I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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"That... I cannot say. I'm sorry," the words flowed from Akenidia's lips.

'As expected.'

Zion nodded as if he'd guessed this.

He'd tried probing just in case, but the result was predictable.

Such crucial information wouldn't be revealed so easily.

"Besides causality... not revealing that was one of the contract and bet conditions. You'll probably naturally learn when you, Aurellion, fulfill the contract."

After saying this, Akenidia watched Zion with worried eyes for a moment before speaking again:

"...Though I can give you one clue - when you told us your price for the contract, we found it strange. We thought you could achieve that price by yourself without anyone's help."

Questions filled the goddess's face as she spoke, still not understanding that price even now.

"Yet you made that request, so it seemed you had other thoughts."

Ambiguous words.

He had demanded something from the gods as payment despite being able to achieve it himself.

'Clearly related to the Black Star Force restrictions, but...'

Currently there weren't enough clues to guess beyond this.

'Guess I'll have to go to the world's end after all?'

He'd likely need to meet Luminous, this world's chief deity, there again to ask.

Then-

"Hmm... though I'd like to talk more, it seems we're done for today," Akenidia turned toward the Cradle's entrance and spoke in a regretful tone.

"Has your descent time run out already?"

"No, it's not my problem but yours."

With these words, the goddess lightly waved one hand.

Then-

FLASH!

The air changed like a huge screen and began showing the scene outside the entrance.

'That one is...'

Zion's eyes sank.

The screen showed Liushina, Diana, and the highest-ranking fairies watching ahead with tense expressions.

And facing them stood a single woman.

No, she couldn't be called a "woman."

Though her form appeared human, the power radiating through even the screen wasn't human at all.

Zion knew her identity.

"Archdemon of Jealousy Zeloth."

Without doubt.

No other being in this world could possess such presence with such an appearance.

'Did she come straight here after losing the war?'

The possibility was extremely high.

Though he couldn't understand why specifically the Fairy Forest.

'Perfect.'

A slight smile appeared on Zion's lips.

If Zeloth showed herself this openly, she had likely already seized control of all remaining demon realm forces in the Fairy Forest.

If so, they would soon reveal themselves following her.

Therefore, this was a chance to clean up both the demon realm's influence over the Fairy Forest and one of the Archdemons at once.

'Of course, I'll need enough power.'

With this thought, Zion turned to Akenidia:

"You're right, it's not the time for more conversation. Let's meet again later."

"Yes, though regrettable, I'll wait for our next meeting. I'll serve you mint tea I made myself then, so look forward to it. Well then..."

Zion flinched at her final words and turned his head, but the goddess had already vanished.

And-

"Y-Your Highness Zion!"

High Priestess Spirena, time moving normally around her again, belatedly called out.

"H-how did you get that ring...!"

Ignoring her belated reaction, unaware their deity had just visited, Zion sat on a nearby rock.

Though a critical situation unfolded outside facing an Archdemon, Zion couldn't go out yet.

He knew well his current power couldn't handle a demigod-level being.

Therefore, going out now meant certain defeat.

Only one way existed to breakthrough this situation:

'Reach seven stars right here, right now.'

He could only hope those outside would hold until then.

"Your Highness...?"

Spirena called out questioningly to Zion behaving incomprehensibly.

"Don't let anything approach me," Zion commanded as black stars began rising in his eyes.

---

"Oh, finally showing your faces?"

The purple-eyed woman standing at the Cradle's barrier entrance smiled contentedly watching people slowly emerge from the completely destroyed building. �

'A demon... and not just any demon - an Archdemon-level being we've only heard about.'

Though seeing her for the first time, Diana instantly realized this upon seeing the woman.

A presence so remote it seemed to require permission just to move a finger.

Transcendent presence no mortal could possess radiated from this demon.

Warning bells rang endlessly in her mind just standing still and watching.

Some fairies even collapsed, their legs giving out.

'We absolutely cannot face her with the people here.'

Having reached this conclusion, Diana spoke to Zeloth:

"You... what is this? Why are you doing this?"

She tried buying time until Elbrium's forces noticed the situation and sent reinforcements.

Jealousy smirked, seeing through her intention, and answered:

"Do I need a reason? As far as I know, we've always been at war with you."

"Still, a demon of your level has never moved directly like this. From the situation, this doesn't seem pre-planned... Were you perhaps forced to cross to the empire after being driven from the demon realm?"

Diana knew.

That a massive war had recently occurred in the demon realm.

Combining various other information she had, the being before her was likely the leader of the defeated forces.

"...What? Kyahahahaha!"

Zeloth burst into mad laughter at the Fifth Princess's words.

Space around them tore and screamed from the overwhelming power waves erupting from her.

Fairies collapsed to their knees or fainted, unable to withstand these waves.

After laughing for a while-

"Yes, that's right. I lost the war and was driven from the demon realm. Moreover, my body isn't in perfect condition thanks to those two bastards' joint attack."

Jealousy nodded, acknowledging Diana's words as her laughter gradually stopped.

"So I'm going to eat the World Tree and recover my power. Therefore, you need to open that barrier for me."

Despite revealing her own weakness, no anxiety could be found on Zeloth's face.

Pure confidence she could crush the beings before her anytime.

"I'd like to just break through, but that might damage the World Tree inside. I need to devour it whole, from roots to branch tips."

"You think we'll agree to that?"

Diana resisted the pressure using Heaven Opposition while watching Zeloth lick her lips with terrified eyes.

But despite this, her hands trembled slightly.

"Of course not. That's why I'm going to make you agree now."

With these words, the power waves flowing from Zeloth began intensifying.

RUMBLE!

"Focus only on defense and holding out," Diana activated Spirit Starlight and spoke quietly to those around her, thinking of reinforcements not yet arrived and Zion inside the Cradle.

"I don't want to."

With these words of refusal, Liushina began walking toward Zeloth.

"Last time at the border, Master hogged everything so I didn't get much chance to enjoy myself."

SWOOSH-

Thousands of mouths and tens of thousands of demon eyes formed around the witch.

Just as Liushina, now wearing an eerie smile, was about to focus all of these on the Archdemon-Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Purple light flickered briefly at Jealousy's fingertip as she watched the witch.

In that moment-

SPLAT!

The demon eyes and beast mouths surrounding her, along with Liushina's body, exploded.

Blood and flesh scattered everywhere, shredded so finely not even bone fragments remained.

The Archdemon of Jealousy waved away the blood spray and continued:

"I'm not in the mood to play or show mercy. So I'll end this quickly."

With these words, Zeloth turned toward the remaining people, dismissing the witch from her mind.

"Oh? But what a shame."

A chilling voice reached her ears.

Zeloth flinched for the first time at this voice that absolutely shouldn't be heard and turned toward its source.

But slightly faster than that-

"I don't want to end this quickly."

CRUNCH!

The witch's perfectly regenerated hand grabbed the Archdemon's throat.

---

SWOOSH-

Countless stars began rising over darkness spreading from Zion seated on the rock.

"This is..."

Admiration unconsciously flowed from Spirena's lips watching this wondrous sight like viewing the universe itself.

But as if this wasn't the end, newly risen black stars began absorbing all other stars and growing in number.

Six in total.

But Spirena knew her count of the black stars was wrong.

'There's one more.'

Another black star was slowly revealing its outline among them.

Unlike the others, this newly revealed star was so faint it could barely be seen without careful attention.

As if about to disappear any moment.

No, the seventh star was actually gradually fading.

And Zion's task now was to not just maintain but clearly manifest this star.

'Rising from six stars to seven is far harder than getting from one to six.'

Of course, there was reason for this.

Reaching seven stars in Black Star Force didn't just mean advancing a level - it meant breaking free from the cycle of reincarnation, albeit imperfectly.

In other words, transcending mortal limits toward immortality.

Breaking free from one's destined fate and gaining demigod status - naturally the difficulty was incomparably higher.

'Normally I couldn't even attempt reaching seven stars with my current mid-six star achievement, but...'

Now it was possible.

Because Zion now had the Dark Spirit Ring left by his past self.

No, more precisely, he had the Black Star Force stored within it.

Though another six-star Black Star Force might not help, this stored power was left by his eight-star self.

Therefore, its power density and quality were far higher.

'I'll use this to forcibly tear away the restriction blocking the path to seven stars.'

Though he didn't know what side effects might occur from this never-before-tried method, Zion's face remained calm as usual as he absorbed the ring's Black Star Force.

Both past and present Black Star Force were originally his power, so it couldn't possibly fail.

Even if it did fail, he'd simply turn that failure into success.

SWOOSH-

As he accepted the new Black Star Force, another star began rising over the universe Zion had manifested.

A black star more alien and massive than any that had risen before.

RUMBLE!

The entire World Tree's Cradle shook as if in earthquake from the power waves flowing from this star.

Spirits screamed and fled from Zion's side as if in terror.

"W-what is this..."

Spirena collapsed unconsciously, completely overwhelmed by this strange yet overwhelming sight, muttering blankly.

Finally, as the fully risen new black star began flowing into the faint seventh star- WHOOSH!

All light in the Cradle vanished instantly, as if every fire had been extinguished.