Chapter 52: The Night of the Harvest (3)

Chapter 52: The Night of the Harvest (3)

TL/Editor: Rungir

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"I can't believe how strong they are..."

Princess Diana, the fifth in line, watched the battle unfolding in the middle of Lilia's garden, her voice filled with surprise.

Her shock wasn't due to the escape of Lergan and the Icarus Mage Brigade from the underground prison.

No, it was about two individuals.

Zion Agnes and a red-eyed woman, a stranger to Diana.

She watched as these two overwhelmed the entirety of Icarus, Lergan included, and her eyes grew wide.

'Who is that woman?'

Diana glanced at the red-eyed woman who was cutting down dozens of mages as if they were nothing more than paper.

The woman who always stood next to Zion, her eerie smile never fading.

Diana knew she wielded blood magic, but she never imagined she'd be so potent.

"Please, save me!"

"Aaargh!"

The Icarus mages, proud and skilled, fell without a chance to truly fight back.

The sight was beyond bizarre.

How many in the world could cause such havoc?

'Could it be... Did they also wipe out the 6th team of Egrasia...?'

Diana shook her head, dismissing the thought.

It made no sense for Zion to do such a thing. Enoch was still the more likely suspect.

'I wish I could ask... But now's not the time.'

With this thought, Diana turned her gaze to Lergan, now pressed hard by Zion, unable to fight back.

Who was Lergan Urschler?

A mage whose talent made the word "genius" seem inadequate. At his young age, in his 30s, he had reached level 7 and mastered a unique magic. He led Icarus, one of the most powerful mage groups in the empire.

A man whose abilities and potential were recognized by the third prince, Enoch, who kept him close.

And yet, Lergan, so talented, couldn't gain even a single advantage against Zion, the so-called disgrace of the royal family.

Each surge of Zion's otherworldly darkness shattered Lergan's summoned creatures.

'What is that power?'

Diana concentrated on the darkness.

From what she could see, Lergan's raw power was superior.

But the darkness.

The darkness, erasing everything it touched, was turning the tables.

She couldn't understand its principles no matter how she tried.

Frowning, Diana flicked her finger.

'Given the circumstances... it's no wonder there's concern.'

The meticulous plan to snare Lergan, and the power supporting it.

Diana felt she was beginning to grasp why her father, Emperor Urdios, had chosen Zion as his successor.

And then.

"!!!!!!!"

Diana's eyes widened, watching the battle between Zion and Lergan unfold.

Lergan summoned a creature more powerful than any before, unleashing a wave of devastation.

The wave's power was astonishing, even to Diana.

But what truly shocked her wasn't the wave.

"That's......!"

At that moment, Zion, who was charging towards the wave, produced a single black sword from his hand.

She recognized that sword, a weapon that sucked in all the surrounding light.

The Sword of Extinction.

With a resounding roar, Zion swung the black sword, and the wave of destruction along with the creature that released it began to split.

"!!!!!!"

All onlookers, Lergan included, stared wide-eyed at the impossible scene.

"You won't have time to be surprised."

Zion, having closed the distance to Lergan, swung the sword Eclaxia vertically with a smile.

Swish-

Zion's blade cut through Lergan's right shoulder as if meeting no resistance.

Immediately after.

Thud.

"Aaaaargh!"

Lergan's right arm hit the ground, and a heart-wrenching scream left his lips.

As if to swiftly end his life, Zion brought his sword down again towards Lergan's neck.

Crack!

Before his scream could fully escape, Lergan hastily summoned a creature to block Zion's attack, then shot upward.

Lergan soared into the night sky of the Imperial City, under the glow of the crescent moon.

Reflected in Zion's eyes were the Third Prince Enoch and his entourage, who had sensed the commotion and rushed over from the imperial palace.

"......"

Had he grasped the situation without any explanation?

Enoch's expression was frozen.

Zion, amused by this, gave a slight kick to Lergan's severed head at his feet.

With a gentle nudge,

Lergan's head rolled and came to a stop directly in front of the Third Prince Enoch.

"You must be somewhat unsettled."

Zion addressed Enoch, who was gazing at the gruesome sight before him with a dispassionate gaze.

"He was someone I valued, so it's untrue to say I'm not disturbed... But he dared to assault and attempt to kill a member of the royal bloodline, and he even fled from prison, so it's odd that he lived this long. If you hadn't located him first, I would have caught him myself and slit his throat."

His voice was placid, devoid of any fluctuations.

But Zion perceived a fury smoldering in the depths of Enoch's impassive eyes.

"Really? This man was making his way to the imperial palace after his escape from prison. Almost as if you had a hand in it."

Edging closer and delivering another kick to Lergan's severed head, Zion questioned Enoch.

"What nonsense. Today's incidents were entirely Lergan's handiwork. From the ceremony where you were branded a demon contractor, to the breakout from the underground prison.

"To the best of my knowledge, I was entirely in the dark."

Yet, Enoch barely reacted, just a slight twitch of his eyebrows.

'He's not biting.'

Zion felt a twinge of disappointment.

Despite his provocations, even using Lergan's head, Enoch remained unflappable.

It seemed challenging to implicate the Third Prince in this matter.

'Nevertheless, there are plenty of other reasons to eliminate him.'

Zion, considering the secrets lurking in the basement of the imperial palace where Enoch resided, resolved his thoughts and stepped closer to the Third Prince.

Then, Zion, a thin smile playing on his lips, whispered to Enoch.

"Stay vigilant."

The same caution he had offered Lergan outside the old imperial palace.

Usually, Enoch would have scoffed at Zion's audacity to offer such advice.

"......"

But now, Enoch remained silent.

With no more affairs to attend to here,

Slowly, slowly,

Zion turned and began his unhurried departure from the garden.

"Let's proceed, master."

Liushina, her expression contented for the first time in what felt like an eternity, trailed behind Zion.

"Zion......"

The Fifth Princess softly voiced Zion's name as she watched their retreating figures, her expression stern.

Until the silhouettes of Zion and Liushina had completely vanished,

The garden, littered with the bodies of the mages, remained silent.

---

Raei Translations

---

"You appear quite content today."

After departing from the garden and strolling under the moonlit palace, Zion addressed Liushina.

"The last time, while dealing with the phantom army, it felt somewhat inadequate, but today made up for it. Of course, if you need more to be slain, I'm up for it."

The millennial witch replied, a smirk gracing her features.

Her eyes shimmered with satisfaction for the first time in a long time.

"Is that so? Then I have an immediate task for you."

Zion seemed delighted at this and handed a piece of parchment to Liushina.

"What's this?"

"A map pinpointing the Blood Tower."

Blood magic, though not as despised as dark magic, was still largely frowned upon. Therefore, the Blood Tower, a gathering place for practitioners of blood magic, remained a hidden locale.

The map that Zion handed over was procured through the Shadow of Eternity, accurately marking the Blood Tower's location.

"I want you to go here."

"Me? Why?"

Liushina asked, her eyes brimming with curiosity.

In response,

"You need to engulf this place."

Zion retorted, a wicked grin creeping across his face.

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