I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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Deep within Moon King's Tomb.

"Hahaha! The first Beast King's power belongs to the Red Flame Corps!"

"Says who!"

CRASH!

Countless martial artists fought fiercely to advance even a bit further inside.

CLICK! CRUNCH!

Around them, threatening mechanical traps activated mercilessly claiming the lives of those who stumbled.

A scene truly befitting the term 'earthly hell'.

And in this scene-

"Huff, huff!"

The rabbit-masked beast-kin who had entered the tomb earlier was present.

BOOM!

"This way, Your Highness!"

Following the shout of Hwagangjin, the Fire Bear tribe beast-kin actively clearing the path, the masked beast-kin and subordinates began moving swiftly.

"Those ones are heading deeper! Stop them!"

Other martial artists urgently pursued upon seeing this, but- BOOM!

The moment the masked group entered the passage leading deeper into the tomb, thick walls rose and sealed it off.

"Phew..."

The surroundings instantly grew quiet.

"We should be almost there, Your Highness. Please keep up your strength."

Hwagangjin spoke to the masked beast-kin after lightly exhaling and checking the surroundings.

Then-

"...I'm ashamed."

A small voice escaped the masked beast-kin's slightly lowered head.

"I insisted on coming, yet I'm just receiving help like this."

Self-reproach filled that voice.

Self-reproach at having none of the power the Myowol clan was known for as the strongest tribe.

Self-reproach at hiding behind subordinates, unable to do anything.

'If only I had power like his...'

The first Beast King who stepped into the realm of myth beyond legend.

Unlike most beast-kin who idolized and deified the first Beast King, the masked beast-kin had long admired and sought to emulate a different figure.

Eternal Emperor Aurelion Khan Agnes.

The world's only true ruler and emperor.

How their heart had raced reading what few records remained of him in their youth.

They had resolved to achieve great deeds like the Eternal Emperor, and yet...

'Reality is so different.'

Admiration remained just admiration.

They fell far too short in comparison.

So much that they couldn't even help their own subordinates.

"Your Highness, you are already plenty strong."

Hwagangjin quietly spoke while watching the masked beast-kin.

"Though you may lack in martial power, you far surpass others in every other aspect. Moreover, you possess something special that no one else has."

The qualities of a ruler.

Hwagangjin and the other subordinates saw these qualities in the masked beast-kin and thus pledged their lives in service.

"So please don't blame yourself. We will make up for whatever you lack."

"...Thank you."

As the masked beast-kin - no, the Crown Prince - smiled slightly in response-

"I can see the end of the passage. The first Beast King's relic should be beyond there."

One subordinate pointed ahead after calculating their location based on the island's size and distance traveled.

As he said, a massive iron door appeared at the passage's end.

Then-

"I'll open it."

Hwagangjin pushed hard against the door with a stern face upon reaching it.

CREAK!

The door slowly opened with a heavy sound.

Just as the masked beast-kin stepped through the opened door-

"Finally here? I thought my neck would fall off waiting."

A high voice rang out from inside.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

What met the masked beast-kin's eyes wasn't the first Beast King's relic.

Instead, dozens of martial artists including the fox beast-kin who owned the voice stood with drawn weapons to greet them.

"You're the Crown Prince, right? Looking forward to this."

As the fox beast-kin waved while speaking these words, recognizing them as being from the Beast King's side-

"...A trap."

A rigid voice escaped the masked beast-kin's lips.

"How did they get through that storm?"

While other martial artists questioned this as they watched people approaching from the ship-

"If it isn't Senior Wandering Fist?"

Myung Hwi-ryeong had fixed his gaze on the small raccoon elder among them.

Wandering Fist Jang Maldong.

A fellow powerful figure among the 'Twelve Seas'.

"...It's been a while."

Having given up hiding his identity since they were already acquainted, Jang Maldong spoke while looking at Myung Hwi-ryeong.

"Did you come for the relic too, Senior? Then you'll have to face me first. No exceptions-"

"No, no."

Before Myung Hwi-ryeong could finish, Jang Maldong shook his head.

"The one who'll face you is him."

With these words, a man emerged from behind as Jang Maldong stepped aside.

Black hair and black eyes.

It was Zion, currently operating under the identity of Zion Haness.

After briefly showing a puzzled expression, Myung Hwi-ryeong spoke in an unpleasant voice:

"You seem to have grown playful in our time apart. Are you saying this unknown human will face me instead of you, Senior?"

There was reason for his reaction.

He couldn't sense any power from the man before him.

Moreover, none of the powerful figures Myung Hwi-ryeong had seen or heard of had such an appearance.

"It seems only one meaningless life will be lost - wouldn't it be better if you stepped up from the start, Senior?"

But it wasn't Jang Maldong who answered his words.

"Indeed, one meaningless life will certainly be lost."

A quiet voice.

Myung Hwi-ryeong glared at Zion, its owner.

"Do you not know your place? Or are you too stupid to judge the situation... If you want to die that badly, I'll grant your wish."

The wolf beast-kin spoke coldly while raising his sword, watching Zion's lips curve slightly as if smiling.

The surrounding air grew sharp as blades.

Space itself naturally responded to the sword energy flowing from Myung Hwi-ryeong.

"To think such a moth to flame really existed."

"Surely he must have some hidden ability?"

"I guarantee he won't last three exchanges even accounting for that."

The watching martial artists began whispering with tense expressions.

'No, three exchanges won't be necessary.'

Myung Hwi-ryeong tightly gripped his sword handle while hearing their whispers.

A single strike.

That was how many exchanges he planned for the man before him.

'Since it's come to this, I should make an example by overwhelming him with absolute force from the start.'

SCREECH!

Wave-like sword energy gathered on his blade with this thought.

As that gathering energy reached its peak-

WHOOSH!

His form shot toward Zion.

The surrounding air split, unable to withstand his speed and power.

Zion calmly watched Myung Hwi-ryeong approach with sunken eyes.

'It would be good to reduce their forces here.'

Zion knew.

That Moon King's Tomb itself was the Beast King's trap to lure in the Crown Prince.

The first Beast King's relic had never existed here from the start.

Even Myung Hwi-ryeong charging at him now secretly served the Beast King.

Therefore...

CRACK!

There was no reason to let him live.

'...Huh?'

What had happened?

Myung Hwi-ryeong's vision flipped as he reached Zion and swung his sword.

Had his body flipped over?

No.

He soon realized that wasn't it.

The headless body visible beyond his turning vision.

It didn't take long for him to realize that body was his own.

And that was Myung Hwi-ryeong's final thought.

THUD! Roll roll.

His head rolled lifelessly on the ground as his body collapsed after.

A terrible silence fell.

Step, step.

In that silence, only Zion's footsteps echoed softly as he walked.

After passing the beast-kin staring blankly at him, Zion reached the tomb entrance and slightly turned his head to look at Celphia and Jang Maldong.

"I'll go ahead."

With these final words, his form completely vanished into the tomb.

BOOM!

Several martial artists went flying, unable to withstand the tremendous explosion from Hwagangjin's reddened fist.

Truly overwhelming power.

But-

"Damn it!"

A curse burst from Hwagangjin's lips despite sending the martial artists flying.

So many additional enemies were gathering that those he had just dealt with seemed insignificant.

His stamina rapidly depleted.

But this wasn't why he cursed.

"Protect Your Highness!"

It was because of the Crown Prince, desperately fending off the Beast King's martial artists while surrounded by other subordinates.

Though holding for now, it was precarious enough that they could break through at any moment, which was why Hwagangjin's attention focused entirely there.

But enemies swarming him prevented him from helping.

Moreover, wounds began appearing on his body one by one due to his divided attention.

Then-

"Your Highness, why not just give up?"

The fox beast-kin who had been merely watching the battle until now began to move.

CRACK! CRUNCH!

"AAARGH!"

Moving at speeds too fast to see, the fox beast-kin instantly slaughtered the rebel elite martial artists blocking the Crown Prince with whitened hands.

The scene showed her skill matched even Hwagangjin's.

"This entire Moon King's Tomb is our trap to lure you in. No one will come to help you."

With these words, the fox beast-kin reached the Crown Prince and lifted their chin.

"Ah..."

The masked beast-kin's eyes darkened.

"To think the rebel leader's life that they treasured so much is in my hands... This feels quite good?"

The fox beast-kin's eyes curved coldly as they met those darkening eyes.

"Your Highness! YOUR HIGHNESS!"

BOOM! CRASH!

Seeing this, Hwagangjin desperately drew out power trying to approach, but enemies blocking his path prevented him from advancing.

"Hmm... Though I'd like to savor this sight longer, I believe in handling tasks cleanly and quickly."

SCREECH!

White energy began gathering in the fox beast-kin's other hand as she spoke these words, still fixing her gaze on the Crown Prince while ignoring Hwagangjin.

Despair began filling the Crown Prince's eyes behind their mask.

'So in the end...'

Their father, brutally murdered before their eyes by their uncle who had allied with demons.

Back then they had fled, lacking power, but had sworn again and again never to repeat such things.

Moreover, they had vowed.

To reclaim the throne and save the suffering people beneath it no matter what.

To protect them all even at the cost of their life.

But those pledges and vows had been impossible from the start.

They simply didn't have that ability.

'Was I... never meant to become like him from the start?'

As the Crown Prince's eyes completely filled with despair-

"Well then, farewell Your Highness."

Finally, just as the fox beast-kin moved to thrust her energy-gathered hand into the Crown Prince's heart-

BOOM!

Vibrations transmitted from far beyond the walls.

"...Hmm?"

The fox beast-kin turned her head, hand stopping at the strange tremors that oddly stirred something deep inside.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The vibrations drew steadily closer, ringing at regular intervals.

"W-what's that?"

Just as confusion filled everyone's eyes including the fox beast-kin's at this bizarre situation-

The vibrations that had reached right before them suddenly stopped.

SLICE!

A single cutting sound rang out simultaneously.

Then a single line traced from the fox beast-kin's head to toe.

"...Huh?"

THUD.

The fox beast-kin's body collapsed, split perfectly in half along the line.

The moment her corpse fully touched the ground-

Swish-

Darkness black as pitch descended over the entire chamber.

And-

Step, step.

Within it, a single figure slowly emerged.

A man with pitch-black hair and eyes like the surrounding darkness, contrasting with pure white skin.

It was Zion.

And in that moment-

"Eternal... Emperor?"

A blank voice escaped the Crown Prince's lips as they beheld this sight.