. He was looking this way and that way restlessly and it caught the rest of their attention.

“What is it, Lakshman? Is something wrong with the armour?” Marilia asked in a voice full of concern.

Lakshman slowly said “I... can feeling this... evil presence!”

“What? You can feel it?!” Darian exclaimed in disbelief and Lakshman nodded. Then he quickly asked “Where? Where is it? Can you tell where it is?”

“I... can’t tell the location where it’s coming from, but I can feel it heading away from here. It seems to be heading towards what feels like a group of adventurers.”

“Then that’s what we’re looking for! Guys, get your stuff ready cause’ we’re going Necromancy Hunting!” Darian told them and they nodded at each other.

“Okay then. While you prepare, we’ll go on ahead,” Tetra said through the armour.

“Eh?!” Lakshman and everyone else said in surprise.

Lakshman suddenly felt his body moving on its own. He took a stance and instantly jumped through the veranda into the open air.

“AAAAHHHH!!! I’m falling! Falling!” Lakshman shouted as he plummeted down.

The next thing he knew, he landed on what looked like the roof of a house. Lakshman was breathing fast from the fear of falling from such height. Then he ran towards the other end of the room and jumped into the air.

“Not again!” He yelled as he soared through the air and landed on the roof of another house.

“You need to relax and take it easy, master. I’m doing all the hard work!” Tetra told him in his mind.

“You say that, but you didn’t even warn me about jumping over rooftops of buildings!” Lakshman thought severely.

“Ah, stop complaining, master! I’m only doing this because you can’t fly! Otherwise, we’d get there quickly!”

“That would be even scarier!”

“You are such a cry baby, master...!”

“I know I was prepared to be the temporary Phoenix Titan, but I never expected my first job would be to jump over buildings!” Lakshman shouted into the air as he jumped over rooftops of building and headed in the direction of the dark presence.