I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

Chapter 112: Ascalon (7)

TL/Editor: Rungir

Schedule: none

Illustrations: none

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Bang! Bang! Bang! Kwaang!

In the private outdoor training ground in front of Jaseong Palace, relentless thunderous noises echoed continuously.

These sounds were none other than the Fourth Prince Utekan, furiously pounding a giant rock nearby with his fists.

"Huff! Huff!"

He was exerting himself solely with physical strength, his breath growing heavy, yet Utekan did not stop his movements. In fact, he pounded even harder.

Kwaang! Kwaang!

He had no other way to vent the boiling rage inside him.

"Uaaaaaah!"

It seemed insufficient for Utekan as he let out a roar from his mouth. There was one reason, or more precisely, one person, for his fury.

"Zion Agnes!!"

The person who recently occupied most of Utekan's thoughts and the only one to have ever bested him.

"This damned guy...!"

Although Utekan wasn't prone to such extreme displays of anger, the recent turn of events had left him with no other choice.

The news about Hanosral and his direct troops, who had been out of contact since their attack on Chimseong Palace nearly a week ago, clearly meant their demise.

Though his mind was numbed with shock, he could still suppress his anger to some extent. But then,

"How dare he take what's mine!"

Came the counterattack.

Following the raid on Chimseong Palace, Zion's forces had started to attack Utekan’s secret networks within the capital.

Humans, demons, military factions, businesses – indiscriminate attacks on all fronts.

Consequently, Utekan's underground influence was rapidly diminishing.

Though he belatedly severed the connections between his forces, Zion Agnes was tenaciously infiltrating and re-establishing those severed links.

What infuriated Utekan even more was that these attacks on his forces were being carried out by just one person.

'The red-eyed woman who was with Zion Agnes.'

This one woman was single-handedly annihilating secret bases, each housing dozens of demons, without facing any significant resistance.

An unforeseen variable.

Even the superior demons sent for reinforcement couldn't withstand her and were mercilessly massacred, as he had heard.

"Hoo..."

Where should he even begin to resolve this situation? It was utterly beyond his grasp.

Of course, eliminating Zion Agnes would resolve everything, but that was not an option.

No viable solution came to mind.

"What is Zion Agnes doing now?"

Suppressing his frustration, Utekan asked a nearby subordinate demon.

"Zion Agnes is currently visiting the Ascalon family."

"I know that. What is he doing there?"

"We haven't been able to ascertain his exact activities."

Before Utekan could erupt in anger again, the subordinate demon quickly continued.

“But there’s one peculiar piece of news that came in.”

“...Go on.”

“Just recently, a summons order has been issued within the Ascalon family.”

“What?”

Utekan's eyes were filled with doubt.

This was indeed strange.

Utekan was aware of the current state of Ludwig, the head of the Ascalon family.

“A Sword King, who can barely maintain consciousness, has issued a summons for the entire family?”

Something felt terribly off.

Yes, it was possible, but the fact that this summons came while Zion Agnes was visiting Ascalon made Utekan uneasy.

And with it, a sense of impending doom.

From his experience, such forebodings always led to something happening, and it was never good.

“Find out more. Why was the summons issued, and where are they gathering?”

“Understood!”

The demon vanished immediately after responding, seemingly conveying Utekan's urgency.

“What are you up to this time, Zion?”

Utekan, staring at the spot where the demon had disappeared, uttered in a voice tinged with anger and suspicion.

---

---

Hell.

Have you ever wondered what the hell for the sinners looks like?

Rohanna had never pondered it, but the scene she was witnessing now, she thought, must resemble hell.

Kiaaaaaaak!

For years, even decades, people she had lived with, who were like family, were transforming into hideous monsters before her eyes.

Billyhich, the swordmaster of Mangeomdang, who had always been close to her.

Her cousin, Triane, who always trusted and relied on her.

And many others she considered family.

The sight of these people emitting demonic energy and transforming all at once was nothing short of hellish.

“Ah, ah……”

Her mind went blank for a moment, and a dazed voice escaped her lips.

She wasn't the only one; most of the people who hadn't turned into monsters showed similar reactions.

The shock was indescribable when one-fifth of the people gathered in Daegemdang turned into monsters in an instant.

Then, Kiaaaaaak!

One of the nearby monsters lunged at Rohanna.

Its eyes, bloodshot and seemingly devoid of reason.

Just as the monster reached her, about to swing its paw, still unable to regain her senses,

Grrrgrit!

Without warning, a line was drawn from the monster's head down to its groin.

Then, Jeeerk!

Following the line, the monster's body split and fell to either side.

Behind it, a figure appeared.

“Si, Sir Zion......”

Zion, who had replaced the Agdbar he had thrust into the ground with the Eclaxia, spoke without any emotion in his eyes,

“If you just stand there, you’ll die.”

“What, what is this...”

As Rohanna looked at Zion with trembling eyes, about to respond,

“The monsters you see are the very darkness that has infested the Ascalon family!”

Ludwig's resounding proclamation reached her ears.

“These creatures have long replaced our family, friends, lovers, and have been consuming our family from within.”

The Sword King continued, his voice cold and piercing as he sat at the high seat, surveying the chaos.

“Therefore, I, Ludwig Ascalon, head of the Ascalon family and one of the ‘Seven Heavens’, hereby declare from this place.”

Finally, his oath-like final words flowed.

“Today, Ascalon will completely rid itself of this consuming darkness.”

With that,

“Wipe them all out!”

Ludwig's two sons, flanking him, and the direct sword unit Durandal, behind him, began to spring into action towards the monsters at an incredible speed.

Kwaagwagwagwang!

A ferocious clash ensued.

“That damned monster killed Alesha!”

“I'll kill it!”

Prompted by Ludwig’s shout, one by one, the members of the Ascalon family began to join the fray.

Though the situation was not yet fully grasped, the revolting demonic energy emanating from the monsters and Ludwig's cry made it clear who their enemy was.

Moreover, the rage of those who had lost their families and close ones in an instant was immense.

‘Looks like this side will be fine now.’

Kwaddeudeuk!

In the midst of the battlefield, Zion, who had just sliced two charging monsters at once, shifted his gaze to one side.

The ones revealed were all mid-level or lower.

It seemed that the effect of the Saecheokjin hadn’t reached the higher-level ones yet.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’

In the original story, all the high-level demons in the Ascalon family were to meet their demise at the hands of the heroes.

Therefore, their identities were all recorded in the chronicles.

Naturally, having read the chronicles, Zion was aware of who they were.

‘It seems they haven’t decided what to do yet.’

Looking at those still in human form, nervously shifting their eyes, Zion smiled slyly.

It was time to help them make their choice.

In an instant, Zion’s form, shrouded in darkness, vanished from the spot and then, swiftly,

He appeared in front of one of them.

A demon, disguised as one of the Ascalon family elders, looked at Zion who had suddenly appeared, shocked.

“Si, Sir Zion…!”

Before he could finish his sentence,

“Who’s your lord?”

Zion’s Eclaxia, already raised, fell vertically.

Naturally, the dark blade of the Myeolgwang Sword glistened.

“...!”

Feeling the chilling aura, the demon quickly gathered demonic energy for defense.

Revealing his demonic energy would expose his true identity, but his instincts told him that he had no other choice if he wanted to block the attack.

And his intuition proved somewhat accurate.

Sgagagagak!

Zion's sword, cutting through the demonic energy defense in an instant, continued its path down to the left shoulder of the demon.

Had he not raised his demonic energy, the cut would have bisected the demon's entire upper body.

-Kuaaaaak!

The high-ranking demon, Kreon, screamed in agony as his body reverted to its original form, and his demonic energy surged explosively.

Even then, Zion's eyes remained as calm as ever.

-This damned Agnes bloodline!

Realizing that Zion had known his identity from the start, Kreon let out a ferocious yell and charged.

Kiiiiing!

With that, the saw-like bones that sprouted all over his body began to spin, emitting sparks in every direction, each powerful enough to grind down a small building.

These bones, concentrated in Kreon's right hand, were launched towards Zion.

Zion did not dodge the attack.

No, there was no need to.

Jjeojeojeojeojjeok!

Zion's Heukseongha, already knocking on the door of the fourth star, was more than enough to pierce through the attack.

His Eclaxia, drawn to its limits and then thrust forward, shattered Kreon’s blade-like bones in an instant.

-What...!josei

The demon, astonished, quickly twisted his body and ducked his head as the Eclaxia, still not losing its force, bore down on him.

However, Whirrrr!

In that instant, Zion's sword tip, curling like a snake, followed Kreon's movements.

Indeed, how many could change the trajectory of a full-speed attack to precisely match the opponent's movements?

Such a feat was difficult even for the few in the Ascalon family, known as the empire's greatest swordsmen, but Zion performed it effortlessly.

Eventually, Zion's sword, Kwaddeudeuk!

Dug deeply between Kreon's collarbones and stopped.

Phwahahahahaak!

A secondary explosion of the Heukseongha erupted from the tip of Zion’s sword embedded in him.

-Kkeueuk!

Kreon, suppressing a scream from the pain of his insides being shattered, tried to extract himself and regroup, but...

Zion's relentless strikes were much quicker.

His movements seemed to anticipate what Kreon would do next.

Darkness exploded from Zion's entire body, but the distinctive sound of rusted gates opening, which usually accompanied the activation of Eclipses, was absent.

‘I won't use Eclipse this time.’

Until now, facing a high-ranking demon without Eclipse was not an option but a necessity.

High-ranking demons were that powerful, and without the Heukseongha being amplified several times over by Eclipse, they were almost impossible to confront.

However, Zion’s body was now near perfection compared to before, and his mastery over Heukseongha had also greatly advanced.

‘I can’t always rely on using Eclipse haphazardly.’

Eclipse was a technique so powerful it was dubbed a game-changer, but its use came with severe recoil, rendering one unable to fight properly for days.

Certainly, enemies would target the vulnerability exposed by this.

Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaaang!

Therefore, Zion intended to test himself against the demon in front of him.

To see if he could handle a high-level demon without resorting to Eclipse.

Kreon, in the chronicles, was strong enough to go one-on-one with the early heroes, so he was a suitable test.

Then,

-Uaaaaaah!

Kreon, losing the initiative to Zion and being relentlessly pushed back, let out a desperate scream, shooting his spike-like bones in all directions like a porcupine.

Kwagagagagak!

This created a brief opening.

Using this gap, the demon concentrated all his remaining strength into one hand and thrust it towards Zion.

Kudeudeudeuk!

Kreon’s arm, transforming into a massive saw-blade pillar, was instinctively felt.

He knew that if he didn't regain the upper hand now, he would die.

Thus, his strike was desperate.

Kwagagagagak!

The saw-blade pillar, tearing through everything around it, extended towards Zion.

“…….”

Zion, watching the incoming attack with cold eyes, slightly twisted his hand holding the Eclaxia.

Kiiiiing!

Zion was aware.

In terms of sheer power output, he was inferior to the demon without using Eclipse.

Then...

‘The only way is to pierce through at one point.’

In the meantime, Kreon’s saw-blade pillar, tearing through the air and emitting a terrifying scream, approached.

At the peak of Heukseongha's rotation, Zion finally thrust his sword.

Heukseom Application, Third Stage.

Cheonam (Piercing Darkness).

Like cutting through deep currents.

Zion’s sword slowly advanced.

Compared to Kreon’s massive and savage strike, it seemed too trivial.

However.

At the moment Zion’s sword tip met the demon’s attack,

Kreon’s saw-blade pillar was completely shattered, not even leaving a trace behind.