I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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Moon King Palace stood at the very center of Rabbit King Castle.

Unlike normal days when numerous martial artists bustled about this heart of the Beast Sea, the palace was quite empty now.

This was due to Moon King's Battle being held at the great training ground.

And toward this palace-

Swish-

THUD! THUD!

They swiftly dispatched the guards at the entrance without making a sound and immediately infiltrated deeper.

This group was the hero's party.

'To think I hadn't considered this.'

Claire's face was hardened as she moved quickly at the front of the group.

They were here on Zion's orders, but she also agreed this action was necessary.

'We need to find and destroy it as quickly as possible.'

What she recalled was the relics Wolbyeokcheon had obtained from the 'real' first Beast King's tomb.

The first Beast King's martial arts and his body.

What made her so urgent was specifically the first Beast King's body.

Though little remained intact since his era was nearly mythological, even fragmentary records showed the first Beast King's power matched or exceeded Magnus Flare, considered the strongest in recorded imperial history.

Before the regression, Wolbyeokcheon had tried to gain that power using the perfectly preserved body of the first Beast King, and eventually succeeded with the demons' help.

'That Wolbyeokcheon's power nearly reached Great Demon level.'

There was a reason Claire hadn't recalled such an important event.

Wolbyeokcheon had gained the first Beast King's power just before the empire's destruction by demons, when she had no capacity to focus elsewhere.

She had regressed to the past shortly after.

'Given the timing, the research shouldn't be complete yet but...'

Too many things had already changed from before the regression, and the pace was incomparably accelerated.

Therefore moving as quickly as possible was right.

"Claire, which way do we go up?"

Rain asked Claire as they stood before three passages leading upward after dealing with all the guards on the first floor.

"No, we need to go down, not up."

Claire shook her head as she approached Rain.

"What? But this palace doesn't have a basement, does it?"

"It's not that there isn't one. It's hidden."

Claire answered Elysis's questioning look while beginning to pour tremendous mana into the wall between the passages.

RUMBLE!

Vibrations began from inside the wall.

Then-

CRACK!

Something seemed to break, and the wall split open to reveal a passage leading downward.

"From now on, we destroy everything we see."

After speaking these cold words, the hero descended first.

As the rest of the group followed with grim expressions- SCREECH!

Terrifying shrieks and enormous demonic energy began erupting from within the passage.

Step, step.

Footsteps filled the great training ground.

Though quite soft, the clearly echoing footsteps were strange, but what made the countless martial artists' eyes waver was something else.

That the Crown Prince's side had sent out just one representative.

It was a situation that defied all common sense.

Moon King's Battle.

Literally a battle of kings that would determine the next Beast King - a crucial position.

Yet they weren't joking around but actually sending just one representative?

"Have they gone mad?"

It was natural for such words to escape the watching martial artists' lips.

Moreover-

"A human... and one we've never even heard of."

Since their representative wasn't even a beast-kin but an unknown human, from their perspective it seemed the Crown Prince had given up on Moon King's Battle.

And-

"What are they thinking?"

Wolbyeokcheon felt the same.

He knew.

How desperate his niece and Crown Prince Wolhaun's situation was.

This Moon King's Battle was her only remaining hope.

'Then why... pull something like this?'

A completely incomprehensible situation.

Of course, Wolbyeokcheon knew this black-haired human walking out from the Crown Prince's side was the mage 'Zion Haness' who had led them to impossible victory in the previous battle.

But even accounting for that, he couldn't grasp the intent behind sending just one representative.

'Even if the rebels' overall level is lower, sending more would be better than not. Moreover, they should have some mysterious new allies who joined recently.'

With this thought, Wolbyeokcheon looked toward Wolhaun across the training ground, but unlike before, he couldn't read her expression hidden behind the mask.

'I can't tell what they're planning... but it won't change anything.'

Unable to find an answer, he was finishing this thought when-

'I wonder if this is really right...'

The Crown Prince also tried hiding her anxious gaze as she fixed her eyes on Zion's back.

Her mind naturally drifted to their final meeting before coming to Rabbit King Castle.

-"I'll go alone for the proxy battle."

Those were the first words from Zion's mouth as the meeting began.

-"What nonsense is this...!"

-"What's your reason?"

Wolhaun had asked Zion while calming the strongly objecting Hwagangjin.

-"Is it because our resistance's level is too low? Though I know how strong you are... wouldn't it still be better to fill out the numbers rather than going alone?"

-"No, you all have other things to do, so focus on those and conserve your strength."

-"Other things..."

-"Did you really think we'd just have a pure Moon King's Battle?"

-"What?"

-"You don't think Wolbyeokcheon would quietly accept and step down if we win Moon King's Battle?"

-"..."

The resistance leadership including Wolhaun couldn't answer Zion's question.

Even they didn't think that would happen.

-"So prepare in advance."

-"What preparations do you mean?"

-"Battle preparations."

-"...!"

-"Combat will probably break out right as Moon King's Battle ends. Or maybe even before then."

Seeing the leadership staring at him with trembling eyes, unable to speak, Zion continued with a grin:

-"On the day of Moon King's Battle. The war in the Beast Sea will end."

'One side will certainly end today.'

Finishing this recollection, Wolhaun watched Zion now facing the Beast King's first representative.

'May fortune be with you.'

Whether aware of the Crown Prince's silent prayer or not, Zion watched the tiger beast-kin before him with sunken eyes.

Blade-Breaking Blade Ho Kwae-cheon.

True to his title, he was a blade user not among the 'Twelve Seas' but considered their equal or superior in skill.

And even to Zion's eyes, Ho Kwae-cheon possessed such skill.

'The Beast Sea really does have more powerful figures than other places.'

Zion remembered this was why the Beast Sea had been the most troublesome and difficult to conquer when taking over the world as the Eternal Emperor.

The geography of islands and sea was one factor, but the main reason was their独立development of martial arts as a unique mana cultivation method had produced far more powerful figures than other regions.

If not for their closed nature and endless divisions in race and culture, they could have challenged the whole world.

Though unknown to the empire, the Beast Sea likely had masters of 'Sea' and even 'Heaven' level.

'That's exactly why they absolutely can't fall to the demons.'

Just then-

"So you're that mage."

A low voice like a predator's growl flowed from Ho Kwae-cheon before Zion.

"I heard you single-handedly reversed an impossible battle at the Sea of Death?"

Despite facing someone who had reversed an impossible battle alone, no fear could be found in Ho Kwae-cheon's eyes as he asked this.

He had that much confidence in his skills, and this was one-on-one combat, not many versus many.

'No matter how strong, he's just a mage.'

It was common knowledge that mages were at an extreme disadvantage in such duels.

Even if they devised various methods to compensate for this weakness, the essence remained unchanged.

In contrast, Ho Kwae-cheon's Blade-Breaking Blade was martial arts specialized for one-on-one combat.

Therefore they started from completely different positions.

"I'm not a mage though."

"Hahah! An amusing joke."

Ho Kwae-cheon laughed at Zion's words.

"Personally, I have no ill will toward the Crown Prince and rebels, but I have my circumstances. Since you only sent one person, it seems you've given up on Moon King's Battle... I'll end this as quickly and painlessly as possible."

As if those words were a signal-

"Now beginning the first duel!"

The MC's voice rang out announcing the start.

With that-

WHOOSH!

An incredibly intense wave of martial energy burst from Ho Kwae-cheon's entire body.

He knew.

That he absolutely couldn't give a mage time.

Therefore he had already tensed every muscle in his body to charge in a straight line before the duel began.

0.03 seconds for the gathered energy to spread through all the muscles in his thighs and lower body.

Another 0.03 seconds to slightly crouch his body.

Just as his form was about to spring forward after completing all preparations in 0.06 seconds-

In that moment-

"Those words."

Along with a voice reaching his ears-

"Are what I wanted to say."

He could see it.

Zion standing right before him with a grin, just as he was about to kick off the ground.

'What-!'

CRACK!

Before Ho Kwae-cheon's eyes could even widen at this sight, Zion's outstretched hand pierced straight through his chest and crushed his heart.

"How..."

Ho Kwae-cheon blankly stared at Zion's hand piercing his chest, unable to finish speaking before breathing his last.

THUD.

His corpse collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

And with that-

...

The entire great training ground surrounded by tens of thousands of martial artists froze.

Silence so complete not even breathing could be heard.

What exactly had just happened?

It occurred too quickly to even perceive.

All they saw was Zion's form vanishing from his spot at the start, then reappearing with his hand piercing Ho Kwae-cheon's chest.

A straight charge without any technique followed by a simple thrust.

"Next."

An emotionless voice flowed from Zion's lips after finishing Ho Kwae-cheon, considered one of the highest-level martial artists, with just those two movements.

"N-next challenger please enter!"

The MC finally regained his senses and called out toward the Beast King's side with a trembling voice.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

This time, a horse beast-kin with chain-sickles wrapped around both forearms stepped onto the training ground.

Unlike Ho Kwae-cheon earlier, his hardened face clearly revealed his tension.

Half-Moon Kill Ma Chung-ik.

Though his skill was no less than or even superior to Ho Kwae-cheon's, there was reason for his tension.

It was because of the strike Zion had just shown.

'Even my eyes could barely see it.'

Truly chilling speed.

Though it far surpassed even his own top speed, Ma Chung-ik's eyes still burned with fighting spirit.

'If I can just block that first strike, then it's my turn.'

Surely having poured everything into speed meant other aspects would be lacking.

He planned to exploit that opening.

"Th-then beginning the second duel!"

Meanwhile, the MC's voice announced the start again.

'Here he comes!'

Simultaneously, Ma Chung-ik raised his chain-sickles infused with all his martial energy toward the predicted path.

SCREECH!

Tremendous shockwaves burst out with a massive roar.

'I blocked-!'

Just as Ma Chung-ik's eyes lit up seeing Zion's fist stopped by his chain-sickles-

CRACK!

Along with Zion's deepening smile, his darkness-wrapped fist explosively expanded and shattered Ma Chung-ik's chain-sickles before extending forward and- CRUNCH!

Blew apart his head.

THUD.

As Ma Chung-ik's corpse collapsed to the training ground floor-

...

Silence descended over the training ground once again.

One strike.

It had taken just one strike again.

How could one describe the scene of martial artists capable of ruling entire regions dying without even blocking a single strike?

No one present could explain such a thing, and so the silence continued.

Once could be coincidence, but twice was absolutely not.

And-

"He wasn't... a mage?"

Like everyone else watching the scene with blank eyes, bewilderment colored the muttering from Wolbyeokcheon's lips.

The two movements this human called Zion Haness had shown against his representatives.

Those movements were absolutely not something a mage could perform.

'A martial artist... and one whose skill can't even be properly gauged.'

Just as Wolbyeokcheon changed his assessment of Zion and began modifying his plans accordingly-

"Your Majesty."

A subordinate who had somehow approached right beside him called out with an urgent expression.

"Something has happened."

"What is it?"

At this question, the subordinate whispered something in Wolbyeokcheon's ear.

As the subordinate continued speaking, the Beast King's already poor expression grew increasingly twisted.

And-

'So it's begun?'

Zion smiled inwardly as he glanced at the Beast King's side from the training ground.

It seemed the hero's group was doing their work properly.

'Then I should draw more attention this way.'

With this thought, Zion turned toward the VIP seats where Wolbyeokcheon sat and-

"I have a proposal."

A low voice flowed from his lips.