I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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GROWL!

"Ha, I must be crazy!"

Renet cried out in despair as she barely dodged an incoming attack by dropping to the ground.

She was currently in the center of the Sunless Forest in the empire's northwest.

Until recently, she'd been trying to escape the forest, but now found herself heading toward its center for one reason:

Because of Liushina, who was currently slaughtering blood-formed monstrosities beside her.

Liushina had half-forced Renet, who'd been trying to leave the forest, to come with her instead. With her relatively weak power, Renet had no choice but to follow with tears in her eyes.

The reason Renet considered it only "half-forced" was that she too had been incredibly curious about what lay at the forest's center.

That unavoidable explorer's instinct!

'What good is that curiosity now!'

Though Liushina, who walked ahead, was sweeping away most of the monstrosities, Renet's life still hung by a thread whenever a stray creature's blind attack slipped through.

'She seems stronger than before... or am I imagining it?'

Even in this life-threatening situation, Renet couldn't help but marvel at Liushina's performance.

Though she'd seen plenty during their Blood Realm journey, there was something about this witch's power that sent chills down observers' spines.

A power whose source made her intensely curious.

'Maybe I should ask... though she probably won't tell me.'

Whether aware of Renet's thoughts or not, Liushina focused on advancing while thoroughly slaughtering any monstrosities blocking their path.

'Master said we'd see the 'path' to advance higher once we reach the forest's center.'

Of course, she didn't know what existed at the forest's center either.

She simply trusted Zion's words and moved forward.

Separately, a question was growing in Liushina's mind:

'These things feel familiar somehow...'

The red monstrosities endlessly emerging from deeper in the forest.

Their physical structure was remarkably similar to the Evil Hands she created with blood magic.

It felt almost like looking at an imitation.

Of course, she'd never taught her blood magic to anyone.

It wasn't even something that could be taught.

'Should I capture one to study?'

Just as Liushina considered this due to her growing suspicion...

"Stop!!"

A loud voice echoed from within the forest.

This command wasn't directed at Liushina.

CLUNK!

The monstrosities stopped in place, as if their extreme aggression until now had been a lie.

Behind these monstrosities, a group of black-skinned fairies and humans rushed out urgently.

'Hm? That's...'

Liushina's eyes caught something interesting.

Her gaze fixed on the six-headed beast tattoo commonly marked on all the group members' bodies.

'I'm sure I've seen this before...'

Meanwhile...

"We apologize for not recognizing you immediately, Beast Mother!"

The group approached right in front of her and prostrated themselves with emotional expressions.

They lowered themselves despite knowing Liushina could instantly sever their exposed necks, as if that didn't matter at all.

At that moment...

"...Purification Cult?"

This single word left Renet's lips as she watched the scene.

Several hours earlier...

'How do we get our forces into the Shadow Nest?'

To Zion's question, Obergia had answered:

'First, we must remove Stigma's 'veil' that blocks my Celestial Dragon Vision.'

This was why the Shadow Nest had remained undetected even to the Light Dragon's eyes that could pierce celestial energy.

'Additionally, we must inscribe coordinates within the nest for the passages to connect to. For that, someone must first enter the nest.'

'I'll handle the entry. What else needs to be done?'

'Nothing. I'll take care of everything else.'

Perhaps he'd been waiting for Zion to remove the 'veil'?

CRACK!

As soon as the veil's core shattered, Obergia's authority activated, creating endless passages of light behind Zion.

And through those passages...

"Well done, Prince Zion."

The Light Watchers led by Ackendelt, and...

"We shall join you from here."

The empire's magicians led by White Flame Emperor Ahmad Ozlima watched with cold, gleaming eyes.

The magicians began quickly crossing through the passages after giving Zion a warrior's salute.

"What..."

Kadif's smiling face twisted with shock and bewilderment.

Something he'd never imagined possible - something that should never happen - was unfolding before his eyes.

The Shadow Nest had never allowed infiltration since its creation.

Yet now their archenemies, the Light Watchers, were endlessly pouring into their nest.

"...How are the Watchers here?!"

"Shouldn't we balance things out a bit?"

Zion smiled at Kadif, who shouted with bulging eyes.

Then, as Zion slightly raised one hand to point at the dazed nest magicians...

"Today, the Shadow Nest disappears from the floating city."

With this cold utterance, the united forces led by Ackendelt and Ahmad began unleashing their prepared spells.

The Shadow Nest's magic responded, beginning the clash.

BOOM!

Unlike knights' clashes or conventional wars, battles between magicians followed slightly different paths.

Close combat rarely occurred, and rather than directly striking enemies, they focused on breaking each other's techniques and controlling space itself. ᚱã𝐍𝐨ＢЕŝ

A battle fought in intense calculations where not even the slightest error could exist.

Among them all, Ahmad Ozlima stood out most prominently.

As expected of one of the 'Seven Heavens'.

Even on this battlefield of only high-ranking magicians, Ahmad's magic showed a presence of an entirely different dimension.

"There's no mercy for those who sacrifice others' lives for their own benefit."

WHOOSH!

With each wave of his hand, his signature white flames spread infinitely through the air, devouring all enemy magic they touched.

This was an authority-like magic that only White Flame Emperor Ahmad could use, embedding nullification techniques in each individual flame.

As if that wasn't enough, while maintaining these white flames, Ahmad lightly flicked his other hand.

In that moment...

FLASH!

A pure white spark appeared without warning in the middle of the shadow magicians.

"...?"

Just as questions filled the enemies' eyes looking at this spark...

BOOM!

The spark expanded hundredfold, incinerating all nearby magicians without leaving a trace.

Truly overwhelming firepower that words couldn't do justice.

Encouraged by Ahmad's performance, the other Light Watchers also began launching more aggressive attacks.

However...

'They're holding well.'

Despite this, the battle's balance remained precariously maintained.

Was the Shadow Nest's level higher than expected?

Or was it the advantage of being in their headquarters?

Either way, just holding out this well against the Light Watchers and the empire's highest-level magicians was impressive.

'Need to break this balance.'

Zion thought while surveying the battlefield.

Though the tide was gradually turning in their favor and they'd naturally gain the upper hand if left alone, there was concern that Stigma might appear before the battlefield was cleared if they took too long.

Therefore, they needed to secure victory before then.

'He seems to be their center.'

Zion's eyes gleamed coldly as they fixed on one of the Shadow Nest's magicians.

The Shadow Nest's second head, Kadif.

"Don't panic, maintain formation! Focus on defense rather than attack until the 'veil' recovers!"

The man who'd been smiling leisurely at Zion earlier was now frantically issuing commands and magic with a completely twisted expression.

'In that case...'

With this thought, Zion reached sideways and grasped the air.

WOONG!

Agdravar howled as if pleased to be naturally caught in Zion's hand.

As Zion pulled back the Dragon Rage Spear like a throwing spear, all surrounding darkness began being sucked toward him as if by agreement.

RUMBLE!

Space compressed around Agdravar's tip.

Unable to fully withstand the Black Star Force's concentration, now much stronger than before, the Dragon Rage Spear trembled madly.

The air and earth screamed and vibrated at this unimaginable concentration of power.

The battle momentarily stopped as magicians' trembling gazes gathered on Zion.

Then...

"What...!"

Just as Kadif realized the spear's tip was aimed at him and activated a spell...

WHOOSH!

Agdravar vanished from Zion's extended hand, and...

---------------!

A single line was carved into the world.

Space tore apart with a roar too massive for human ears to hear.

Secondary explosions occurred as the air ignited from the delayed shockwave.

However...

'I... I survived!'

Kadif's body remained intact.

The 'absolute defense' personally granted by the Shadow Dragon long ago had blocked Zion's spear strike - a defense that could stop any single attack in any situation.

Just as Kadif inwardly sighed in relief and began chanting a spatial transfer spell to escape...

CRACK!

A massive explosion erupted from the collision between Zion's spear strike and the 'absolute defense'.

From within this explosion, a dark blade shot out, piercing through dozens of defensive spells on Kadif's body and straight through his heart.

Then...

"Kugh!"

Zion emerged from the explosion, gripping Eclaxia that had just impaled Kadif's body.

Earlier, when throwing the Dragon Rage Spear, Zion had attached a strand of Soul Extinction, and immediately after the first strike failed, he'd used Dark Current Transformation to move directly in front of Kadif.

But having no way to know this...

"How..."

Kadif's eyes showed incomprehension until his final breath.

THUD.

Silence followed as Kadif's corpse collapsed to the floor.

Two strikes.

Just two strikes.

Both the Shadow Nest and Light Watchers knew.

How extraordinary Kadif's power was, ranked fourth in the city's magical hierarchy.

He was someone who could compete equally with Ahmad, the only magician to reach the 'Seven Heavens'.

Yet he'd been dealt with so simply?

Even considering the surprise attack, this sight defied comprehension.

'This should do.'

Zion's eyes gleamed coldly as he observed the now-quiet battlefield and Kadif's corpse.

With the enemy's center removed, the balance would naturally crumble.

Just as Zion moved to hasten this collapse by turning toward the remaining Shadow Nest magicians...

STOP!

His movement suddenly halted.

'This is...'

Zion's gaze turned downward.

Shadow.

It was a shadow.

SWOOSH-

A single shadow infinitely expanding its influence while absorbing all other nearby shadows.

An ancient pressure flowed from this spreading shadow, weighing down on people's existence and demanding submission.

Finally...

CRACK!

Two eyes appeared in the center of the shadow that had devoured the entire cavern floor.

Enormous beyond what any normal being could possess, with vertically slit pupils like a reptile's.

These eyes fixed directly on Zion and uttered one word:

-Disappear, descendant of eternity.

Supreme dragon speech that could overturn the world's structure with mere utterance.

In that moment...

WHOOSH!

Zion's form vanished without a trace.

Imaginary Space.

This incomprehensible place, which even gods couldn't fully understand, existed as a concept opposite to 'existence'.

A space typically used to banish beings that shouldn't exist in the world or those who'd committed equivalently great sins.

Of course, beings banished to Imaginary Space could never return to the original world.

It had no spatial coordinates to begin with, and even one's very existence was denied here.

And now...

'I didn't expect him to use absolute dragon speech right away.'

Zion was in this Imaginary Space.

He'd been instantly banished here by Shadow Dragon Stigma's 'absolute dragon speech'.

Zion hadn't prepared for this possibility, not expecting the Shadow Dragon to immediately use 'absolute dragon speech' that consumed his limited remaining lifespan with each use.

Though it was questionable whether he could have blocked it even if prepared.

'But... why does this feel so familiar?'

Zion thought this while observing the strangely rippling Imaginary Space surrounding him.

This was definitely his first time here.

Yet he couldn't understand why he felt this way.

A comfort like lying in an incredibly soft bed.

Moreover...

SWOOSH-

The Black Star Force activated on its own, raising black stars one by one around Zion while relentlessly pounding at the blocked wall of six stars.

'Perhaps... breaking through might be possible here.'

Though he couldn't understand why this phenomenon was occurring, it was an opportunity, and therefore what he needed to do now was clear.

'First, raise the Black Star Force to six stars.'

Escaping this place would come after.

Soon, as darkness gradually spread, the sixth star that had been faintly circling in Zion's eyes began revealing its existence more clearly.

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