I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

210 - Internal Cleanup (4)

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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Ouroboros.

As a criminal organization that appeared until the very end of the chronicle, its power and scale were truly impressive.

Among this, the power of Ouroboros's headquarters far exceeded imagination compared to the other branches encountered so far.

Therefore, the three martial forces of the Twilight Sword, Blood Tower, and Purification Cult might seem insufficient.

Yet the reason Zion deployed only these forces was simple.

It was because of Liushina's presence.

The witch muttered while looking at the mansion's upper floors, completely destroyed except for the first floor she had protected with defensive formations.

"The core almost got blown away. And my prey too."

The witch's blood magic, which had progressed even further than during her battle with the Six Claws thanks to her journey to the Purification Cult, licked her lips while watching the organization members she had deliberately kept from the explosion.

Therefore, her power...

SCREECH!

Could be said to approach "End."

In the space completely consumed by blood energy, Liushina's extended finger drew from left to right.

A single red line inscribed in the world following her fingertip.

SLASH!

The organization members caught in that line split apart without resistance and collapsed.

Simultaneously, blood bursting from the corpses touched other following members.

SPLAT!

There was no warning.

The members exploded as if bombs had been planted in their bodies beforehand.

Blood splashing everywhere touched nearby enemies, causing them to explode in the same way, creating an endless chain reaction.

Then-

SCREECH!

SHRIEK!

Evil Hands, practically Liushina's symbol, emerged from the blood staining the entire first floor red, creating a perfect hell unprecedented in the human world.

"Kyahaha! Devour them, devour them all!"

Liushina's blood magic, now far more extensive and grotesque than before, had reached a level where it couldn't even distinguish between good and evil.

Even the allied Twilight Sword members watched with disgusted expressions.

But in contrast, the Blood Tower and Purification Cult-

"Ohhh, Witch of a Thousand Killings! Have you finally realized the truth of blood magic!"

"Ahhh, Mother! Our Mother!"

Watched Liushina with moved expressions, hands clasped as if in prayer.

To them, the Witch of a Thousand Killings was practically a god showing incredible feats right before them, naturally filling them with religious fervor and emotion.

Some even shed tears at the sight.

"S-spare me! Gurk!"

"Ah, how could this..."

Unlike them, Ouroboros headquarters members began fleeing, having lost all will to fight.

Though executive Richt saw these members, he couldn't stop them.

He himself already felt fear toward that red-eyed monster.

'But there's still a chance.'

With this thought, Richt looked toward Liushina who had created this hell.

Currently, only the red-eyed woman had moved forward actively while others held back.

Therefore, if he targeted that weakness, he'd have ample opportunity to eliminate her.

'Being fundamentally a mage, she must be relatively weak in close combat.'

This was evident from how she hadn't let enemies within a certain range so far.

With this thought, Richt's form, bent to maximum at the knees and tilted diagonally, BANG!

Vanished with a sound like tearing air.

Simultaneously reappearing right before Liushina.

Just as a massive shockwave burst from a line belatedly drawn behind him- BOOM!

Richt's fist, carrying that full speed, struck Liushina's body.

'Got her!'

Richt's eyes gleamed as he watched the witch being torn apart without even leaving a corpse, thanks to the power within his weapon "Crushing Gauntlet."

Though there was a fundamental difference in power, targeting her weakness and putting everything into breaking through defense formations without thought for aftermath seemed to have worked.

'Now I can reverse the situation...!'

Just as Richt turned toward other members with joy-filled face-

"That was faster than expected. I couldn't even react properly."

A voice rang in his ears.

His eyes began trembling uncontrollably as he unconsciously turned toward the voice.

It came from the flesh pieces scattered in hundreds of fragments.

Like playing a video in reverse-

CRUNCH!

These corpse pieces gathered before him, reforming into the red-eyed witch.

A scene incomprehensible even while watching.

"I definitely perfectly..."

"You did kill me."

The witch slowly spoke, now approaching End, interrupting Richt's shocked words.

"One of my nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine lives."

Her eyes curved elegantly like her master's.

"Nine thousand nine hundred ninety-eight left?"

Richt's eyes filled with despair.

---

Beginning.

This was Ouroboros's ultimate goal and everything.

The snake biting its tail always desired beginning.

Specifically, a perfect beginning where everything started from pure white zero, free of any discrimination or inequality.

For this, the world first needed to end.

Only with an end could a new beginning exist.

And Ilias Palantier, leader of such an Ouroboros, was currently- BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

Being violently flung through several buildings.

His form finally stopped after partially destroying a sixth building, a five-story hotel.

"Ugh!"

Ilias staggered to his feet among the debris.

"What's this! An a-attack!"

"Kyaaah!"

"L-Lord Ilias?"

Perhaps because this commotion occurred in the capital's center?

People instantly gathered around, some recognizing his face, but Ilias had no time to care about them.

SWOOSH!

Because Zion had appeared before him with a streak of darkness.

'How did he escape that explosion without a scratch?'

And how could he track my location so quickly?

No matter how much he thought, he couldn't understand the method.

As Ilias's eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment while rubbing his throat that had been in Zion's grip-

"I'll give you credit for hiding your identity like a rat."

With these quiet words, Zion slowly began walking toward him.

Simultaneously, people around who recognized Zion unconsciously gasped.

Why was Prince Zion fighting the Palantier family head in the capital's center?

"Honestly, I didn't know. That you were this close."

A slight gleam appeared in Zion's eyes as he spoke.

Ouroboros's headquarters had been unfindable even with the combined intelligence of the "Eternal Shadow" and "Eye of the Moon," which naturally impressed him.

But that too ended today.

Zion wasn't merciful enough to leave a spotted rat alone.

'How did it come to this.'

Ilias's face filled with dismay as he watched Zion.

He, Ouroboros, just wanted to create an equal world where no one suffered.

He had lived his entire life for only this goal and planned to sacrifice everything for it going forward.

Zion Agnes had interfered with their goals, leading them to try eliminating him, which resulted in this situation.

'First hold out in battle while looking for an opening to escape.'

Ilias glanced around with this thought.

He had no intention of staying here long.

The longer he stayed, the more disadvantaged he would be.

'Though I've achieved many feats and matched Evelyn Agnes at the World Competition... that was just sparring, real combat is different.'

Even considering this, Zion was almost certainly Heaven-class after destroying the central branch, but Ilias himself could demonstrate Heaven-class ability if he used his unrevealed power.

Therefore, though winning might be impossible, holding out should be feasible.

Moreover, Prince Zion, having been active for just over a year, must have limited real combat experience, where Ilias believed he could maintain advantage.

Even without using Ouroboros's vision authority.

"Prince Zion."

With this call, Ilias pointed his raised spear at Zion.

"I believe Your Highness knows well how unfair this world is. Indeed, until last year, you suffered perhaps the worst discrimination, called the imprisoned prince."

The Palantier head continued, his eyes filled with strange longing.

"Ouroboros exists for all who suffer such discrimination. Our value is giving everyone fair conditions and opportunities. For this, everything must meet a new beginning, and for that to happen, there must first be an end."

Therefore, Ouroboros always aimed for the end.

"Your Highness, reaching an end is essential for humanity to advance. To eliminate all discrimination and inequality in the world! To eliminate the countless suffering they cause! What do you say, would Your Highness join us..."

Before Ilias could finish-

"Your tongue is long."

Step-

With a bored voice cutting off the sophistry, Zion's form appeared right before him with one step.

"And I really don't like your way of thinking."

Simultaneously-

SWOOSH!

Zion's fist, wrapped in the summoned Gigaperses, extended straight toward Ilias's head.

"Especially trying to break my things without permission."

Though surprised by the speed that barely left afterimages, Ilias's spear immediately moved to block Zion's fist.

HISS!

His spear moved with a strange sound like a snake's breath.

This form was far from the Palantier family's tradition of pursuing the righteous path.

CRASH!

A terrifying shockwave burst from their clash.

Nearby objects and people couldn't withstand it and were pushed or flung away.

Thick dust rose from the building debris.

Then-

"Ugh!"

Ilias emerged from the dust with a severely twisted expression.

"What...!"

His eyes were filled with dismay and shock.

One clash.

From just this single clash, Ilias knew.

That his earlier assessment of Prince Zion had been wrong.

The deeply dented spear shaft and his trembling arms.

'Don't tell me that time he showed all his power...!'

Before Ilias could finish this thought-

"Something wrong?"

Zion grinned, bringing his face close enough to hear each other's breathing, and threw another punch with his maximally drawn back fist.

'Can't take it head-on!'

Instinctively sensing this, Ilias's spear drew a strange curve, wrapping around Zion's striking arm and reversing to target his throat.

His was an evil spear.

Spear techniques so unpredictable that without extensive real combat experience, one couldn't even properly grasp which direction the spear would strike.

Surely facing such spear techniques for the first time, he would have to withdraw his attack and retreat.

But in that brief moment.

Zion instead stepped forward.

SCREECH!

A tiny dot smaller than a bean formed beside Zion's neck where darkness had concentrated to its extreme.

As if by agreement.

CRACK!

Creating terrible friction sparks as that black dot and the thrusting spear tip met precisely.

"!!!!!!"

Ilias's eyes widened as far as possible at this sight.

What Prince Zion had just done was a divine technique impossible to even imitate without perfectly grasping his breathing, thoughts, spear path, impact point, and timing.

One mistake in any of these would have meant instant death.

'How is this possible in such a brief moment?'

BOOM-

Ilias's form, having barely blocked Zion's strike by tilting the opposite end of his spear, was flung backward mercilessly.

Before his form could stop-

WHOOSH!

Zion appeared before him and launched another strike.

A completely straightforward punch identical to before.

'Must block first...!'

Just as Ilias corrected his posture to defend against this attack-

"Not much real combat experience, huh?"

As Zion spoke coldly and opened his clenched fist-

"...What?"

SQUELCH!

Something burst from behind Ilias and perfectly pierced his chest.

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