I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

I almost got late.

Zion thought, looking at the supervisors who were still looking at him blankly. The reason why Zion was late for the Succession Ceremony was related to the second star spinning in his eyes.

Astral Darkness two-stars.

In order to ascend, the body basically had to support it to some extent. That’s why he had to ingest the pre-processed thousand-year-old ogre’s heart and made all of its energy 100% his. And as a result, just 20 minutes ago, Zion was able to reach the Astral Darkness 2 stars completely.

This succession ceremony is not in the chronicle. So it’s right to be as prepared as possible.

Zion Agnes, originally in the Chronicle of Frosimar, was already dead and could not participate in the succession ceremony. Therefore, of course, Zion had no information about this succession ceremony.

“…Now that Prince Zion is here, I will briefly explain the succession ceremony.”

Lambard, the first to come to his senses, began to explain.

“The Succession Ceremony takes place here in the “Palace of Qualification”, which consists of a total of nine floors, excluding the training ground, and the first-floor preparation. There are gates on each floor to test participants, passing through maze-type passages…”

Zion looked around as he listened to Lambard’s explanation. The eyes of the people are still hooked on Zion. Zion felt mixed emotions in those gazes consisting of bewilderment, surprise, contempt, and ridicule. One thing was certain: most of the people here hoped he would not be able to pass the Succession Ceremony.

No, I think it would be more accurate to say that they don’t think I can pass.

No matter how much Zion himself has changed compared to before, the image he has accumulated so far cannot change in a moment. Zion also remembered the eyes of those people.

“…Only three of the participants who have reached the top floor will pass this succession ceremony, on a first-come, first-served basis. And all the examinations on each floor will be controlled by me and the other supervisors here. That’s all.”

He heard Lambard’s voice finishing the explanation in Zion’s ear. Then Lambard’s eyes meet Zion’s.

“Now then, let’s start the succession ceremony. Best of luck to everyone.”

Lambard, who finished speaking with firm eyes looking at Zion, began to turn around and move with other supervisors.

“This is not beyond my expectation, either.”

Zion’s eyes flickered as he followed the backs of the supervisors.

* * *

“Prince Zion….”

After all the explanations about the succession ceremony, Zion’s name flowed from Lambard’s mouth as he headed towards the supervisory room with the other supervisors. Unlike others, he had seen Prince Zion once a few months ago. Eyes that are always looking down with a daze, horrendous sword technique, and magic qualities on a fragile body. He could see why he was called a ‘shame’ in the imperial family.

But it was different when I saw him earlier.

Prince Zion, whom he saw again in the training ground on the first floor a while ago, was unbelievably different from then. The scent of the ruler emanating from his whole body and the calm eyes that looked down on everything. Even his body seemed to have been trained for just a little.

I wonder what happened to him?

But Lambard shook his head to clear the question. Anyway, it wouldn’t make any difference.

If he hadn’t come, he would have lived his life to the fullest.

Lambard’s eyes glowed blue as he thought so. A trap, this succession ceremony was an open trap only to kill Prince Zion. A trap from which he would never be able to escape or avoid.

One, or possibly several, of the ‘higher-ups’, hoped that Prince Zion would die at this Succession Ceremony. Therefore, they replaced all the supervisors of the Succession Ceremony with their loyal limbs. Lambard was one of those limbs.

It’s probably because of Prince Zion’s mother’s family.

Lambard shook his head with these thoughts, that were none of his business.

I only felt sorry for the collateral family involved together.

However, there was no pitiful expression on Lambard’s face.

* * *

“Damn, only three people can pass?”

Tadadat!

As such, after the supervisors disappeared, the remaining collateral bloodline participants began to rush into one of the numerous entrances on the side of the training ground…

As it was first-come, first-served, there was no time for delay. Only one person could enter one entrance, so the entrance to which a person entered was tightly closed.

“…”

Prince Zion came into Renette’s eyes as she tried to follow the other participants into the entrance. Unlike them, Prince Zion, who is still looking at the place where the supervisors disappeared without moving from his place. She felt somehow appalled at the sight.

“Aren’t you coming in? I’ll go first. I’ll see you later.”

Bale, who lightly touched Rennette’s shoulder, disappeared through the entrance first.

Renette, who had been looking at Prince Zion for a while with anxious eyes, began to move slowly. At last, there was no one left on the training ground.

Tramp, tramp.

Only then did Zion move slowly.

He said that each floor would test the king’s qualities.

Zion enters one of the entrances, recalling what Lambard just said.

Thud!

The door he entered closed and darkness began to envelop the surroundings without a single light, the thick darkness in front of ordinary people is as murky as mud, they could not see anything. However, Zion’s eyes could see everything in the vicinity.

Astral Darkness and darkness.

The two were inseparable, so for Zion, darkness was not fear but familiarity. Soon, a staircase came into Zion’s eyes.

Is it the stairs to the second floor?

How long did he climb the stairs? At the same time, the floor is flattened again.

Ssksskssk–

Strange sounds began to be heard from all over Zion, it was the sound of thousands of mice gnawing at something. Finally, the first test began. Sneakily looking around, Zion’s eyes caught black waves coming this way from all directions.

No, it’s not a wave.

Bugs, tens of thousands? No, hundreds of thousands. Countless bugs were approaching Zion in black waves. The place where the wave of bugs has passed melts down with a sizzling sound. 

Each of them was a poisonous insect with deadly acid poison that melted just by touching the human body. A test for the minimum qualifications to become emperor. The difficulty was too high for the first test.

Obviously, there must have been a method other than a head-on breakthrough…

Zion had no intention of following that method.

Tramp, tramp.

Zion walks towards the approaching wave of bugs. Thick darkness began to flow down at every step of Zion.

Drip.

The flowing darkness is as if it were water that keeps on spreading through the floor and into the entire space.

Astral Darkness 2 stars.

It did not simply mean that the achievements of the Astral Darkness had taken a step forward. In Astral Darkness, the stars represent one star. The star, in other words, is a world. Therefore, rising to two stars was like opening up a world. The gap is so overwhelming that one performance is incomparable.

Dark Sea. 

It is a change in nature that he can handle perfectly by reaching the second star.

The darkness created by this change of nature became the sea that engulfed the approaching waves of poisonous insects.

Chiiiiik!

The poisonous insects disappeared with the sound of burning accompanying them as soon as they touch the darkness of the Dark Sea. The power of Astral Darkness negates everything that exists.

It’s also applied directly to the darkness of the Dark Sea, annihilating all approaching poisonous insects, and this can only be done by Zion. Zion slowly traversed the floor of the first test that became so clean.

Clang!

As soon as he reaches the end of the second floor, the stairs to the third floor open as if they were waiting for him.

It was probably opened by the supervisors who were watching in real-time. Zion smiled thinking about what kind of face are they making right now. Zion headed straight to the next floor because there was no need to delay.

This is…

As he went up the stairs, Zion was greeted by a huge maze with no end in sight. It was almost incomprehensible how such a thing could be in the building.

Is this the starting point?

It was the moment when Zion glanced at the maze with his eyes.

Tukwaaaang!

A huge greatsword, which seemed to be three meters long, struck Zion from the back. The wall of the maze cannot withstand its power and was completely smashed. Zion, who had avoided the blow by moving one step to the side just before it was struck, looked at the master of the great sword.

That’s…

Black full plate armour from head to toe, red eyes in the helmet, and a knight scattering the magic of death around. There was no warmth of a living person in the knight.

Death Knight.

An undead created to achieve the unfulfilled resentment of a brilliant knight. Zion’s eyes narrowed as he gazed at the Death Knight because he didn’t think that an undead would appear in the qualification test at the Imperial Palace.

 –Keuaaa!

Meanwhile, the Death Knight who spew out a scream and rushed toward Zion again.

Did his body still remember the swordsmanship of his life?!

It was a movement that was too sophisticated and sharp to say even if his rationality had already disappeared.

Sswaeaeaek!

Zion’s eyes were blackened when he looked at the Great Sword rushing to him at a terrifying speed.

Dark Eye.

It was an ability that became available as Astral Darkness ascended to the second stage, and it was an eye that showed the opponent’s vital points and movements in a thread-like form.

Tramp.

One step.

Just one step diagonally forward, the Death Knight’s Great Sword passes right next to Zion’s ear.

Zion’s body was shaken by the wind pressure that came from it. However, Zion, who did not lose his balance, took a step forward from there and dug into Death Knight’s bosom.

Hwareuk!

The darkness burns like fire in Zion’s hand. Soon after, the moment when Zion tried to shoot his fist with darkness towards the Death Knight’s head.

Swish!

A silver sword struck both sides and behind Zion at the same time. A silver sword cuts the entire body of Zion more than a dozen times in an instant. However, after the sword flashed past, the body of Zion, which was thought to have been cut, was scattered in the air.

Srrk.

Suddenly, darkness gathered a little away from the sword, and Zion appeared again. This was an application of one of the movement abilities under Astral Darkness, the Dark Shift. Soon after, in Zion’s eyes, three new Death Knights walked next to the Death Knight with the great sword.

“So it’s going to be like this?”

A low recitation flowed from Zion’s mouth, he had expected it but he was not sure even after the first test on the first floor and the Death Knight that came out a little while ago. But now he was convinced, that the guys organizing this succession ceremony have no intention of keeping a live participant who has just entered the Palace of Qualification.

To be exact, they have no intention of keeping me alive.

Even if the test was about the qualifications to become emperor, it was about the successor who asked for the minimum qualifications. It couldn’t have been this difficult. In addition to that, using the undead was the same as leaving no witnesses.

“This is fun.”

Along with those words, Zion smiled. Zion also didn’t have to follow the rules if they broke the rules and came out like this.

Kkigigik!

The Death Knights who turned their heads at the same time with the rusty sound looked at Zion.

– Keuooo!

Then, with a scream, each began to rush toward Zion with their weapon. The death energy forms the shape of a sword blade covering the weapon of every Death Knight. Zion stood still as if it had nothing to do with him and looked at them with calm eyes.

Swish!

The Death Knights, who rushed up to Zion at once, used the steps they used during their lifetime and wielded their weapons covered with death’s energy. Finally, it was the moment when the weapons of the Death Knights were about to penetrate Zion’s neck and heart.

Tuung!

The darkness that began at the tip of Zion’s foot slightly filled the floor.

Puhwahahahahak!

Soon, the darkness became a storm and quickly began to cover Zion, the Death Knights, and all space.