I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

230 - Archdemon of Jealousy (2)

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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"This can't be..."

A blank voice flowed from Diana's lips.

Her eyes were fixed on the battle unfolding before the Cradle, particularly on Zion.

It was impossible to believe.

Archdemon of Jealousy Zeloth.

Even the combined assault of the Fairy Forest's highest forces including herself and that red-eyed woman she'd assessed as among the highest of 'Heaven' hadn't left a scratch on this being.

A truly transcendent existence.

Yet now Zion completely held the upper hand against such a being.

'Is this the real power that woman mentioned?'

Had he really eliminated Pride alone?

The difference in dimensions.

The battle before her eyes made that phrase's meaning crystal clear.

Even with Heaven Opposition at six stars, she could barely perceive, let alone properly understand what was happening.

She only knew Zion held the advantage from Zeloth's occasional anguished cries.

Was this how mythological transcendents had clashed?

'It's like watching the Eternal Emperor himself fight rather than his descendant.'

Then-

"Princess Diana! Are you unharmed!"

Spirena, having belatedly emerged from the Cradle, called out while approaching Diana.

"Yes, as you can see."

After this brief reply, the Fifth Princess, focused on the battle before her, suddenly remembered something and asked Spirena:

"Did Zion obtain the Eternal Emperor's proof inside the Cradle?"

"What? Ah yes, he did."

Spirena answered with an expression wondering how Diana knew, then continued in a questioning voice as if recalling what had happened:

"But something strange occurred."

"Something strange?"

"Yes, the Eternal Emperor's ring that we'd failed to remove despite all attempts suddenly came loose by itself and slipped onto Prince Zion's finger. As if returning to its original owner..."

"...What did you say?"

Diana's head whirled toward Spirena before she could finish.

What could that possibly mean?

Yes, she could understand him obtaining the ring after inheriting the Eternal Emperor's power.

'But the ring moving onto his finger by itself?'

However, Diana couldn't think further about this.

"...Huh?"

Her eyes caught sight of something behind the battlefield.

Krevis of the Five Great Demon Generals and his subordinate demons were moving there.

'How could this happen...'

Krevis, who had begun moving stealthily, watched Zion and Zeloth's battle with an expression of disbelief.

He had an extremely meticulous and cold personality.

Because of this, during his nearly century-long stay in the Fairy Forest, he had never stepped forward, instead coordinating everything from behind the curtain.

The reason this person now stepped to the front was simple.

It was because of Zeloth's power.

One of the Four Great Demons whose power ranked among the demon realm's top five, who had escaped fate and reached demigod status.

Zeloth possessed enough power to single-handedly destroy Elbrium.

'That's why I brought all remaining demons without hesitation, and yet...'

The scene unfolding now completely defied Krevis's expectations.

The Archdemon of Jealousy, pushed entirely on the defensive and desperately unleashing power.

'Even for Zion Agnes, to think he possessed this much power...'

No, had there ever been a human in history with such power?

If any existed, it would only be Magnus Flare, the first hero.

'Either way, I must help Lady Zeloth.'

With this thought, Krevis increased his speed further.

Not simply out of loyalty.

If Zeloth fell now, their own lives couldn't be guaranteed either.

'Fortunately, Zion Agnes destroyed the Cradle's entrance barrier. If we can enter there and seize the World Tree, we can restore Lady Zeloth's power...'

But Krevis's movement soon stopped.

Not by his own will.

Someone blocking his path had forcibly stopped him.

But actually-

'Tch, so it came to this after all?'

Zion's eyes, receiving the most influence from this Chaotic World, maintained their coldest, most sunken state yet.

Zeloth's authority technique now affecting all of Elbrium.

This was a quasi-transcendent technique that even Zion, having just reached seven stars, would struggle to handle.

'Normally completely breaking through this state would be impossible, but...'

It might be possible now.

The pitch-black ring on his finger.

The Dark Spirit Ring still contained some Black Star Force left by his past self.

WOONG!

As if reading Zion's will, the ring resonated and slipped off his finger, floating above his palm.

Black stars began circling around the ring one by one.

Pitch-black darkness flowed from it, spreading while devouring surrounding space.

As the world began screaming as if afraid of what would happen next, slowly.

Very slowly.

Zion's hand began to clench.

Mystery.

Magic, ki, authority, sorcery and so on.

The word encompassing all phenomena transcending physical laws in this continent, no, this world and-

One of the absolute elements composing this world.

Without mystery, this world would never have existed from the start.

Then what if.

What would happen if such mystery vanished in an instant?

Mystery Denial.

One of the highest authority techniques Zion now unleashed, albeit imperfectly, borrowing the ring's power.

"What are you doing...!"

As Zeloth urgently cried out and reached forward, feeling indescribable anxiety at this movement approaching beyond myth- CRUNCH!

Zion's hand finally gripped the ring completely.

In a dark space existing in the demon realm's deepest part-

"How exactly did he kill him?"

A questioning voice flowed from Wrath's lips, one of the beings there.

Though lacking subject and object, Archdemon of Madness Acrimosia sitting opposite seemed to understand his meaning and immediately spoke:

"I don't know either. Is it possible for a mortal being to kill one who's reached immortality, even imperfectly? And not even being the hero."

"Zion Agnes... Is there no possibility he escaped the cycle of reincarnation?"

"Normally I'd say definitely not, but... now I'm not sure. Actually, until I saw him in the floating city, he seemed far from immortality."

"Then he gained demigod status in that brief time between the floating city and the border..."

Wrath muttered this but immediately erased the thought.

That was impossible.

No, beyond impossible - the world itself didn't allow such things.

"More likely he was hiding his power originally... or some other variable intervened when he killed Pride."

"I think so too. And among those, the latter probability is higher. He showed no signs of this when I met him before."

"...This is giving me a headache."

Zion Agnes.

This single human kept complicating matters.

Moreover, Pride's death was an enormous loss of fighting power for them.

"Tch, should we just forget the games and kill him right away?"

"Don't act rashly. Pride is already dead. There's no guarantee you won't die too."

"I know. That's why I'm here now instead of moving immediately."

Wrath quietly watched the girl who shrugged with these words.

Though she listened to him now, Madness was someone who could act independently anytime.

Feeling his headache worsen at this, Wrath changed the subject.

"Has Zeloth's location been found?"

Madness shook her head at these words.

"Not at all. I can feel she's alive but finding her has been almost impossible since she left the demon realm. She's probably recovering from the wounds we gave her."

"...We must find and kill her somehow. Having such a large variable while waging war with the empire is too dangerous...!"

Before Wrath could finish-

"...!"

Their bodies suddenly stiffened as both Archdemons' heads turned toward the same spot simultaneously.

Their eyes began trembling, expanded as far as possible.

Then from Madness's lips-

"Jealousy... is dead?"

A voice of disbelief flowed out.