I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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The Sea of Death existed at the Beast Sea's outskirts.

The reason for this name was simple.

Whirlpools even fiercer than those near Moon King's Tomb densely filled the waters below the surface.

Usually not even sea creatures, let alone ships, could be found there.

But now on that sea-

"Hah, who would've thought they'd hide on the sea rather than land?"

Countless large sailing ships moved in formation.

The martial artists aboard these ships were Beast King Wolbyeokcheon's subordinates.

They had reason for risking the dangers of coming to these outer waters.

They had discovered that the rebel leader, the Crown Prince, was here.

"No wonder we couldn't find them until now."

As a lion beast-kin muttered incredulously, a snake beast-kin beside him answered with a reptilian hiss.

His name was Sahyeoldo.

He was one of the leaders of this martial artist army and a member of the 'Twelve Seas'.

"They were clever. Though it ends today anyway."

His certainty of victory before even confirming the Crown Prince's forces came from the overwhelming military power they had brought.

Every martial artist who had come was elite level, and the number of top-tier fighters was beyond reason.

Four.

That was how many of the 'Twelve Seas' were currently with this martial artist army.

Moreover, it included many others who, though not well known, had comparable skill.

Such overwhelming power that losing was impossible.

Honestly, they were confident of handling even the rebels' entire army gathering here.

"Have this many forces ever gathered in one place before?"

"Shows how important today's operation is. Actually, just killing the Crown Prince could end this war."

Just as Sahyeoldo answered the lion beast-kin's words-

"Enemy forces ahead!"

A lookout's shout reached their ears.

"Finally appeared?"

As they muttered this and turned their heads forward, the rebels gradually came into view.

And in that moment-

"...What? Are they insane?"

A bewildered voice escaped the lion beast-kin's lips.

Hamgundo.

An island in the Beast Sea's center that, though small, was considered one of the region's strategic points due to its geographic location.

Thus the Beast King's forces had built a fortress there and dispatched numerous military groups to manage it.

Currently this fortress was unusually quiet compared to normal.

Though martial artists walked about, their numbers were few and the guard forces were much reduced from usual.

This was because over half their forces had been sent as reinforcements to eliminate the Crown Prince and their forces.

On the now quieter fortress walls-

"Just maybe. Couldn't the rebels target here?"

Two beast-kin managing the fortress conversed.

"No need to worry about that."

A blue-furred wolf beast-kin stated firmly to a red-furred bear beast-kin who was clearly of the Fire Bear tribe.

"Since the war started, this place has never been attacked. They don't have the strength or guts for it."

They were the attackers, and the rebels were the defenders.

That's how it had always been and would continue to be.

"And right now most rebel forces have probably concentrated to protect the Crown Prince. So the chances of this place being attacked are even slimmer."

But despite the wolf beast-kin's confident words, concern didn't completely leave the bear beast-kin's face.

"I think so too... but I've got a bad feeling. Strange currents have started appearing recently. Like how we've been defeated at several frontlines..."

Before the bear beast-kin could finish-

"Attack! We're under attack!"

A loud shout came from the fortress gates.

"What?"

Both beast-kin turned their heads.

Their eyes caught sight of a group approaching from the island's edge.

Martial artists carrying flags bearing the rebel's moon symbol.

"They really attacked..."

The wolf beast-kin watched the approaching rebels with briefly bewildered eyes, then-

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Suddenly burst into loud laughter.

"Are they really targeting this place with such few forces?"

The number of rebel martial artists approaching the fortress was far too small.

Moreover, their level didn't seem particularly high.

"They'd be outmatched even all together... How stupid."

The current fortress forces alone could easily handle this.

No, they probably wouldn't lose even fighting outside the walls.

"Well, your prediction about an attack was right. Though it seems pointless."

The wolf beast-kin spoke to the bear beast-kin with amusement.

But the bear beast-kin's response was completely different than expected.

"L-look up!"

An urgent voice.

"What?"

The wolf beast-kin's eyes slowly widened as he raised his head.

"...A magician?"

His eyes caught sight of a man floating in the air, looking down at the fortress with languid eyes.

A young man with blue hair and vacant eyes like a loose screw.

It was Tirian Prieharden, one of the hero's companions.

Slowly.

Hundreds of magical formations began etching across the entire sky from a strand of mana extending from Tirian's raised hand.

RUMBLE!

The world began shaking.

"W-what are you-!"

Just as an urgent voice escaped the wolf beast-kin's lips as chills ran down his spine at this scene beyond imagination-

"Rain down."

Along with Tirian's quiet voice-

--- --!

The sky opened and meteors began falling.

"Is this really right?"

A voice filled with dread escaped Crown Prince Wolhaun's lips as she watched the enemy ships filling the sea ahead.

"...Shouldn't we reconsider even now?"

Beside her, Jang Maldong, who had ended up joining the rebels by chance, spoke toward Zion with a similar expression.

The reason for their words was simple.

Compared to nearly a hundred enemy ships, they had only their single ship.

The difference in forces was practically hopeless.

"No need. Everything's going according to plan."

Zion answered while calmly watching the approaching enemies.

As he said, this entire situation was his intent.

The Beast King's trap targeting the Crown Prince.

Zion had reversed that trap.

First he leaked information that the Crown Prince's condition was critical, then after some time deliberately exposed both location and face.

So there would be no suspicion at all.

Thus the Beast King had no choice but to take that bait, creating the current situation.

'With such forces gathered here, other places must be vulnerable.'

Zion planned to exploit that opening.

By now the rebels who had concentrated forces on the Crown Prince's orders and the hero's party following his instructions should be moving together.

Meanwhile, those here just needed to protect the Crown Prince and hold out.

'No, we can't just hold out.'

As Zion thought this and smiled slightly-

"This is impossible no matter how you look at it. The plan itself was wrong from the start."

With these words, Hwagangjin glared at Zion who had planned this operation.

Only 300 people remained here as forces moved to strike the Beast King's strategic points.

Though these 300 were the rebels' most elite martial artists, they still couldn't handle such numerous enemies.

So Hwagangjin didn't like this man named Zion who used the Crown Prince he served as a mere chess piece and put her in danger.

Even though he had saved their lives once.

"The operation has already begun, so refrain from complaints."

Wolhaun stopped Hwagangjin.

"And didn't he say there were reinforcements? If they join us we can hold..."

"There are reinforcements, but they won't come here. I sent them elsewhere."

Zion's words cut off the Crown Prince's.

"...What?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Confusion filled the Crown Prince and Hwagangjin's eyes.

Sending reinforcements elsewhere when they were already at a disadvantage?

It seemed like nothing but suicide.

"What did you just..."

While Hwagangjin expressed his anger-

"Hah, just what are you thinking... hm?"

Jang Maldong's eyes, unable to hide his bewilderment, suddenly caught sight of Celphia standing to the side with a calm face.

Her appearance clearly differed from the other tense martial artists.

"Aren't you afraid? When we're in such a disadvantageous situation?"

"Huh? We're at a disadvantage? Um... I really don't think that's true no matter how I look at it?"

Celphia questioned back with confusion at Jang Maldong's query.

Question filled the old man's eyes at these incomprehensible words.

"What? Why do you think that? Just looking at numbers, they overwhelmingly outmatch us."

"Well..."

Just as Celphia looked toward Zion to answer-

"Enemy ships will soon be within dangerous range!"

Shouts came from the martial artists at the front.

"Damn it! Turn the ship! We must protect Crown Prince Haun!"

Hwagangjin roughly cursed and began giving orders in a loud voice.

But-

"No, we won't turn the ship."

The Crown Prince stopped him again.

"We had nowhere to retreat to begin with."

"Your Highness!"

"Always until now."

Wolhaun's voice cut off Hwagangjin's words.

"I've only hidden behind you all and run away. Just being a burden without helping at all. This is my first chance to actually help you. The longer we hold here, the higher the chances of success for operations elsewhere. So I won't retreat."

Her eyes had already filled with firm resolve.

Retreating from here would only lead to defeat anyway.

Better to trust this man called Zion and struggle for even the tiniest possibility that existed here.

"Hah... Understood. All troops!! Prepare for battle!"

After heavily sighing at Wolhaun's look, Hwagangjin shouted toward the other martial artists.

Perhaps they were already prepared.

The martial artists immediately took battle positions.

Then-

"Your Highness! We have no chance if all those ships come at us at once!"

One of the martial artists at the front urgently shouted toward the Crown Prince while watching the ships approaching right before them.

But it wasn't the Crown Prince who answered.

"Then let's start by stopping those ships."

A voice so quiet it seemed languid.

It was Zion.

"What do you mean...!"

As Hwagangjin shouted at those incomprehensible words, Zion, who had already walked to the ship's front, jumped down toward the sea.

BOOM!

A wave rippled out from where Zion's feet touched the sea's surface, instantly spreading past the ships across the entire Sea of Death.

Question spread through the watching people's eyes along with the wave.

Finally the wave reached its maximum range.

"Sephir."

The moment that name flowed from Zion's lips as he watched the wave with sunken eyes-

--- -!

The sea's surface touched by the wave.

All of it froze solid.

Silence fell.

Had the god of frost from myth appeared here?

"Ah..."

Friend and foe alike began letting out blank voices at the unbelievable sight before them.

Then-

"I'll take a supporting role in this battle."

Along with these cold words reaching their ears-

SCREECH!

A discordant sound like something going wrong began filling the entire battlefield.