I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel-269 - Final Preparations (1)

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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In the final Demon God Temple at the center of the deepest part of the Abyss in the demon realm's depths-

Step, step.

A single being walked through the temple halls.

It was Wrath, now the only remaining one of the Four Great Demons.

Though his face was largely hidden beneath a robe as usual, his tightly pressed lips visible beneath the hood clearly showed the gravity of his situation.

After walking for some time-

"My King," a low voice flowed from Wrath's lips as he finally stopped.

His eyes fell on the Demon King who stood with his back turned, gazing at some statue in the temple's center.

When his king showed no reaction to being called, Wrath continued:

"Acrimosia is dead."

"Three Demon God Temples have been destroyed and the imperial forces continue advancing without pause since breaking through our borders. They're already at our doorstep, and reaching here is likely just a matter of time."

"..."

The Demon King remained silent, still facing away.

"We've already lost a significant portion of our forces and the losses keep snowballing. Besides the time of Eternity, this may be our greatest crisis since coming to this world. No, at this rate... the demon realm will surely be destroyed."

Thud!

"My King."

Wrath knelt before his king.

"Please... help us."

His voice was filled with desperate yearning.

Though he didn't truly believe his words would move their king to action, Wrath had no choice but to ask.

There simply was no other option.

Emperor Zion Agnes, called the reincarnation of the Eternal Emperor, who ruled as the despair of the demon realm, and the strongest army in history that he commanded.

It was impossible for Wrath to handle them alone.

As if his feelings reached the king-

"Very well."

Words different from what Wrath expected flowed from the Demon King's lips.

"Really... truly?"

Wrath asked again, unable to believe the answer he wanted to hear.

"All preparations are complete now. Both here and..."

As the king nodded and turned toward the Great Demon-

"There."

SCREECH!

The space behind the king split open and-

SCREECH!

Monsters with even more grotesque forms from a completely different world began revealing themselves.

---

Though the demon realm was covered in darkness, it still had day and night.

In the middle of the demon realm's night, many times darker than the empire's, Zion fixed his gaze on something barely visible on the distant horizon.

That something was the Abyss, the deepest part of the demon realm.

'Not much time left?'

With this thought, Zion recalled the course of the great war so far.

The simultaneous attack on three Demon God Temples.

That operation could be considered a success.

Though the other two strike teams besides himself hadn't managed to kill the Great Demon Wrath or the Proxy they faced, they had succeeded in destroying the Cores, causing the monsters' power to rapidly diminish. ŖΆ₦𝐨ΒĚȿ

This naturally led to imperial forces winning the major battles at the inland borders.

'Add to that Madness's death and the Demon King's silence...'

Zion knew that everything had its optimal timing.

That's why he had mobilized all forces to frantically penetrate deeper into the demon realm immediately after victory in the major battles, without even taking time to rest. His strategy had worked perfectly.

They hadn't lost a single battle since then and had now reached the very entrance to the demon realm's deepest part.

'The final battle will begin soon.'

The last battle to determine the world's fate.

Though victory seemed likely for the empire in the current situation, Zion didn't think the demon realm would fight as things stood.

'They'll surely try something new.'

Like a cornered rat's final struggle.

'And the Demon King will reveal himself too.'

The Demon King.

A being about whom nothing was known except his appearance from Zion's dream.

Though his past self had overwhelmed the Demon King, Zion didn't think that would carry over to now.

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

He hadn't fully regained his past power yet, while the Demon King had grown far stronger than before.

'That's why I absolutely must reach 8 stars before the battle.'

Zion thought of the Demon Core that the three ancient dragons - Void Dragon Ereshkigal, Light Dragon Obergia, and Shadow Dragon Stigma - were working on with all their knowledge and magic.

Once their work finished, the Core's authority over time would be modified for Zion to use.

'It would be more certain with the other two Cores... but this will have to do.'

Just as he finished this thought-

"So this is where you were, Your Majesty."

Diana's voice came from behind.

As Zion turned, he saw not just her but other royal family members, the hero's party, and several of the empire's highest authorities.

"What's the matter? And why so many of you?"

"We have something to discuss. Though I didn't expect so many people would seek an audience with Your Majesty at this hour."

"Go on."

After surveying the group, Zion responded to Diana's words as she shrugged.

"The soldiers are uneasy."

"The soldiers?"

"Yes, it seems to be about the upcoming final battle. There's fear about the Demon King who still hasn't shown himself. And since human forces have never advanced this far in history, that's adding to their anxiety."

"It looks to me like you're the ones who are anxious, not the soldiers," Zion said with a slight smile.

"..."

Diana and the others fell silent at his words.

They couldn't deny it.

They remembered how powerful the Great Demon Wrath and the Proxy they'd faced at the temples had been.

Even after destroying the Cores, they might have lost had the battles continued.

Moreover, as just mentioned, the Demon King hadn't even shown himself yet.

So even though the situation was incomparably more favorable than in the past, they couldn't shake the anxiety in their hearts.

"You're right - it would be a lie to say we're not anxious. We still lack certainty," Diana said.

Certainty that the empire would win this war.

"Certainty..."

After watching her briefly, Zion slowly spoke:

"Have you found the answer to that question you asked me before?"

"Question..."

Diana thought for a moment before asking:

"Do you mean when I asked how you could use the Eternal Emperor's power?"

"Yes."

"No, I haven't found it."

She couldn't have.

'Consider all possibilities and think for yourself.'

That answer from Zion back then had been too vague.

Even now, those words remained incomprehensible.

Though questions rose in Diana's eyes, Zion's next words weren't an answer to them.

"Just before Urdios died, he said something."

Though he used the previous emperor's name without any honorific, it suited Zion perfectly.

"Heaven's Opposition, the power passed down through the direct Agnes imperial line, is merely a substitute."

"...!"

Shock filled everyone's eyes at hearing this imperial secret passed down only to emperors.

"Do you know why this Heaven's Opposition was created?"

"Because the Eternal Emperor's power wasn't passed down," Evelyn answered.

She had researched the Eternal Emperor before and knew some of the circumstances.

Zion nodded at her words and asked again:

"Correct. Then why wasn't the Eternal Emperor's power passed down?"

"That's..."

The answer didn't come easily.

Nothing about this had been passed down even among the royal family.

The truth recorded only in the demon realm's hidden history.

"Because that power was never meant to be passed down."

A power that only the Black Star Emperor Aurelion Khan Agnes could use.

"In other words, no one but the Eternal Emperor could use that power."

"That... you can't mean..."

As realization dawned, Diana pointed at Zion with trembling eyes.

A single possibility was forming in her mind.

It was completely absurd.

No, it was something that shouldn't be possible.

"That can't be possible..."

"What are you saying, Your Majesty!"

Others who belatedly grasped Zion's meaning shouted in disbelief beside the muttering Diana.

"Even for Your Majesty, this is blasphemy against the Eternal Emperor...!"

But they couldn't finish their words.

Not because someone interrupted them.

But because a thought rose from deep in their hearts that it might actually be true.

'It makes no sense, it's complete nonsense, but...'

That alone.

That alone would explain so many things.

'Come to think of it, it was already impossible for a prince so incompetent he was confined to suddenly overwhelm his siblings and take the throne in just 2 years, becoming strong enough to be called the world's strongest...'

Not just that, but all of Emperor Zion's numerous achievements and salvations in that short time.

Not only had no one ever accomplished such feats, no one had even come close.

Except for the Eternal Emperor.

Plus their similar temperament, atmosphere, and that power.

At this point, it would be stranger to say he wasn't the Eternal Emperor.

"Ah, ah..."

The pieces of doubt in people's minds began falling into place.

"Are you saying... that Your Majesty is the reincarnation of Emperor Aurelion?" Evelyn asked.

Images of Zion she had seen over time flashed through her mind.

How her youngest brother had completely changed from his formerly weak self at some point, to the degree that she could no longer remember his previous appearance.

Hearing Zion's words now, everything would make sense if his past life's memories had returned then.

"Reincarnation, possession, or disbelief - think what you will. It changes nothing either way," Zion murmured while looking at the people wrapped in shock and confusion, except for Hero Claire who had known the truth.

'This much should suffice for now.'

Zion didn't expect them to believe immediately.

Having planted the seed, people would process it in their own way until the war, and it would become a certainty.

The certainty that they were fighting alongside the undefeated emperor who founded the empire.

"Oh, Your Majesty! I believed from the start! That you were the Eternal Emperor's reincarnation!" Thierry shouted passionately as he knelt before Zion.

This was a natural reaction since the Eternal Shadow was deeply connected to the Eternal Emperor, and Thierry himself fanatically worshipped him.

Just then-

Whoosh!

"Aurelion, the work is complete."

A handsome man with light gray hair appeared beside Zion and spoke.

It was the human form of Void Dragon Ereshkigal from beneath Bai Cheng Palace.

"...!"

People's eyes trembled again at how the dragon addressed Zion.

"Let's go in right away."

Zion nodded to the dragon and began walking.

As they watched until he completely disappeared from view, someone asked Ereshkigal in a dazed voice:

"Is His Majesty truly the Eternal Emperor?"

"Hmph, humans are truly foolish. To not see what's before their eyes."

The Void Dragon's voice held complete certainty.

"If he isn't the Eternal Emperor, then who is?"

Shivers belatedly ran down people's spines at the dragon's words.

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