I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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The reason Zion hadn't killed Wolbyeokcheon earlier while following him was simple.

Wolbyeokcheon had already prepared everything so his soul would transfer to the first Beast King's body if he met an untimely death. Zion wanted to avoid the trouble of killing him twice.

Therefore, now that he had transferred his soul to the first Beast King's body-

BOOM!

There was no longer any reason to hold back.

Wolbyeokcheon's body was sent flying at a speed too fast for even the hero's party's perception to track, crashing through endless walls.

CRUNCH!

"...How?"

Wolbyeokcheon's eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment as he finally managed to stop his body using transcendent strength.

"How was I pushed back!"

He couldn't comprehend it at all.

It had clearly been a head-on collision of pure power against pure power.

And now that he had obtained the first Beast King's body, no one in this world should be able to match his physical might.

So why was he the one sent flying backward?

"Impossible."

After muttering through gritted teeth and correcting his stance, Wolbyeokcheon- CRASH!

Stomped down hard.

The surrounding space warped from sheer force alone, without any magical effects or mysteries.

All the power that surged up from that stomp gathered in his thighs until they seemed ready to burst, then- BOOM!

With a sound like an exploding shell, he tore through space itself as he charged at Zion.

Another terrifying collision followed.

---!

The impact's shockwave spread beyond the research facility to the entire Moon King Palace with an ear-shattering roar.

The palace began cracking and crumbling from the force.

'Even seven stars of Black Star Force can't completely negate it - he's truly impressive.'

Zion felt his hand growing numb after deflecting Wolbyeokcheon's strike among the falling debris.

In truth, Zion hadn't directly clashed with Wolbyeokcheon's fist in that collision.

The first Beast King's tremendous physical might.

It was one of the abilities manifested when an unknown god's fragment had dwelled within him as an authority.

Zion had negated that authority with Black Star Force, allowing him to match fists without being overwhelmed.

But since he couldn't negate it completely, meeting another punch head-on with bare hands would be inefficient.

'No need for that anyway.'

Swish-

With that thought, the pitch-black sword materialized once more in Zion's right hand as he grasped the air.

Perhaps sensing something ominous from Eclaxia-

BOOM!

Like some demonic engine, dozens of shockwaves erupted from behind Wolbyeokcheon's right elbow as his fist shot toward Zion's head at an incomparably faster speed than before.

Perception Denial.

Distance Denial.

Using both denials simultaneously, Zion tilted Eclaxia diagonally to deflect Wolbyeokcheon's strike.

SCREECH!

Even just that caused Eclaxia's blade to bend as the surrounding world screamed.

Such physical might that calling it divine seemed entirely fitting.

After deflecting the Beast King's strike, Zion lowered his body and stepped forward instead of creating distance.

"Foolish!"

Wolbyeokcheon sneered at Zion's approach with a sword against a martial artist and thrust his tightly clenched left fist.

His fist shot straight for Zion's head while Zion's sword was still tilted back diagonally from deflecting Wolbyeokcheon's right fist.

Though anyone could see Wolbyeokcheon's strike would land first, the result was completely different.

Like an iaido draw.

WHOOSH!

Zion's sword, having completely deflected Wolbyeokcheon's right fist with sparks flying, swung using that reactive force.

Moving Last, Striking First.

Demonstrating a perfect example of this principle, Zion's sword strike landed before Wolbyeokcheon's fist.

BOOM!

Though it didn't cut through due to his body's transcendent toughness, the impact couldn't be fully absorbed - Wolbyeokcheon's form was sent flying backward again, shattering an entire wall as he crashed through it.

Before the Beast King could regain his stance-

'End this quickly.'

Erasing space and time between them, Zion appeared before him and began unleashing a barrage of attacks.

Fighting Pride at the border.

And facing Jealousy in the Fairy Forest.

He felt that strange pressure again.

As if the world itself was rejecting him.

'It starts happening precisely when I begin using power above seven stars.'

Seven stars of Black Star Force.

Power that had transcended mortality to reach immortality.

It seemed this world didn't want him possessing such power.

'I'll have to look into this properly later.'

Putting aside that concern, Zion's sword strikes grew even more precise and rapid.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"AAAHHH!"

A scream burst from Wolbyeokcheon's lips as he was endlessly pushed back.

He absolutely.

Absolutely couldn't gain the upper hand.

'How, how is this possible?'

Wolbyeokcheon knew.

Though he'd been pushed back in their first clash, his basic physical abilities were far superior.

But his opponent was thoroughly preventing him from utilizing those abilities.

Never meeting his attacks head-on while moving strictly in curves rather than straight lines to restrict his explosive speed.

Normally these would be impossible to execute even if understood, but that bizarre sword path seemed to predict and block his every movement.

Could he see the future?

'At this rate...'

With that thought, Wolbyeokcheon glanced sideways to see Damodeus about to fall to the hero's party.

An overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation.

'If I could just use my full power.'

Wolbyeokcheon instinctively knew.

That he couldn't fully draw out the first Beast King's body's power due to the incomplete technique.

There was only one way to solve this.

'Blood... I need more blood.'

Specifically, pure Myowol clan blood.

And as far as Wolbyeokcheon knew, there was only one other Myowol clan member here.

In that moment-

"KUAAAH!"

With a bestial roar, energy incomparably stronger than before erupted from Wolbyeokcheon's entire body.

Zion created some distance while swinging Eclaxia to cut through the energy aimed at him.

Had this been the goal from the start?

BOOM!

After pushing Zion back, Wolbyeokcheon's form shattered the ceiling and soared upward, breaking out of Moon King Palace to head somewhere.

Inside the great training ground of Rabbit King Castle.

The battle there hadn't ended yet.

But with victory clearly tilting to one side, the resistance fighters fought with more relaxed expressions than before.

And among them-

"Hah, to think I had the empire's future emperor right beside me without realizing..."

Jang Maldong's voice was filled with disbelief as he dealt with the demons before him.

"To think he came to the Beast Sea alone. He truly lives up to his reputation for unprecedented actions."

His gaze then turned to Celphia, who was fighting the Beast King's forces nearby.

"Did you know? That he was Prince Zion Agnes?"

"Of course. I came here with him after all."

Celphia nodded matter-of-factly at Jang Maldong's question.

"Then perhaps Lady Celphia... do you also hold a high position in the empire?"

"No, I'm nothing special."

"Ah."

Listening to their conversation, Crown Prince Wolhaun pondered the questions about Zion still filling her mind.

'But why did I think he was like the Eternal Emperor?'

Simply because he was the Eternal Emperor's descendant?

No, that couldn't be the reason.

She'd never had such thoughts when seeing other imperial family members before.

It felt like there was a more fundamental reason.

Just then-

BOOM!

"AAARGH!"

A terrible scream rang out amid the explosive sound from the resistance's front lines.

As Wolhaun turned her head-

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

A member of the Myowol clan approached at insane speed, laughing maniacally while slaughtering resistance fighters.

In that moment, she instinctively knew he was her uncle.

"Niece! Where are you!"

Though his body had changed through some method, that distinctive gaze and presence could only belong to Wolbyeokcheon.

'He's grown much stronger.'

Despite the distance between them, just the overflow of power from his body made Wolhaun's entire body tremble uncontrollably.

What had happened in that time?

"Your Highness, you must escape!"

Realizing Wolbyeokcheon was targeting the Crown Prince, Hwagangjin urgently called out to her.

"Tell me something."

Wolhaun spoke in a quiet voice to him.

"If I escape from here and leave you all behind, what will happen to you?"

"That's..."

"You'll all certainly die. There's no one here who can face him now."

With those words, the Crown Prince turned to face the approaching Wolbyeokcheon.

"So I won't run."

"...Your Highness!"

"It's already too late to run, and I never intended to anyway."

Backs.

Wolhaun had always only seen others' backs.

The backs of countless subordinates who sacrificed their lives to protect her.

And her father's back as he stood firm without moving an inch while telling her to flee.

Watching those overwhelmingly large backs, Wolhaun had sworn again and again.

That someday she would become someone who could show such a back to those who followed her.

That she would become an unbreakable wall.

Though she didn't yet have power befitting that, she could no longer just watch people sacrifice themselves to protect her.

Moreover, the current situation was too similar to when she had fled Rabbit King Castle, leaving her dying father behind.

Therefore she no longer.

Wanted to live with regrets.

"Unlike before, you're not running away!"

Wolbyeokcheon's loud shout rang out as he approached at terrifying speed.

"Your courage is admirable but too foolish, niece! When not backed by strength, courage is mere recklessness!"

The Beast King's form finally reached right before Wolhaun with a voice full of mockery.

"I'll put your blood to good use."

Just as his fist, containing enough power to destroy a great mountain in one strike, was about to shoot toward her-

-If you believe your decision is right, never back down.

A memory quietly surfaced in Wolhaun's mind.

-You are kinder and stronger than anyone I know.

Words her father, the previous Beast King, had spoken when she was being petulant.

-The blood of the Moon King flows thicker in you than in any being in this world.

Though her father's smile had been gentle then, his eyes shone with deeper conviction than ever before.

-Trust in that blood and your will.

One step.

With firm resolve in her eyes, Wolhaun's form took one step forward toward Wolbyeokcheon.

And in that moment-

THUD!

A miracle occurred.

An inch.

Wolbyeokcheon's fist stopped an inch from Wolhaun's face, unable to advance further.

"Wh-what is this...!"

CRUNCH!

Bewildered words flowed from his lips as his fist wouldn't move forward no matter how much strength he applied.

"Then...!"

Just as he let out a low growl and tried to swing his other fist-

Swish-

Like darkness descending, a back appeared before Wolhaun.

An ominous yet strangely reassuring back.

Then-

"You did well."

Along with those quiet words from the back's owner- CRUNCH!

The pitch-black sword pierced straight through Wolbyeokcheon's heart.

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