I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

175 - The Six Claws (1)

175 - The Six Claws (1)

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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Episode 175, Chapter 46: The Six Claws (1)

After the 4th Generation participants escaped, the Tower of Causality stopped letting people in.

Leaving the tower behind, the silver-haired woman and her companions were walking away.

"We didn't get to meet him after all."

The woman, leading the group, suddenly muttered darkly.

Though she didn't specify who, Turzan and Rain knew she meant the man called 'Zion Harness'.

"Don't be too disappointed. If your hunch is right and he really knows the future, you'll definitely meet him again someday."

"Yeah, let's focus on other things for now."

A faint smile appeared on the woman's lips as her companions comforted her.

At times like these, memories of her comrades from before her regression would surface in her mind.

"You're right."

It was time to set aside her regrets and focus on what she could do now.

Moreover, since she'd received a reward one tier lower than she'd originally aimed for in the Tower of Causality, it was only fitting to hurry her next schedule that much more.

"So where are we going now?" Rain asked, catching up to the woman's side.

Despite not getting the desired reward from the Tower of Causality, Rain's face didn't look particularly gloomy.

The reason was simple.

She had made an incredible achievement from the battle with the Remnant of the Frost Queen in the final trial.

To Rain, that was far more valuable than any material reward.

"We're going back to the capital," the woman answered, her voice noticeably improved.

"There are things I need to do there... and someone I need to meet."

With those words, an image of one person flashed through her mind.

That person was Prince Zion Agnes, who the woman considered the first and biggest variable.

* * *

Whoosh!

Inside a new model of magic car designed to run on unpaved roads,

Zion was looking out the window at the approaching capital, Hubris, organizing his thoughts.

'I gained a lot from this Tower of Causality conquest.'

First, Muspelheim, the divine artifact of Loki, the God of Fire.

Obtaining this armor alone made this journey successful.

In fact, Zion already had a defensive technique called 'Soul Extinction', but that was just a technique and couldn't become a perfect defense system.

Muspelheim was something that could fill all those gaps.

Moreover, its inherent value was beyond imagination.

If he had to pick the most outstanding in performance and caliber among the mythical-grade artifacts he had obtained so far, it would undoubtedly be 'Chronos's Five Questions'.

A divine artifact representing Chronos, the God of Time.

The Heat Heaven Armor had a caliber equal to those Five Questions.

'Though I'm not sure about its performance yet.'

That was something he'd have to figure out over time.

Additionally, Muspelheim would be useful in a certain event that would happen later.

'And this.'

With that thought, Zion shifted his gaze from the window to the blue orb in his hand.

This orb was the first-place reward he received after passing the final trial and settlement.

And the identity of the orb was something even Zion found quite surprising.

'I didn't expect to get this here.'

It was the last fragment of the Frost Queen's authority, named 'The Sorrow of the Frost Queen'.

This was an item Zion had half given up on finding, as the criminal organization Ouroboros had stopped searching for it, and its location wasn't mentioned in the chronicles.

If Muspelheim was an expected reward, this authority fragment was a completely unexpected one.

'This definitely wasn't the original first-place reward.'

Was it a coincidence?

Or was it intentional?

Zion was betting on the latter.

Otherwise, Loki wouldn't have said those words at the end.

'In any case, it seems they've decided to push me...'

Whether this was Loki's idea alone or the collective decision, and whether there were other intentions behind it, he couldn't know for now, but it was best to take it as a positive sign.

'I'll deal with understanding that and combining the authority fragments later.'

For now, there were other matters that needed his attention.

"So... a battle broke out in the middle of the capital?" Zion asked, looking at Aileen sitting across from him.

Aileen nodded and replied in a businesslike tone.

"Yes. And it wasn't just any battle, but one where tremendous demonic energy was exposed and an entire mansion along with the surrounding area was destroyed."

"And the ones who fought were Liushina and Rubrious, these two?"

"That's right."

"Tell me more details."

Though he had heard a rough summary before departing, it had been briefly condensed, so even Zion didn't know the exact situation yet.

"Do you remember the demons who attacked you before you left for the tower, Your Highness?"

"Yes."

"It all started when the Witch of a Thousand Killings discovered their location."

Aileen's explanation that followed was somewhat predictable.

After discovering their location, Liushina took the First Prince and raided the mansion where the demons were staying, immediately sparking a massive battle that threw the entire capital into chaos.

But the result was beyond Zion's expectations.

Contrary to his assumption that they would win, both Liushina and the First Prince were severely injured in that battle.

"While they didn't exactly lose since they both inflicted critical wounds, Prince Rubrious and the Witch of a Thousand Killings are currently receiving treatment secretly within the imperial palace."

"How did it end up like that?"

"I couldn't ask about the details given the situation..."

Zion's eyes sank deeply at her answer.

Liushina and Rubrious.

While it was clearly wrong for them to move without telling him, Zion understood why they might have done so.

'They must have been that confident.'

In fact, that confidence was justified.

Though they hadn't made it into the 'Seven Heavens', Zion estimated that both possessed power worthy of that rank.

Their strength was so immense that they wouldn't lose to anyone in the world except for the first and second of the 'Seven Heavens' - Iverlin and Evelyn Agnes, known as the Heaven beyond Heaven.

'For those two to suffer critical injuries, does it mean that guy I saw last time was that strong?'

The mastermind behind the cafe attack from before.

Though he had only caught a glimpse from afar and couldn't assess properly, judging by the aura and energy he felt, there was a high possibility it was one of the 'Six Claws', the highest-ranking executives of the demon realm.

'Serkia of the Five Great Demon Generals is weaker than Utekan, so she wouldn't have been a match from the start. That means that guy alone faced the two of them...'

It didn't make sense at all.

Even the top fighter among the Six Claws would struggle to gain the upper hand while facing those two simultaneously.

There must be another reason.

'I'll find out soon enough.'

As that thought concluded, silence fell inside the magic car.

How much time had passed like this?

"I greet Prince Zion."

Finally, after getting out of the magic car and entering the imperial palace, Thierry approached Zion, bowing his head as if he had been waiting.

"Where are Liushina and the First Prince?"

Zion nodded to him and immediately asked about their location.

"I'll guide you. This way, please."

Realizing that Zion already knew everything, Thierry started walking ahead without further words.

"How are their conditions?"

"Well... they seem to have suffered severe injuries, but... you'll have to see for yourself and judge, Your Highness."

Tierrie answered with a strange expression to Zion's question as they walked.

Zion's eyes filled with questions at Thierry's response.

But the moment they arrived in front of the hospital room where Rubrious and Liushina were together, Zion understood what his answer meant.

"Kyahaha!"

Liushina's distinctive high-pitched laughter came from inside.

That laughter sounded far too healthy for a critically injured patient.

"Right. Of course, my master is perfect in every way, but sometimes he can be a bit too serious."

"Haha, so you agree. Sometimes I think his voice might sink into the ground when he gets like that..."

As this conversation continued, Zion entered the room and saw Rubrious, his body wrapped in bandages here and there.

The First Prince of the Empire immediately closed his mouth upon making eye contact with Zion.

Perhaps he hadn't noticed Zion's entrance since he was sitting with his back to the door.

"And you know my master's trademark phrase, 'But you know what?' To be honest, that's also... Huh? Why are you suddenly shaking your head?"

Liushina, who had been excitedly talking, turned her head back following Rubrious's bewildered gaze.

"M-Master!"

Her face changed similarly to the First Prince's when she spotted Zion.

"Hehe... you're back?"

Liushina then awkwardly smiled and waved at Zion.

"I didn't know you two got along so well."

"Ahem, ahem... Welcome back, Zion."

Rubrious also cleared his throat and greeted Zion as the latter spoke with narrowed eyes.

Then both of them averted their gazes, sweating nervously, as Zion silently glared at them.

At that moment, cheep!

The frost spirit, which hadn't shown itself since entering the Tower of Causality, poked its head out from Zion's hair and looked at Liushina.

Perhaps it had grown fond of her despite fighting like enemies every time they met.

After briefly checking on Liushina to make sure she was okay, the spirit chirped!

It tweeted at her as if teasing before disappearing again.

"That little sparrow!"

Just as Liushina jumped up angrily, seemingly understanding the spirit's chirping,

"How are your conditions?" Zion asked, getting to the point.

Though he needed to hold them accountable for moving without his permission, Zion had decided to postpone that for now.

"I can't say it's good, even as a lie."

The First Prince's outward appearance looked fine for someone with severe injuries, but inside, there wasn't a single healthy spot.

Even with his immense holy power, it would take quite some time to heal.

Liushina's situation was similar.

She had sustained semi-permanent injuries that even Shangri-La Requiem couldn't regenerate at once, and she was currently recovering by diverting most of her power there.

"What happened? Did the guy I saw during the attack do this?"

"It wasn't a guy," Liushina shook her head as Zion asked with sunken eyes.

"It was guys."

"Guys?"

"There were two of them. The enemies we faced."

When Liushina and Rubrious reached the top floor of the mansion, shattering everything in their way, they found a demon named Hiseller waiting for them.

He was incredibly strong, to the point where it was hard to gauge his limits, and equally cunning. After a brief exchange, he quickly realized he was at a disadvantage and immediately opened a space to summon another demon.

And the demon summoned was equally as strong as Hiseller.

'There was one more of the Six Claws?'

A light of understanding finally appeared in Zion's eyes as he heard Liushina's explanation.

If there were indeed two Claws instead of one, it made sense that even these two would struggle.

The strength of the Claws was beyond imagination, matching their status.

'Two of the Claws have already appeared...'

This was happening much faster than in the chronicles he had read.

It was probably the result of the accumulated changes to the future caused by Zion himself and the regressed hero.

"Still, we didn't lose. Or to be more precise, we should consider it our victory. They retreated first."

Rubrious's voice reached Zion's ears as he was thinking.

"That's right, even though our injuries were too severe to pursue them, this is as good as winning."

Liushina nodded and chimed in agreement.

Shaking his head once at the strangely well-matched pair, Zion stood up.

Having confirmed their condition and understood the whole story, there was no need to stay here any longer.

"Where are you going, Master? If you're going to look for those guys, I..."

"No."

Zion's cold voice cut off Liushina's words.

"You focus on recovery for now. After that, I'll hold you accountable for moving on your own."

His voice was low, but it carried an undeniable force.

"......"

Leaving behind the witch and the First Prince, who could no longer say anything and closed their mouths, Zion stepped out of the hospital room.

"What do you plan to do, Your Highness?"

Thierry asked, following behind Zion.

In truth, even as he asked, Thierry already knew the answer.

His superior was not the type to sit idly by after being attacked.

Repaying those who wronged him a hundred, a thousand times over.

This was Zion's nature that Thierry had observed so far, and one of the reasons why he sincerely followed Zion.

"You know," Zion's mouth slowly opened as he walked, living up to Thierry's expectations.

"I really hate it when someone touches what's mine."

As Zion muttered these words, a deep darkness was already flickering like flames in his eyes.

---

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