I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

Chapter 44: Illusionary Army (9)

TL/Editor: Rungir

Schedule: 5/Week

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The Agnes Empire is peppered with many knight orders, as many as the stars at night.

When asked about the most powerful knight order, people usually named three or four groups.

Always included in that list is the Ashen Lion Order, led by the second Princess Evelyn Agnes.

"Wait... Prince Zion traveled all this way?"

Caron, captain of the Ashen Lion Order's fifth unit, looked around with a puzzled frown.

He and his unit were far from the heart of the Agnes Empire, the capital city of Hubris. They were out in the true countryside.

"We have a bit more to go. He's in a village called Kurd," Lieutenant Paulo, standing next to Caron, explained.

"Why would he come so far out into the sticks? Especially when we don't know where the welcome army will assemble."

Caron muttered his frustration.

Caron and his unit were on this lonely country road for one reason: Evelyn Agnes's order.

'Protect Zion,' she had commanded.

When she heard that Zion had left the palace with only one servant, she quickly ordered Caron to provide protection.

While she didn't believe Zion could find the welcome army, she still sent the fifth unit. She thought other royal family members might target Zion once he left the palace.

Such events were common; almost expected.

That's why she had secretly dispatched the Ashen Lion Order, the best of the best, from the royal palace.

"We, the Ashen Lion Order, have to babysit the cast-off prince."

While Caron would obey Evelyn's order, respected and revered as it was, he wasn't happy about the situation.

In the Agnes royal family, where power is the most valued virtue, Zion, a prince with no abilities, was naturally shunned.

Caron didn't understand why Evelyn was protecting and helping a prince like Zion.

Especially since Zion was a half-brother.

"But it's nice to leave the capital and enjoy a peaceful night view after a while. Captain, you should enjoy the scenery too."

Unlike Caron, who was grumbling, Paulo took a deep breath and spoke casually.

"Paulo, you're too laid-back..."

As Caron frowned and started to admonish his lieutenant, he suddenly fell silent.

"What?"

His eyes, which had been scanning the road ahead, widened.

His gaze was fixed on a huge barrier surrounding the distant village of Kurdan. It was an imposing sight in his field of vision.

"That's..."

Paulo's face hardened as he too took in the sight.

A barrier of such scale and precision was unlike anything they, the Ashen Lion Order, had ever seen before.

Normally, they'd wonder why such a barrier was here, but right now their thoughts were on something else.

The Phantom Army, one of the empire's seven disasters.

Little was known about it, except for one fact.

A large-scale barrier always appeared around the area before the Phantom Army showed up.

"Captain, could it be...!"

Paulo looked at Caron with wide, fearful eyes.

"Let's get closer to that barrier."

Caron responded in a firm tone.

---

Raei Translations

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The second requirement to claim Chronos' Mythical-class artifact was clear.

The holder of the 'coordinates' must personally defeat the king of the Phantom Army.

In the chronicles, the hero defeats the cursed king, but now...

That role was falling to Zion.

He didn't understand why such conditions were needed to claim Chronos' artifact; the chronicles didn't explain.

He could only guess it was related to the punishment Chronos placed on the king, given that the ring that served as the 'coordinates' was originally named 'Chronos' Judgment.'

With a whoosh!

The cursed king quickly moved to confront Zion, who had been thrown back from their first clash before even hitting the ground, swinging his sword repeatedly.

In the king's hands, the sword burned with a blue Karmic Flame.

Black Flash.

Zion, still in the air, managed to ready himself, swinging the Eclaxia, charged with sword energy, at the king's sword which was breaking the fabric of space itself.

The moment their swords met.

With a loud, echoing clash!

A shockwave burst forth, tearing and burning the air around them.

The ground, unable to bear the shock, crumbled to dust.

Along with it, Zion's body was thrown back once more.

But this time, it seemed different.

With a sudden stop!

Defying physics, Zion stopped in mid-air, then vanished from sight into the darkness.

The king in black armor watched, then abruptly swung his sword at the empty air above.

Right then.

With a thundering crash!

Something collided, and a wave of energy exploded outwards.

A moment later, Zion appeared from the darkness, standing against the king and his sword.

But it wasn't over yet.

With a whirl!

Zion, spinning his body in mid-air, lunged at the king once again.

Zion's sword arced once more towards the king's neck.

Was there not enough time to parry with a sword?

The king, tracking Zion's blade with his gaze, raised his other hand, encased in armor.

A surge of blue!

The king's hand ignited with blue Karmic Flame.

Ordinarily, the Black Star's darkness surrounding Zion's sword would've consumed such a flame entirely.

But not this time.

Zion's Eclaxia, unable to break through the blue Karmic Flame, was gripped directly in the king's hand.

Even then, Zion's Black Star was quenching the Karmic Flame, but the quantity emanating from the king was simply too great.

In this manner, the cursed king who had seized Zion's blade yanked it towards himself to disrupt Zion's balance, while the other hand swung his sword.

Anticipating this, Zion released the Eclaxia and swiftly retreated.

But then.

-I won't let you escape.

The king's blade sped up once more.

A resounding clash!

Zion's form was flung back, moving too fast to track clearly.

Crash! Crash! Crash!

He finally stopped after smashing through two massive rocks and cracking a third.

A delayed shockwave blasted out from Zion's path, wreaking havoc on the surroundings.

Drip-

A line of fresh blood trickled from the corner of Zion's mouth, now embedded in the rock.

Just then.

-I had hopes.

The king of the Phantom Army, now dismounted, approached Zion at a slow pace, his words echoing around them.

-Because you were the first to confront me with Judgment.

-Perhaps, just perhaps, I held out hope that this endless cycle of punishment might end.

Yet,

-Yet why.

His hopes had been in vain.

The strength of the man standing before him didn't even reach his feet.

Profound disappointment glinted in the king's eyes.

-Why are you so weak?

Accompanying this, the king's voice simmered with rage.

"...."

Zion surveyed his physical condition as he watched the king approach.

His hand trembled minutely, possibly from the severe shock, while pain pulsed throughout his body.

Despite having cloaked his entire body in a veil of darkness and deflecting most of the force when he parried the king's blow just now, he was still in this state.

If he had taken the hit directly, he would have been instantly killed.

'The difference in our base strength is vast.'

Even with the Black Star amplified through Eclaxia, the disparity was too great.

His attacks didn't connect.

If he could fully access the Black Star's third level, things might be different, but for now, his opponent was overwhelmingly powerful.

'External assistance is out of the question.'

Despite managing a one-on-one confrontation thanks to the malevolent spirits staving off the rest of the Phantom Army, he couldn't count on additional support.

Liushina was entirely occupied with controlling the army of malevolent spirits and couldn't aid him.

And Liam, who had just joined the fray, would require ample time to reach him.

'So...'

The clinking of metal echoed faintly.

Sensing the altered aura radiating from the king, who was leisurely advancing towards him with his body enshrouded in blue flames, Zion tightened his grip on Eclaxia.

'There remains only one option.'

Zion's gaze lowered.

A surge of darkness!

In that instant, the Extinguisher Sword, pulling in all surrounding light, began reforming its blade.

Thump-thump-thump-thump!

Zion's heart pounded at a wild rate.

Consequently, all his blood vessels trembled to their utmost, enhancing the flow of the Black Star within him beyond its limits.

In tandem, the enveloping darkness pulsed erratically.

-...?

A glimmer of curiosity sparked in the king's eyes as the resonating heartbeat, loud enough for him to perceive, filled the silence.

A moment of perfect stillness, as if time itself had paused.

The ensuing silence was shattered.

Creak!

The eerie sound of a rusted door slowly opening echoed.

The source? Deep within Zion's form.

Accompanied by this sound, the darkness descended serenely around Zion.

-What are you plotting!

Experiencing an inexplicable chill from Zion's demeanor, the Phantom Army's king, accelerating to his utmost, charged right in front of Zion.

Raising his sword high, the king struck down at Zion.

An eruption of blue!

The king's sword erupted with blue Karmic Flames, more intense than before, consuming all nearby air.

Zion, head lowered, did not spare a glance at the blazing sword descending upon him, searing all in its path.

Just as the king's fiery blade was about to cleave Zion's skull.

Swish!

The sound of something being severed reverberated across the battlefield.

Afterward, a momentary hush descended.

Then.

Shattering the silence, the king's sword-bearing arm plummeted to the ground.

-...!

A spark of shock flared in the king's eyes for the first time.

Mirrored in the helmet-shielded gaze of the king was the ominous darkness, gradually assuming the form of a moon behind Zion.

Lunar Eclipse.

A fleeting detonation of all the Black Star contained within him, pushing all capabilities beyond their boundaries.

The ultimate amplifier, one of Zion's most potent reversal techniques.

Then.

Whoosh!

Zion, having activated Lunar Eclipse, vanished from his position, reappearing directly in front of the king.

A velocity unprecedented, contrasting starkly with mere moments ago.

Simultaneously, Zion swung Eclaxia, already poised high above his head, at the king.

-You...!

Caught off guard by the astounding speed, the cursed king promptly hoisted the sword he'd transitioned to his remaining arm.

As their swords collided.

The colossal shockwave that erupted from the clash swept across the already decimated surroundings anew.

Screech!

Amid the shockwave, Zion and the king's swords, locked in combat, generated sparks of such brilliance they lit up the vicinity due to friction.

'He managed to block it...'

That thought briefly crossed the king's mind as he observed Zion's stopped blade.

"I have a question."

A soft voice wafted from Zion's lips.

"Do you consider me weaker now?"

At the exact moment, Zion's eyes curved into a crescent moon.

The alien darkness shrouding Eclaxia detonated, shattering the king's sword and casting it to the ground.

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