I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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RUMBLE!

Lightning struck relentlessly as the sea churned endlessly.

A single ship crossed the chaotic waters that would have capsized any normal vessel.

At the ship's helm stood a beast-kin whose entire face was hidden behind a black rabbit mask.

"..."

The beast-kin's eyes silently watching ahead wavered like the sea before them.

Then-

"Your Highness, are you truly sure about this?"

A large bear beast-kin approached behind the masked rabbit and spoke.

His body covered in red fur revealed him as a member of the Fire Bears, known as one of the most powerful beast-kin tribes.

"This mission is extremely dangerous. Far beyond even these treacherous waters. Beyond your identity being exposed, you could lose your life."

Worry filled the bear beast-kin's face as he spoke.

"Moreover, even the information isn't certain. Perhaps we should turn back..."

"This ongoing war," the masked rabbit interrupted the bear beast-kin.

"Do you know how many die each day?"

"..."

"Hundreds? Thousands? Too many to count. And all because of power struggles above them, not their own will."

"...Your Highness, at least we give our lives to you by our own choice."

"Even so, the fact that countless lives are being lost because of me right now doesn't change."

The masked figure's fists had unconsciously clenched tight as they continued.

"So I can't just do nothing. I can't let all those lives be wasted."

"Then at least bringing more troops would..."

"You know this mission must be carried out secretly. Besides, I'm of the Myowol clan. There's no need to worry."

The Myowol clan.

Called the strongest among beast-kin and the royal family's clan.

Within the Beast Sea at least, they held status equal to the Agnes family.

"But Your Highness..."

"Enough."

The masked figure cut off the bear beast-kin's continued words and turned back toward the front.

'If this mission succeeds, we can reverse the current situation without further sacrifices.'

As they thought this, their eyes reflected an island slowly revealing itself beyond the churning sea.

* * *

Pirates.

Literally thieves of the sea who plundered passing ships.

And currently-

"We are the Half Moon Pirates."

Such pirates had appeared before the passenger ship carrying Zion.

"You've heard of us, right?"

The crocodile beast-kin standing at the front spoke while his vertically slit pupils gleamed.

"Th-the Half Moon Pirates... One of the top ten most powerful pirate groups."

The passenger ship's people muttered nervously.

"Well, that's somewhat fortunate. At least our lives aren't in danger."

There was reason people said this.

The Half Moon Pirates were known as relatively gentlemanly pirates who would leave without harm if given half of one's possessions.

Of course, they were merciless if someone tried deceiving them or refused to pay.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

'Perfect.'

Zion thought this while looking at the pirate ship they had arrived on.

It clearly appeared much better than their current passenger ship.

Its speed would surely be faster too.

If he seized that pirate ship, they could arrive on time.

'Plus we can head straight to our destination.'

The passenger ship Zion was on would only pass near their destination, not head there directly.

Therefore, these pirates' appearance was beneficial to Zion in many ways.

"If you peacefully hand over half your possessions, we'll let you go without harm."

At the crocodile beast-kin's words, the passengers began taking out their belongings.

They had no chance of winning a fight, and there was no need to risk their lives over half their money.

'Seems he won't step in either.'

Zion glanced at Jang Maldong beside him who was taking out money.

If he, one of the Twelve Seas, stepped forward, he could easily drive away the pirates.

But he was currently hiding his identity and seemed unwilling unless his or others' lives were in danger.

'In that case...'

Zion's gaze turned elsewhere with this thought.

"If anyone's thinking of deceiving us or refusing to pay, forget it. We can't guarantee what might happen then."

Meanwhile, additional warning flowed from the crocodile beast-kin's lips as he watched people walking out one by one with their belongings.

"Bad luck today. Better take out your money too. Think of it as paying for your life..."

Just as Jang Maldong began speaking to Zion beside him-

Before the old man could finish-

"How incredibly shameless for mere thieves."

A quiet voice flowed from Zion's lips, reaching everyone's ears.

The atmosphere instantly froze.

"What?"

The crocodile pirate turned toward Zion.

"You should be ashamed. Having such power yet choosing to steal the hard-earned money of common folk struggling to get by rather than doing honest work." ℞аNοᛒÈs

"Wh-what are you doing?"

Jang Maldong whispered quietly beside him, but Zion continued:

"Do you have no sense of shame? Or were you just badly raised? You're no better than beasts, no, insects."

"You just said...!"

Just as the pirates approached Zion with twisted faces at his continued insults-

"...is what this woman here said."

With these words, Zion stepped aside.

Behind him-

"...?"

Celphia, still gripping the railing, was revealed.

She alternately looked between Zion and the pirates, not quite grasping the situation.

The single reason Zion had brought Celphia here was for combat experience.

Opportunities to face moderately strong opponents like this were rare, so Zion didn't intend to waste this chance.

"Um..."

A dumbfounded voice flowed from Celphia's lips.

"You think we'll believe that..."

Just as the pirates tried approaching Zion again with incredulous expressions-

"Y-yes, I said it!"

A loud shout burst from Celphia's lips.

"You truly are shameless pirates! I don't have a single coin for the likes of you. If you want it that badly, you'll have to kill me!"

Despite her confident words, she stepped forward one step at a time with a tearful expression.

'Is this... right?'

Though the words "I didn't say that" rose to the tip of her tongue, Celphia inwardly swallowed them while crying.

The look in Zion's eyes watching her.

Those eyes clearly wanted her to fight these pirates.

Since it was the words of Zion, her superior and future emperor, she had no choice but to go along.

"Are you insane?"

The crocodile beast-kin began walking toward Celphia while staring at her with bewildered eyes.

"Well, having one example isn't bad."

Though the Half Moon Pirates generally refrained from killing compared to other pirates, that didn't mean they never did.

They were pirates at their core and didn't hesitate once they decided.

"In the afterlife, blame that stupid head of yours that couldn't read the situation."

The crocodile's curved sword swung toward Celphia's neck as he rapidly closed the distance-

"Danger...!"

Just as Jang Maldong cried out urgently and tried to leap forward-

Even faster than that-

SCREECH!

Celphia's fist crashed into the crocodile beast-kin's solar plexus as she instantly dove inside the sword's arc.

The pirate went flying back and crashed with a tremendous sound.

"Seems you're the one who can't read the situation?"

His form didn't even twitch, perhaps knocked unconscious from that single blow.

"What! She was skilled!"

As shock filled the other pirates' eyes at this unexpected scene- THUD!

Celphia's form shot toward the remaining pirates at terrifying speed as she strongly pushed off the deck with her toes.

Through numerous battles, she had learned that striking first was more important than anything.

"Wha...!"

Though surprised by her speed, a pirate in front immediately reacted and swung his fist, but- SCREECH!

As if already expecting this, Celphia tilted her body to dodge the fist and drove her own fist into the pirate's side.

"Urgh!"

As the pirate naturally bent over, Celphia's knee struck his face perfectly.

After instantly dealing with two opponents this way, she immediately began moving to find her next target.

"S-stop her!"

Celphia's unique ability 'Magic Consumption.'

It wasn't simply an ability to absorb demonic energy.

Along with demonic energy, she could steal some abilities like reflexes, strength, and agility from monsters and use them to face non-monster enemies as well.

Moreover, Celphia's skills were rapidly rising through life-and-death battle experience, reaching a level one or two pirates couldn't handle.

"Sh-she's strong! Don't let your guard down - attack together!"

The pirates charged at Celphia with hardened faces at their leader's belated shout.

"Hoh, she was hiding her skills? Impressive! Barely past coming of age yet..."

Jang Maldong's eyes shone as he exclaimed in admiration watching Celphia.

Someone her age with such skills could be counted on one hand even throughout the entire Beast Sea.

Only the Five Sky Dragons, called the Beast Sea's greatest young talents, should be capable of this.

'If she doesn't have a master, I'd want to take her as my disciple right now.'

Then-

"She seems to be that woman's companion, better stay by me just in case."

Two pirates rushed toward Zion.

Planning to use him as a hostage.

Had they focused too much on Celphia's fight?

"Dodge!"

Another urgent cry burst from Jang Maldong as he belatedly saw this scene, too late to help.

But the pirates had already reached point-blank range and split to both sides, swinging their swords at Zion.

Their slashes held no hesitation, likely intending to cut off a limb or two.

'Oh no!'

As the old man's eyes wavered at this sight-

SLASH!

The sound of something being cut rang out.

But its source wasn't Zion's arms or legs.

It was the pirates' arms that had been swinging swords at Zion.

Those arms fell cleanly severed to the ground.

"...Huh?"

A blank voice flowed from the pirates' lips at this incomprehensible sight.

But their voices didn't continue.

Then-

CRUNCH!

Their heads completely vanished as well.

THUD-

The headless pirates' corpses staggered and collapsed.

And Jang Maldong watched this scene with the same blank expression as the earlier pirates.

"What is this..."

A trembling voice flowed from the old man's lips.

Jang Maldong's reaction wasn't simply because Zion had taken two pirates' lives.

In the Beast Sea where hidden masters were common, though rare, such things could certainly happen.

But the problem was that Jang Maldong himself hadn't seen how it happened at all.

He who was one of the Twelve Seas.

Which meant the young man before him was even stronger.

Disbelief and confusion began filling Jang Maldong's eyes as he watched Zion.

'Just what...'

As if uninterested in Jang Maldong's reaction, Zion maintained his languid gaze and turned his head toward where another battle was occurring.

"Hahaha! You won't die easily!"

SCREECH!

"Urgh!"

Zion's eyes fell on Celphia gradually being pushed back while surrounded by dozens of pirates.

'Was facing so many non-monster enemies at once too much?'

Though pirates, they were all skilled practitioners of transcendent martial arts, so it seemed too much for Celphia who had awakened not long ago.

But it felt somewhat wasteful for Zion to intervene directly now.

By his standards, Celphia hadn't gained enough experience from this battle yet.

'Then I'll have to use this.'

SWISH-

With this thought, as Zion's eyes flickered slightly, ten strands of Soul Extinction began secretly extending from his fingers.

And the next moment-

"!!!!!"

Jang Maldong's mouth, the only one to witness this scene, opened wider than ever before.