I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

The sight was surreal.

As though time was rewinding, the explosion that threatened to consume the estate began to recede.

In fact, it was vanishing entirely.

It continued shrinking until it was reduced to a small dot and eventually, it disappeared.

The spectacle left everyone on the training field, including the Chilgeol, in shock.

A phenomenon that defied comprehension even when witnessed firsthand.

Their stunned eyes inevitably turned to Rain Dranir, who was standing closest to the site of the vanished explosion.

"Ha ha ha! Rain, how did you pull that off? When did you learn this trick?"

Laughing heartily, Ragnod approached, sweeping aside the remaining debris of the explosion.

"You were incredible, Rain."

Lian and Hart added their voices, their awe apparent.

"No."

Rain, who had been staring blankly at the spot where the explosion had once been, slowly shook her head.

"I didn't do anything."

Indeed, she hadn't.

She had seen the rising threat of the Purification Sect and raced towards it, but she was too late.

All she could manage was a desperate wave of her hand.

"Did you guys... not see it?"

Was it because she was closer?

Only Rain, among those present, saw him.

A man, slightly farther from the explosion than she was.

The instant he clenched his fist, a strange darkness swallowed the entire explosion.

She was sure of it.

No, the circumstances made it even more evident.

"Who could it be..."

Rain's gaze followed the retreating figure of a man, Zion Harness, who casually returned to his position as though nothing had transpired.

---

---

The six-headed beast tattoo, the Purification Sect, and the terror within the estate.

For Zion, who had read and memorized the 'Chronicles of Frosimar', these events were as predictable and manipulatable as a coin toss.

Zion knew it.

'Merely outperforming other mercenaries isn't enough to capture Rain Dranir and the Chilgeol's attention.'

That's why he had been tracking the Purification Sect's followers even before he set foot in the estate, and he continued to do so after his arrival.

And he waited.

Until they made their move.

He could've intervened earlier, but he chose not to.

If he had, he wouldn't have caught Rain Dranir's eye.

In the end, the followers of the Purification Sect executed their plan without a hitch, and Zion, having kept tabs on their movements, resolved the situation effortlessly.

As a result...

"Everyone present will take part in this mission. Get familiar with each other."

Zion now found himself in a small conference room within the estate.

Across a lengthy table, eight people were seated. Standing alone, Rain surveyed the room.

'Only two individuals were selected from the mercenary recruitment?'

Zion's gaze swept across the room, these thoughts flitting across his mind.

The room hosted five Chilgeols, including Rain Dranir. Four had been judging the mercenaries earlier on the training field. A mature woman with dark brown hair named Kaila had joined them recently.

Sitting next to Kaila was a middle-aged man, seemingly an acquaintance of hers. They seemed to have been inducted together.

The only other candidate for the mercenary recruitment was the elf woman with the scar, seated across from Zion.

"I'll summarize the subjugation mission now. Listen closely," Rain's soft voice filled the room.

"A peculiar forest exists between Ruin city and the Salleos Mountains. Trees, grass, everything is stained black. We call it the 'Black Forest'."

This was an infamous place. No one who ventured inside ever emerged, hence its management by the city.

Rain intended to subjugate this place.

"I'm familiar with the Black Forest. However, I need to know 'what' we're meant to subjugate and why," the scarred elf woman interjected, her tone brusque.

Lian started at her frank words, attempting to respond, but Rain was quicker.

"Evil."

"Evil?"

The elf woman looked nonplussed.

"You might have heard legends about our family's founder."

People nodded at Rain's remark.

The tale of the hero who donned dragon's blood, earned dragon-like powers, vanquished evil and founded Ruin city over it, was renowned in the North.

"The evil didn't perish then. It was so potent that our founder could only seal it away. And for that, Ruin has been paying the price with...”

"Purification ceremony."

Rain's eyes flickered at Zion's interjection.

This was the first discussion of this matter beyond the family confines.

“...Yes. Precisely, the purification ritual, conducted towards the purification ceremony's conclusion."

"The ritual where convicts from your city are sent to the Black Forest?"

At Hart's grave question, Rain nodded.

"Yes, they are given to the forest as a sacrifice to preserve the seal."

"I wondered why such a barbaric ritual persisted…”

Hart nodded as if he now understood.

"So, why do we need to subjugate anything? The convicts are already marked for death."

"Five per month."

As Ragnod stated this, Rain raised five fingers.

"That's how many are sacrificed to the Black Forest. But consider this - what if there aren't enough criminals?"

"......"

Innocents, or those guilty of minor offenses, would be offered up instead.

The quota had to be met, no exceptions.

Rain had witnessed it since childhood.

The terrified sacrifices being dragged into the Black Forest, pleading for mercy.

Contrasted with the jubilant cheers of city folk, reveling in the festival-like atmosphere.

This city was fundamentally flawed, and the purification ceremony perpetuated its distortion.

A tradition passed down in Ruin for centuries.

A tradition Rain was determined to shatter.

"It's unacceptable. Giving my people's lives to some unknown demon."

Even if they were criminals, it was his duty as lord to pass judgment, not some unknown entity.

"Ha ha ha! Exactly! That's right! That's reason enough!"

Ragnod, agreeing with Rain, slammed the table in robust laughter.

Hart and Kaila nodded in recognition of Rain's typical stance, while Lian sighed deeply at his harsh words.

"We don't know much about this 'evil' entity; its lore isn't well-documented. We only know that its power has significantly diminished due to the longstanding seal."

That was their window of opportunity.

"The Black Forest is accessible to only a few due to a unique magical barrier. And you here are the strongest I could muster."

"I understand where you're coming from, but......"

Kaila, having absorbed Rain's explanation, pointed at Zion, resting her chin in her hand.

"Why is he involved?"

She wasn't present for the mercenary exam, but she was aware of the circumstances.

Zion Harness.

She knew he wasn't chosen through the exam, but personally by Rain.

Seeing him in person, she didn't sense any extraordinary power, and his physique seemed unfit for a warrior.

"I'd also like to know the reason."

The others looked at Rain expectantly.

The Northern Chilgeol.

A gathering of rising talents, potential successors to the title 'Sky'.

Each held a reputation that could command a significant force, and their skills were acknowledged as superhuman.

Five of such individuals were here.

The middle-aged man and the elf woman, albeit slightly inferior, were renowned for their exceptional skills in the North.

Zion, however, was noticeably inferior.

To the point where they questioned Rain's decision to include him.

"......"

In response, Rain simply observed Zion for a moment.

She couldn't comprehend it.

How could 'that' be?

The memory resurfaced with striking clarity.

The power Zion had shown wasn't magic or martial arts.

It was something out of this world, completely foreign.

"Just... a hunch. I felt he was necessary."

After a moment of silence, those were the words Rain spoke.

"What nonsense is this? Are you drunk?"

People frowned at him, but Rain remained silent.

'Does she suspect?'

A faint smile appeared on Zion's lips.

Rain's silence, even after witnessing his power, was proof of his suspicions towards those present.

That a Purification believer had gained access to the castle during the previous examination, suggested an insider's aid.

Someone in a high position, most likely.

Rain probably suspected they might be among the crowd.

His assumption was right.

And Zion knew who the traitor was.

'I won't reveal it.'

This was a trial for Rain Dranir. Only by overcoming this could he truly become an ally of the hero and a brave reformer.

"We'll discuss this later. For now, focus on the entry route plan. On the forest outskirts..."

Zion tuned in to Rain's words, ignoring Kaila's watchful gaze.

---

---

The Lord's Castle garden bathed in soft moonlight.

In the middle of the empty garden, a huge shadow flickered.

Sssssss-

An alien darkness, pushing back the night and growing stronger.

Inside the expanding darkness, stars swirled as if in a universe, with Zion at their center.

Black Star River.

The most alien power in this world, under Zion's control alone.

This power, denying all it touched, lacked form, features, or concept.

It belonged to nothing and could become anything.

Juuu-

The darkness swirling around Zion began to flow like water.

Soon it hardened like stone, then flickered like fire.

'I can't control it easily yet.'

Zion's eyebrows furrowed as he gathered the darkness.

He had progressed considerably since his first encounter with this body, but satisfaction eluded him.

'At this pace, I can't guarantee victory against any of the Chilgeol I saw today.'

The Seven Masters were indeed strong, formidable on a global scale.

It made sense Zion couldn't compete yet, being new to his training. But that didn't matter.

His future adversaries were stronger than the Chilgeol, and they wouldn't wait for Zion to get stronger.

'I must advance to the 2-star level faster.'

With that, I could imbue attributes into darkness more efficiently.

The situation was growing complex, but Zion, now on his feet, had a spark of anticipation in his eyes.

The harder the challenge, the sweeter the victory.

Suddenly,

"You wield an intriguing power, don't you?"

A high-pitched, thin voice echoed from behind Zion.

Zion turned to see a young woman, barely out of girlhood.

Waist-long hair, a pale face.

Eyes so red they seemed filled with blood.

She exuded an air of mystery and charm.

"......"

Zion sensed no life force or power from the woman, but he remained calm.

She hadn't triggered his sense, which monitors all individuals in the castle.

Even now, up close, she was faint, barely there.

"How do you do that?"

Eyes brimming with curiosity, the woman asked Zion.

Zion didn't question her identity.

He already knew.

"Have you already gained your freedom?"

"What? You know me?"

Taken aback, the woman twirled in her spot.

"Well, does it matter?"

Then she started to slowly move towards Zion.

Her steps were silent, not a single footfall sound.

"Avoid the forest."

She stopped in front of Zion, smiling with a chillingly bright red grin.

"If you venture in, you'll die."

With those words, she vanished as though she were a mirage.

Zion, who watched the spot where the woman had disappeared, smiled,

"This is getting interesting."

His smile mirrored the woman's.

***

Thanks for reading!

TL: The author refers to the "Seven Great Northern Masters" as "Chilgeol", so I will be using the two titles interchangeably.

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